California

We salute the Air Resources Board for the creation of the new Sustainable Transportation Equity Program (STEP).

The next application deadline for the Active Transportation Program (ATP) will be June 15, 2020 for Cycle 5, with projects awarded in 2021. The California Transportation Commission is currently holding workshops to get feedback and input on the ATP guidelines. “Branch” workshops will be held in locations where workshops haven’t been help before, and will be for input.  “Central” workshops will be in more central locations and will include discussions and decisions on different aspects of the guidelines; there will also be a webinar and real-time chat function available.

Next year, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) will roll out Plan Bay Area 2050. The Safe Routes Partnership is asking MTC to increase funding for the regional Safe Routes to School program, sustain the Spare the Air Youth Program, enforce the Complete Streets policy, add $100 million to the One Bay Area grants, and expand its commitment to equity. We hope you will attend Plan Bay Area meetings throughout 2020 and push for these commitments too. 

The September meeting of the Riverside County Active Transportation Network (ATN) toured new bike facilties and community gardens to showcase their efforts for healthier communities. The ATN group included 20 participants who had an opportunity to ride electric bikes through the bike lanes of Perris. City staff explained the newest vegetable garden features and how residents particpated in planning of the garden. 

October 2nd was International Walk to School Day & Clean Air Day, and Muscoy celebrated both. Vermont Elementary school recieved a small microgrant from the Coalition for Clean Air to help support efforts to launch a walk to school day event and promote clean air stratgies in their school. Vermont Parents in Action and Safe Routes Partnership organized partners including Assemblymember Eloise Gomez Reyes, San Bernardino County Department of Public Works, San Bernardino County Public Health, San Bernardino City Police Department, Go Human and Alta Planning and Design.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) are holding a series of community meetings throughout the region to receive input on Plan Bay Area 2050.

A new school start times bill, SB 328 was signed into law earlier this month that will require high schools to start classes after 8:30am by July 2022.  While we support the bill’s aim of helping high school students get more sleep, we are concerned about the potential unintended impact on student safety arising from students walking or biking to school at t

We are incredibly sorry to report that Governor Newsom vetoed SB 127, the Complete Streets bill.