The California Transportation Commission (CTC) will decide how billions of dollars are spent in 2026 — from roads and transit to bike paths. Their decisions shape whether California’s transportation system supports cleaner, more affordable travel or reinforces car dependency. 

The Problem

According to the state’s own calculations, Californians must reduce driving by at least 25% by 2030 and 30% by 2045 (compared to 2019 levels) to meet our climate targets. Yet driving has continued to rise each year as travel rebounds from the pandemic.

It’s not hard to see why. A recent NRDC study found that over 80% of California’s transportation budget is still spent on roads — including nearly 10% on expanding the road system. With more than $30 billion a year invested in transportation, California is spending heavily every year on solutions that work against its stated goals. Widening roads locks in more driving, meaning there is no reduction in congestion and no environmental or convenience gains to be made, and reduces incentives to build housing and transit in infill locations where Californians could live more easily.  

What the CTC decides and influences

The CTC plays a central — and often underappreciated — role in shaping California’s transportation future.

• Approving funding: The CTC gives final approval for which passenger rail, transit, highway, and active transportation projects receive funding. Together, these total roughly $5 billion in project approvals each year. Most programs, like the Active Transportation Program (ATP), SB 1 competitive programs, and State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), operate on two-year cycles, and the CTC routinely approves scope changes and cost overruns to projects across six public meetings. In 2026, CTC will be approving projects under the STIP and SHOPP programs.  
• Setting policy through program guidelines: Beyond project approvals, the CTC develops program guidelines that shape how transportation funds are allocated and used. These guidelines determine whether state dollars support projects that advance California’s climate laws — or perpetuate outdated priorities. The CTC also advises the Legislature by providing technical feedback and recommendations on policy and program performance.
• Coordinating with other agencies: The CTC meets twice a year with the Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to discuss how housing, land use, and transportation policies intersect. In principle, these joint meetings should be where California’s agencies align their plans around shared climate and community goals. In practice, the discussions tend to be brief and nonbinding, with no decisions made.
• Ensuring accountability and measuring outcomes: The CTC oversees Caltrans’ plans, approves programs of projects, and must approve changes to project scope, cost, and schedule for programs such as the $5B a year State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP). It also evaluates progress toward performance measures — a critical opportunity to assess whether the state’s investments are delivering real climate and mobility benefits.

Where ClimatePlan fits in

Despite its significant power, the CTC’s role has historically been reactive. Commissioners don’t select which projects come before them — they vote on whether to approve what’s presented. The body’s culture has long leaned toward consensus and avoiding public disagreement, even when the projects before it run counter to state climate goals. This puts a lot of power in the hands of CTC staff, which review all the projects that come before CTC and make “staff recommendations” on what the commissioners should approve.

It’s not easy to follow, let alone influence, how CTC decisions get made. Even for transportation insiders, California’s funding and decision-making structure is notoriously complex. This complexity has led to uneven access to information, where organizations with deep pockets can influence project level decisions, while transportation, environmental, and community advocates often can’t. The result? A bias toward business-as-usual projects and continued investment in road expansion.

As a network, ClimatePlan is working to open access to the CTC for policy, grassroots, and justice groups — ensuring that the projects funded prioritize the needs of Californians, our communities, and the climate. ClimatePlan brings deep expertise on Caltrans and the CTC through its member organizations. In the year ahead, we’ll focus on strengthening our CTC strategy, identifying key leverage points, educating our network, and pushing back on projects that widen lanes without improving congestion.

Accountability matters. Study after study shows that around 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. We can’t afford to keep pouring public funds into projects that perpetuate the high costs of car ownership. Every transportation dollar should move us closer to a cleaner, fairer system that gives Californians real options.