Best%Practices%for%Funding%Active%Transportation%with%County% Transportation%Sales%Taxes%

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1 Best%Practices%for%Funding%Active%Transportation%with%County% Transportation%Sales%Taxes% January'2015' Asthefederalfundinglandscapechanges,morestates,countiesandcitiesarelookingforlocal sourcesoffundingtoinvestintransportationinfrastructure.asaresult,therehasbeenanincrease inballotmeasuresacrosstheunitedstatestofundtransportationusingsalestaxdollars,including LosAngelesCounty smeasurerpassedin2008.witha79percentsuccessrateforsalestaxes nationwidein2012,votersaretellingtheirgovernmentsthattransportationmatters andthat theyarewillingtopayforit. i Currently,LosAngelesCountyisoneofthestrongestselfKhelpcountiesinthenationfor transportationinvestments,withcloseto70percentofthecounty stransportationfundingcoming fromexistinglocalsalestaxes(propositionsaandcandmeasurer).however,noneofthese existingthreesalestaxesdedicateasignificantamountoffundstowardsimprovingwalkingand bicyclingconditionsoraccesstotransit.furthermore,whileportionsofthesefundsareeligiblefor SafeRoutestoSchoolandwalkingandbicyclingprogramsandprojects,salestaxrevenuesare rarelyusedforthesepurposesexceptincaseswherecitiesallocatethemasmatchingfundsfor regional,stateandfederalgrantopportunities.instead,mostjurisdictionsrelyonsalestaxfundsto runlocaltransitservicesormaintainpavementquality. In2013,theSafeRoutestoSchoolNationalPartnership(NationalPartnership)andtheLosAngeles CountyBicycleCoalition(LACBC)publishedTransportationFinanceinLosAngelesCounty:An Overview,whichexaminedcurrentfundinglevelsforwalkingandbicyclinginLosAngelesCounty. ii Thispreviousresearchdocumentedactivetransportation schronicunderfundinginlosangeles Countyandmadeaseriesofpolicyrecommendationstoaddressthisshortcoming,includingsetting asideasignificantamountoffundingforwalkingandbicycling.since2000,severalcalifornia countieshavesetasideasmuchas11percentofsalestaxrevenuesforwalkingandbicycling improvements,andsaferoutestoschoolprojects,providingapotentialmodelforlosangeles CountyastheMetropolitanTransportationAuthority(Metro)againconsidersanadditionalsales taxmeasure.inaddition,manycountiessubjectallfundingfromthetaxestocompletestreets policiesthatrequireincorporationofwalkingandbicyclingimprovementsintoallprojects. InthecontextofMetro songoingupdatetoitslongrangetransportationplan,aswellasits regionalneedsassessmentinpartnershipwitheachoftheninesubkregionsand/orcouncilsof governments,thenationalpartnershipandlacbchaveprojectedtheneedforinvestmentinactive 1

2 transportationandcompiledbestpracticesfromothercaliforniacountiestoaddresssomeofthis needthroughafuturesalestaxmeasure. Unfunded%Active%Transportation%Need%in%Los%Angeles%County% ThereissignificantunmetneedforactivetransportationfundinginLosAngelesCountydueto historicalunderfunding.walkingandbicyclingrepresenta19%modeshareinthecountyand39% oftheroadwayfatalities,yetonlyonepercentoffundingidentifiedinthe2009metrolongrange TransportationPlanisallocatedtoactivetransportationinvestments,recentlyreconfirmedbythe 2014adoptionofaShortRangeTransportationPlanwiththesamefundinglevel.Furthermore, whilecloseto70%ofmetro srevenueislocallygenerated,fundingforactivetransportationis generallybyformulaorcompetitiveallocationoffederalandstatefunding,ratherthanlocal sources.citieshaverespondedwithapiecemealapproachtoactivetransportationinvestments, withunevenresults.overall,metro sinvestmentpolicieshaveyettobeinformedbya comprehensiveneedsassessmentanalyzingbothmodeshiftopportunityandcriticalsafetyissues. WhiletheLosAngelesregiondoesnotyethaveacoordinatedinvestmentplanforactive transportation,localjurisdictionshaveadoptedbicycleandpedestrianplans,saferoutestoschool plans,streetscapeplans,transitorienteddevelopmentaccessplans,orhaveidentifiedmaintenance needs.theseplansprovidethefoundationforunderstandingtheactivetransportationfunding neededtorehabilitate,constructandoperateanactivetransportationnetworkthroughoutlos AngelesCountythatprovidessafeandappealingtransportationoptionstoencouragegreaterrates ofwalking,bicyclingandtransituseforalltrips. Table&1outlinessomeoftheestimatedneedthatcouldbeaddressedthroughafuturesalestax basedonthenumberofplannedandproposedrailandbusrapidstations,schoolsinlosangeles County,proposedinfrastructureprogramssuchastheCityofLosAngeles sgreatstreetsinitiative, plannedbikeways,currentmetroprogrammingactivitiessuchasbikeweekandthenewopen streetsgrantprogram,andneededsidewalkrepairs.costestimatesweredevelopedinconsultation withvariouscitystaffandconsultants,aswellasbyreferencingbudgetsforlargestreet reconstructionprojectssuchasthemyfigueroacorridorprojectfromthecityoflosangelesand thelancasterblvdprojectinthecityoflancastertounderstandperkmilecostsformajorboulevard improvementprojects.countywideestimatesofthenumberofmilesofbrokensidewalksand numberofmilesofbikewaysthatareneededtocreateacomprehensiveregionalbikewaynetwork wereextrapolatedfromthoselocaljurisdictionswithrelevantdata. 2

