ATP Archives - CalBike

Active Transportation Program Struggles After Deep Funding Cuts

November 8, 2024/by Jared Sanchez

Last week, the California Transportation Commission released staff recommendations for the 2025 Active Transportation Program (ATP). The news is dire: $2.5 billion in requests were made, but the California Transportation Commission (CTC) had only $100 million to award in statewide grants, enough to greenlight just 13 projects over the two-year funding cycle.

Budget cuts that punch down at vulnerable road user safety

The ATP was one of only two transportation programs cut in the 2024 budget, despite the fact that it’s the only statewide funding source for biking and walking infrastructure projects and is chronically underfunded and oversubscribed, even without budget cuts. The governor initially recommended cutting all the funding from this program; negotiations with the legislature restored $200 million, allowing the ATP’s Cycle 7 to proceed, even though it was only able to fund 4% of the applications.

The total funding available for the three components (statewide — $84 million, small urban/rural — $16 million, and $68 million for Metropolitan Planning Organizations) that comprise the ATP is $168 million for Cycle 7 instead of the normal amount, which varies from $300 million to $600 million. This leaves an unprecedented shortfall in funding for the CTC’s most oversubscribed and competitive program.

A tiny but critical transportation program

The projects funded by the ATP are critical to meeting California’s climate, safety, and equity goals. The state budget agreement reached in 2024 leaves room for additional funding that would allow additional projects to be built, though there’s no guarantee the funds will become available. And, even if the legislature finds an additional $400 million for the 2025 ATP, program needs will continue to remain greater than the funding the state allocates for this vital program.

Only nine projects have so far been recommended to receive funding through the statewide component and four for the small urban and rural component in the 2025 ATP. These projects were scored at 95 points or higher, which means only the very top projects got funded, while many worthy applications will have to look elsewhere for funding or may not get built.

CalBike advocates for more money for the Active Transportation Program

For CTC to have approved projects scoring at least 85, which for the most part are very strong and deserve funding, the ATP would need an additional $1 billion in funding. Two years ago, CalBike advocated for the state to spend $2 billion on bikes and succeeded in increasing the ATP allocation to $1 billion for Cycle 6. That allowed the CTC to greenlight many more active transportation projects, but it wasn’t enough to fund all the worthwhile proposals. However, that year saw a budget surplus, and the governor has tried to claw back those additional funds in the past two deficit years.

The ATP should get at least $1 billion in funding every cycle. That’s not enough, and it’s still a tiny fraction of California’s transportation spending, but it would be an overdue signal that our state understands the value of active transportation in fighting climate change and making our streets safer and more equitable. We’ve said it before — California can’t be a climate leader if it continues to invest in highways instead of active transportation and transit. We look forward to working with state leadership this year to significantly restore the ATP through the budget process and not allow further reductions to the program.

The ATP is a classic example of induced demand, also known as “build it and they will come.” Since the program’s inception, the volume of applications for funding has grown. More significantly, the number of high-quality projects that significantly improve the safety and comfort of people who bike and walk on California’s streets has increased.

This dedicated funding source, which CalBike’s advocacy helped establish, tapped into a deep well of unmet need for separated bikeways, sidewalk gap closures, protected intersections, and more. Californians want and need the ATP. California should fully fund this program, which provides great value for a fraction of the cost of building or maintaining highways.

CTC Invites Public to Weigh in on Active Transportation Program

July 11, 2024/by Kendra Ramsey

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) will hold a workshop next Wednesday to get public input on some choices it needs to make in administering Cycle 7 of the Active Transportation Program (ATP). The good news is that there will be a Cycle 7 since the governor’s proposed $600 million cut was partially rolled back. But funding will be less than $200 million, around one-third of the usual amount available for biking and walking infrastructure projects around the state.

Still, we are encouraging people who care about safe streets to attend next Wednesday’s meeting, if possible, to show the strong support the ATP has in the community and to help make the best of a bad situation.

What: 2025 Active Transportation Program Budget Update Workshop
When: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, Wednesday, July 17
Where: Zoom; register here.

Choice one: Should CTC create a contingency list?

It’s a given that the ATP will have more worthy, shovel-ready applications than it can fund. In the budget agreement between the governor and the legislature, the possibility of backfilling the additional $400 million cut from the program was left open. CTC proposes creating a list of projects that would be next in line for funding if more money becomes available.

CalBike encourages you to support a contingency list. It’s the most efficient way to quickly distribute funds. Also, it will be a good way to build support in the legislature for finding the rest of the money, as senators and assemblymembers see projects in their districts that could be funded.

Choice two: How should CTC break ties?

