1/12/2024 0 Comments Vmt californiaHowever, not only is the gas tax not indexed to inflation, but gasoline consumption is no longer a good indicator of road usage. This used to be an effective way of ensuring infrastructure projects received adequate funding. While part of the shortfall can be blamed on fiscal mismanagement, the gas tax is no longer able to efficiently fund the necessary maintenance and repairs since it depends solely on gas consumption to raise revenue. When combined with the costs to local governments, the total budget shortfall for transportation infrastructure reaches about $137 billion over that period. Last year, the California Department of Transportation released its “ Ten Year State Highway Operation and Protection Program Plan.” In it, they estimated that the annual cost of road repairs will exceed available revenue by $5.7 billion annually over the next ten years. According to estimates, the crumbling roads cost Californians an extra $44 billion annually in the form of additional vehicle operating costs among other things. The Reason Foundation found that California ranked 45 th in road quality and that they had the highest number of deficient bridges in 2014. The Golden State has some of the worst transportation infrastructure in the nation. California must confront this imbalance between expenditures and consider alternatives, such as a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) tax. The inability of lawmakers to find a long-term solution leaves the state with a sizeable budget shortfall. At the same time, gasoline tax revenues, the backbone of the transportation infrastructure budget, are on a long-term downward trajectory. Experts argue that California’s freeways and bridges are due for extensive repairs. 20-01recommending to the City Council (1) approval of amendments to Article 15.04.612 of the Richmond Municipal Code related to Transportation Demand Management, (2) repeal and replacement of City Council Resolution 125-03 regarding Guidelines and Procedures for the Implementation of the CEQA and (3) adopting the 2020 CCTA VMT Methodology for application within Richmond, as shown in Exhibits A, B, and C.California is currently experiencing a two-fold crisis that threatens to create an even deeper hole in the state’s budget. Planning Commission Public Hearing – Febru6:30 PM, Telephone and web conference only ![]() ![]() In addition this work includes updating the City’s Guidelines and Procedures for the Implementation of the CEQA document that has not been updated since 2008, and amending the City’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) ordinance most recently adopted in 2016 (RMC Article 15.04.612) to align with the VMT methodology, to reflect current best practices, new State law requirements, and emerging TDM options as encompassed in the new CCTA VMT methodology. In accordance with State Law, City staff has prepared CEQA thresholds of significance applicable to land use projects for Council consideration that build upon the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA)’s adopted VMT Methodology. The provisions of SB 743 and CEQA guidelines §15064.3 apply statewide as of July 1, 2020. SB 743 also removes congestion based metrics such as Level of Service (LOS) from CEQA consideration for land use projects, as “a project’s effect on automobile delay shall not constitute a significant environmental impact” (§15064.3(a)). Senate Bill (SB) 743 (Steinberg, 2013) and subsequent amendments to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines (§15064.3, amended December 2018) require the use of vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) as the metric for the assessment of impacts in the CEQA Transportation section.
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