Jamie Foster

As the national gateway for international trade and domestic commerce, California exemplifies the world’s most innovative, economically-competitive, multimodal freight network that is efficient, reliable, modern, integrated, resilient, safe, and sustainable, where social and environmental impacts are considered equitably.

In collaboration with various State, regional and local partners, public and private sectors, and the members of the California Freight Advisory Committee (CFAC), Caltrans developed the California Freight Mobility Plan 2020 to provide a long-term vision for California’s freight future. The CFMP is a comprehensive plan that governs the immediate and long-range planning activities and capital investments by the state with respect to freight movement. This multimodal freight transportation system facilitates the reliable and efficient movement of goods while ensuring a prosperous economy, social equity, and human and environmental health. The CFMP also complies with California State Government Code Section 13978.8(b)(1) (Assembly Bill 14, Lowenthal) and the freight provisions of the federal Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) which requires each state that receives funding under the National Highway Freight Program to develop a State Freight Plan.

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BY IAN JEFFERIES, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR — 06/30/20 11:45 AM EDT

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee passed a $500 billion surface transportation bill along party lines. It moved to the full House of Representatives as part of a larger, $1.5 trillion infrastructure package.

At a time that desperately calls for politicians to come together to meet pressing challenges, including infrastructure, the bill woefully misses the mark. Throughout the crafting of the bill and even during the markup, past precedent of bipartisan collaboration was largely absent.

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On Wednesday, June 24, 2020, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) adopted the final Short-Line Railroad Improvement Program Guidelines, thereby initiating a “Call for Projects”. For further information please visit the Commission’s Short-Line Railroad Improvement Program website https://catc.ca.gov/programs/short-line-railroad-improvement-program.

As previously stated, CTC Staff will facilitate a Virtual Joint Coordination Meeting with Caltrans, Regional Transportation Planning Agencies, Class III Operators, and all other industry partners to discuss roles and responsibilities as related to this program. CTC Staff intends to hold this virtual meeting the week of July 27th, further detail to follow.

Alicia Sequeira Smith, Assistant Deputy Director, Program Manager, California Transportation Commission