The agency plans to update its road design guidelines by the end of the year — before a new law that prioritizes pedestrian and cyclist safety takes effect.

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) is rushing to make updates to the State Highway Operations and Protection Program (SHOPP) in advance of a new Complete Streets law that takes effect in January, reports Melanie Curry for Streetsblog California.
“S.B. 960 includes major revisions to Caltrans responsibilities, particularly around transparency and showing progress towards Complete Streets goals,” Curry explains. But the agency plans to finish updating its guidelines by the end of the year without incorporating the changes called for in the law.
According to Curry, “SHOPP guidelines are not required to be updated regularly, and S.B. 960 does not include a deadline to incorporate its provisions - so not addressing them in this update could indefinitely delay including complete streets.”
Curry notes that the CTC could take steps to ensure compliance with the law now, such as posting documents online before they finalize the updates to allow for public comment. In an April letter to Caltrans, advocacy coalition ClimatePlan urged the agency to address SB 960 and take note of the California Bicycle Coalition’s recent Incomplete Streets report, which highlights the state’s slow progress on building safer infrastructure for cyclists, pedestrians, and transit users.
FULL STORY: California Transportation Commission Is Ignoring Complete Streets Law

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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