2024 People-First Mobility Budget for California
California has laid out admirable goals to reduce GHG emissions from transportation, which contributes the most to climate change in our state. The Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure (CAPTI) lays out a limited set of plans and goals for reducing emissions from the transportation sector. However, it’s not enough.
Worse, California continues to apply billions of dollars from its transportation budget to projects that take us further from them.
So CalBike has drafted a People-First Mobility Budget, an alternative transportation spending plan for California that gives residents more mobility options, improves health, increases equity, and helps us meet our state climate goals.
Why create a People-First Mobility Budget?
Imagine spending all your money on matches and lighter fluid when your house is on fire. That’s what California is doing with our transportation spending: pouring billions of dollars into matches and kindling rather than dousing the fire that will consume our home. Climate change isn’t a problem we can push off into a hazy future; it’s here now.
Fortunately, in the process of restructuring our transportation systems to avert climate disaster, we can also create systems that better serve people. We can fund fast, reliable public transportation that brings mobility to underserved communities. We can build networks of Complete Streets that reduce collisions and make neighborhoods more pleasant for people walking, biking, taking transit, and driving. We can create mixed-use neighborhoods where shopping and services are a convenient walk from home. We can reduce congestion and automobile pollution, improving health for everyone.
All those things are within reach if we focus our transportation spending on projects that serve people.
The People-First Mobility Budget for 2024-2025
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In Governor Gavin Newsom’s draft budget, released on January 10, 2024, almost $20 billion out of a state budget of $291 billion is allocated to transportation. At less than 10% of the budget, it might seem inconsequential. But emissions from transportation make up a substantial portion of our state’s greenhouse gas emissions, and changing what we spend these funds on is crucial to protecting our climate.
The People-First Mobility Budget, which takes into account the additional $9 billion from federal IIJA funding, proposes distributing those funds as follows:
- 50% of the California State Highway Account (SHA) to active transportation projects and other vehicle miles traveled (VMT)-reducing projects. We need to build protected, connected bikeways to make biking a realistic option for more Californians to get more places. We need Complete Streets with protected intersections and bikeways to create bikeable, walkable neighborhoods. We need to build this quickly; we know it’s possible with enough funding. The SHA is expected to be $5.4 billion this year. We propose that $2.7 billion be distributed as follows:
- $700 million to the Active Transportation Program (ATP). The ATP is chronically underfunded. An infusion of an additional $700 million will launch dozens of worthwhile projects cities are ready to build. This should be the funding floor for all future appropriations.
- $2 billion set aside for the construction of truly Complete Streets. We define Complete Streets as streets that include all the elements needed to make it safe to reach destinations by walking or biking. This funding is essential to help communities implement GHG- and VMT-reducing projects.
- 25% of the Federal Trust Fund to VMT-reducing projects, including but not limited to implementing transit priority corridors on streets and highways. This would shift an additional $2.5 billion and strengthen the state’s recent efforts in meeting its GHG and VMT reduction goals.
- 75% of combined state and federal funds to continue to prioritize repair and maintenance of state-controlled roads. The remainder of the state budget plus $7.5 billion in federal funding adds roughly $15 billion. This fix-it-first allocation will pay for needed repairs such as fixing potholes, hardening infrastructure against extreme weather and other failures, and scheduled repaving. No repair projects should include new lanes, interchanges, or other infrastructure that would increase VMT. The $15 billion is more than enough to continue to meet the targets in the State Highway System Management Plan and the Transportation Asset Management Plan, and the goals of SB 1 and its associated programming.
- At least half of the above spending should go toward improving infrastructure in historically underserved areas. Transportation racism has created a system of haves and have-nots. No neighborhood should have missing sidewalks, a lack of safe street crossings, streets in disrepair, and a lack of adequate transit connections, but years of malign neglect have led to terrible street conditions in many disadvantaged communities. This funding will provide literal reparations: repairing the damage of racism, one crosswalk at a time.
- Zero funding for increased highway capacity. No new freeway lanes, overpasses, or interchanges. California has enough high-capacity, high-volume, high-speed streets. It’s time to build slow streets for people. This shift in funding will allow the above priorities to be implemented.
Benefits of a people-first approach to mobility
For many Californians, driving a personal vehicle isn’t a choice. The only way they can get from their homes to work, school, or shopping is by car because the distances are too great or the streets are unsafe for biking, walking, or both. A people-centered approach to transportation priorities doesn’t force anyone out of their car, but it gives Californians choices about how they get around their communities. Here are just a few of the benefits.
- Greater independence for youth and seniors. People who are unable to drive because of age or ability are often isolated or dependent on others to take them where they need to go. Safe bikeways give young people the opportunity to get to school under their own power. Improved transit service provides more options for seniors to stay active and independent.
- Healthier neighborhoods. Even though EVs don’t emit greenhouse gases, particulate matter from tire and brake wear is harmful to human health. Less driving leads to cleaner air.
- Financial savings. AAA calculates the average annual cost of car ownership at $9,282. For someone making $50,000 a year, that’s 20% of their income going to transportation. In many parts of California, the costs are higher than the national average. What’s cheaper than getting around by car? Riding a bike. Taking public transit. And walking is free.
- Improved physical and mental health. Commuting or running errands by bike is a great way to incorporate physical movement into a daily routine. And regular exercise improves mental health as well.
- Less congestion. Two of the top 10 most congested cities in the US are in California: Los Angeles and San Francisco. According to US News and World Report, that congestion comes with a financial cost of around $1,600 per driver each year, not to mention lost time and frustration.
- More transportation choices. For many Californians, there is only one transportation choice: getting behind the wheel, sitting in traffic, and searching for parking. A people-first mobility approach means someone could choose to drive one day and bike or take the bus the next.