CalBike Joins Group Urging Community Participation for Caltrans Complete Streets Projects
CalBike has joined with a coalition of advocacy groups to press Caltrans to follow a transparent process when it adds Complete Streets elements to projects. The letter was signed by transportation advocacy groups, environmental organizations, a government association, and a Catholic diocese, among others.
In 2019, CalBike sponsored the Complete Streets for Healthy Living bill (SB 127). The bill, which passed both the State Assembly and the Senate, would have required Caltrans to include Complete Streets features in repair projects whenever feasible. Although Governor Newsom vetoed the bill, Caltrans has moved forward with some promising changes. Most importantly, it has delayed the 2020 State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) funding round to reexamine projects and find places to include Complete Streets.
While CalBike supports the direction that Caltrans is taking, we want to emphasize the importance of community involvement and input into Complete Streets elements that get added to projects. The complete letter is below. You can download the pdf at SHOPP CTC Complete Streets Letter.
May 8, 2020
Chair Van Konynenburg
California Transportation Commission 1120 N. Street, MS 52
Sacramento Ca. 95814
Re: 2020 SHOPP PERFORMANCE AND COMPLETE STREETS
Dear Chair Van Konynenburg and Members of the Commission:
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) Performance and Complete Streets Item. We represent organizations in California that promote equitable access to active transportation for all Californians. Our group has been working with Caltrans over the past year to identify efficient and effective ways to fund complete streets projects, where appropriate, as well as look for pathways to create better engagement between Caltrans Districts and Local Partners.
We support the shift that Caltrans is demonstrating under the leadership and guidance of Director Omishakin. Establishing a reserve funding to incorporate meaningful complete streets elements to existing SHOPP projects is key to ensuring efficient use of funding and most
importantly advancing a transportation system that supports all modes of transportation for Californians. We understand the time and effort it has taken to get to this decision and appreciate the hard work and dedication of Caltrans staff and the Director.
While we support the shift this represents, we also encourage Caltrans Districts and headquarters to ensure that the projects which seek to access the reserve and implement complete streets are those which demonstrate community support and are identified through meaningful community engagement. In order for these reserve funds to create a meaningful impact it is of the utmost importance that there be support and a demonstrated process where community voices are heard in prioritizing projects within the SHOPP for these improvements.
We highly encourage Caltrans and the Commission to ensure that any project seeking to use funds from the reserve demonstrate the following:
- Support from community groups and members for the project elements proposed that go beyond reference to an existing city, or county plan: These may include but are not limited to the following:
- Community meetings
- Support letter from community based organizations
- Reports and resources from local partners outlining community engagement efforts to inform transportation needs in a given community
- Identified process where community will be involved, included, and notified of potential changes to the projects scope for complete streets
We are eager to partner with Caltrans and the districts to develop a process that creates statewide guidance and/or criteria for community engagement for projects seeking to use the funds for the reserve. If we begin institutionalizing equitable and inclusive community engagement for all SHOPP projects now, we can ensure that all future SHOPP cycles will incorporate the full breadth of multimodal and complete streets options prioritized by California’s communities, and avoid the need to hold reserves for allocation after the program’s approval.
In closing, we support the shift demonstrated by the department and look forward to the implementation of meaningful, community informed complete streets elements in the 2020 SHOPP and beyond. We’d also encourage and support linking Caltrans Districts with local partners to support alignment and execution of the engagement efforts outlined above.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions. Sincerely,
Esther Rivera, Interim-Executive Director California Walks
Jonathan Matz, California Senior Policy Manager Safe Routes Partnership
Chanell Fletcher, Executive Director ClimatePlan
Matthew Baker, Policy Director Planning and Conservation League
Marcella May Executive Director
Humboldt County Association of Governments
Emily Sinkhorn, Division Director Redwood Community Action Agency
Steve Gerhardt, AICP
Executive Director, Walk Long Beach
Carter Rubin
Mobility and Climate Advocate, NRDC
Molly Wagner, CPTED CPD, Project Manager WALKSacramento
Dave Snyder
Executive Director, California Bicycle Coalition
Julia Randolph
Policy and Outreach Associate, Coalition for Clean Air
Veronica Tovar, Program Manager Catholic Charities Environmental Justice
Colin Fiske, Executive Director
Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities
