Friends and Advocates,

 

News is surfacing about Caltrans' disregard for meeting stated and agreed upon climate goals. Instead, they are spending billions widening freeways statewide with an alleged misuse of State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) funds for roadway expansion projects. In District 3, Sacramento's District, a leading active transportation and biking advocate Jeanie Ward-Waller was demoted from her job as Deputy Director at Caltrans for filing a whistleblower complaint about circumventing state environmental law.

 

See this on Streetsblog and Politico.

 

Because transportation is the largest source of GHG emissions in California, reaching climate goals by 2045 will require both vehicle electrification and reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Induced demand, which means when lanes are added to roadways/freeways, then congestion and traffic will increase because the added roads encourage more driving. More vehicles on the road does not lead to a reduction in VMT.

 

For a deep dive on these climate issues, see this report from NextGen and NDRC.

 

While Caltrans is completing their Design Guidance for Complete Streets, they left out something very important. Any local street that interchanges with a freeway, which is arguably the most dangerous part of the transportation system, complete streets safety upgrades at the interchange are not required and won’t be added without a lengthy additional process. 

 

Have you ever been at a light under Highway 80, or I-5, and wondered if the vehicles on your left would see you and not hit you as they rushed up the on ramp while you continued straight? Especially now commuting home at dusk, these are some of the scariest intersections of anyone's commute or ride.

 

Let Caltrans know that we need safe streets at these freeway interchanges. See the Calbike webpage on this, and sign onto their letter. It will only take a minute and it lets Caltrans know that we will not accept anything less than safe streets for all users.

 

And, as we learn more we will keep you in the know...