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Tag Archive for: Complete Streets Bill

CalBike Statement on Complete Streets Veto

October 23, 2019/by Kevin Claxton

On October 12th, Governor Newsom issued a veto of CalBike’s Complete Streets for Active Living Bill, SB 127.  

What happened, Governor Newsom?

To say this was a disappointment is an understatement. Thousands of emails, hundreds of phone calls, overwhelming support from the State Legislature, and the support of more than 80 organizations—all this was insufficient to warrant the Governor’s approval.  

Beyond our disappointment, the response was confusing. Governor Newsom has recently doubled down on the need to address the climate crisis, and issued an Executive Order that acknowledges that 40% of our carbon emissions in California come from the transportation sector, and that to meet our state climate goals we must change our transportation funding priorities. Specifically, he declared that the state should fund transportation options that reduce emissions and improve access to biking, walking, and transit. He must know that signing the Complete Streets for Active Living Bill not only would have been in direct alignment with this sentiment, but more importantly that it was the right thing to do. 

We know that every day of inaction is a day that people risk losing their lives and their loved ones to traffic violence. The Complete Streets Bill would have made it clear to Caltrans, and would have bound them by law, to take people biking and walking into consideration when repairing or re-paving our streets. It would have made it possible for people to move safely through their communities, no matter how they choose to travel.

There was tremendous support for the Complete Streets Bill – thank you.

It was a very tough fight to pass the Complete Streets Bill, and reaching the Governor’s desk with a strong proposal was a feat of its own. We couldn’t have done it without support from our co-sponsors, supporters, and thousands of CalBike members over the past three years. Thank you for your emails and phone calls, for attending in-district meetings, for sharing your stories and making a personal investment in this work, for donating to support the campaign. Your efforts pushed this bill all the way through the legislature, and let lawmakers know how much Californians care about building safe streets.

Last week, CalBike held its biennial California Bicycle Summit in Los Angeles. More than 300 participants convened for 3 days of plenaries, panel discussions, workshops, bike rides, and social events. Coming off the heels of this veto, it was incredibly healing and inspiring to come together with a group of committed advocates, planners, and elected officials—people who understand the need for Complete Streets. The Summit was full of energy and ideas for how to transform our streets. It left us with hope that together, despite this recent defeat, we can change California for the better, making our streets safer, our transportation system sustainable, and our communities healthy.

CalBike will continue to press Caltrans to build Complete Streets.

While the Complete Streets Bill was not signed into law, we are not declaring defeat. In his veto message, Governor Newsom stated that he trusts that Caltrans, which is under new leadership starting this week, will deliver alternatives to driving. We’ll believe it when we see it. Now it’s incumbent on us to be a vigilant watchdog, and to push Caltrans to implement Complete Streets on its many surface streets—something that it has been unwilling to do in the past. 

https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Image__Walther.png 628 1200 Kevin Claxton https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.png Kevin Claxton2019-10-23 16:20:022019-10-24 10:49:49CalBike Statement on Complete Streets Veto

Governor Vetoes Complete Streets Bill – Chooses Against Safety

October 12, 2019/by Kevin Claxton

For Immediate Release: October 12, 2019

Contact:
Linda Khamoushian, California Bicycle Coalition, 916-668-9401, linda@calbike.org
Tony Dang, California Walks, 510-464-8052, tony@calwalks.org
Jamie Morgan, American Heart Association, 916-431-2359, Jamie.Morgan@heart.org
David Azevedo, AARP, 626-616-9539, dazevedo@aarp.org
Margo Pedroso, Safe Routes Partnership, 301-292-1043, margo@saferoutespartnership.org

SB 127: Gov. Gavin Newsom VETOES “COMPLETE STREETS” BILL

SACRAMENTO, Calif.– Late this evening, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed the Complete Streets for Active Living Bill (Senate Bill 127) championed by Sen. Scott Wiener.

The bill would have required the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to consider bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements when it repairs or repaves state routes that serve as local streets. This bill aimed to ensure state roads that run through local communities (e.g. 19th Avenue in San Francisco, Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, San Pablo Avenue in the East Bay, Santa Rosa Street in San Luis Obispo) are safe for people to walk, bike and use wheelchairs along those routes.

The Complete Streets for Active Living Bill had strong and widespread support. A recent poll found that 78% of California voters support a policy requiring safety improvements when improving a road. They want children to be able to safely walk or bike to school. Hundreds of schools exist within a half-mile of a California State Route and these streets remain some of the deadliest in the state.

Linda Khamoushian, Senior Policy Advocate, California Bicycle Coalition,:
“Gov. Newsom’s decision blatantly ignores the immense support for this critical policy change. People risk their lives everyday just to walk or bike along dangerous state-owned streets. Without more aggressive complete streets policies, our transportation system will continue to operate business as usual. SB 127 was a rare opportunity to create livable streets for everyone. This decision was ill-informed by the faulty cost estimates from Caltrans that were proven illogical based on actual practice, and unfortunately will only perpetuate distrust without resolution. Communities demanded better from the Governor, but now are left in the dust.”