3 Table'1:'Estimated'Active'Transportation'Funding'Need'for'Los'Angeles'County' Category Quantity Cost/Unit* Total* FirstMileLastMile(Stations) iii,iv,v 500 $5,000,000 $2,500,000,000 SafeRoutestoSchoolInfrastructure(Schools) vi,vii 2,116 $500,000 $1,058,000,000 SafeRoutestoSchoolProgramsatAllSchools(Years) viii 30 $42,320,000 $1,269,600,000 GreatBoulevards(Miles) ix 400 $10,000,000 $4,000,000,000 RegionalBikeways(Miles) x 4,200 $750,000 $3,150,000,000 Education&EncouragementPrograms(Years) xi 30 $5,000,000 $150,000,000 SidewalkRepair(Miles) xii,xiii 10,000 $750,000 $7,500,000,000 Total%Funding%Need% %30%year%scenario% % % $19,627,600,000% *Allestimatesin2014dollars Thisprojectedunmetneedhasthepotentialtooverwhelmanysinglefuturerevenuesourceand mustbeweighedagainstcompetingpriorities.however,muchofthisneedhasaccumulatedover decadesofchronicunderfundingforactivetransportation.currentrevenueforecastsforpotential ballotmeasuresareapproximately$24billionover30years(or$32billionover40years)in2014 dollars.itisunlikelythatanactivetransportationfundingneedofnearly$20billioncanorshould befundedwhollybyasinglesalestaxmeasure.instead,losangelescountyshouldlooktoitspeers aroundthestateforbestpracticestoincorporateactivetransportationintoapotentialmeasure. Best%Practices%from%Other%California%Counties% Manyothercountieshavededicatedaportionoftheirsalestaxestoactivetransportation, somethingthathasnotyetbeendoneinlosangelescounty.thechartsbelowsummarizehowfive Californiacountieshaveallocatedtheirsalestaxrevenuesandincludeddedicatedfundingfor bicycleandpedestrianprojects,aswellasfunctionallyintegratingcompletestreetsintoother fundingcategories.appendix&aprovidesafurtheroverviewofthefivecounties salestaxallocations andwheremoreinformationoneachsalestaxcanbefound. 3

4 Alameda%County% Alameda%County% MeasureB,2000 MeasureBB,2014 Marin%County% MeasureA,2004 San%Francisco%County% Transnet,2004 PropositionK,2003 San%Diego%County% Santa%Barbara%County% MeasureA,2008 4

