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Caltrans Moves Forward with Tech Transit Plan

California is updating the state’s transit plan, which is a portion of the Statewide Transit Strategic Plan, to include changing transportation technology. The update will be completed in the spring.

California is updating the state’s transit plan, which is a portion of the Statewide Transit Strategic Plan, to include changing transportation technology. The update will be completed in the spring.

“However, the plan will be updated over the next several years because the department will be looking into the latest developments in the transportation sector, including emerging trends, like autonomous vehicles, zero emissions and other topics,” Caltrans Public Information Officer Angela DaPrato wrote to Techwire in an email.

The zero emissions trends will include car-sharing and charging station implementation, especially now that Volkswagen is spending up to $800 million on infrastructure.

Since the Transportation Strategic Plan is a policy plan, it incorporates multiple elements, including a State Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan, which was completed in 2017.

“The draft State Rail Plan was released this year; the final version will be released in 2018,” DaPrato wrote. “This year Caltrans released its State Highway System Management Plan, and in 2015, the department released its Strategic Plan, which is a roadmap of Caltrans’ role, expectations and challenges of modernizing its department.”

Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, will replace up to 7,700 signals, signs and sensors throughout the state, in all applicable projects.

The department plans “to use technology to enhance the state’s transportation system, and provide a safe, sustainable, integrated and efficient transportation system for all users,” DaPrato wrote.

New, wider lane striping will also be applied beginning in early 2018, which should make roads more easily identifiable for autonomous vehicles.

Caltrans focuses its procurements on the State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) “to fund new Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) elements or provide upgrades to existing locations.”

“These ITS elements include any new or state-of-the-art technology that may help manage traffic and improve traveler safety,” DaPrato wrote. “To clarify, ITS master plans do not go into detail on the type of technology but are written at a higher planning level and only provides the type of ITS elements.”

California is split into 12 transportation districts under Caltrans, and each district must provide a 10-year plan of ITS elements outlining any projects.

“A smaller subset of projects is used to develop a four-year plan with more detail and updated every two years to make sure the projects are still strategically focused,” DaPrato wrote.

Each district plans for its own needs or guidance documents. Caltrans recommends that districts use Dedicated Short Range Communications to support Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV), and integrated corridor and traffic management systems

Kayla Nick-Kearney was a staff writer for Techwire from March 2017 through January 2019.