State Programs
Streetsblog California
ATP Funding Recommendations: Fewer and Larger Projects This Cycle
California Transportation Commission staff released their recommendations for projects to be funded in the 2017 round of the Active Transportation Program (ATP) yesterday. These recommendations will go to the full Commission for official adoption at its December meeting in Riverside.
November 1, 2016
The Legacy of S.B. 375: Transforming Planning to Transform California
Climate Plan, a coalition of more than fifty nonprofits working on California climate policies, released a report [PDF] about what we've learned from S.B. 375, one of California's policy efforts to grapple with climate change. The coalition held a day of presentations in Sacramento on Monday to celebrate the release. Presenters—people who've been working in state and local agencies and advocacy organizations—confirm that we've learned quite a lot, that planning practices in California are changing, and that there is still more work to do to achieve state goals.
October 26, 2016
Active Transportation Program Gets a Little More Money, With a Few Strings
The most recent cap-and-trade allocation bill, A.B. 1613, allots $10 million to the Active Transportation Program. The money comes with a few strings attached. Any projects funded by cap-and-trade have to show that they reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Also, the money must be allocated by 2018 and spent by 2020.
October 7, 2016
Park(ing) Day in North Orange County: A New, Welcome Experience
Lynk Gibson, 7, grabbed a thick blue marker from a bin and started drawing onto a board with a footprint outline while his 4-year-old brother Nolan looked on at his side. Krystin Gibson, the boys' mother, handed Nolan a marker and directed him where to draw.
September 19, 2016
Legislative Wrap-up: Environmental Justice, Cap-and-Trade Funding
The lead-up to the end of the California legislative session at midnight last night included a standard amount of grandstanding, tearful farewells, laughter, and exhaustion. Some bills passed and will now await the governor's good graces, and some died on the legislature floor. Here's a quick recap of a few bills relevant to sustainable streets. Details on each follow:
September 1, 2016
California Senate Proposal for Cap-and-Trade Revenues Focuses on Equity
The Senate released a spending plan for the unallocated portion of cap-and-trade revenues today, in the form of Assembly Bill 1613. The plan, say Senate leaders and advocates, focuses on environmental equity while supporting projects that will reduce greenhouse gases.
August 17, 2016
Garden Grove, Anaheim Residents Envision Pedestrian Friendly Cities
As 16-year-old Alexandra Retana walked up to the podium during last week's Anaheim City Council meeting's public comment period, she took a breath to calm herself.
August 16, 2016
Central Valley Cities Apply for Active Transportation Funds: It’s Not Easy
The Active Transportation Program is California's main source of funding for projects that encourage walking and biking. Caltrans just closed the third round of ATP grants on June 15, and will allocate $240 million for projects—beginning three years from now.
July 27, 2016
Voices from the Active Transportation Leadership Program
Last week, I stopped by Garden Grove's and Anaheim's third Active Transportation Leadership Program workshops to meet some of the attendees.
July 19, 2016
Legislative Update: Student Transit Passes, ATP, Equity in Climate Policies
This week in Sacramento, policy committees are rushing through a last-minute load of bills. The July recess is looming, and this week is the last opportunity to pass bills in the 2015-16 session. That has led to limited public discussion in some committees, with committee chairs admonishing attendees to keep remarks short. Meanwhile amendments are being proposed, revised, and refined behind the scenes.
June 29, 2016