5 Astheabovechartsshow,thereisarangeintheamountcountiesaresettingasideforactive transportationprojectsandprograms.eachoftheabovetaxinitiativesdedicatesaportionofthe salestaxrevenuestoexclusivelyfundpedestrianandbikeprojects,andalsointegrateswalkingand bicyclingimprovementsunderothercategoriesidentifiedinthetaxmeasure.ofthesefivecounties, wefoundthatbothsandiego xiv andalameda xv countieshavealsoadoptedsomeformofcomplete streetspolicy(orroutineaccommodationpolicy)thatensuresthatallprojectsfundedthroughtheir salestaxesincorporateimprovementstomakewalkingandbicyclingsaferandmoreappealing. Designingsafeandappealingstreetsforwalkingandbicyclingentailsbuildingandmaintaininga networkofsidewalks,bikewaysandstreetcrossingseasilynavigatedbyourmostvulnerable travelers:thosewithdisabilities,childrenandseniorcitizens.thesenetworksprovideaccessto transit,commercialandemploymentcenters,healthcareservices,schools,daycarecenters,parks andotherdestinations.examplesofhowothercaliforniacountieshaveusedtheirlocaldedicated fundinginclude: MarinCountybuiltnumerousbicycleandpedestriansafetyimprovements,funded64 crossingguardpositionsin2011andhasreducedautomobiletripstoschoolsby8%witha portionofitssalestaxfunding. xvi SanDiegoisusing$200milliontoacceleratetheconstructionofitsregionalbicycleplan andleverageadditionalstateandfederaldollars.theavailabilityofthesetasideinits Transnetsalestaxisallowingthecountytobondagainstfuturerevenuestospeedup implementation. xvii Inadditiontoits8%setasideforwalkingandbicyclinginvestments,AlamedaCounty MeasureBBstipulatesthat15%oflocalreturnwillsupportpedestrianandbicyclepaths andsafetyimprovementsonlocalstreets. Recommendations%for%Los%Angeles%County% ReasonstopromotewalkingandbicyclingintheLosAngelesregionarenumerous.Researchshows thatwhenpeoplewalkforatleast30minutesperdaytheycansignificantlyreducetheirriskof chronicdisease.encouragingmorepeopletowalkandbicyclefortransportationalsoyields significantbenefitstothelocaleconomyandlocalandregionalairquality.increasedfundingfor activetransportationprojectsandprogramswillprovidemanyofthesamebenefitsforlosangeles County,including: MaximizingaccesstoexistingandplannedtransitexpansionsprojectsthroughFirst Mile/LastMileimprovementsaroundexistingandnewstationareas; Increasingtransitridership; Providingupto35,000K80,000moreconstructionjobsthancontinuingbusinessasusual; xviii Increasingeconomicbenefitthroughtransportationinvestments(jobcreation,increased realestatevalues,jobs/housingbalance,retentionofworkforce,costkefficient transportationprojects); DecreasingtrafficKrelatedinjuriesandimprovingsafetyforroadusersofallagesand abilities; ReducingtransportationcostsformanyLosAngelesCountyresidents; Improvingairqualityandreducinggreenhousegasemissions; 5

