Caltrans District 5 Awarded $2.34 Million to Plan Sustainable Transportation Projects

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Source: Caltrans

Caltrans District 5 announced [last week] it has been awarded a total of eight (8) Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants totaling $2.34 million in state and federal funds to plan sustainable transportation projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve the state highway system, enhance access to safe walkways and bike paths, and increase natural disaster preparedness.        

“These grants are funding the planning for sustainable and more resilient transportation projects that will prepare the state for rising sea levels, wildfires and other climate related impacts,” said Caltrans Interim Director Steven Keck. “By collaborating with local communities, we are working together to achieve both our climate goals and an equitable transportation infrastructure for people who rely on transit and intercity bus service.” 

In total, Caltrans District 5 was allocated:

  • $448,800 to the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC) for climate change and safety for its Climate Adaptation, Vulnerability Assessment and Transportation Priorities Report.

  • $394,844 to the City of Salinas in Monterey County for the Outreach and Implementation for its Active Transportation Plan.

  • $338,000 to the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC) for its Transportation Equity Action Plan.

  • $300,000 to the Monterey County, San Benito County, San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County and Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Agencies for the California Central Coast Sustainable Freight Study.

  • $296,000 to San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) for a county-wide Vehicle Miles Traveled Mitigation Program.

  • $221,325 to the City of Arroyo Grande for its Active Transportation Plan.

  • $220,082 to Monterey County for its Zero Emissions Shared Mobility Study.

  • $125,000 to the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) for its Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan.

Caltrans awards transportation planning grants each year through a competitive process to encourage local and regional projects. Applications are evaluated on how they further state transportation goals by identifying and addressing statewide, interregional, or regional transportation deficiencies on the highway system.  

SB 1 provides $5 billion in transportation funding annually split between the state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of SB 1 funds, including projects that are partially funded by SB 1. 

For more information about transportation projects funded by SB 1, visit RebuildingCA.ca.gov.

For a complete list of planning grant project awardees, visit here [PDF].  

Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving through highway construction zones.

For traffic updates on other state highways in the District 5 counties, motorists can call Caltrans District 5 Public Affairs at 805-549-3318 or can visit the District 5 website at: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/maint/road/upslo.htm.

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dukemunson Apr 14, 2022 12:52 PM
Caltrans District 5 Awarded $2.34 Million to Plan Sustainable Transportation Projects

Sac - Here is the stated purpose of that study:

"The Racial Equity Action Plan aims to create truly transformational change within the transit industry and support the planning and operations of public transportation services from a racial equity and mobility justice perspective through explicitly anti-racist policies and ideas."

Tell me, does that really sound like "trying to figure out the most efficient and accessible public transportation for those who rely on it?"

dukemunson Apr 13, 2022 04:51 PM
Caltrans District 5 Awarded $2.34 Million to Plan Sustainable Transportation Projects

Throw the word “equitable” into your finding request and you are guaranteed not only more money but the moral high ground to brush off any and all criticism. I mean, how could anyone question a 330k funding plan for a “transportation equity study”… ? The nerve! It’s not like we’re hurtling towards a recession with runaway inflation… we need More equity transportation studies!!!!!!

dukemunson Apr 14, 2022 12:01 PM
Caltrans District 5 Awarded $2.34 Million to Plan Sustainable Transportation Projects

Sac - You have a much more charitable and positive view of the impacts of these costly studies than I. It looks like never ending waste...and it's just sickening and bizarre that the left and right are OK with the rampant waste that permeates through them. Whatever...it is what it is. Hooray Caltrans!!!

sacjon Apr 14, 2022 10:58 AM
Caltrans District 5 Awarded $2.34 Million to Plan Sustainable Transportation Projects

DUKE - but what is so wrong with trying to figure out the most efficient and accessible public transportation for those who rely on it? "Equitable" is definitely a "woke" word and clearly triggers a lot of folks for some reason, but all it means is making a thing available to all who need it. What is so outrageous about that? Should we instead waste millions of YOUR tax dollars on a public transit system that isn't being used because we were to miserly to spend a few hundred grand on a study that would help it be used more? Really?

dukemunson Apr 14, 2022 07:55 PM
Caltrans District 5 Awarded $2.34 Million to Plan Sustainable Transportation Projects

Alex -I have! here’s it’s stated purpose. It’s a humorously woke word salad, but tell me… What do you think???

"The Racial Equity Action Plan aims to create truly transformational change within the transit industry and support the planning and operations of public transportation services from a racial equity and mobility justice perspective through explicitly anti-racist policies and ideas."

dukemunson Apr 13, 2022 03:30 PM
Caltrans District 5 Awarded $2.34 Million to Plan Sustainable Transportation Projects

I'm "triggered", if you will, by out of control spending. Not sure if you were aware of it, but there is a thing going on right now called inflation, which I know some on here have been dismissing for a year, but it is, you know...a real thing. And ridiculous never ending wasteful studies that accomplish nothing except satisfy (yes) a woke agenda are dumb.

How is anyone (who isn't directly involved) not outraged by this?

sacjon Apr 13, 2022 04:20 PM
Caltrans District 5 Awarded $2.34 Million to Plan Sustainable Transportation Projects

Ah yes...... thanks VOICE for clearing this up. Poor old Chip and Duke saw that horrid, awful word, "equitable" and flew into their respective tizzies, insisting that anything so petty and woke as "equitable" is, by definition and without any doubt, a "waste" of time. Simple words for simple folks, eh?

dukemunson Apr 13, 2022 03:33 PM
Caltrans District 5 Awarded $2.34 Million to Plan Sustainable Transportation Projects

What's silly is all the usual suspects jump to the defense of truly wasteful spending. Expand this out to the Federal Government (under Trump and Biden) and it's just dumb the amount of money wasted. How many trillion did we spend for healthy young people to stay home and not work? And now we're shocked and dismayed by inflation...?

sacjon Apr 13, 2022 02:58 PM
Caltrans District 5 Awarded $2.34 Million to Plan Sustainable Transportation Projects

CHIP - so this is a waste of time? ---> " to achieve both our climate goals and an equitable transportation infrastructure for people who rely on transit and intercity bus service."

How so? Just forget wildfires, tsunamis, etc? Ignore the needs of those who rely on public transit? Just build them new roads, yeah? All done, easy.

Any thoughts on public transit and how it reduces your concern of "traffic congestion?"

Chip of SB Apr 13, 2022 02:48 PM
Caltrans District 5 Awarded $2.34 Million to Plan Sustainable Transportation Projects

Sac, planning is generally a good thing, but the studies described in this article are a waste of time. If I were in charge, I would conduct a study on traffic congestion, then improve/enlarge existing roadways and build new roadways until traffic congestion is eliminated. Seems pretty simple to me, but for some reason our roads are about 20 years behind where they need to be.

sacjon Apr 13, 2022 02:06 PM
Caltrans District 5 Awarded $2.34 Million to Plan Sustainable Transportation Projects

CHIP - literally all you do is complain about your "tax money." So tell us, how would you rather we spend money on our infrastructure? No more "studies" or "plans?" Just build and roll with it? Spend it without any planning at all? Tell us, how should the government be spending our tax dollars on our infrastructure?

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