Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
CalSTA lays out CAPTI 2.0 draft actions; proposal to prioritize projects that reduce vehicle miles traveled draws mixed reaction
Loading...
Summary
CalSTA presented draft updates to the Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure (CAPTI) that would make TCEP and SCCP projects that mitigate or avoid passenger VMT more competitive. The proposals prompted extensive public comment: environmental and health groups urged stronger project-level VMT requirements; regional planners, rural leaders and self-help county representatives urged flexibility, statutory alignment with SB 1 and careful attention to mitigation costs.
CalSTA Deputy Darwin Mousavi returned to the CTC on Dec. 5 to present draft updates to the Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure (CAPTI). The proposals focus on bringing CAPTI goals into programming decisions for SB1 competitive programs and include three CTC‑led actions: (1) revise the Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) guidelines to prioritize goods‑movement projects that mitigate passenger vehicle miles traveled (VMT); (2) update Solutions for Congested Corridors Program (SCCP) guidelines to require or prioritize VMT neutrality for competing applications; and (3) strengthen SB1 guideline criteria to more explicitly assess environmental justice impacts.
CalSTA emphasized these are draft actions and that public comment remains open through Dec. 13. Mousavi said the agency is exploring programmatic approaches—such as aiming for VMT neutrality at the program or portfolio level rather than applying an absolute project‑level requirement—to preserve flexibility for regions with different transportation contexts.
Public reaction: during an extended public-comment period dozens of speakers expressed sharply divided views. Climate, clean‑air and public‑health advocates (for example, Coalition for Clean Air, ClimatePlan and NextGen California) urged firm project‑level VMT mitigation or neutrality requirements, arguing CAPTI must reduce VMT to meet state greenhouse‑gas and public‑health goals. They cited CARB and Mineta Transportation Institute findings showing CAPTI-era investments have not yet reversed VMT growth and urged stronger near‑term project standards.
Conversely, regional planners, rural transportation officials, self‑help county leaders and construction industry representatives warned that codifying strict VMT rules into SB1 program guidance could conflict with statutory program purposes, make important freight, safety and evacuation projects ineligible or unaffordable, and place substantial mitigation costs on local agencies. Riverside and San Bernardino regional leaders stressed the need for practical implementation timelines and funding for transit and multimodal alternatives before making strict VMT requirements mandatory.
Agency response and next steps: CalSTA said it will continue stakeholder meetings, consider programmatic targets, and work with the CTC through its guideline adoption process to shape any final changes. Mousavi noted the Mineta study showed the SCCP portfolio came close to programmatic VMT neutrality in the last round, and CalSTA believes a program-level target can push outcomes while allowing local flexibility.
Why it matters: CAPTI is a central part of California’s strategy to reduce transportation greenhouse‑gas emissions and improve equity. How the CTC implements CAPTI through SB1 guidelines will affect freight and congestion programs statewide and could change which projects qualify for competitive funding.
Quotes: "We want to continue to move towards VMT neutrality," Darwin Mousavi said, while acknowledging stakeholder concerns and a public comment period through Dec. 13. Aaron Hake (RCTC) cautioned that by tying guidelines too tightly to VMT requirements the commission could "tie the hands" of regions delivering statutory SB1 projects.
Outcome: No final change was adopted at the meeting; CalSTA will refine actions based on comments and work through the CTC guidelines process.
