Regional transportation plan update outlines four SCS scenarios, KCAG to pick preferred option in September

Jim Damkiewicz, a consultant with DKS Associates, told the Lemoore City Council on Aug. 4 that Kings County’s 2026 regional transportation plan (RTP) update includes a required sustainable-community strategy (SCS) and four tested land-use scenarios that vary by housing placement and investment levels. "KCAG is your metropolitan planning organization for the county," Damkiewicz said, describing the MPO’s role in channeling federal and state transportation funds and in producing a financially constrained, multimodal plan.

Damkiewicz said scenario A reflects current trends, scenario B assumes higher accessory-dwelling-unit and lot-split activity, scenario C prioritizes VMT-efficient areas consistent with SB 743 changes to CEQA traffic metrics, and scenario D boosts investments in active transportation, broadband and electromobility. "Scenario D does by far the best" at reducing vehicle miles traveled and CO2 but could create optics that prompt the California Air Resources Board to raise future targets, he warned. He also said all four scenarios meet Kings County’s 13% per-capita GHG reduction target for 2035.

Council members pressed the consultants on what would happen if targets were not met and on federal conformity requirements. Damkiewicz said failure to meet SCS targets could force an MPO to propose an alternative strategy (APS), as happened once in the region, and noted that federal air-quality conformity rules are under review. KCAG plans to present a preferred SCS scenario to its stakeholder advisory group on Aug. 13 and bring a recommendation to the KCAG board in September; Federal Highways and the California Air Resources Board would complete final approvals later this year.