Active Transportation Program: report.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how the simplified application process will operate beyond reducing the need for detailed engineering drawings in initial applications.

Active Transportation Program: Report

This legislation requires at least half of transportation funds to be used for safe streets projects in areas that need better pedestrian safety and mobility, and it changes the name of the Active Transportation Program to the Safe Streets Program.

What This Bill Does

• Requires at least 50% of interregional and regional transportation improvement program funds to go towards safe streets projects.
• Prioritizes these funds for areas with transit-oriented development zones that lack pedestrian safety and mobility access.
• Changes the name of the Active Transportation Program to the Safe Streets Program.
• Updates guidelines for project selection to include benefits to transit-oriented development zones.
• Establishes a simplified application process for initial applications, reducing the need for detailed engineering drawings.

Who It Names or Affects

• The California Department of Transportation
• Transportation planning agencies in California
• Communities with transit-oriented development zones

Terms To Know

Transit-Oriented Development Zones

Areas designed to encourage walking, biking, and public transportation use.

Safe Streets Projects

Projects that improve pedestrian safety and mobility in areas lacking adequate infrastructure.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill requires the commission to conduct a study on opportunities to improve equity, accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and ease of application for prospective applicants by January 1, 2028.
• Provisions related to reporting requirements will be repealed on January 1, 2032.

Official Summary Text

SB 1423, as amended, Stern.
Transportation funding: State Transportation Improvement Program:
Active Transportation
Program.
Program: report.
Existing law generally provides for programming and allocation of available state and federal transportation funds for transportation capital improvement projects through the state transportation improvement program process administered by the California Transportation Commission. Existing law requires 25% of available funds to be programmed and expended on interregional improvement projects nominated by the Department of Transportation through the adoption of an interregional transportation improvement program, and 75% of available funds to be programmed and expended on regional improvement projects nominated by transportation planning agencies through the adoption of a regional transportation improvement program.
This bill would require at least 50% of funds programmed in the interregional transportation improvement program, and 50% of funds programmed in a regional transportation improvement program, to be programmed for safe streets projects, as specified. The bill would require those funds to be prioritized for safe streets projects located in areas of transit-oriented development zones, as defined, that lack adequate pedestrian safety and mobility access.
Existing law establishes the Active Transportation Program in the Department of Transportation for the purpose of encouraging increased use of active modes of transportation, such as biking and walking. Existing law requires the California Transportation Commission to develop guidelines
with regard to
and
project selection
that include, among other criteria, the benefit to disadvantaged communities and the potential for increasing and improving connectivity and mobility of
nonmotorized users. Existing law
criteria for the program and
requires the guidelines
adopted by the commission for the program
to address, among other things, application timelines and application rating and ranking criteria.
This bill would rename the Active Transportation Program as the Safe Streets Program. The bill would require the guidelines with regard to project selection to also include as criteria the benefit to transit-oriented development zones, as defined. The bill would require the guidelines to establish an application process under which an applicant submits an initial application that would not require detailed engineering drawings and, if that application is deemed to be in conformance with the guidelines and project selection criteria, the applicant would be requested to submit a final and more comprehensive application for review.
This bill would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2028, to conduct a study, and submit a report to the Legislature, on opportunities to improve equity, accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and the ease of application for prospective applicants for the Active Transportation Program, as specified. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2032.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF