Put Transportation Resources to Better Use
The Issue
California spends billions on transportation each year, but too much capacity is tied up in projects planned decades ago under different priorities. As climate risks grow and gas tax revenue declines, the state needs to make better use of its limited resources to deliver projects that give Californians safe, affordable ways to get where they need to go.
Projected 10-year gap between planned transportation projects and available funding
The Solution
To make transportation safer, more affordable, and more accessible, California needs to invest in better public transit, safer state highways, and stronger climate resilience. It can make progress without new revenue by making better use of the billions it already spends. The next administration should take a fresh look at the project pipeline and consistently direct funding and planning resources toward projects that deliver the greatest benefits, while moving away from projects that no longer serve the state’s needs and priorities.
Here are three actions your administration can take:
Use Consistent Criteria to Reprioritize Projects
ACTION Direct state transportation funding decisions, including those made by the California Transportation Commission (CTC), to use the Caltrans System Investment Strategy (CSIS), an existing quantitative project-prioritization tool, to score projects and make scores public.
WHY IT MATTERS California already has a tool to compare projects based on how well they advance state goals, but it is applied to only a small share of transportation funding. Expanding its use would help direct limited dollars toward projects that deliver the greatest benefits and bring greater transparency and consistency to funding decisions.
Create a Transportation Planning Office at CalSTA
ACTION Elevate planning and decision making into a Transportation Planning Office that reports directly to the CalSTA Secretary, building on existing Caltrans planning capacity, to develop a pipeline of multimodal projects that advance California’s transportation goals in coordination with regional planning agencies and local priorities.
WHY IT MATTERS California needs to build a pipeline of projects that reflects where the state is going, not where it has been. Today, statewide transportation planning sits within Caltrans, which has a primary focus of developing and delivering highway projects. Moving long-range planning to CalSTA would create a more multimodal focus and ensure the projects entering the pipeline today reflect the state’s goals and growing climate risk.
Focus Project Development on Projects That Deliver
ACTION Direct Caltrans to focus planning, design, and environmental resources on projects that advance state priorities and have a real path to construction funding, shifting them away from projects that don't. Resources now tied up in outdated or unfunded projects with low CSIS scores would go to technical assistance that helps local partners get priority projects ready to build.
WHY IT MATTERS Many projects in California’s pipeline were planned before the state adopted its current climate and safety goals, and no longer meet the state’s needs. Additionally, significant resources are spent advancing projects that are unlikely to get built due to lack of construction funds. Continuing to spend time and money advancing these projects, which ultimately will not get funding leaves less for projects that would deliver greater benefits.