Environmental Justice in Transportation Planning

1
Environmental Justice in Transportation Planning

• How EJ affects planning/project development
• Laws Regulations on EJ
• History of environmental issues in low-income,
  minority other communities
• Transportation systems impacts
• Reasons for Environmental Justice
• EJ Planning Grants How They Work

2
How EJ Affects Our Work

• Avoiding or mitigating disproportionate, negative
  impacts on communities
• Improving mobility, access, equity and economic
  vitality
• Being more sensitive to the needs, issues and
  concerns of affected communities
• Listen carefully before we plan, design or build
  infrastructure
• Promoting context-sensitive solutions

3
Existing Proposed Laws on Environmental Justice

• SB 115 (Chaptered Oct. 10, 1999) Fair treatment
  of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity or
  income in environmental policy Governors Office
  of Planning Research to Coordinate state
  efforts
• AB 1553 (Chaptered Oct. 12, 2001) Cities and
  counties to integrate EJ elements into city and
  county general plans
• AB 2333 (Vetoed Sept. 18, 2002) SCAG to
  integrate EJ into RTP, especially in the
  expansion of airports in LA, San Bernardino and
  Ventura Counties

4
Existing Guidelines Related to EJ

• the planning process shall seek out consider
  the needs oftraditionally underservedlow-incom
  e and minority households. 23 CFR
  450.212(a)(6) 23 CFR 450.316(b)(1)(vi)
• States and Metro Planning Organizations shall
  certify the transportation planning process
  complies with Title VI 23 CFR 450.316(b)(2)

5
California Department of Transportations Policies

• Directors Policy No. 21 on Environmental Justice
• Deputy Directive No. 63 on Environmental Justice
• Directors Policy No. 22 on Context-Sensitive
  Solutions

6
Historic Issues in Low-Income and Minority
Communities

• 1982 Warren County, North CarolinaUS EPA
  approved a 3 acre landfill for PCB massive
  protests, wide media coverage, GAO findings
• Detoxification finally began 6/01 ended 12/03
  Over 81,000 tons of soil had to be treated
• Low Income minority communities--frequent
  target of dump sites, incinerators, waste
  disposal
• Higher incidence of cancer, birth defects,
  tumors, respiratory ailments, lead levels
• Additional impact of transportation projects

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Historic Issues in Low-Income and Minority
Communities

• United Church of Christ and NAACP picked up on
  this issue in Warren County, North Carolina and
  others, and did their research in 1987 on EPA
  Site Decisions
• Growing awareness that environmental issues were
  also part of civil rights efforts
• EJ became a melding of environmental and civil
  rights issues
• Presidential Executive Order 12898 in 1994
  calling on Federal Agencies to make EJ part of
  their Mission Statement

8
Other Reasons for Environmental Justice

• US Census of 2000 CA most populous and diverse
  state in the nation.
• Predicted growth and diversity by 2040
• Factors NAFTA, Trade w/ Pacific Rim,
  Immigration, Largest Pop. of Refugees
• New California Media 84 of States ethnic
  communities use ethnic media (Wall Street
  Journal/April 02)

9
Challenges Opportunities for Public Agencies

• Establishing a standard policy for EJ
• Identify, inform and involve communities about
  plans projects
• Greater use of census, social service data and
  establishing relations w/ community organizations
  and w/ Tribal Governments to identify needs
  issues
• Overcoming distrust, alienation, and knowledge
  gapsbeing patient real
• Greater use of bilingual services, ethnic media

10
Common Issues in Communities

• More safety for pedestrians bikes
• Better access to job opportunities, health care
  and child care
• Mitigation of freeway noise and air pollution
• Need for affordable and stable transit fares
• Later more frequent transit service for job
  access
• Need for bi-lingual assistance in signage and
  accessing transit
• Native Americans desire Govt. to Govt.
  consultation protection of cultural resources

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What Planners Policy Makers Need To Examine

• Possible differences between communities in their
  mobility, travel times, access to jobs
  services, level of road maintenance and transit
  services
• Possible differences between communities in the
  priority and amount of transportation investments
• Possible differences between communities in the
  distribution of benefits (mobility/access) vs.
  burdens (noise, hazards, pollution)

