Connect SoCal – Focus on Active Transportation

Connect SoCal, SCAG’s 2020–2045 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, is a long-range plan to help guide the region’s growth, and includes transportation improvements and land use ideas to shape the future of Southern California.

How is active transportation connected to Connect SoCal? The Active Transportation Technical Report lays out a vision for accomplishing the promise of active transportation in the SCAG region, but it will be up to county and local agencies to implement the needed changes to their streets, develop safe routes to school programs that promote walking and bicycling to school, develop better access to transit, and support micro-mobility options when and where appropriate.

Active Transportation in Southern California

There are currently an estimated 4.7 million daily walking trips and 875,000 daily biking trips. This is expected to grow to 6.3 million daily walking and 1.7 million bicycling trips daily by 2045. Active transportation currently accounts for 8.3% of all trips taken in the SCAG region. Without Connect SoCal, that number would drop to 7.9%.

With Connect SoCal investments, active transportation mode share will grow to 10.2%. By 2045, 14.6% of commute trips, and 41.9% of non-commute trips will be less than three miles. With an average walking trip length of 1.5 miles and bicycling trip length of 2.5 miles, there is significant opportunity to increase the number of people walking and bicycling in the region. While walking and bicycling make up less than 9% of all trips taken, people using active transportation make up 27% of all traffic fatalities. Pedestrian injuries increased 18% from 2011 (the most recent low point) to 2016. This highlights a need for more and better active transportation infrastructure.

Southern California has 5,075 miles of bikeway, 500 miles of which were built since the 2016 RTP/SCS was adopted. As more infrastructure is built and active transportation networks are connected, more people will find walking and bicycle to be safe, comfortable and convenient modes of transportation.

Goals and Strategies in Connect SoCal

Efforts throughout the region to develop Active Transportation Plans have laid the groundwork for implementation. 79% of cities in the SCAG region have completed or are developing a Bicycle Master Plan and 49% have completed or are developing a Pedestrian Master Plan. $22.5 billion, just 3.5% of Connect SoCal investments accounts for a 29% increase in active transportation mode share.

Next Steps

The Draft Connect SoCal and 20 technical reports supporting the plan are available for download at connectsocal.org/draft. To submit a comment or question please visit connectsocal.org/feedback. During the comment period, which will run through Jan. 24, 2020, SCAG will hold three public hearings and 21 briefings for local elected officials throughout the region. More details on public events discussing the plan are available at connectsocal.org.