Comment Log Display

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a national non-profit working to
create healthy places for healthy people by creating networks of
trails and active transportation systems.

We have joined more than 50 organizations in signing on to the
Sustainable Communities for All Proposal. We believe the vision of
SB 375 can be achieved equitably and efficiently by providing
transportation and housing choices that allow Californians to drive
less and reduce household costs, especially for low-income
households.

Investing in “Active Transportation” – bicycling and walking –
should be an important part of California’s strategy in
implementing our climate change programs. A significant portion of
trips in California being short trips - the California Household
Transportation Survey found that 49% of all trips taken in the
state were less than 15 minutes in length, and 30% were less than
10 minutes in length. This presents a great opportunity to convert
these trips to biking and walking by creating better, safer
infrastructure. Substituting biking, walking or transit for car
trips, a single person prevents 4,800 pounds of CO2 from entering
the atmosphere each year. 

Low-income and disadvantaged communities have higher rates of
biking and walking and also higher rates of fatalities and
injuries; One third of our total trips are walking or on a bike,
yet only about two percent (2 percent) of our transportation funds
are spent on bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and recently,
federal spending on active transportation was cut by 30%.

The Administration has proposed creation of a new Active
Transportation Program at the state level to help communities
achieve their SB 375 goals by investing in bicycle, pedestrian and
related infrastructure. Adding cap-and-trade auction revenue to
this program will help accelerate our achievement of those goals.

Investment in Active Transportation and the other components of the
Sustainable Communities for All Proposal will have the greatest
impact on the communities most affected by climate change while
also increasing access to opportunities and improving public
health.

Thank you for considering our comments, 
Sincerely,
Laura R. Cohen
Director, Western Region
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy