CaliforniaTransportation commission expands active-travel project guidelines
Starting January 1, 2028, California transportation officials must update active-travel funding rules for transit connections, outside funding, late spending, and transit-agency consultation.
What it does
Starting in 2028, funding guidelines must cover more biking and walking projects that connect people to transit and schoolbus stops, including in underserved or rural areas.
Starting in 2028, guidelines must encourage outside funding for larger projects and may penalize applicants that do not use earlier awards on time, including through disqualification.
Starting in 2028, applicants for projects next to existing bus, shuttle, or paratransit routes must consult the transit agency and continue consulting if awarded a grant.
Argument forBroader eligibility for transit connections could help communities build more walking and biking routes to transit, including in rural and underserved areas.
Argument againstApplicants that face delays outside their control could still risk losing points or being disqualified, although the commission may waive or delay penalties.
More detail
The California Transportation Commission must include broader safe-routes-to-transit projects in its funding guidelines. The projects may improve biking and walking access to transit facilities and schoolbus stops, including transit stations, planned stops, transit corridors, transit-oriented development planning areas, and underserved or rural areas. The projects must be active transportation projects that meet one or more program goals. The commission must adopt the guidelines after at least two public hearings. This requirement applies on and after January 1, 2028.
The California Transportation Commission must include outside-funding incentives and a graduated penalty system in the program guidelines. The incentives apply to eligible active transportation projects, while penalties apply to applicants that fail to use previously awarded program funds in a timely manner. The incentives must support larger or network-level active transportation improvements. Penalties must range from losing points to disqualification. The commission must consider delays outside an applicant's control and may impose no penalty or delay the penalty. These guideline requirements apply on and after January 1, 2028.
A project applicant must consult the transit agency's executive officer before seeking funding for a nearby project. The requirement covers projects adjacent to an existing bus, shuttle, or paratransit route and applies to the transit agency operating in that project corridor. The consultation must provide project information and the expected effect on the transit route. The applicant must state that it will continue consulting with the transit agency if the grant is awarded. This requirement applies through the guidelines that become operative on January 1, 2028.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 14Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 210, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 14Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 4Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 27Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 58. Noes 19. Page 6748.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 2168 Wicks Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 25In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB2168 Wicks By Blakespear. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 25Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 28. Noes 10.).Passed Senate
- Aug 4Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 3From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.Minor
- Jul 1From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 4.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 30
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 22From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on TRANS.Major
- Jun 10Referred to Com. on TRANS.Minor
- Jun 1In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- May 28Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 58. Noes 20. Page 5537.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 2168 Wicks Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 19Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 18Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- May 14From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (May 14).Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 21From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (April 20). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 20
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 14Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.Minor
- Apr 13From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 17Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.Minor
- Mar 16From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 16Referred to Com. on TRANS.Minor
- Feb 19From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.
- Feb 18Read first time. To print.Introduced
TransportationPublic SafetyEducation