Assembly Member Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) has introduced legislation allowing voters to extend the Measure R sales tax for an as-yet-unspecified length of time, enabling LA Metro to bond against a longer revenue stream and raise the money to build more projects more quickly — without having to rely only on federal or state financing.
Feuer had authored the legislation that placed Measure R — the half-cent sales tax that is providing funding for 12 new rail lines over 30 years — on the ballot in 2008. In his press release today he noted that extending Measure R would jumpstart construction on the Measure R projects, putting thousands of Angelenos back to work.
"Accelerating Measure R projects will be transformational for the LA economy," says Move LA Executive Director Denny Zane, "and a sales tax extension is very likely to win voter support. San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange counties all passed their transportation sales tax extensions by large margins in recent years.
“This is a real opportunity with very little downside, and a really good companion piece to America Fast Forward — the federal 30-10 plan. If you like what Measure R is doing for Los Angeles you will love ‘Measure R-plus’ because it will mean more jobs and fiscal benefits, better air quality and less traffic congestion — sooner. What’s not to like?”
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Monday, December 19, 2011
MORE THAN 70 ORGS SIGN MOVE LA LETTER TO CONGRESS
In order to build support for a robust federal transportation bill and expanded TIFIA loan program Move LA has mounted a national coalition-building effort that is the building industry analog to the co-endorsement of America Fast Forward by US Chamber President Tom Donohue and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka last year.
More than 70 local and national organizations have signed our Move LA letter to the chairs and ranking members of the Congressional committees responsible for moving the federal transportation reauthorization forward. In this letter we ask Congress to adopt a bill that at minimum maintains current levels of transportation funding and that also includes the America Fast Forward concept of significantly expanded funding for the TIFIA program of innovative federal transportation financing.
Signers of this letter include both the national Building Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, as well as national associations of diverse businesses that work on the engineering, design and construction management of transportation projects — including the national Construction Management Association of America, National Electrical Contractors Association, American Public Works Association, and the LA County Chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies. The letter also includes the logos of 70 individual companies and labor unions.
More than 70 local and national organizations have signed our Move LA letter to the chairs and ranking members of the Congressional committees responsible for moving the federal transportation reauthorization forward. In this letter we ask Congress to adopt a bill that at minimum maintains current levels of transportation funding and that also includes the America Fast Forward concept of significantly expanded funding for the TIFIA program of innovative federal transportation financing.
Signers of this letter include both the national Building Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, as well as national associations of diverse businesses that work on the engineering, design and construction management of transportation projects — including the national Construction Management Association of America, National Electrical Contractors Association, American Public Works Association, and the LA County Chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies. The letter also includes the logos of 70 individual companies and labor unions.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
NEW REPORT EXAMINES CALIFORNIA'S FIRST SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES STRATEGY
On October 28th 2011, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) approved the first sustainable communities strategy (SCS) under Senate Bill 375, California’s groundbreaking regional planning law. The plan was the subject of intense scrutiny by stakeholders, state agencies and others.
This new report, co-authored by Eliot Rose, Autumn Bernstein of ClimatePlan, and Stuart Cohen of TransFORM, takes a comprehensive look at the plan and analyzes why it didn’t achieve the GHG reductions that many hoped it would. The report also provides information on the important ways in which the plan represents a departure from business as usual, and where there are opportunities for improvement.
As other regions across the state are poised to also adopt their own SCSs, this report picks out some of the best practices and most important lessons learned to help Metropolitan Planning Organizations and other stakeholders outside of the San Diego region learn from SANDAG’s experience.
Reversing a decades-long trend of planning for sprawl is going to take a serious commitment to continually refining the SCS process. SANDAG’s SCS sets some important precedents, but it’s only the first step in a long journey.
Download the report (pdf) here
This new report, co-authored by Eliot Rose, Autumn Bernstein of ClimatePlan, and Stuart Cohen of TransFORM, takes a comprehensive look at the plan and analyzes why it didn’t achieve the GHG reductions that many hoped it would. The report also provides information on the important ways in which the plan represents a departure from business as usual, and where there are opportunities for improvement.
