RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Caltrans presented its People & Community First action plan to the Interagency Transportation Equity Advisory Committee on Dec. 3, outlining concrete steps the agency will require of its 12 districts to align projects with equity outcomes.

Naila Pope Hardin, deputy director of equity and tribal affairs at Caltrans, described the plan as a "living commitment" that moves beyond statements to operational actions. The plan mandates three required items for all districts: development of road-safety infrastructure plans, district-specific community engagement playbooks, and internal district equity work groups.

"This action plan is Caltrans's desire to put people in community first in the decision making that we do," Deputy Director Naila Pope Hardin said, explaining how officers across headquarters and the districts co-created the plan through internal listening sessions and cross-division coordination.

Janae Looney (equity strategy manager) and Alexis Lance (assistant deputy director) said districts will choose additional actions from a statewide menu (scored 13) and may add custom actions tailored to local contexts. Caltrans staff illustrated examples such as hosting open-street events, tribal summits, vegetation barriers to block pollution and locally tailored engagement tactics.

Committee members asked how district 8 (the Inland Empire) will apply the plan to local concerns raised earlier in the meeting. Caltrans staff replied that district engagement playbooks will identify local community-based organizations and contacts, and that headquarters is developing a community engagement portal to track outreach and make it more transparent.

Members and public commenters urged that the playbooks be practical and actionable: add contact lists for local CBOs, include audio descriptions and captions in published materials, and set clear expectations for district follow-through. Member Peggy Martinez suggested audio-described versions of the visual mission materials so people who are blind or have low vision can access them.

Caltrans said it would track progress with regular check-ins, an annual People & Community First progress report and continued engagement with the EAC and other advisory bodies. Staff also committed to producing "how-to" guides and sharing examples of district success to help replicate effective engagement and safety interventions.

What happens next: Caltrans plans to finalize district road-safety infrastructure plans in 2026 and to return to the committee with the statewide community engagement playbook and related implementation materials. The EAC will continue to provide advisory input on engagement guidance and the application of the Caltrans equity index.

Provenance: presentation and Q&A (SEG 35503864).