The implications of California’s SB 743 (2013), which is widely if somewhat imprecisely known as the “move away from level-of-service to vehicle-miles-traveled bill,” became clearer last week, as Caltrans issued guidance on which transportation projects will require evaluation for VMT effects.
legislation
California blocks parking requirements where housing needs aren’t met
In an effort to streamline affordable housing development, a new California law (SB-35) will preclude cities from requiring parking on certain projects, beginning January 1. Parking can drive up housing costs considerably and often isn’t needed.
California blocks parking requirements where housing needs aren’t met
In an effort to streamline affordable housing development, a new California law (SB-35) will preclude cities from requiring parking on certain projects, beginning January 1. Parking can drive up housing costs considerably and often isn’t needed.
California first state to regulate ridesharing
California has become the first state to regulate these services and has preempted the ability of local jurisdictions to impose their own rules. The California Public Utilities Commission has set insurance and safety regulations that would allow the services to continue under a new category known as a Transportation Network Company.
California first state to regulate ridesharing
California has become the first state to regulate these services and has preempted the ability of local jurisdictions to impose their own rules. The California Public Utilities Commission has set insurance and safety regulations that would allow the services to continue under a new category known as a Transportation Network Company.
California moves to reform traffic mitigation process
The California legislature last week passed a bill that will remove highway level-of-service and parking from traffic mitigation analyses. The bill applies to projects in many urban and suburban areas. An earlier version of the legislation, SB 731, would have eliminated LOS standards statewide and replaced them with what essentially would have been an impact-fee based on VMT or some other systemic metric. Advocates say the weaker version in SB 743 still covers wide swaths of the state’s most populous areas, and that while it does not require statewide reform, it allows the Office of Planning and Research to accomplish such a change through rule making.
PennDOT begins posting bridge weight limits in light of failure of transportation funding
In late June, as the Pennsylvania legislature debated whether or not to raise the wholesale gas tax, PennDOT Secretary Barry Schoch warned that he would likely have to place weight restrictions on bridges across the state in order to extend their useful life if additional funding was not allocated. Some may have thought this was just a bargaining point, but now 1,000 bridges across the state have been posted with reduced weight limits.
Legislative inaction prompts possible bridge weight limits, cancels signature megaproject
While several states successfully passed transportation revenue packages this year, in Pennsylvania and Washington the failure of such bills will have immediate effects on infrastructure. PennDOT is considering weight limits for bridges across the state, and the $3 billion-plus Columbia River Crossing project, that would have replaced the existing I-5 bridge, shut down.
WSDOT weighs in on bill to make health a goal in transportation policy
The Washington State DOT currently has six statutory goals: economic vitality, preservation, safety, mobility, environment, and stewardship. H.B. 1233, introduced by a Tacoma legislator whose day job is with the county health department, would add health as a seventh goal.
Maine approves law to reduce oil use
A Republican-led legislature passed An Act to Improve Maine’s Energy Security, which the HuffPost Green calls “great news for energy independence. It sets ambitious goals for reducing economy-wide oil use in Maine: by at least …