As other regions across the state are poised to also adopt their own SCSs, this report picks out some of the best practices and most important lessons learned to help Metropolitan Planning Organizations and other stakeholders outside of the San Diego region learn from SANDAG’s experience.
Reversing a decades-long trend of planning for sprawl is going to take a serious commitment to continually refining the SCS process. SANDAG’s SCS sets some important precedents, but it’s only the first step in a long journey.
Download the report (pdf) here
Thursday, December 1, 2011
REGION’S FIRST SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES STRATEGY PROMOTES TRANSIT AND WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
The region’s first draft Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), released December 1 by the Southern California Association of Governments, shows that the region will meet its 2020 greenhouse gas reduction target and exceed the 2035 target, double the number of people who live near high-quality transit, and reduce traffic congestion — despite the fact that the population is expected to grow by 4 million by 2035.
Development of the SCS is mandated by SB 375, the state law that requires regions to plan for transportation investments and land use strategies that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This has given SCAG an opportunity to promote more walkable communities, transit, bike and pedestrian projects that reduce VMT (vehicle miles traveled) and, therefore, GHG emissions. It is the first SCS developed by SCAG, and must be integrated with the regional transportation plan (RTP), which SCAG develops every four years.
“The draft RTP/SCS shows the region is on track to meet air quality and GHG reduction goals, and to provide people with more choices about where to live and how to get around,” said Denny Zane, executive director of Move LA. “It also shows cities have been doing good planning, which will put Southern California ahead of national trends in the real estate market and the energy economy.”
“Clearly somebody’s been paying attention,” added Amanda Eaken, NRDC’s deputy director of sustainable communities. “This plan reflects the market realities of the 21st Century: Most people want to live closer to their jobs and shops, and don’t want to spend hours stuck in the car or looking for parking. This plan gives us more choices to get out of our cars and the freedom to spend the time and money on more enjoyable activities.”
The draft RTP/SCS proposes that the region increase transit investments by 13 percent and triple the funding for bike and pedestrian projects. It plans for the build-out of 12 new rail lines funded by Measure R; plans new bus rapid transit projects in Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties; proposes enhancement of Metrolink service with the goal of doubling Metrolink ridership; proposes to increase bike and pedestrian project funding from $1.8 billion to $6 billion; and plans to fix 12,000 miles of sidewalks.
The draft RTP/SCS was developed with information taken from cities’ General Plans, and shows that cities throughout the region have been doing the kind of “smart growth” planning for a number of years that will help the region cope with rising gas prices and respond to the changing real estate market: The RTP/SCS shows that the percentage of new housing that will be apartments or townhomes — rather than single family homes — will increase from 39 percent in the last 25 years to 68 percent in the next 25 years. The plan also shows that the number of new homes that will be built in neighborhoods with high-quality transit will increase from 34 percent of all homes to 51 percent. The number of new jobs near transit will increase from 39 percent to 53 percent. The plan also shows that this more compact development will save 400 square miles of open space.
The plan projects other significant benefits, including:
• Providing for transportation improvements that will create 4.2 million jobs;
• Reducing VMT (vehicle miles traveled) by 10 percent;
• Increasing investment in public transit by 13 percent;
• Resulting in savings of $3,400 annually in costs for autos, fuels, water, energy;
• Saving $5 billion in infrastructure costs to local governments;
• Saving $1.5 billion in health costs.
A final plan will be adopted by SCAG’s 84-member Regional Council in April of 2012. SCAG is the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization, representing six counties, 191 cities, and more than 18 million residents. The plan is available on SCAG’s website.
Development of the SCS is mandated by SB 375, the state law that requires regions to plan for transportation investments and land use strategies that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This has given SCAG an opportunity to promote more walkable communities, transit, bike and pedestrian projects that reduce VMT (vehicle miles traveled) and, therefore, GHG emissions. It is the first SCS developed by SCAG, and must be integrated with the regional transportation plan (RTP), which SCAG develops every four years.