The ATP funding cutoff point often falls among multiple projects with the same score. Within the adopted 2025 ATP Guidelines (Section 20), there are three criteria CTC uses to break ties and select which projects get the funds, but there are so many worthy projects that these aren’t always enough. The current tiebreakers are which project is most shovel-ready, followed by which has the higher scores on application questions with the two highest point values. CTC will present a list of additional possibilities at the meeting and ask attendees to weigh in.

We know the ATP and Complete Streets have strong support. Showing up and voicing our opinions at every opportunity shows our elected officials that we are united in the desire for more and better facilities for bicycling and walking. While we work on increasing funding for these deserving projects, it is also critical to weigh in on how the available funding will be spent.

CalBike Commends Legislature for Rejecting Active Transportation Cuts

May 29, 2024/by Laura McCamy

For Immediate Release: 5/29/24

Contact: Jared Sanchez, 714-262-0921, jared@calbike.org

SACRAMENTO—The legislature’s budget proposal, released today, rescinds the deep cuts to the Active Transportation Program (ATP) proposed in the Governor’s Budget and plans to backfill those cuts with state highway funding. CalBike thanks the legislature for recognizing the value of the ATP and maintaining funding commitments to critical walking and bicycling projects.

CalBike policy director Jared Sanchez: “I’m glad the legislature recognized the value of the Active Transportation Program. The legislature heard from its constituents and saved a popular program many local communities rely on to fund infrastructure projects.”

CalBike consultant Jeanie Ward-Waller: “The ATP is critical to meeting California’s climate goals and addressing the crisis of rising pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities on our roadways, especially in disadvantaged communities across the state. We commend the Legislature for their strong support of shifting funding from car-centric infrastructure to improve walking and biking.”

Background

The Active Transportation Program is a competitive funding source for projects that support biking and walking safety. It gives out approximately $500 million each two-year funding cycle.

In 2022, the ATP received a one-time funding boost of $1.05 billion from the general fund budget surplus, which pushed the total for Cycle 6, awarded in 2022, to $1.6 billion. However, the ATP is chronically underfunded and oversubscribed, and even with the extra funds, many worthwhile projects don’t make the cutoff.

In 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom proposed cutting $300 million from the one-time general fund boost to the ATP; the legislature and Governor agreed to backfill the cut from the State Highway Account, and there were no ATP cuts in the final budget.

In January 2024, the governor initially proposed cutting $200 million from the ATP. He raised that to $600 million in the May Revise, a deep cut that could delay and jeopardize projects awarded in Cycle 6 and would likely eliminate a full future cycle of ATP grants.

No corresponding cuts were proposed to funding for highway projects that increase vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and greenhouse gas emissions. There is no deficit in California’s transportation budget, which receives ample federal funding in addition to state funds.

Budget Deal Restores ATP Funding

July 5, 2023/by Jared Sanchez

California’s Active Transportation Program (ATP) provides dedicated funding for biking and walking improvements across the state. CalBike championed the creation of the ATP and has continued to advocate for additional funding. We applaud the legislature and the governor for restoring planned funding to the ATP in the 2023-24 state budget. With the budget deal, the ATP will continue to operate with its historic billion dollar one-time expansion and provide critical infrastructure, as we saw in the final list of Cycle 6 projects.

ATP budget in flux

In 2022, with a historic budget surplus, we asked for $2 billion for bikes in the state budget. We didn’t get the full $2 billion, but we got $1.1 billion allocated to the ATP, more than tripling previous annual funding. But, as this year’s budget deficit began to come into focus, Governor Gavin Newsom’s initial budget clawed back $500 million from the ATP. The governor promised to find $300 million of that from other sources, but that still left the program $200 million short.

The final budget deal restored full funding. The California Transportation Commission (CTC), which oversees the ATP and scores projects submitted for funding on a scale of 1 to 100. It approved an additional 134 projects in June, on top of projects previously approved. As Streetsblog reported, the additional funding allowed the CTC to fund projects that scored 92 and above in Cycle 5; an extra $1 billion allowed the commission to extend funding to those with scores of 89 and above in Cycle 6.

Funding for the ATP has increased but not enough to meet demand as California communities scramble to add safe biking and walking infrastructure to streets designed to move cars at deadly speeds. Even with extra one-time funds, many worthy projects don’t make the cut. That means bike lanes and pedestrian improvements delayed or scrapped. This is why CalBike is advocating for $10 billion for bikes, or half of California’s transportation dollars to reverse the historic deficit in building active transportation infrastructure.

How does the ATP work?

If you’re wondering what Cycle 5 and Cycle 6 mean, the explanation requires a deep dive into planning timelines. Let’s start with a history of the ATP.

Created by the state legislature in 2013 to consolidate the efforts of several disparate funding sources, the ATP serves as a central hub for bike and pedestrian projects. The State Senate bill that created the ATP specifically calls for the program to “increase the proportion of trips accomplished by biking and walking” and “increase safety and mobility for nonmotorized users.”Since its inception, the ATP has funded over 800 active transportation projects across the state, benefiting both urban and rural areas. Half of the funded projects have been Safe Routes to Schools.