6 Decreasingratesofchronicdiseaserelatedtophysicalinactivity; Specificallyaddressingtheneedsofresidentsindisadvantagedcommunitiesthatare disproportionallyexposedtoinjury,airpollutionandphysicalinactivity;and Furtheringcoordinationtoachievefederal,stateandregionaltransportationgoalsfor multikmodaltravel. Informulatinganyfuturesalestaxmeasure,Metroshouldfollowthebestpracticesofother countiesbybothdedicatingasignificantshareofrevenuetoactivetransportationandapplyingits recentlyadoptedcompletestreetspolicytoallfundsgeneratedbythemeasure.aswithany transportationfundingneed,onerevenuesourcecannotbeexpectedtobearthewholeburden. However,onlyasignificantlocallygeneratedsetKasidewouldbecapableofleveragingotherstate, federalandprivateresourcestomeettheoverallinvestmentneed.basedonbestpracticesfrom othercountiesandinputfrompartners,itisrecommendedthatatleast10%ofthenextlosangeles Countytransportationsalestaxmeasurebededicatedforwalking,bicyclingandsaferoutesto schoolinvestments. This10%setKasideshouldbeachievedthroughacombinationofregionallycontrolledfundingfor largeprojectsandcountywideprograms,aswellaslocallycontrolledfundingforsmallprojects, localprogramsandbasicmaintenance.toensuretransparencyandaccountabilitywithinlocally controlledfunding,itisrecommendedthat20%oflocalreturnsbedesignatedforwalkingand bicyclinginvestments,followingtheleadofalamedacounty smeasurebbandconsistentwiththe CityofLosAngeles sdraftmobilityplan2035.thisbalancedapproachprovidesbothmetroand localjurisdictionstheresourceseachagencyneedstoinvestinactivetransportation,structuredin awaythatguaranteessufficientlocalinvestmentnecessarytoachieveregionalsustainabilitygoals. ExperiencefromfiveotherCaliforniacountiesdemonstratesthatdedicatinglocallygenerated revenuetowardactivetransportationisawinningstrategyfortransportationballotmeasures.a 10%allocationofafuturemeasureinLosAngelesCountywouldmakeasignificantcontribution towardthecounty sunmetactivetransportationfundingneedandhelppositiontheregionto leverageadditionalfederal,stateandprivateresources.metro sconsiderationofapotentialballot measure,inthecontextofitslongrangetransportationplanupdate,providesanimportant opportunitytoreevaluatetheroleoflocalrevenueinfundingbasictransportationneedslike walking,bicyclingandaccesstotransit.afuturesalestaxmeasurecouldprovidethefundinglocal jurisdictionswantandneedtosatisfythepublic sincreasingdemandforsafe,comfortableand convenientactivetransportationoptions.theseinvestmentsarevitaltoreduceinjuries,improve accesstotransit,increaseeconomicopportunityandbuildsustainablecommunitiesconsistentwith regional,stateandfederalpolicygoals. Authors:% RyeBaerg,SafeRoutestoSchoolNationalPartnership EricBruins,LosAngelesCountyBicycleCoalition JessicaMeaney,SafeRoutestoSchoolNationalPartnership ' 6

7 Appendix'A:'Allocation'of'Sales'Tax'Revenue'in'Other'California'Counties'(detail)' County Amount Use Percentage Alameda (MeasureB) Passedin2000 ½Cent,20years, estimatedtogenerate $1.4B 97/2000_MeasureB_Expenditure_Plan_v14.pdf Transit 43.08% HighwayInfrastructure 16.62% LocalStreetsandRoads(activetransportationiseligible) 24.16% BicycleandPedestrianSafety 5.68% SpecialTransitforSeniorsandADA 10.46% Alameda (MeasureBB) Passedin2014 ½Cent,30years,renewal of2000tax,andincreaseby 0.5%estimatedtogenerate $7.8B 934/2014_Transportation_Expenditure_Plan.pdf Bart,Bus,Senior,andYouthTransit 48% LocalStreetsMaintenanceandSafety(15%ofcityand countystreetfundingwillsupportpedestrianandbicycle pathsandsafetyimprovementsonlocalstreets) TrafficReliefonHighways(languageexplicitlystates,not buildingnewhighways) 30% 9% BicycleandPedestrianPathsandSafety 8% CommunityDevelopmentInvestmentsandtechnology andinnovation 4% MarinCounty (MeasureA) Passedin2004 ½Cent, 20years,estimatedto generate$331m Transit 55% Localroads,bikeways,pathwaysandsidewalks 26.5% SafeRoutestoSchool 11% Highway101Carpoollanegapclosure 7.5% SanDiego (Transnet) Passed2004 ½Cent,40years,renewal of1988tax,estimatedto generate$14b pdf MajorTransportationCorridorImprovements 48.9% LocalSystemImprovements(activetransportationis eligible) 32% 7

8 TransitSystemImprovements 16% Bicycle,Pedestrian&NeighborhoodSafetyGrantProgram 2% AdministrationandOversight 1.1% SanFrancisco (PropK) Passedin2003 ½Cent,extendedexisting tax30years,estimatedto generate$2.3b ming/propk/expenditure_plan_summary_ pdf MajorTransitProjects 26% TransitMaintenanceandRehabilitation 40% MaintenanceofStreets&TrafficSignals(active transportationmaintenanceiseligible) 14% Paratransit&Other 10% NewStreets&TrafficSignals,Bicycle&Pedestrian Projects 10% SantaBarbara (MeasureA) Passedin2008 ½Cent,extendedexisting tax30years,estimatedto generate$1b Highway101Widening 13.4% NorthCounty (10%ofthe43.3%foreducation,SafeRoutestoSchool, reducedtransitfaresandactivetransportation) SouthCounty (SRTS3%of43.3%) (Bike/Ped3%of43.3%) (LocalReturneactivetransportationandSafeRoutesto Schoolareeligiblefor60%ofthe43.3%) 43.3% 43.3% ' ' 8

