FAQ's About the CTP

1. What is the California Transportation Plan?

The California Transportation Plan (CTP) is a statewide, long-range transportation plan that will guide transportation decisions and investments in the 21st Century. It proposes a vision for transportation in year 2025, and sets goals, policies, and strategies to achieve the vision. The CTP considers the mobility of people, goods, services and information via all modes of transportation - biking, walking, driving, transit, railway, ferries, ships, aviation, and electronic communications.

2. Why develop a California Transportation?

Developing a state transportation plan gives Californians an opportunity to step back and look at the big picture and consider the future transportation system on a statewide basis. The statewide planning process provides a framework to understand and shape the role of transportation in the context of broader economic, environmental and quality-of-life goals.

3. How frequently is the state transportation plan developed?

Federal regulations require each state to periodically develop a comprehensive, statewide transportation plan. However, the regulations do not specify the frequency. We anticipate updating the plan every four years.

4. When was the last plan adopted?

California’s last comprehensive transportation plan was adopted in 1993. The plan was updated in 1998 with the adoption of specific elements addressing goods movement, transportation system performance measures, and mass transportation.

5. Who approves the California Transportation Plan?

After incorporating the comments received during the public review and comment period, the CTP will be submitted to the Governor for approval.

6. What is the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) role in developing the CTP?

Caltrans develops the CTP on behalf of the Governor and the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. Caltrans collaborates with governmental agencies at all levels, transportation providers and decisions makers, and the transportation system users to develop a plan to serve all Californians.

7. What does “multimodal” mean?

The term “multimodal” refers to the collection of different modes, or means of transportation. Modes include:

Public Roads - Freeways, highways, local streets and roads, including goods movement

Rail - Freight and passenger heavy rail, urban and commuter rail

Air - Public use airports, including commercial passenger and cargo services, and
municipal airports

Transit - Bus, trolleys, heavy, commuter and urban rail

Water - Ports and navigable waterways, and ferries

Walkways - Pedestrian facilities

Bikeways - Bike lanes and separate bicycle paths

Communications - Traveler information, system monitoring and management, and security and safety systems

Pipelines - Transmission of gas and oil

Transportation modes also require support systems, such as transit stations, system management, vehicle maintenance, and freight transfer facilities, material supply depots, etc.

8. How does the CTP relate to regional transportation planning documents?

Federal and state regulations require regional transportation planning agencies and metropolitan transportation organizations to develop long-range, multi-modal transportation plans for their jurisdictions. The plans are called Regional Transportation Plans (RTPs). Like the CTP, the RTPs provide a vision of the regional transportation goals, policies, objectives and strategies. Unlike the CTP, the RTPs also list projects to meet identified local and regional transportation needs."

The RTP development guidelines state that the RTPs will promote “consistency between the California Transportation Plan, the regional transportation plan and other transportation plans developed by cities, counties, districts, private organizations, tribal governments, and state and federal agencies in responding to statewide and interregional transportation issues and needs.”

Conversely, the CTP considers the content of the RTPs. Caltrans collaborates with the regional transportation planning agencies and tribal governments, and consults with federal agencies, transportation providers, city, and counties to develop the CTP.

9. Why doesn’t the CTP include projects?

There are two primary reasons why the CTP does not contain specific projects. First, California Government Code specifically prohibits identifying transportation projects in the California Transportation Plan.

Additionally, the regional transportation plans developed by the 43 regional transportation planning agencies, and the Interregional Transportation Strategic Plan developed by Caltrans are consistent with the CTP and present transportation projects.

10. What are the next steps?

At the conclusion of the public review and comment period, we will evaluate the comments with the help of a public/private advisory committee. Comments will be incorporated into the final draft CTP, considered during the development of the Action Plan, or simply documented. The final draft CTP will be submitted to the Governor for approval.

11. What is the Action Plan and what purpose will it serve?

Upon approval of the CTP, Caltrans will initiate development of an Action Plan that will present specific steps to implement the strategies proposed in the CTP. The Action Plan will identify measurable objectives, roles and responsibilities, timelines, estimated costs, and targeted outcomes. Caltrans will also develop a method to monitor progress toward the goals and a reporting system and schedule.

The Action Plan will be developed collaboratively with transportation providers and decision-makers, state, regional and local governmental agencies, community based organizations, and key stakeholders.

12. What opportunities are there to influence the content of the California Transportation Plan?

The Department of Transportation is holding workshops throughout California where input can be made in person throughout January and February 2003. You can also complete the on-line California Transportation Plan questionnaire at http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/tpp/offices/osp/survey/ctp.htm as well as find out the location, date and times for workshops in your area, download the complete plan, or email us your comments. For those without Internet access, the questionnaire and other material related to the CTP may be located at your local library, one of the Department's district offices, or local government offices.