BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2796
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 11, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Jim Frazier, Chair
AB 2796
(Bloom and Low) - As Amended April 4, 2016
SUBJECT: Active Transportation Program
SUMMARY: Requires a minimum amount of funding be set aside for
planning and non- infrastructure activities within the Active
Transportation Program (ATP). Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires a minimum 5% of funding from the statewide, small
urban and rural, and Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
programs within ATP be allocated for planning and community
engagement for active transportation in disadvantaged
communities.
2)Requires a minimum 10% of the total funding available for ATP
be programmed for non-infrastructure activities, including
activities relating to Safe Routes to School.
3)Clarifies that any portion of funding that supports
non-infrastructure activities as part of a combined
infrastructure and non-infrastructure project shall contribute
to meeting the 10% minimum.
AB 2796
Page 2
4)Allows for any additional funds remaining if applications to
the programs do not meet the minimums required be expended on
other projects.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Creates the ATP to be administered by the California
Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and allocated by the
California Transportation Commission (CTC) for the purpose of
encouraging increased use of active modes of transportation,
such as biking and walking.
2)Funds the ATP from a combination of federal and state funds.
3)Creates three programs within ATP for distribution of funds:
a) 50% for statewide competitive program awarded by the
CTC;
b) 10% for projects in small urban an rural areas of the
state awarded by the CTC; and,
c) 40% for projects determined by MPO's over 200,000 in
population. The 40% is distributed to MPOs based on their
relative population.
4)Requires that no less than 25% of programs funds benefit
disadvantaged communities.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
AB 2796
Page 3
COMMENTS: The ATP was created by SB 99 (Committee on Budget and
Fiscal Review), Chapter 359, Statutes of 2013, and AB 101
(Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), Chapter 354, Statues of
2013, by consolidating existing federal and state programs and
funding, including the federal Transportation Alternatives
Program, the state Bicycle Transportation Account, and the
federal and state Safe Routes to School programs. The purpose
of the ATP is to encourage the use of active transportation
modes including biking and walking. Specifically, ATP has the
following goals:
1)Increase the proportion of biking and walking trips.
2)Increase safety for non-motorized users.
3)Increase mobility for non-motorized users.
4)Advance the efforts of regional agencies to achieve greenhouse
gas reduction goals.
5)Enhance public health, including the reduction of childhood
obesity through the use of projects eligible for Safe Routes
to Schools Program funding.
6)Ensure disadvantaged communities fully share in program
AB 2796
Page 4
benefits.
7)Provide a broad spectrum of projects to benefit many types of
active transportation users.
ATP has a wide eligibility for infrastructure projects such as
bikeways, bicycle facilities, sidewalks, trails and crossing
safety improvements, and non-infrastructure projects, such as
educational programs and enforcement activities. Additionally,
ATP funds planning activities, including the development of
local bicycle and pedestrian master plans.
According to author, AB 2796 would address the competitive
disadvantage of planning and non-infrastructure projects
relative to infrastructure projects in ATP and enable such
projects to compete fairly in the grant process. He states that
the importance of non-infrastructure and planning projects in
educating and encouraging biking and walking has been
overlooked. The author is attempting to reflect the volume of
applications for these activities in the minimum percentage
amounts for non-infrastructure and planning activities.
Further, the author adds that by establishing a specific
set-aside, more communities will be encouraged to apply for
grants.
The ATP has become extremely popular in the state with high
demand for both the statewide and the regional programs. In
AB 2796
Page 5
fact, in some areas regional agencies contribute other federal,
state and local funds to their respective programs to try to
meet the demand. ATP is funded at approximately $120 million
per year, and programmed in four year cycles. The bulk of the
funding comes from the federal government through a set-aside
program authorized by the Fixing America's Surface
Transportation (FAST) Act. For example, in the second cycle,
awarded in 2015, 617 applications were submitted, requesting
over $1 billion in funds. In the three program components
approximately 207 projects were awarded totaling $359 million.
Of that amount less than 5% was awarded to non-infrastructure
and planning activities.
The author notes that planning continues to be a huge need for
active transportation, especially in low-resourced communities.
According to the Office of Planning and Research's 2013-14
Annual Planning Survey, less than 50% of respondent cities and
counties reported an adopted Bicycle Master Plan and roughly 13%
of respondents reported an adopted Pedestrian Master Plan.
Planning funds help communities develop a long term vision for
active transportation in their areas and enable the development
of meaningful projects. Planning also serves to engage the
public in identifying community needs and priorities.
The author further explains that non-infrastructure activities
are also critical to engage and encourage residents to walk and
bike more, as car-free street events like CicLAvia, and programs
like Safe Routes to Schools have demonstrated. Both planning
and non-infrastructure are essential components of Safe Routes
to School activities, which promote safe walking and bicycling
to school in thousands of schools statewide. Projects that
AB 2796
Page 6
combine infrastructure improvements with a non-infrastructure
component have been met with great success. The funding set
aside in this bill could help encourage the development of these
types of larger efforts.
In the recent adoption of the guidelines for ATP's third grant
cycle, CTC set aside 2% of funds from the three component
programs for planning. Non-infrastructure projects are eligible
for funding in the three component programs.
Related legislation: ABX1 23 (Garcia), requires projects in the
State Transportation Improvement Program and the State Highway
Operation and Protection Program to prioritize projects to
provide benefits to disadvantaged communities. Appropriates
annually $125 million for ATP from the State Highway Account
Previous legislation: SB 99 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal
Review), Chapter 359, Statutes of 2013, and AB 101 (Committee on
Budget and Fiscal Review), Chapter 354, Statues of 2013, created
and funded the ATP.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
AB 2796
Page 7
Support
California Bicycle Coalition (Sponsor)
California Walks (Sponsor)
Safe Routes to School National Partnership (Sponsor)
American Lung Association in California
Amigos de los Rios
Bike East Bay
Bike San Gabriel Valley
Bike Santa Cruz County
Bike SLO County
Breathe California
California League of Conservation Voters
AB 2796
Page 8
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
California ReLeaf
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Stockton
Center for Climate Change and Health
Chico Velo
Coalition for Clean Air
Comite Civico del Valle
County Health Executives Association of California
Environmental Council of Sacramento
Gamaliel of California
Inland Empire Biking Alliance
Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability
Livable Communities, Inc.
AB 2796
Page 9
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
Marin County Bicycle Coalition
Move LA
Napa County Bicycle Coalition
PolicyLink
Public Advocates, Inc.
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
San Diego County Bicycle Coalition
Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition
Trust for Public Land
Walk San Francisco
Opposition
AB 2796
Page 10
Non on file
Analysis Prepared by:Melissa White / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093