“The draft RTP/SCS shows the region is on track to meet air quality and GHG reduction goals, and to provide people with more choices about where to live and how to get around,” said Denny Zane, executive director of Move LA. “It also shows cities have been doing good planning, which will put Southern California ahead of national trends in the real estate market and the energy economy.”
“Clearly somebody’s been paying attention,” added Amanda Eaken, NRDC’s deputy director of sustainable communities. “This plan reflects the market realities of the 21st Century: Most people want to live closer to their jobs and shops, and don’t want to spend hours stuck in the car or looking for parking. This plan gives us more choices to get out of our cars and the freedom to spend the time and money on more enjoyable activities.”
The draft RTP/SCS proposes that the region increase transit investments by 13 percent and triple the funding for bike and pedestrian projects. It plans for the build-out of 12 new rail lines funded by Measure R; plans new bus rapid transit projects in Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties; proposes enhancement of Metrolink service with the goal of doubling Metrolink ridership; proposes to increase bike and pedestrian project funding from $1.8 billion to $6 billion; and plans to fix 12,000 miles of sidewalks.
The draft RTP/SCS was developed with information taken from cities’ General Plans, and shows that cities throughout the region have been doing the kind of “smart growth” planning for a number of years that will help the region cope with rising gas prices and respond to the changing real estate market: The RTP/SCS shows that the percentage of new housing that will be apartments or townhomes — rather than single family homes — will increase from 39 percent in the last 25 years to 68 percent in the next 25 years. The plan also shows that the number of new homes that will be built in neighborhoods with high-quality transit will increase from 34 percent of all homes to 51 percent. The number of new jobs near transit will increase from 39 percent to 53 percent. The plan also shows that this more compact development will save 400 square miles of open space.
The plan projects other significant benefits, including:
• Providing for transportation improvements that will create 4.2 million jobs;
• Reducing VMT (vehicle miles traveled) by 10 percent;
• Increasing investment in public transit by 13 percent;
• Resulting in savings of $3,400 annually in costs for autos, fuels, water, energy;
• Saving $5 billion in infrastructure costs to local governments;
• Saving $1.5 billion in health costs.
A final plan will be adopted by SCAG’s 84-member Regional Council in April of 2012. SCAG is the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization, representing six counties, 191 cities, and more than 18 million residents. The plan is available on SCAG’s website.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
WORKSHOP ON TRANSPORTATION PLANNING FOR HEALTH
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 17, 8:30 am - 3 pm (Workshop is free; lunch is included.)
WHERE: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W. Temple Street, LA 90012
For decades transportation planning and policies have focused on increasing the "through-put" of traffic — with the result that the built environment has become ever more hostile to non-drivers and Americans have become ever more sedentary. On Thursday the national nonprofit Transportation for America teams up with the East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice and the Coalition for a Safe Environment to talk about state and federal transportation policies, goals and investments that can:
• Reduce premature deaths, cancer and asthma through reductions in air pollution;
• Reduce the incidence of obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and other conditions through active transportation;
• Improve safety for all transportation modes with an emphasis on reducing bicycle and pedestrian injuries and fatalities;
• Addresses impacts on disadvantaged and low-income communities and the disabled, elderly and youth through health equity and environmental justice policies and goals.
AGENDA: 1) Federal and state overview of priority transportation policies pertaining to public health. 2) American Public Health Association's lessons on communicating about the interface between transportation and public health. 3) Expert panel on transportation planning for public health. 4) Break-out sessions to ID key public health criteria, objectives, and goals, and ways to incorporate these into federal and state policies. 5) Presenters and facilitators will include the American Public Health Association, UCLA, and other experts from agencies and universities. (For more information call Ryan Wiggins at Transportation for America, 818-209-8521.)
