The Transportation Agency includes equity as a policy goal in its Regional Transportation Plan and several of its funding programs.  In these instances, equity is evaluated primarily in terms of geographic equity.  However, given the impact that low incomes and in some cases historic disinvestment has had in certain communities, expansion of equity metrics to include racial diversity is worth considering in the Agency's programs. The Monterey County Health Department has issued a report that details some of the correlations between racially diverse populations and poor health outcomes (including reduced biking and walking) that exist in communities across Monterey County.

The County of Monterey's Civil Rights Office provides a racial equity toolkit to help agencies to look at various programs to determine how to improve outcomes for diverse racial groups.  TAMC staff has utilized the toolkit to evaluate how the Agency can better improve the transportation system in communities that have experienced historical underinvestment.  

The staff brainstormed three areas for focus:  funding, public outreach and hiring.   Within each area, a team developed a set of issues, potential solutions, action items and a racial equity goal.

This program was presented and reviewed by the TAMC Executive Committee earlier in the year.  Attached is a revised draft Racial Equity Program based on Committee comments. Staff is seeking review and comment on this draft program and will return with a final version for Board adoption.