California Transportation Commission Invests $261.4M for the 2017 Active Transportation Program

The California Transportation Commission (Commission) adopted the 2017 Active Transportation Program (ATP), investing $261.4 million in funds for projects valued at nearly $500 million.

The 2017 Active Transportation Program is the third cycle of California’s Active Transportation Program. The Active Transportation Program funds projects that increase the use of active modes of transportation, along with increasing pedestrian and bicyclist safety and promoting healthy communities. The ATP is comprised of three components: 

• Statewide (50 percent of funds)
• Small Urban & Rural (10 percent of funds)
• Large Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) (40 percent of funds)

In December 2016, the Commission adopted the Statewide and Small Urban & Rural components as detailed below:

• Statewide Component — ATP funds of $131.8 million for 44 projects valued at $176.2 million.
• Small Urban & Rural Component — ATP funds of $26.3 million for 10 projects valued at $64.9 million.

In March 2017, eight of the nine largest MPOs in California (Bay Area, Fresno, Sacramento, San Diego, Southern California, Stanislaus, Tulare and Kern) recommended to the Commission an additional $103.3 million in active transportation projects for consideration.  The San Joaquin Council of Governments will seek project approval at the May Commission meeting.  With exception to the San Joaquin Council of Governments, the Commission adopted the MPO component at its March 2017 meeting as detailed below:

• MPO Component — ATP funds of $103.3 million for 62 projects valued at $251.2 million.

This program also contains $11 million that is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities. These funds have yet to be programmed by the Commission.

Active Transportation Program Projects

Examples of projects adopted in each of the ATP components include but are not limited to:

Statewide and Small Urban & Rural Projects: 

• Boron/Desert Lake Pedestrian Path in the communities of Boron and Desert Lake, Kern County — $1,971,000. This project will construct a safe multi-use facility that connects the communities of Desert Lake and Boron.
• Sunnyvale SNAIL [Sunnyvale Neighbors of Arbor Including LaLinda] Neighborhood Active Transportation Connectivity Improvements, Santa Clara County — $2,036,000. This project will resolve safety issues and enhance existing community bike lanes.
• Esplanade Corridor Safety and Accessibility Improvement Project in Chico, Butte County — $7,241,000. This project will provide a separated Class IV bike facility connecting downtown Chico, Chico State University, Chico Junior and Senior High Schools, a regional hospital, and adjacent neighborhoods.
• West Santa Ana Branch Bikeway Phase 2 in the City of Paramount, Los Angeles County — $3,423,000. This project will continue the multi-use/active transportation Class I West Santa Ana Branch Bikeway.
• Safe Connections and Complete Streets for the West Side of Hollister, San Benito County — $1,078,000. This project will convert Business Highway 156 to a pedestrian and bike friendly corridor and provide safe access to medical clinics, commercial services, and a 230-unit mobile home park.
• Rincon Multi-Use Trail at the Ventura/Santa Barbara County line — $6,833,000. This project is a multi-use pedestrian and bicycle trail that fills a gap between established bike paths that are part of the California Coastal Trail.

MPO Component Projects: 

• City of Fresno — Intersection Improvements to Increase Active Transportation along Bus Rapid Transit Project, Fresno County — $1,152,000. This project will upgrade intersections with accessible pedestrian signals and countdown head equipment along Blackstone/Abby and Kings Canyon/Ventura BRT corridors. 
• Mariposa Safe Routes to School, Phase IV, Sacramento County — $2,100,000.  This project will complete the bicycle and pedestrian facilities connecting to Skycrest Elementary and San Juan High School.
• El Toyon — Las Palmas Regional Bicycle Boulevard Project, San Diego County — $1,544,000. This project will implement the first low-stress (reduced bicycle/vehicle interaction) bicycle boulevard in National City and a large portion of the regional Mission Valley - Chula Vista Bikeway.
• Safe Routes to Schools/ADA Pedestrian Improvements Project, Stanislaus County - $1,108,000. This project will install curbs, gutters, sidewalks, curb ramps, striping, and related improvements along routes to multiple public K-8 schools within the community.
• San Gabriel Valley Regional Greenway Network Implementation Plan Project, Los Angeles County — $200,000. This project is a plan to develop a protected Class 1 bicycle and pedestrian trails along over 150 miles of river-ways, streams, and channels in the San Gabriel Valley.