Southern California Policymakers prepare $450 Billion Transportation Plan

Public Health and Active Transportation Recommendations for SCAG 2012 RTP: Fund, Plan, Prioritize, Measure and Collaborate

Photo Credit: HEAC photos on flickr

Next month, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) will release the draft 2012 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). But this Thursday (Nov. 3) offers an important opportunity to weigh in before the draft plan is released. The Joint Meeting of the Regional Council and Policy Committees begins at 10:30 Thursday morning in SCAG’s main office. Please read our comment letter for the Nov. 3 meeting, and consider signing on in support. If you would like your name and/or organization added to this list, we would appreciate your support!  Please email jessica@saferoutespartnership.org by 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 2nd to be added.

Based on preliminary staff policy recommendations, as released for the October 20th meeting, concern is prevalent over lack of funding, planning and policies being put forth for active transportation, public health and safety in the region.

And given that 21 percent of all trips are conducted via walking or biking (2009 National Household Travel Survey) and 25 percent of all roadway injuries and fatalities in this region affect bicyclist and pedestrians (2008 SWITRS data), we continue to urge SCAG’s Regional Council to invest a significant percentage of resources toward walkable and bikeable communities and neighborhoods. The staff report allocates an alarmingly low 1.3  percent of all available transportation dollars to walking and biking. We acknowledge this is an increase from the 2008 RTP which allocated just 0.46 percent, but given the data, trends, public health issues, and economic co-benefits from a safe walkable and bikeable region,  the Safe Routes to School Southern California Network expects that an allocation percentage closer to 5-8 percent of the entire RTP would be most beneficial and fair.

Points made in the comment letter are similar to comments that were submitted last month, as well as our 2012 Active Transportation Platform that earned close to 200 endorsements. Thank you to the many individuals and organizations who have been working hard on this initiative along side us, especially the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.

Many around the region are encouraging and supporting SCAG Regional Policy makers to do more – see other comment letters from:

• San Bernardino County Department of Public Health
• Riverside County Department of Public Health
• Press Release from MoveLA, NRDC and American Lung Association on recent survey that finds, “voters now want planning to emphasize investments in transit, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.”
• Public Law Center – Providing Access to Justice for Orange County Low-Income Residents
• Friends of Harbors, Beaches and Parks
• Los Angeles Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA|LA)
• VC Cool: Ventura Climate Care Option Organized Locally
• Coalition of Venturay County Groups and Individuals
• City of Ojai