Transportation

Overview

As the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties, SCAG is mandated by the federal government to develop a multimodal long-range transportation plan that provides a 20-year vision for investing in our transportation system, and update it at least once every four years. Our plan, the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS), addresses all modes of our transportation system, and reflects research and policy initiatives from each mode: active transportation, aviation and airport ground access, corridor planning, goods movement, high-speed rail, intelligent transportation systems, safety and security, transit, and transportation finance.

Related Links & Resources

Transportation Funding in California
This California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) PDF brochure includes charts prepared as visual aids to show the sources and distribution of transportation funds in California. 

The California Department of Transportation
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) improves mobility across the state with core programs in Aeronautics, Highway Transportation, Mass Transportation, Transportation Planning, Administration and the Equipment Service Center.​

US DOT Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides stewardship over the construction, maintenance and preservation of the nation’s highways, bridges and tunnels. 

Overview

Active Transportation

Image: Women riding scooters

Active transportation refers to human powered transportation, and low speed electronic assist devices. Examples include but are not limited to bicycles, e-bicycles, tricycles, wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs, scooters, e-scooters, skates and skateboards.

Active transportation is a critical component in meeting environmental, economic and equity goals, as well as supporting jurisdictions in addressing their diverse transportation needs.

contact

For more information on the Active Transportation Program, please contact:

Overview

Regional Pilot Initiatives Program

Regional Pilot Initiatives Program Banner

The Regional Pilot Initiatives (RPI) program is focused on demonstrating innovative, next-generation technologies and models of regional significance, specifically those at the intersection of innovation and transportation equity, to guide the region toward a more sustainable and prosperous future.  

Overview

Aviation

SCAG’s Aviation Program is responsible for developing the aviation element of the Connect SoCal Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, gathering data and conducting research on aviation trends and issues, collaborating with airports and partner agencies (e.g., the Federal Aviation Administration and the Caltrans Division of Aeronautics) on airport ground access and aviation systems planning, staffing the Aviation Technical Advisory Committee, and providing information and data to the Transportation Committee.

Overview

The Future Communities Initiative

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Big Data and the rapid proliferation of new technologies are poised to transform and disrupt traditional policy making and planning within our local communities and across the Southern California region as a whole. Through improvements in data collection, analysis, and technology, governments have the opportunity to be more efficient, innovative and transparent.

To ensure that public agencies in Southern California not only keep up with the pace of innovation, but lead the nation, SCAG organized the Open Data/Big Data – Smart and Connected SCAG Region Committee in 2017. The committee discussed issues related to data and technology and how SCAG could play a role in supporting local governments by providing resources and supporting data tools. Through a survey of local jurisdictions, SCAG found an overall lack of capacity across the region for instituting new technology and data solutions. Nearly 75 percent of respondents lacked the financial resources to support data and technology projects, and indicated that they did not have sufficient staff resources to implement these projects.

Overview

Transit

SCAG works with transit operators, the region’s transportation planning agencies, and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to develop goals, objectives, plans, and policies to provide effective and sustainable transit options for the region.

Overview

FreightWorks

Southern California Delivers The Goods

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SCAG & Goods Movement

Goods movement is essential to support the economy and quality of life in the SCAG region. The regional goods movement system is a multimodal, coordinated network that includes deep-water marine ports, international border crossings, Class I rail lines, interstate highways, state routes and local connector roads, air cargo facilities, intermodal facilities, and distribution and warehousing clusters. 

Overview

Corridor Planning

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SCAG’s Corridor Planning program supports planning new corridors to service the future mobility needs of the region and to identify improvements to existing corridors to maintain them as vital elements of the transportation system for years to come.

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Transportation Safety

The state of California, SCAG, and local governments are committed to transportation safety for all people in our region. Each year, metropolitan planning organizations, such as SCAG, work with the state to assess fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads and develop annual safety targets to comply with federal requirements.

Overview

Transportation Finance

The Southern California Association of Governments’ (SCAG) Transportation Finance Program seeks to optimize the region’s transportation systems by planning for the long-term financial needs of the region. SCAG is working to address funding shortfalls by researching and promoting innovative financing techniques, and developing strategies for the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), so that the greatest amount of transportation dollars are available to the region. In doing so, all forms of potential funding for transportation are analyzed and evaluated by SCAG.

 

Overview

Intelligent Transportation Systems

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In Southern California, there are several Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) architectures that may be applicable to an ITS project. SCAG has developed a Southern California Regional ITS Architecture that addresses multi-county issues: those projects, programs, and services that require connectivity across county boundaries or are deployed at a multi-county level. Secondly, each County has developed a Regional ITS Architecture to provide a framework for local deployment of ITS applications.  A third “layer” is also in place at the state level: the California ITS Architecture and System Plan addresses those services that are rolled out or managed at a state level or are interregional in nature.

SCAG’s Southern California Regional ITS Architecture provides a framework for ITS planning that promotes interoperability and communication across jurisdictional boundaries. Projects developed under a regional framework extend the usefulness of any single project by making information easily accessible for operators and users of the system. The Southern California Regional ITS Architecture is intended to provide a resource for project sponsors and transportation providers that coordinates cross-county planning efforts in the SCAG region and facilitates project development (planning, design, implementation, etc.).

Regional ITS projects, or transportation projects (both highway and transit) with ITS elements, that want to be eligible for Federal transportation funding are required to be consistent with the Southern California Regional ITS Architecture pursuant to 23 CFR 940.9 and 940.11. In addition, such projects must comply with system engineering requirements and applicable Federal standards that have been adopted for the implementation of ITS.

Overview

Southern California Transportation Study

SCAG Southern California Transportation Study Banner

SCAG is conducting the “2024-2025 SoCal Transportation Study” to better understand the transportation needs of Southern California residents. Thousands of residents in the region will receive invitations to participate in this voluntary transportation study.