WHERE: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W. Temple Street, LA 90012
For decades transportation planning and policies have focused on increasing the "through-put" of traffic — with the result that the built environment has become ever more hostile to non-drivers and Americans have become ever more sedentary. On Thursday the national nonprofit Transportation for America teams up with the East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice and the Coalition for a Safe Environment to talk about state and federal transportation policies, goals and investments that can:
• Reduce premature deaths, cancer and asthma through reductions in air pollution;
• Reduce the incidence of obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and other conditions through active transportation;
• Improve safety for all transportation modes with an emphasis on reducing bicycle and pedestrian injuries and fatalities;
• Addresses impacts on disadvantaged and low-income communities and the disabled, elderly and youth through health equity and environmental justice policies and goals.
AGENDA: 1) Federal and state overview of priority transportation policies pertaining to public health. 2) American Public Health Association's lessons on communicating about the interface between transportation and public health. 3) Expert panel on transportation planning for public health. 4) Break-out sessions to ID key public health criteria, objectives, and goals, and ways to incorporate these into federal and state policies. 5) Presenters and facilitators will include the American Public Health Association, UCLA, and other experts from agencies and universities. (For more information call Ryan Wiggins at Transportation for America, 818-209-8521.)
Monday, November 14, 2011
SENATE EPW VOTES UNANIMOUSLY ON DRAFT T-BILL
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted unanimously to approve the draft transportation bill (MAP-21) last week, providing an opportunity to move forward on the long-overdue transportation authorization. Key reforms in the bill include a stronger emphasis on repairing and rebuilding roads and bridges, and performance measures that ensure funds are focused on addressing the backlog of deficient bridges and roads, and also monitor safety, air quality and freight movement. For each of these states and large regions must create targets and report on the progress to meeting these targets.
Move LA applauds the committee for moving ahead, and for maintaining the historic 20 percent share for mass transit as well as the flexibility to use a significant portion of funds for transit and bike and pedestrian projects. And we support the committee’s decision to continue to provide dedicated funding for projects that help improve air quality and reduce congestion in regions with significant air pollution — such as Southern California.
We are particularly excited that funding for the TIFIA program, a key opportunity for the America Fast Forward 30-10 plan, has been expanded from $122 milliion to $1 billion, and that there would be modifications making it easier for public transportation agencies with dedicated revenue sources to apply. The committee decided to base the selection of of projects on a first-come, first-served basis, however, and we believe it would be better if the selection criteria emphasized the performance of projects, like other parts of the bill.
We are also concerned that funding for bicyclists and pedestrians has been reduced. A proposed “reserve” fund within the CMAQ program would both decrease current bike/ped funding by 30 percent and add new projects — including HOV lanes and wetlands mitigation — that could compete for this reduced funding pot.
Lastly, we urge the committee to include more comprehensive workforce development programs and local hire provisions in the bill.
Read Transportation for America’s summary and analysis of the bill (this will be a hot link, amendments made during the bill’s mark-up, and talking points.
Move LA applauds the committee for moving ahead, and for maintaining the historic 20 percent share for mass transit as well as the flexibility to use a significant portion of funds for transit and bike and pedestrian projects. And we support the committee’s decision to continue to provide dedicated funding for projects that help improve air quality and reduce congestion in regions with significant air pollution — such as Southern California.
We are particularly excited that funding for the TIFIA program, a key opportunity for the America Fast Forward 30-10 plan, has been expanded from $122 milliion to $1 billion, and that there would be modifications making it easier for public transportation agencies with dedicated revenue sources to apply. The committee decided to base the selection of of projects on a first-come, first-served basis, however, and we believe it would be better if the selection criteria emphasized the performance of projects, like other parts of the bill.
We are also concerned that funding for bicyclists and pedestrians has been reduced. A proposed “reserve” fund within the CMAQ program would both decrease current bike/ped funding by 30 percent and add new projects — including HOV lanes and wetlands mitigation — that could compete for this reduced funding pot.
Lastly, we urge the committee to include more comprehensive workforce development programs and local hire provisions in the bill.