SB 1 (Beall, 2017), also known as the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, significantly augmented ATP’s funding, directing an extra $100 million a year to the ATP and doubling its funding.

Although the funding comes in annually, the CTC accepts applications for another cycle of ATP grants every two years. Cycle 5 was in 2021 and Cycle 6 was this year. Just to make the math more confusing, the grants are distributed over five years, since it can take time to complete the projects.

In 2021, the ATP approved grants for 49 projects in Cycle 5, barely 10% of the applications received. Funded projects included:

$30 million for Connecting Canoga Park – beautifully detailed with maps and renderings here.
$10 million for Safe Routes to School in Koreatown, Los Angeles – with extensive detail on crosswalk and safety features here.
$1440 for the Pollock Pines Pony Express Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements – outlined here.

$10 billion for bikes

The one-time boost in ATP funding allowed CTC to greenlight three times as many projects in Cycle 6 as in Cycle 5 (15 Bay Area projects, plus rural grants, and the 134 projects approved in June, for a total of more than 150). That still left many excellent biking and walking infrastructure projects without state funding.

The ATP isn’t the only funding source for active transportation infrastructure. Local and regional monies pay for projects as well. And there are billions more in the state transportation budget that should shift. With the threat of climate crisis looming ever larger, we need to create space for low- and no-carbon transportation fast, and that requires much more support at the state level.

CalBike is asking our elected officials to spend less on building climate-killing freeways and more on Complete Streets and people-centered transportation infrastructure. Look for our new Complete Streets Campaign, coming later this year. And, of course, we’ll continue to push for $10 billion for bikes.

CalBike’s 2023 Budget Agenda: Fully Fund Active Transportation and Complete Streets

March 16, 2023/by Jared Sanchez

Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget for 2023 cuts some of the funds added to the Active Transportation Program last year. CalBike and our allies recently sent a letter to the California Senate and Assembly leaders and the budget committees of each branch, urging them to not only restore those funds but to fully fund the ATP and create an additional fund to help communities build Complete Streets.

Read CalBike’s budget letter: 3/16/2023 Budget Request for Active Transportation Sign On

Invest in active transportation, divest from freeway building

Our budget advocacy is a critical element of our Invest/Divest Campaign. Despite a predicted budget shortfall this year, we believe California can fully fund active transportation projects if it adjusts its transportation budget to align with its climate and equity goals.

However, even without shifting money from climate-killing freeway projects, California has additional transportation funding from the federal Infrastructure and Jobs Act that should be directed to projects that support safe biking and walking.

More money for the ATP

Last year, thanks to advocacy by CalBike and our allies, the ATP got a one-time funding boost, so Cycle 6 had $1.6 billion to dole out to projects across the state rather than the usual amount of $400 to $600 million. But it’s still not enough.

Every year, more and better projects vie for ATP funding as municipalities across the state recognize the value of Complete Streets and seek help to upgrade their infrastructure. That demand will only grow as communities begin to update the circulation elements in their general plans and look for resources to implement those plans pursuant to SB 932.

Yet, even with significant additional funding, Streetsblog reported that there was funding only for projects with a score of 89 (out of 100) or higher. That’s better than in Cycle 5, when projects needed a score of 92 to get funded, but it means that many worthy biking and walking projects won’t get built because our state isn’t providing enough support to tackle these much-needed improvements.

California needs Complete Streets

A Complete Street is a roadway that serves the needs of all users: people biking, walking, driving, and taking public transit. Complete Streets connect to popular local destinations via protected intersections. Bike lanes and sidewalks don’t abruptly disappear. Bus riders have shelter and seating, and bus-only lanes ensure that transit is a fast and appealing alternative to driving a private vehicle.

Complete Streets are safe for everyone. People from 8 to 80 can feel safe enough to bike on protected bikeways. And people of all races, ethnicities, genders, and other identifications feel safe to move freely in their community without fear of biased and often brutal police action against them.

State policies prioritize Complete Streets, but there’s no money to support that priority. That’s why we need dedicated funding to help communities build Complete Streets, and CalBike is advocating for just that.

California’s transportation transformation can’t wait

For years, bike and pedestrian advocates have been fed budget crumbs. We’ve been told to be patient, that we have to wait. At the same time, our state has pumped billions into the status quo: freeways that lead to more congestion and pollution, which leads to more freeway construction, in an endless loop of doom.

California can’t afford not to fund the safe streets we need to mitigate the climate crisis and create livable communities for all residents, and CalBike is bringing this agenda to the forefront in this year’s budget negotiations. But we’re up against vested interests from various private industries as well as years of entrenched policy at state agencies such as Caltrans.

