CEQA

And Caltrans will host a webinar tomorrow, open to all, to discuss "Rethinking How We Build So Californians Can Drive Less."

VMT puts the E back into CEQA

Confused about how building highways could end up creating more traffic congestion? This webinar can help

Yesterday the California Office of Planning and Research released a comprehensive update to CEQA. It marks a milestone in efforts to align transportation performance metrics with community values

A source has informed the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition that mayoral appointee Jeff Sheehy may vote to delay the planned parking-protected bike lanes on Upper Market over an environmental challenge to the project. That has led the SFBC to question Sheehy's commitment to safe bike infrastructure in his district.

SCAG sent a last-minute letter attempting to delay progressive updates to California's outdated environmental standards.

Late last week, the San Francisco Planning Commission unanimously adopted a resolution to replace "Level of Service" (LOS) with "Vehicle Miles Traveled" (VMT). That's bureaucratese for measuring a project's overall effect on moving people, instead of just counting automobiles. As explained in a previous post, environmental law has long forced transportation planners to grade projects by how they impact traffic flow. "This will streamline California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review for projects that are designed to encourage public transit, promote pedestrian safety and help reduce the need for traveling long distances by car," said John Rahaim, Director of San Francisco Planning, in an official release. "We are pleased to be the first city in California to adopt these new guidelines."

The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) recently issued long-anticipated changes to a provision in California law that currently ranks traffic congestion as an environmental impact. For more details, see recent Streetsblog coverage here. The new guidelines are under a 45-day review period, with public comment being accepted until February 29.

It's been more than 40 years since the National Environmental Policy Act was enacted. In that time, America has built a lot of emissions-inducing, land-devouring highway infrastructure despite the environmental review process mandated by NEPA. It's fair to ask: When it comes to transportation infrastructure, does environmental review make a difference for the environment?