Jamie Morgan, Government Relations Regional Lead, American Heart Association:
“Californians want safer, more livable streets that support local businesses and local jobs. They want the ability to walk and bike safely. By vetoing SB 127, Gov. Newsom missed out on the opportunity to create more livable streets for our children, our residents and our communities.”

Tony Dang, Executive Director, California Walks:
“We are appalled by Governor Newsom’s decision to derail SB 127 despite overwhelming support by the public and the Legislature. Families and children deserve to be able to walk, bike, and cross their community’s local and main streets without fear–the veto of SB127 lets Caltrans off the hook and leaves the safety of our vulnerable residents to chance.”

Margo Pedroso, Deputy Director, Safe Routes Partnership:
“The Safe Routes Partnership is so disappointed that Governor Newsom vetoed the Complete Streets for Active Living Bill into law. As SB 127 made its way through the legislative process, it became clear that legislators understood this bill would create safe routes for everyone when Caltrans repaired state highways in populated areas. This legislation was a common-sense and cost-effective way to get more kids and families walking and biking to school safely when those schools are located next to state highways.”

COMPLETE STREETS BACKGROUND

In California from 2007-2013, nearly 1.7 million people were injured in traffic incidents, including 95,758 while walking along or across the street. In those crashes, 22,117 people were killed, with pedestrians accounting for one-fifth of the total persons killed. The problem is often concentrated around Caltrans roads that go through low-income neighborhoods where more people get around via transit, biking and walking.

Caltrans often claims to make streets safer when they repair them. But in practice, they prioritize fast traffic over the communities demanding more livable streets almost every single time. The Complete Streets for Active Living Bill would have brought safety improvements necessary to stop the killing and maiming on state-owned roads.

SB 127 Co-Sponsors:

California Bicycle Coalition, California Walks, American Heart Association, AARP, Safe Routes Partnership

Supporting Organizations:

350 Bay Area Action, 350 Silicon Valley, Active SGV, American Lung Association in California , Alameda County Transportation Commission, Berkeley Climate Hub, Bicycling Monterey, Bike Bakersfield, Bike Concord, Bike East Bay, Bike San Diego, Bike Santa Cruz County, Bike SLO County, BikeVentura, California Alliance for Retired Americans, California City Transportation Initiative/NACTO, California Democratic Party, California Interfaith Power & Light, California Park and Recreation Society, California ReLeaf, CALSTART Inc., CALPIRG, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Stockton, Cedars, Center for Climate Change and Health, Central California Asthma Collaborative, City Heights Community Development Corp., City of Encinitas, City of Half Moon Bay, City of Long Beach, City of Los Angeles, City of Oakland, City of Sacramento, City and County of San Francisco, City of Santa Monica, City of San Luis Obispo, Climate Action Campaign, ClimatePlan, Climate Resolve, Coalition for Clean Air, Coalition for Sustainable Transportation-Santa Barbara, Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities, Costa Mesa Alliance for Better Streets, Compton Unified School District, Cultiva La Salud, Davis Bike Club, Day One, East Bay Recreational Park District, Elders Climate Action (NorCal), Environment California, Fossil Free California, Inland Empire Biking Alliance, Investing in Place, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, La Verne Bicycle Coalition, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, Local Government Commission, Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, Los Angeles Walks, Lyft Inc., Marin County Bicycle Coalition, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, Move LA, Napa County Bicycle Coalition, Natural Resources Defense Council, Office of Mayor London Breed – San Francisco, Orange County Bicycle Coalition, Office of the Mayor, San Francisco, Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition, Planning and Conservation League, PeopleforBikes, PolicyLink, Public Advocates, Redwood Community Action Agency, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Rural Counties Representative of California, Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, San Francisco Transportation Municipal Agency, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco Planning Department, SFBA Families for Safe Streets, Santa Monica Spoke, Save The Bay, Seamless Bay Area, Shasta Living Streets, Sierra Club California, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, Sunflower Alliance, Transform, Transportation Agency for Monterey County, Trust for Public Land, Vision Zero Network, Walk Bike Berkeley, Walk & Bike Mendocino, Walk Oakland Bike Oakland, Walk Sacramento, Walk San Francisco, and Walk Long Beach.

https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ghost-bike-memorial.png 495 742 Kevin Claxton https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.png Kevin Claxton2019-10-12 23:27:442019-10-15 15:19:14Governor Vetoes Complete Streets Bill – Chooses Against Safety

Major Pushback Against Caltrans Over Complete Streets Bill Fiscal Impact

August 21, 2019/by Kevin Claxton

On August 21, Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez (Dem-80, above right) did something unusual. Gonzalez chairs the Appropriations Committee. She allowed testimony on The Complete Streets for Active Living Bill (SB 127 – Wiener), even though the bill was, by rule, headed for the suspense file. The Chair prefers that members waive testimony for bills going to the suspense file, but Gonzalez took the opportunity to rake Caltrans over the coals for making unfounded claims about the Complete Streets Bill fiscal impact in an effort to sink the bill.

The Complete Streets Bill requires Caltrans to accommodate people walking or biking when it repairs or rebuilds a state route that also serves as a local street. The bill allows exceptions, but will require the agency to explain at a public hearing why Complete Streets additions to maintenance projects are infeasible. The legislation will simply require Caltrans to follow its own stated Complete Streets policy.

Apparently, this is all too much for Caltrans. The agency has issued wildly inflated estimates of the cost to implement SB 127, in an attempt to sink the bill.

In the hearing, Gonzalez called out Caltrans for its inaccurate numbers and incendiary tactics. Senator Scott Wiener who introduced the Complete Streets Bill earlier this year, took to Twitter to call out Caltrans in no uncertain terms.

“I’m authoring #SB127 to ensure state roads that run through cities – eg 19th Ave, Santa Monica Blvd, San Pablo Ave – are safe for pedestrians & cyclists. Caltrans has now issued a grossly inflated, fake cost estimate of >$1B to tank the bill. Here’s my letter pushing back hard.”

I’m authoring #SB127 to ensure state roads that run through cities – eg 19th Ave, Santa Monica Blvd, San Pablo Ave – are safe for pedestrians & cyclists. Caltrans has now issued a grossly inflated, fake cost estimate of >$1B to tank the bill. Here’s my letter pushing back hard. pic.twitter.com/9sMo15ImvD

— Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) August 21, 2019

Weiner attached to his Tweet a copy of a letter he sent to David Kim, Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), of which Caltrans is a division. In it, he calls out the inaccurate assumptions behind the sky-high cost estimate for Complete Streets projects presented by Caltrans. According to Wiener’s letter the Caltrans estimate that Complete Streets would add $1.1 billion annually (Caltrans’ estimate was actually $1.3 billion) to state road-building costs was based on the assumption that bike and pedestrian facilities cost $4.5 million per centerline mile. Wiener pointed out that Complete Streets elements are often the least expensive part of a project. He cited costs between $20,000 and $600,000 per centerline mile. The Caltrans figure is 7.5 times the high end of this range.

Many thanks to Senator Wiener and Assembly Member Gonzalez for strongly backing this important bill. The Complete Streets Bill is CalBike’s most important legislation in 2019. Vocal support from elected representatives, our coalition partners, and CalBike members has carried the bill so far.

The Complete Streets Bill has made it through some tough fights. The toughest of all may be ahead, as Caltrans pulls out all the stops to try to block SB 127. We’ll need all hands on deck to make sure this important bill passes and is signed into law.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/IMG_4960-scaled.jpeg 1920 2560 Kevin Claxton https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.png Kevin Claxton2019-08-21 17:01:412019-08-21 17:17:54Major Pushback Against Caltrans Over Complete Streets Bill Fiscal Impact

Complete Streets Bill Passes the Senate

May 24, 2019/by Kevin Claxton

On Thursday, May 23, the Complete Streets for Active Living Bill (SB 127) passed in the full Senate. The vote was 29 to 9. The bill’s co-sponsored are CalBike, California Walks, The American Heart Association, Safe Routes Partnership, and AARP.

The Complete Streets Bill will require Caltrans to add features to improve the safety of people walking, biking, and taking transit when they repair or repave state routes in urban areas and along main streets in more rural communities. Most cities in California have at least one Caltrans-controlled state route that also serves as a local street. These streets are often designed to facilitate speeding traffic and not much else. They may lack safe pedestrian crossings and bike facilities. Streets like these diminish the vibrancy of our cities.

By passing the Complete Streets for Active Living Bill, California’s state senators have taken an important step toward creating livable cities and supporting the clean transportation that California needs. CalBike applauds their foresight and overwhelming support.

This important bill almost died in the Senate Appropriations Committee a week ago. This victory wouldn’t be possible without the calls and emails of CalBike members and other Complete Streets advocates who helped keep the bill moving.

The Complete Streets Bill still has to pass the Assembly before it can be signed into law by  Governor Newsom. We will need all hands on deck to make sure it passes through committee and gets support from a majority of assembly members. Will you raise your voice to support safe streets for everyone, everywhere in California? 

Sign CalBike’s petition to support Complete Streets.

Find out more about Complete Streets.

 

https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/separated-lanes-5491-X2.jpeg 298 640 Kevin Claxton https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.png Kevin Claxton2019-05-24 11:08:232019-06-11 15:02:16Complete Streets Bill Passes the Senate

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