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What Project Managers Can Do

• Identify and involve diverse communities early
  and continuously in the planning and design
• Hold regular meetings with communities
• Establish long-term relationships/advisory
  committees
• Arrange for bilingual services/use ethnic media
  work w/ community organizations
• Incorporating community needs, issues and
  concerns into project plans and designs
• Documenting meetings demographics of the
  participants

13
State-Level Actions

• Title VI certification reviews also a chance to
  demonstrate sensitivity to underserved
  communities
• Promoting EJ concepts in local planning
• Addressing EJ considerations in identifying,
  selecting and programming transportation projects
  
• Promoting more transit services connectivity
• Timely consultation and involvement with Tribal
  Governments

14
Actions Within Regions

• MPO/RTPA should identify under-served populations
  and EJ issues at the project and systems level
• Transit Operators should be proactive at
  identifying low-income and minority communities
  for planning services
• Cities and Counties need to be proactive in
  involving diverse communities in planning
• Populations and needs will change, so planners
  and project managers should stay involved with
  communities to stay informed

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Sources of Useful Information

• U.S. Census (income, minority, youth, elderly)
• Churches and Community-Based Organizations
• Social Service Public Health Agencies
• School Districts (emerging populations/trends)
• Tribal Governments / Indian Health Services
• Economic demographic studies (avoid the
  stereotypes) Univ. of Wisconsin Study 1999
• Public meetings (Who attended/what they said)
• Surveys of communities

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Performing The Analysis

• Were all potentially affected communities
  identified and involved in the planning?
• What did community members say? How did project
  managers respond?
• Does this community have the access to jobs,
  health care and other services comparable to
  other communities?
• Are the noise and safety impacts comparable
  between communities?
• What are the travel times across modes?
• Is there equity in the way transportation
  facilities (roads, noise barriers, lighting,
  transit stops) are maintained?

17
Environmental Justice Planning Grants

• Intended for low-income, minority and Tribal
  communities
• Strong emphasis on community involvement
• Helps under-served communities local agencies
  work together
• Improves mobility, access, equity, safety and
  economic opportunity
• Grants are limited to planning activities

18
Revive Chinatown Community Transportation Plan in
FY 2001/02 Cycle

• 220,000 EJ Grant to address significant issues
  of pedestrian safety and traffic congestion in
  Chinatown, which has Oaklands highest rate of
  pedestrian injuries.
• Project was a partnership between City of
  Oakland, Asian Health Services (AHS) and Oakland
  Chinatown Chamber of Commerce (OCCC)
• Many residents are low-income with diverse, Asian
  languages, elderly, limited English skills
• Strong community involvement input w/ several
  bilingual focus groups/design charrettes

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Revive Chinatown Community Transportation Plan in
FY 2001/02 Cycle

• Crowded Sidewalks
• Heavy Traffic

20
Revive Chinatown Community Transportation Plan in
FY 2001/02 Cycle

• Chinatown area bordered by 7th St. to the South /
  10th St. to the North / Franklin St. to the West
  / and Harrison St. to the East.
• Vibrant commercial district w/ large number of
  elderly residents who speak limited English and
  rely on walking and transit for mobility
• Streets characterized by heavy truck and auto
  traffic, limited parking, very crowded sidewalks,
  and old pedestrian signals

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Revive Chinatown Community Transportation Plan in
FY 2001/02 Cycle

• Problems and Solutions Identified in Their Plan
• -- Need for pedestrian improvements and
  scramble intersections, more visible
  crosswalks, countdown signals
• Pedestrian-scale street lighting to improve
  safety
• Traffic circulation improvements and optimized
  signals for improved traffic flow
• Parking Management Program to reduce number of
  drivers looking for parking, double parking, and
  truck traffic
• Replace parking meters w/ central pay booths and
  reduce vendor stands to ease flow on sidewalks
• Change current one-way streets to two-way traffic
  to reduce congestion on adjoining streets

22
Revive Chinatown Community Transportation Plan in
FY 2001/02 Cycle

• Traffic signals at 7th Franklin Street
• BART developing bilingual signs
• City studying conversion of 10th St. to 2-way
  traffic
• City applied for Livable Communities (TLC) Grant
  for pedestrian improvements
• Additional planning for pedestrian safety at
  nearby schools and senior center