How you can help: We’ll be calling on CalBike members and supporters to reach out to your representatives to tell them to fund active transportation NOW. If you’re not on our list, please join us to get the latest updates and opportunities to speak up for safe streets.

CalBike response to Governor Newsom’s Proposed Budget

January 14, 2022/by Kevin Claxton

How will the Infrastructure Bill Impact California Bike Riders?

November 16, 2021/by Laura McCamy

Congress has passed, and the president has signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It’s a $1.2 trillion spending package that will invest in aging infrastructure across the US. We share the disappointment of many progressives that this bill still puts too much money toward road-building and not enough toward infrastructure that will help wean us off fossil fuels. Still, there is a lot to like.

Infrastructure Bill basics

Every five years, Congress passes a transportation bill providing five years of funding for transportation projects across the U.S. That bill is wrapped into the $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill. So, out of $645 billion for transportation, $300 billion is a reauthorization of existing funding, while $345 billion is new money on top of expected spending.

Here’s a partial list of what’s in the bill (in billions):

$110 for roads and bridges
$39 for transit and rail
$65 to upgrade broadband infrastructure
$25 for airport upgrades
$17 to modernize ports
$65 for improvements to the electric grid
$55 for water infrastructure
$50 for security and resilience in public infrastructure
$7.5 for electric vehicles

Of course, the question on the minds of active transportation advocates and bike riders is: What’s in it that will make bicycling safer? We have a few preliminary answers to that question, based on reports from and interviews with state and national leaders.

Active transportation funding boost

California has been getting $89 million in active transportation funding from the federal government. That money goes to the state’s Active Transportation Program, which has a total budget of $220 million. The Infrastructure Bill increases active transportation funding by 60%, which gives California an additional $53.4 million to bring the total ATP to more than $270 million.

Of course, this is still woefully inadequate. In the last cycle, the ATP budget covered only a fraction of the projects that applied for funding, leaving many excellent projects unfunded. The governor and the legislature need to settle a dispute about high-speed rail funding and release $500 million in additional ATP monies.

The bill also includes a Complete Streets policy, mandating that planners consider all road users, not just car drivers. However, thanks to advocacy from your CalBike, California already has a Complete Streets policy in place, so this feature won’t have much, if any, impact here.

Rule changes in the bill will dedicate a larger share of funding to regional agencies, which are more likely to support active transportation than state agencies. This funding can also make it easier to meet local match requirements.

Another critical new policy requires states where at least 15% of fatalities are vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and people on bikes, to dedicate at least 15% of their Highway Safety Improvement Plan funds to measures that improve vulnerable road user safety. In California, 29% of fatalities are vulnerable road users and, in its HSIP implementation plan, spent approximately 24% of its funds on safety for people walking and bicycling. CalBike believes that California’s investment in protecting vulnerable road users should match their share in road fatalities. We will push the state to increase its HSIP spending on biking and walking safety to at least 29%.

New standards for automobile safety

The Infrastructure Bill represents a significant break from past automobile safety policies, which focused on protecting the safety of passengers and defending, literally to the death, the drivers’ rights to go ever faster.

Here are some of the noteworthy safety initiatives in the legislation:

New cars will come equipped with sensors that prevent drunk driving.
New headlight standards will require technologies that help reduce fatalities at dusk and after dark.
Crash testing for front bumpers will include an assessment of safety for people outside the car during a collision. While this doesn’t impose any limits on auto manufacturers who want to make SUVs and trucks designed to kill pedestrians, it will put information in the hands of consumers. Hopefully, people will vote with their dollars and choose safer models.

But wait, there’s more potential funding

CalBike recently spoke with California State Transportation Secretary David S. Kim, and he’s excited to compete for some of the additional funding sources created by the Infrastructure Bill. That includes $200 million a year for the Connecting America’s Active Transportation System Act, which improves connectivity in active transportation networks. We a thrilled at Secretary Kim’s enthusiasm and this opportunity to bring more connected bikeway networks to California communities.

The bill also includes $200 million a year for the Reconnecting Communities pilot program, which seeks to compensate for damage caused by freeway building through BIPOC neighborhoods. Projects that this money could fund include bikeways, pedestrian bridges, and freeway removal.

Chinatowns in many California cities were split by freeway construction. CalBike would love to see I-980 in Oakland removed to make room for badly-needed housing and reconnect the city’s historic Chinatown. However, as Smart Growth America pointed out, the $1B investment in freeway reparations is dwarfed by the bill’s $300B for building new freeways, including a Louisana highway that will bulldoze a Black neighborhood in Shreveport.

As bike advocates, we’ve learned to celebrate incremental progress and fight hard for more. So we appreciate the Infrastructure bill, and CalBike will work hard to get more money for better biking and better communities in California.

Tag Archive for: ATP