Read Transportation for America’s summary and analysis of the bill (this will be a hot link, amendments made during the bill’s mark-up, and talking points.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
LOVE FEST AT SCAG FOR PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE RTP/SCS
SCAG’s policy committees and 83-member Regional Council voted almost unanimously Nov. 3 to release the “preferred alternative” for the 2012 Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) on Dec. 1. Move LA’s technical analysis of the plan suggests that it’s a pretty good one, with a general shift in growth toward cities that have transit and the other infrastructure needed to support it, a much better mix of jobs and housing across all counties so that commutes aren’t so long, and most transportation funding going either to preservation projects, transit, or for some road-widening but with little funding going to new roads.
In sum, the plan is very much about smart growth and transit-oriented development and sets the region on a more sustainable course. (SCAG is the Southern California Association of Governments, the metropolitan planning organization for the six-county SoCal region, which is charged with adopting a regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy every four years.)
There was a tremendous showing at the meeting of advocates, including doctors, for bike and pedestrian improvements and “active environments” that provide the opportunity for more physical activity and that produce less air pollution. SCAG has more than tripled funding for bike and pedestrian improvements over the previous plan, the 2008 RTP. But bike and pedestrian advocates argue that the 2009 National Household Travel Survey shows nearly 21 percent of all trips in the region are by bike or on foot — while only 0.46 percent of funding goes to non-motorized transportation.
SCAG is different than other metropolitan planning organizations in California in that it has no funding of its own to dedicate to projects but rather builds the RTP/SCS using the transportation project lists prepared by the six county transportation commissions (CTCs). This gives the agency limited authority over the projects and priorities of its member cities — rather, the agency has to work by building consensus among its member cities and government agencies.
For more details on the plan see the analysis on the right side of our homepage. At this point in the process Move LA is focused on getting more ambitious transit, bike and pedestrian investments into Alternative C, which like the preferred alternative will go through the EIR process. That provides us with more time to build support among elected officials and agencies for an expanded Metrolink system and other transit improvements and expanded bike and pedestrian investments, as well as some of the other programs listed in the story to the right on our homepage.
The draft RTP/SCS and the programmatic EIR will be formally released to the public on Dec. 1, followed by a 45-day comment period. SCAG will hold workshops on the draft with elected officials during the month of January. The final RTP/SCS is scheduled for adoption in April.
In sum, the plan is very much about smart growth and transit-oriented development and sets the region on a more sustainable course. (SCAG is the Southern California Association of Governments, the metropolitan planning organization for the six-county SoCal region, which is charged with adopting a regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy every four years.)
There was a tremendous showing at the meeting of advocates, including doctors, for bike and pedestrian improvements and “active environments” that provide the opportunity for more physical activity and that produce less air pollution. SCAG has more than tripled funding for bike and pedestrian improvements over the previous plan, the 2008 RTP. But bike and pedestrian advocates argue that the 2009 National Household Travel Survey shows nearly 21 percent of all trips in the region are by bike or on foot — while only 0.46 percent of funding goes to non-motorized transportation.
SCAG is different than other metropolitan planning organizations in California in that it has no funding of its own to dedicate to projects but rather builds the RTP/SCS using the transportation project lists prepared by the six county transportation commissions (CTCs). This gives the agency limited authority over the projects and priorities of its member cities — rather, the agency has to work by building consensus among its member cities and government agencies.
For more details on the plan see the analysis on the right side of our homepage. At this point in the process Move LA is focused on getting more ambitious transit, bike and pedestrian investments into Alternative C, which like the preferred alternative will go through the EIR process. That provides us with more time to build support among elected officials and agencies for an expanded Metrolink system and other transit improvements and expanded bike and pedestrian investments, as well as some of the other programs listed in the story to the right on our homepage.
The draft RTP/SCS and the programmatic EIR will be formally released to the public on Dec. 1, followed by a 45-day comment period. SCAG will hold workshops on the draft with elected officials during the month of January. The final RTP/SCS is scheduled for adoption in April.
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