Project Abstract

Two one-day workshops focusing on how CMPs can be used to implement CSS principles to solve transportation & community issues and the mechanics of their funding and implementation in Caltrans. Included a Caltrans project case study, interactive group exercise and presentation on MaineDOT corridor master planning efforts.

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The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has had a CSS policy since 2001, and embarked on a major statewide CSS training program in 2005 (see also the Caltrans CSS website). The California state legislature also signed a Complete Streets bill in 2008, which targeted local governments and agencies but will also likely influence Caltrans’ activities. Caltrans staff began working with the consultant team in November 2008 to address challenges in using CSS processes for the development of Corridor Master Plans (CMPs). The intent of developing CMPs is to incorporate complete streets/multimodal design along with community, environmental, aesthetic and other relevant issues early in the planning and project development processes ensuring that transportation and land use issues within selected corridors are identified, considered and addressed before projects are scoped, programmed and developed.

Some semblance of corridor master planning can take place during planning and project delivery processes through the use of various existing Caltrans processes. Currently, however, there is limited ability at Caltrans to develop comprehensive CMPs to address all issues in a corridor due to the lack of sufficient guidance, time and resources, and expertise. In addition, departmental practices do not readily allow for crossover collaboration among planning and project development staff during each other’s processes for seamless development of CMPs.

The Technical Assistance consisted of two one-day workshops held on January 29th, 2010 in Los Angeles and February 2nd in Sacramento for a total of 61 participants.

• The workshop material included an overview of Caltrans’ current corridor planning processes and funding opportunities; how CMPs have been used in other states to implement CSS principles and address transportation and community issues; presentation and group discussion of a case study project where Caltrans has used corridor planning; presentation by staff from MaineDOT on their corridor planning effort; and an interactive group exercise focused on how Caltrans can address challenges to further implementing CMPs.
• Participants included Caltrans transportation engineers, environmental planners, landscape architects/associates/technicians, and transportation planners, as well as representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Click here to view the detailed documentation of this technical assistance.

   California CSSTA Documentation