SCAG POLICY COMMITTEES RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF RTP/SCS

The Southern California Association of Governments policy committees voted 58-3 today to recommend that the Regional Council approve the RTP/SCS on April 4. Then the three committees voted 47-0 to adopt a motion to identify resources for enhancing Metrolink, a clean goods movement system, and the Compass Blueprint Demonstration Project grant program — as well as to expand the health and equity performance metrics used by SCAG, and to broaden SCAG’s role in providing technical assistance for active transportation planning efforts through a Strategic Funding Plan, Regional Complete Streets Plan and a Regional Safe Routes to School Plan.

It should be noted that the bonhomie and bipartisanship of this planning effort at SCAG stands in marked contrast to the political divisiveness of Congress. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair John Mica (R-FL) today announced his intention to extend the federal surface transportation reauthorization for the ninth time since 2009 because Democrats and Republicans cannot agree on a way forward.

Adoption of the RTP/SCS is scheduled for April 4. These are some of the things that would be achieved by 2035:

LAND USE:
•total housing within half mile of transit = 82 percent
•total jobs within half mile of transit = 87 percent
•Saves 410 square miles of open space from development
•Increases the number of people who live near transit by 60 percent

TRANSPORTATION:
•bike and pedestrian funding more than triples, from $1.8 B to $6.7 B
•Reduction in congestion, despite population growth of 4 million
•24 percent reduction in traffic delay per capita
•Impressive expansion of transit, including Measure R in LA County and a doubling of Metrolink ridership in the region

HOUSEHOLD SAVINGS:
•$3,000 annual savings per household due to lower auto, fuel, water and energy costs

JOBS:
•Jobs due to transportation investments: 4.2 million by 2035

AIR QUALITY:
•24 percent reduction in pollution-caused respiratory problems, resulting in $1.5 B/year less in health care costs
•Achieves 2020 GHG reduction target of 8 percent and exceeds 2035 target of 16 percent by 3 percent