Is This The Future of Freeway Projects?

Freeway planning in California is shifting gears. If the past was adding lanes to reduce congestion, the future is about creating multimodal mobility corridors. At least that is the thinking as the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) seeks to improve mobility in their I-680 Corridor, which includes closing a key gap in the region’s express …

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Broadening Accountability for SCS Implementation

Who should be accountable when it appears a Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS) will not achieve the target set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB)? Most believe the answer is obvious: It should be the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) that adopted the SCS. But we think differently. Our answer is: “it depends.” Here’s why. Although MPOs …

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AB 285 Report: Five Initial Observations

There are probably 285 things we could say about the AB 285 report. Some positive, others critical.  But that would be a really boring read, so here are our initial five thoughts: Quick Background: What Is an AB 285 Report? The AB 285 Report (technically, the Transporation Assessment Report) is a review of the CTP …

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VMT Reduction Recipe for ARB

We are guessing not many of you read the latest version of the Mobile Source Strategy. We read it because it begins to show how the California Air Resources Board (ARB) will approach reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the Scoping Plan and how ARB may set greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets under Senate Bill …

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OC Streetcar Draws on Historic Past to Serve Today’s Riders

Old Street Car, Proposed Street Car

One hundred years ago, Southern California had the largest electric streetcar system in the world.  Red and yellow streetcars connected Southern California, including Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles counties.  Over the years, however, competition from automobiles and freeways led to their decline. By the 1950s, nearly all the streetcars were gone. Now, the …

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The $500 Million Proposal for Regional Action Grants Explained

California Roars back logo with Newsom and Friedman photos

June 3 Update:  The Legislative Budget Package recommends a $250 million augmentation for this program above the $500 million in the Governor’s May Revise.  As we note below, there is more than enough eligible projects, and MPOs have a history of funding and programming projects in a timely way.  The constitutional deadline for the Legislature to pass …

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The CTP 2050 is Really a Statewide APS

The draft California Transportation Plan (CTP2050) creates a resilient vision for the state’s transportation network. One that is modally diverse, equitable, less reliant on the automobile, and better for the climate. What’s not to like? California needs such a vision to forge new low carbon programs that improve safety, transit, health, equity, and the economy. But …

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SJV MPOs Represent at Joint CTC-ARB Meeting

Panel of Valley Directors

The San Joaquin Valley MPO panel discusses regional issues at the Joint CTC-ARB meeting in Modesto.

One of the highlights of the joint meeting of the California Air Resources Board and the California Transportation Commission was the joint presentation by the eight valley metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). Their presentations highlight several programs throughout the region that were bearing fruit in terms of community building and reducing emissions.  The directors were expertly …

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