9 9 Endnotes' ihttp:// estrian_ballot_measures/ iihttp://saferoutescalifornia.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/transportationfinance_lacounty_101_feb20.pdf iiitherearecurrently117metrolightrailandbusrapidtransitstationsinlacounty.thereareanadditional 46K61plannedontheRegionalConnector,CrenshawCorridor,PurpleLineExtension,GoldLineExtension, ExpoLineExtensionandtheEastSanFernandoTransitCorridorProject.Therewillalsobeadditional stationsforanynewlightrailandbusrapidprojectsincludedinthenewsalestaxmeasure.inaddition,there aremanymetrorapidbusstationsthatneedaccessimprovements.metrohasover15,000busstops: ivthecityoflosangelesestimatesthatnewbusstationimprovementswillcostapproximately$130,000. Thisdoesnotincludeaccessimprovementstoandfromthestation. eyid=akiai7nuhqyarxr2ggcq&expires= &signature=mrq%2boowdjdntdgebxfykaoj%2b1 %2B8%3D vmetro seastsideaccessprojectwhichprovidelimitedpedestrianandbicycleimprovementstofour stationscostapproximately$12million. vithereare2116publicschoolsinlacountyaccordingtothelosangelescountyofficeofeducation: viitheestimateof$500,000perschoolisbasedoninterviewswithconsultantsandcommunitygroupstasked withwritinggrantsforsaferoutestoschoolinfrastructureimprovements.costwillvarybyschoolsite dependingonthelinearfeetofsidewalksthatneedtobeinstalledorreplacedandtheadditionalsafety featuresneeded. viiiassumes$20,000perschoolperyearbasedonanaveragecostbetweenconsultantkledorstaffkledsafe RoutestoSchoolprogrammodels. ixassumes$10,000,000permileforgrandboulevardprogramsbasedonthemyfigprojectthatis4miles and$20,000,000( $10,000,000for0.6miles( xthelosangelescitybicyclemasterplancontains1648milesandestimatesatotalcostof$235k427million ($140,000K$260,000permile)whichdoesn tincludeenvironmentalclearanceorstaffingcosts.amorerecent reportfromthecityoflosangelesplacesthecostofbikewaysatapproximately$780,000permile.this estimatepresentedhereassumesacomprehensivecostof$750,000permileandwouldallowforthe expansionofmoreseparatedfacilitieswhichhavehigherconstructioncosts.thecityoflosangeles representsapproximately39percentofthecounty spopulation.iftherestofthecountyexpandedits bikewayssimilartothecityoflosangelesthiswouldbeapproximately4,200milesofbikeways.thereport bythecityoflosangelescanbefoundhere: eyid=akiai7nuhqyarxr2ggcq&expires= &signature=mrq%2boowdjdntdgebxfykaoj%2b1 %2B8%3D xithiswouldincludeactivitiessuchasthe$2,000,000metrohassetasideforopenstreetsevents,bicycle safetyclasses,biketoworkday,andpublicsafetycampaignsfordriversandbicyclists. xiiaccordingtothelatimes( percentofthecityoflosangeles s10,750milesofsidewalksareindisrepair.thecityoflosangeles representsapproximately39percentofthecounty spopulation.assumingthatsidewalkconditionsinthe restofthecountyareinsimilarconditionthiswouldresultinapproximately11,500milesofsidewalksin needofrepair.accordingtoactivelivingresearchthecostofonemileofsidewalkis$169,000andwithcurb itwouldbe$792,000: xiiiarecentreportbythecityoflosangelesestimatedthatimprovingsidewalksandincludingtrafficcalming improvementswouldcostapproximately$1.4millionpermile: eyid=akiai7nuhqyarxr2ggcq&expires= &signature=mrq%2boowdjdntdgebxfykaoj%2b1 %2B8%3D

10 xivhttps:// xvhttp:// xvihttp:// xviihttp:// xviiihttp:// (Calculationassumesallocationtobicycle,pedestrianandcompletestreetsprojectsfor9.6K11.4jobsper millioncomparedto7.8jobspermillionforroadonlyprojects) 10