23
Traffic Calming and Urban Revitalization in West
Fresno in FY 2001/02 Cycle

• Project was awarded a 75,087 grant for a
  transportation and safety plan around commercial
  development near Hwy 99
• Area is mainly low-income community, 47 Latino
  36 African-American 17 Asian.
• Area characterized by heavy traffic and speeding
  vehicles exiting Hwy 99 and affecting safety of
  residents who walk or take transit
• Elderly and school children most at risk

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Traffic Calming and Urban Revitalization in West
Fresno in FY 2001/02 Cycle
25
Traffic Calming and Urban Revitalization in West
Fresno in FY 2001/02 Cycle

• Strong and diverse community participation in
  public meetings - facilitated by Walk America a
  nonprofit pedestrian organization
• Walk America representative noted the projects
  diversity and enthusiasm
• Business community, city officials, law
  enforcement and social service agencies also
  involved in planning
• Planning looked at mobility, access, safety and
  business conditions in West Fresno
• Recommendations made for better pedestrian
  access, separation of vehicles, community
  revitalization

26
Traffic Calming and Urban Revitalization in West
Fresno in FY 2001/02 Cycle

• West Fresno Community Vision Plan widely
  respected in region and efforts underway to
  secure future funding
• City council supportive of Vision Plan
• Planning helped bond community members local
  agencies together

27
Environmental Justice for California Indians in
FY 2001/02 Cycle

• 162,000 grant to National Indian Justice Center
  to produce an educational video for Native
  Americans about the importance of planning
• Of the 109 Federally Recognized Tribes in
  California, many still do not have adequate
  roads, access and economic opportunities
• Video highlights examples of poor roads,
  inadequate access to services, safety hazards and
  isolation for Native American communities

28
Environmental Justice for California Indians in
FY 2001/02 Cycle

• Educates both Indian and non-Indian people about
  some of the culture and conditions of Tribal
  communities
• Explains the importance of participating and
  mainstreaming Tribal needs and concerns in
  planning
• Dispels the myths that all Native American needs
  have already been met by Federal funding or
  gaming

29
Environmental Justice for California Indians in
FY 2001/02 Cycle

• Video is used in conjunction with workbook that
  explains each step in transportation planning and
  project development
• Video has met with strong acceptance by Tribal
  Governments and local agencies
• Tribal governments who have seen the video now
  understand better the function and importance of
  planning

30
California Infill Estimation Methodology Project
in FY 2001/02 Cycle

• Awarded City of Los Angeles a 300,000 grant to
  work with County and Environment Now to develop a
  computer-based method of identifying and
  estimating in-fill potential in Los Angeles
• LA Basin long noted for congestion, air
  pollution, population growth and urban sprawland
  California is expecting further growth
• LA basin has urgent need for more affordable
  housing and stopping sprawl

31
California Infill Estimation Methodology Project
in FY 2001/02 Cycle

• Infill seeks to make use of underutilized land
  for higher density housing and transit oriented
  development
• More efficient use of land
• Mitigate sprawl and dependence on autos
• Greater use of transit
• Reduced congestion
• Stimulates investments and housing for urban
  cores

32
California Infill Estimation Methodology Project
in FY 2001/02 Cycle

• Biggest technical obstacle has been finding a
  method to identify and display potential parcels
  of land so planners and policy makers can
  visualize possible projects
• Project uses Arc View and customized software to
  compile and display potential parcels of land.
• First workable tool to enable planners (and
  community members) to view the location of
  potential in-fill locations

33
California Infill Estimation Methodology Project
in FY 2001/02 Cycle

• Software and system has been well received by
  local and state agencies concerned about housing,
  equity and urban sprawl
• Software and system has been tested as a
  prototype w/ LA County data. It is potentially
  scalable from parcel level data to countywide
  data--and exportable to other communities
• Developers looking for other funding to refine
  software to include more demographic information
  in under-served communities

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• Environmental Justice Improves Planning for
  Transportation
• By
• Helping More Communities Become Partners