May 8, 2020

Chair Van Konynenburg
California Transportation Commission 1120 N. Street, MS 52
Sacramento Ca. 95814

Re: 2020 SHOPP PERFORMANCE AND COMPLETE STREETS

Dear Chair Van Konynenburg and Members of the Commission:

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) Performance and Complete Streets Item. We represent organizations in California that promote equitable access to active transportation for all Californians. Our group has been working with Caltrans over the past year to identify efficient and effective ways to fund complete streets projects, where appropriate, as well as look for pathways to create better engagement between Caltrans Districts and Local Partners.

We support the shift that Caltrans is demonstrating under the leadership and guidance of Director Omishakin. Establishing a reserve funding to incorporate meaningful complete streets elements to existing SHOPP projects is key to ensuring efficient use of funding and most

importantly advancing a transportation system that supports all modes of transportation for Californians. We understand the time and effort it has taken to get to this decision and appreciate the hard work and dedication of Caltrans staff and the Director.

While we support the shift this represents, we also encourage Caltrans Districts and headquarters to ensure that the projects which seek to access the reserve and implement complete streets are those which demonstrate community support and are identified through meaningful community engagement. In order for these reserve funds to create a meaningful impact it is of the utmost importance that there be support and a demonstrated process where community voices are heard in prioritizing projects within the SHOPP for these improvements.

We highly encourage Caltrans and the Commission to ensure that any project seeking to use funds from the reserve demonstrate the following:

• Support from community groups and members for the project elements proposed that go beyond reference to an existing city, or county plan: These may include but are not limited to the following:
  • Community meetings
  • Support letter from community based organizations
  • Reports and resources from local partners outlining community engagement efforts to inform transportation needs in a given community
• Identified process where community will be involved, included, and notified of potential changes to the projects scope for complete streets

We are eager to partner with Caltrans and the districts to develop a process that creates statewide guidance and/or criteria for community engagement for projects seeking to use the funds for the reserve. If we begin institutionalizing equitable and inclusive community engagement for all SHOPP projects now, we can ensure that all future SHOPP cycles will incorporate the full breadth of multimodal and complete streets options prioritized by California’s communities, and avoid the need to hold reserves for allocation after the program’s approval.

In closing, we support the shift demonstrated by the department and look forward to the implementation of meaningful, community informed complete streets elements in the 2020 SHOPP and beyond. We’d also encourage and support linking Caltrans Districts with local partners to support alignment and execution of the engagement efforts outlined above.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions. Sincerely,

Esther Rivera, Interim-Executive Director California Walks

Jonathan Matz, California Senior Policy Manager Safe Routes Partnership

Chanell Fletcher, Executive Director ClimatePlan

Matthew Baker, Policy Director Planning and Conservation League

Marcella May Executive Director
Humboldt County Association of Governments

Emily Sinkhorn, Division Director Redwood Community Action Agency

Steve Gerhardt, AICP
Executive Director, Walk Long Beach

Carter Rubin
Mobility and Climate Advocate, NRDC

Molly Wagner, CPTED CPD, Project Manager WALKSacramento

Dave Snyder
Executive Director, California Bicycle Coalition

Julia Randolph
Policy and Outreach Associate, Coalition for Clean Air

Veronica Tovar, Program Manager Catholic Charities Environmental Justice

Colin Fiske, Executive Director
Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities