The draft Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure (the "Plan") builds on executive orders signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2019 and 2020 targeted at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in transportation in order to meet the state's ambitious climate goals.
In the State of California, the transportation sector is the largest contributor to the climate crisis, representing more than 40 percent of all emissions statewide. Impacts from the climate crisis impact the health and safety of all Californians and disproportionately affect the state's low-income communities, and communities of color and other persons facing inequities. According to the plan, it presents a holistic framework and statement of intent for aligning stat transportation infrastructure investments with state climate, health, and social equity goals, built on the foundation of the "fix-it-first" approach established in Senate Bill 1.
The Plan presents the following seven strategy areas, each with specific action strategies identified in the document.
- Cultivate and accelerate sustainable transportation innovation by leading with state investments
- Support a robust economic recovery by revitalizing transit, supporting zero emission vehicle deployment, and expanding active transportation investments
- Elevate community voices in how we plan and fund transportation projects
- Advance state transportation leadership on climate and equity through improved planning and project partnerships
- Support climate resilience through transportation system improvements and protections for natural and working lands
- Support local and regional innovation to advance sustainable mobility
- Strengthen transportation-land use connections
Action strategies identified in the Plan reflect proposed shifts in funding prioritization to existing Senate Bill 1 grant programs, enhancing funding capacity for the state's Active Transportation Program, advancing opportunities for implementation of the State Rail Plan and uplifting community voices through focused conversations with rural communities. A full list of the action strategies can be found in the draft Plan, included as a web attachment to this report.
The Plan's strategy to prioritize certain projects could benefit the Central Coast region by advancing capacity for increasing rail service along the Central Coast, building bus rapid transit projects and supporting more active transportation projects. However, staff is concerned that the strategies will neglect critical highway safety and congestion relief improvements that support goods movement, tourist travel, reduced transit travel times and employees traveling to jobs. In essence, there is a concern that future SB 1 monies will be shifted away from critical highway safety projects, particularly Measure X projects on Highways 68 and US 101 which require state matching funds.
In coordination with the Central Coast Coalition, the Agency wrote a letter that identified three key requests to the State: 1) Take a geographically-sensitive approach that allow regions to implement the multimodal program of projects in their regional transportation plans; 2) Support additional greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies beyond reduction of vehicle miles traveled, such as advancing broadband capacity and enhancing electric vehicle charging infrastructure; and, 3) Recognize that a supermajority of voters have approved countywide sales tax measures (e.g. Measure X) and reaffirmed the provisions of SB 1, both of which include funding for highway safety and traffic relief, and local road improvements.
The Central Coast Coalition submitted this letter to the California Transportation Commission in advance of their April 8th joint meeting with the California Air Resources Board and California Department of Housing and Community Development. The letter is included as an attachment to this report. Public comments on the draft Plan are expected to be due in May of this year and the final Plan is expected to be released in June 2021.