Vehicle Miles Traveled - California Climate and Energy Collaborative

Barrier 2: Vehicle Miles Traveled

Barrier Statement

Sprawling land use, siloed planning, and underinvestment in clean and active transportation limit access to low-carbon mobility options and hinder efforts to reduce vehicle miles traveled.

Filterable Database

How communities are experiencing this barrier

View the details on what communities have shared with SLECC from across the state.

Key challenge discussed in - San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego

Fragmented infrastructure planning and siloed agency operations create disconnected bike, transit, pedestrian, and electrified mobility systems, preventing a seamless regional transportation network. Without coordinated routes or unified planning across jurisdictions, residents experience gaps that make active, shared, and electric mobility options impractical or unsafe.

Key challenge discussed in - San Francisco Bay Area

Overlapping jurisdictions and fragmented governance make coordinated planning and implementation difficult. Multiple transit operators, local governments, and agencies work independently, leading to inconsistent standards, disconnected service, and slow progress on regional VMT goals.

Key challenge discussed in - San Francisco Bay Area

Climate adaptation challenges—such as sea-level rise threatening rail lines and extreme heat affecting infrastructure—further complicate mobility planning. These risks increase maintenance needs and create service vulnerabilities that disproportionately impact rail-dependent regions.

Key challenge discussed in - San Francisco Bay Area

COVID-19 dramatically reduced ridership and destabilized transit funding models, worsening already fragile systems. Remote work, safety perceptions, and reduced fare revenue have undermined service levels and made long-term recovery uncertain.

Key challenge discussed in - San Francisco Bay Area

Strong cultural preferences for driving and low public awareness of transit and active transportation options limit mode shift. Many residents are unfamiliar with available alternatives or perceive them as inconvenient or undesirable based on long-standing travel habits.

Local Solution Opportunities

SLECC stakeholders have brainstormed the following solution opportunities that can be taken by local leaders. Existing examples of progress or pathways to make further progress are highlighted if known.

Local Solution

Strengthen regional coordination among cities, counties, transit agencies, and nonprofits by creating governance frameworks that align land use, housing, and transportation planning. Such coalitions can share resources, coordinate VMT-reduction strategies, and jointly plan integrated mobility networks, recognizing that no single agency can address these challenges alone.

Existing Examples of Progress:

MTC/ABAG: Effective alignment of local land-use priorities with regional transportation planning, noted as stronger than other California MPOs.

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego

Local Solution

Use strategic, human-centered storytelling and localized education campaigns to build community support for transit, biking, and walking. By using relatable narratives tied to health, cost savings, safety, and resilience benefits, local outreach efforts can counter car-centric norms and help residents understand the value of clean mobility options.

Existing Examples of Progress:

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County: Incremental protected bike lane development despite funding gaps, with strong public works safety messaging driving community support.

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego

Local Solution

Prioritize construction of connected, continuous active transportation networks by expanding protected bike lanes, safe pedestrian routes, and local transit connections. Local agencies can strengthen capital programs by investing in longer, uninterrupted corridors rather than isolated segments, since fragmented half-mile improvements fail to shift travel behavior or build public confidence.

Existing Examples of Progress:

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County: Incremental protected bike lane development despite funding gaps, with strong public works safety messaging driving community support.

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego

State Solution Opportunities

SLECC stakeholders have brainstormed the following solution opportunities that can be taken by state leaders. Existing examples of progress or pathways to make further progress are highlighted if known.

State Solution

Incorporate climate adaptation into transportation policy, particularly for infrastructure vulnerable to sea-level rise and extreme heat. State guidance can direct investments toward at-risk rail corridors and critical roadways to maintain long-term system reliability. Examples include coastal rail segments that require ongoing repair due to erosion and flooding risks.

Existing Examples of Progress:

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Francisco Bay Area

State Solution

Promote congestion pricing in major metropolitan areas as a proven traffic and emissions reduction strategy. Implementing pilot programs in California metros could generate revenue while managing demand.

Existing Examples of Progress:

Congestion pricing has shown substantial benefits in cities such as New York, where early outcomes included reduced traffic volumes and improved air quality.

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Francisco Bay Area

State Solution

Require VMT-reducing mitigation when highway capacity is increased. This can function like a transportation “cap-and-trade” model, directing offset investments into transit, housing near jobs, and active transportation. The approach aligns with mitigation banking structures already used for environmental permitting.

Existing Examples of Progress:

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Francisco Bay Area

Solution Spotlight

No results found.

Help us strengthen our knowledge base!

Help us to expand our database. Either share new ideas, best practices or general feedback via this form, or click on a particular item to share additional feedback, information, examples of progress on that particular item.

Feedback Form

Additional Resources

Please share any additional resources you would like to include by emailing eecoordinator@civicwell.org.