Highways to Boulevards Regional Study
SCAG received federal funding to develop a “Highways to Boulevards Regional Study,” which will identify opportunities to reconnect communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating transportation facilities such as highways or railways that create barriers to community connectivity. The “Highways to Boulevards Regional Study” furthers Connect SoCal’s vision for a more resilient and equitable future. SCAG will engage stakeholders from across the region from November 2023 through April 2025.
The “Highways to Boulevards Regional Study” goals include:
- Identifying opportunities to reconnect communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating transportation facilities, such as highways or railways, that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access, or economic development.
- Offering a path for communities to reknit by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating transportation facilities so that what remains is a better fit for the context of their surroundings and serves all people.
- Providing a framework to identify and evaluate potential transportation facilities to reconnect communities for performance improvements to provide more multi-modal travel options.
- Focusing on areas that intersect with Priority Equity Communities.
- Preserving local communities and creating opportunities for safer and healthier communities.
Study work includes:
- Reviewing existing conditions as well as all ongoing highways-to-boulevards, freeway caps, and railroad conversion projects in the region.
- Establishing a framework and a set of metrics for identifying transportation facilities to reconnect communities.
- Implementing a robust and meaningful engagement strategy.
- Identifying and evaluating projects in the region that are potentially viable candidates for future improvements for reconnecting communities, particularly those intersecting with Priority Equity Communities.
- Developing conceptual designs for a subset of priority projects.
- Creating a guide for jurisdictions to mitigate the negative impacts of transportation facilities.
contact
For more information on the study, please contact:
Hina Chanchlani
Project Manager
Mobility Planning and Goods Movement
chanchlani@scag.ca.gov
CONNECT SOCAL 2024 SUBCOMMITTEES
In September 2022, SCAG launched three subcommittees to look at emerging issues for the Connect SoCal 2024 plan.
The Resilience and Conservation subcommittee, and the Racial Equity and Regional Planning subcommittee concluded last month, and members of both committees unanimously approved a set of recommendations.
The Next Generation Infrastructure subcommittee will meet on Feb. 15 to review their key findings and finalize their own recommendations.
10 SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE FOR HOUSING SUPPORTIVE GRANT APPLICATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
In addition to Permanent Local Housing Allocation application assistance, SCAG is offering technical assistance for jurisdictions and Tribal Governments to prepare and submit applications for housing-supportive funding.
State Agency Meetings
On Nov. 8 and 9, SCAG Executive Director Kome Ajise and SCAG Planning Director Sarah Jepson traveled to Sacramento for a series of meetings with executive leadership at the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the California Office of Planning Research (OPR), the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).
REGIONAL EARLY ACTION PROGRAM (REAP) 2.0 PROGRAM UPDATE
Continuing development of the REAP 2.0 program, staff have been conducting outreach to identify priorities for transformative planning and implementation. This has included engaging representatives from disadvantaged and rural communities on their participation in the program. Most recently, staff hosted virtual workshops to provide information and collect feedback from tribal entities and the public.
REGIONAL EARLY ACTION PROGRAM (REAP) 2.0 PROGRAM UPDATE
Since the approval of the REAP 2.0 Program Framework by the Regional Council (RC) in July, staff has continued outreach efforts to develop specific programs using the framework as a guiding document.
33rd Annual Demographic Workshop Dates Announced
The 33rd Annual Demographic Workshop, co-hosted by SCAG and the University of Southern California, will be held virtually on the afternoons of Wednesday, Sept. 14, and Wednesday, Sept. 21. This year’s workshop will explore the demographic trends that have and have not bounced back following the COVID-19 pandemic, how different populations have experienced the rebound in different ways, and the impact of remote work and other emerging trends in our cities. More information will be available soon.
President Harnik Shares Region’s Housing and Transportation Priorities
SCAG President Jan Harnik had the pleasure of hosting a recent meeting with Senate Transportation Committee Chair Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) to discuss our region’s housing and transportation budget priorities, such as the Regional Council’s support for an augmentation to the Infill Infrastructure Grant program and using budget surplus dollars to fully fund the Active Transportation Program.
State Housing Funds Awarded to 29 SCAG Jurisdictions
The California Department of Housing and Community Development approved another 35 jurisdictions for Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) funds, bringing the total to 135 jurisdictions state-wide. Specifically, 29 of the 35 jurisdictions are located in the SCAG region and totaled another $49.4 million in homelessness and affordable housing funds for PLHA’s second round. Total SCAG awards for PLHA’s second round are $121.9 million for 54 jurisdictions.
REGISTER FOR THE 57TH ANNUAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE & GENERAL ASSEMBLY
SCAG’s 57th Annual Regional Conference & General Assembly is just around the corner on May 5–6. Register today for access to high-quality presentations and panels, featuring engaging speakers and thought leaders, and unbeatable networking opportunities filled with collaborative, solution-oriented discussions on fostering change and addressing challenges in our communities.
REGISTRATION FOR THE 57TH ANNUAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE & GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS NOW OPEN!
Join Southern California’s most influential elected officials and policymakers on May 5–6, 2022 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA. This two-day event will focus on solution-oriented discussions to address the most pressing problems facing communities, businesses, and families throughout the SCAG region. General admission tickets for the event are $350, but registrations done in advance by Thursday, March 31 using the code EARLYBIRD will receive $100 off the general admission price.
The February 2022 Executive Director’s Report covers the agency’s major activities, key programs, and accomplishments over the past month.
The January 2022 Executive Director’s Report covers the agency’s major activities, key programs, and accomplishments over the past month.