SB 743 Implementation

Implementation

SB 743 (Steinberg, 2013) updates the way transportation impacts are measured in California for new projects, making sure they are built in a way that allows Californians more options to drive less. Under SB 743, CEQA analysis can no longer use road congestion or the amount of time a driver is delayed on the road – commonly measured by level of service (LOS) – when analyzing transportation impacts. Therefore, instead of using LOS, a project’s environmental impacts must be evaluated by the amount and distance people drive to destinations. SB 743 requires the amount of driving and length of trips – as measured by “vehicle miles traveled” or VMT – be used to assess transportation impacts on the environment for CEQA review. These impacts will be reduced or “mitigated” by options such as increasing transit, providing for active transportation such as walking and biking, and participating in mitigation banks. SB 743 also allows for projects meeting certain criteria to be exempt from CEQA.

The California Natural Resources Agency has certified and adopted the CEQA Guidelines update implementing Senate Bill 743 (§ 15064.3). Caltrans has now issued its guidance on how VMT impacts to the state highway system with be identified and reviewed.

Calculators/Thresholds/Data Support

• Fresno COG: VMT Analysis Guide, Screening Maps, Calculation Tool
• WRCOG: VMT Screening Tool
• Alameda CTC: VMT Reduction Calculator Tool, VMT Tables and Maps
• VCTC: VMT Analysis Spreadsheet
• VTA: VMT Mitigation Tool
• MTC: VMT Maps and Data from RTP/SCS
• SANDAG: SB 743 VMT Maps 
• SBCAG: VMT Screening Maps and Member Consultation (when requested)
• BCAG: Regional Travel Demand Model and Data (when requested)

Implementation Studies/Plans/Support

• Fresno COG: SB 743 Implementation Regional Guidelines (January 2021)
• WRCOG: SB 743 Implementation Pathway Report (March 2019)
• BCAG: SB 743 Implementation Study and supporting documents (June 2021)
• SANDAG: VMT Documentation (with FAQ)
• SACOG:  SB 743 Implementation Tools (Overview, June 2020)
• SACOG: Outside the Region VMT Estimation Memo (Draft, Sept 2020)
• MTC: Key SB 743 Implementation Steps for Land Use Projects (not dated)
• MTC: VMT Thresholds of Significance Best Practices Memo (Sept 2019)
• MCAG- Implementation Plan (beginning)
• CCTA – Mitigation Program Framework (beginning)

Caltrans: SB 743 Implementation on the State Highway System

• Transportation Analysis Framework (TAF). First Edition. Guides the preferred approach for analyzing the VMT attributable to proposed projects (induced travel) in various project settings
• Transportation Analysis under CEQA (TAC). First Edition. Supports Caltrans practitioners making CEQA determinations for transportation impacts on the state highway system.
• Q&A: Caltrans TAF and TAC
• Expert Panel Report  (induced travel methodology)
• Caltrans Policy Memo (PDF)
• Find more at the Caltrans SB 743 Implementation page
• Self Help Counties Coaltion: Comment Letter

Caltrans General Overview

 Other State Agency Documents & Information

• Caltrans/Berkeley Law: Design Considerations for VMT Mitigation Bank and Exchange Programs (August 2022)
• CAPCOA: Handbook for Analyzing GHG Emission Reduction, Assessing Climate Vulnerabilities, and Advancing Health and Equity (August 2021)
• Department of Natural Resources, New CEQA Guidelines.  See Section 15064.3 (p 11-12).
• Technical Advisory on Evaluating Transportation Impacts in CEQA (OPR, April 2018)
• Governors Office of Planning and Research (General Information Resources, including some short video overviews)
• OPR: Proposed CEQA Guidelines for Implementing SB 743 (November 2017)
• CARB 2017 Scoping Plan-Identified VMT Reductions and Relationship to State Climate Goals.  Describes the relationship between those GHG emissions reductions goals and the level of per capita VMT and GHG emissions reduction anticipated in existing SCSs.

Selected Research