CalBike Commends Legislature for Rejecting Active Transportation Cuts
For Immediate Release: 5/29/24
Contact: Jared Sanchez, 714-262-0921, jared@calbike.org
SACRAMENTO—The legislature’s budget proposal, released today, rescinds the deep cuts to the Active Transportation Program (ATP) proposed in the Governor’s Budget and plans to backfill those cuts with state highway funding. CalBike thanks the legislature for recognizing the value of the ATP and maintaining funding commitments to critical walking and bicycling projects.
CalBike policy director Jared Sanchez: “I’m glad the legislature recognized the value of the Active Transportation Program. The legislature heard from its constituents and saved a popular program many local communities rely on to fund infrastructure projects.”
CalBike consultant Jeanie Ward-Waller: “The ATP is critical to meeting California’s climate goals and addressing the crisis of rising pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities on our roadways, especially in disadvantaged communities across the state. We commend the Legislature for their strong support of shifting funding from car-centric infrastructure to improve walking and biking.”
Background
The Active Transportation Program is a competitive funding source for projects that support biking and walking safety. It gives out approximately $500 million each two-year funding cycle.
In 2022, the ATP received a one-time funding boost of $1.05 billion from the general fund budget surplus, which pushed the total for Cycle 6, awarded in 2022, to $1.6 billion. However, the ATP is chronically underfunded and oversubscribed, and even with the extra funds, many worthwhile projects don’t make the cutoff.
In 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom proposed cutting $300 million from the one-time general fund boost to the ATP; the legislature and Governor agreed to backfill the cut from the State Highway Account, and there were no ATP cuts in the final budget.
In January 2024, the governor initially proposed cutting $200 million from the ATP. He raised that to $600 million in the May Revise, a deep cut that could delay and jeopardize projects awarded in Cycle 6 and would likely eliminate a full future cycle of ATP grants.
No corresponding cuts were proposed to funding for highway projects that increase vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and greenhouse gas emissions. There is no deficit in California’s transportation budget, which receives ample federal funding in addition to state funds.
