In order to meet the needs of Western Riverside County’s current population and sustainably accommodate future growth, the subregion must expand the capacity and efficiency of its transportation network.  WRCOG is committed to supporting efforts to optimize quality, safety, and accessibility of transportation infrastructure for motorists, goods movement, transit, and non-motorized transportation. 

Action:

• Support federal and State efforts to provide sustainable and stable funding for the transportation system. 
• Support efforts to ensure that communities in Western Riverside County receive fair and equitable allocations of transportation funding from the federal, State, and regional level. 
• Support legislation that gives priority to self-help and “super” self-help counties when allocating funding for transportation. 
• Support legislation and funding mechanisms that support and encourage the use of transit and non-motorized transportation, including active transportation. 
• Support legislation that enhances the safety of city streets and arterials for vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic. 

• Support regional transportation programs. 
• Support legislation that provides funding for goods movement-related projects and studies. 
• Support legislation that would create funding opportunities for upgrades and/or separations for at-grade crossings. 
• Support legislation that increases local flexibility in the allocation of transportation capital funds. 
• Oppose legislation that caps or limits the ability to impose development fees. 
• Oppose legislation that eliminates or restricts the use of Riverside County State Transportation Improvement Funds, federal transportation funding, Measure A, SB 1, or toll funding for local transportation projects. 
• Support increased funding for transportation projects selected based on regional performance metrics. 
• Support financial incentives for the use of zero-emission vehicles. 

• Support efforts to encourage transit-oriented development. 
• Support efforts to ensure the implementation of Senate Bill 743 (SB 743) and Vehicle Miles Traveled as an agency’s transportation impact metric is further refined to create certainty and oppose policies that restrict the ability to deliver goods movement enhancements due to the application of SB 743.
• Support equitable distribution of transportation funding to ensure that disadvantaged communities receive their fair share of funding
• Engage in policy discussions that utilize teleworking as a method to reduce traffic congestion and improve local economic and public health by permanently increasing the number of Riverside County residents who telecommute or work remotely. Support a greater share of state greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction funds toward transportation investments to address the transportation sector’s share of GHG emissions.
• Support the simplification of SB 743 VMT modeling and analysis for capacity increasing highway projects.
• Support efforts that allow transportation agencies to receive retroactive credit for VMT reducing projects that have been recently delivered or are planned in their delivery plans.
• Support efforts or initiatives that limit the liability of transportation projects for long-term conservation or mitigation.
• Support efforts to increase the number of highway related improvements that qualify for Categorical Exclusions and Exemptions while remaining sensitive to environmental impacts.