Reducing Driving from Development Projects
The Equitable Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Mitigation Program aims to reduce the amount of driving from land use developments in Santa Clara County, working across jurisdictional lines and improving travel options. The amount of driving, or VMT, is tied to greenhouse gas emissions, local air quality, health, noise pollution, and street safety. So lowering VMT improves quality of life and the environment. VTA is leading this project to develop a framework where cities, the county and developers can work together to reduce driving and improve equity along the way. We welcome your input and involvement!
NEW - Draft Report/Program Framework (November 2024)
The project team is pleased to share the Draft Report, which summarizes the project goal, background, community needs and engagement process, examples of what a program could fund, how a program could be set up and next steps.
Equitable VMT Mitigation Program Draft Report
An Equitable VMT Mitigation Program fact sheet will be available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Mandarin.
We welcome comments and questions from community members, city/county staff, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders. Please email comments to VTA Community Outreach by December 18, 2024. Comments and questions are also welcome at Community Engagement events in November and December 2024. Details are available below.
Project Information Videos
| Project Introduction | What is VMT & Why Does it Matter? | Why It's Important to Reduce VMT |
Background
California Senate Bill (SB) 743 required cities and counties to switch from using automobile delay in transportation analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to using Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), which measures the total amount of driving over a given area. These changes became mandatory in July 2020. Now that SB 743 is in effect, cities and counties need to consider the amount of VMT when they evaluate projects like new housing, office buildings, or shops under CEQA. VTA is working with its 15 cities/towns and the County of Santa Clara to assist in implementing SB 743.
In 2022 VTA was awarded a Caltrans planning grant to develop the framework for an Equitable VMT Mitigation Program for Santa Clara County, in coordination with its cities/towns and the County. The program could take the form of a VMT Exchange or VMT Bank, which could provide more options for agencies and developers who find a VMT impact that is difficult to mitigate at the individual project level.
The team working on this project includes VTA staff, a Consultant Team (including two local Community-Based Organizations), and researchers and students from San José State University and the Mineta Transportation Institute.
Community Engagement
VTA is leading a broad community engagement effort as part of this project. We are reaching out to residents of equity priority communities, the general public, Community-Based Organizations, city and county partners, and VTA Committees. We are sharing information about the project, and talking with people about their transportation challenges, what improvements would help people drive less, and how we can improve equity with this project. We welcome your input!
Previous Opportunities - Phase 1
The first phase of community engagement ran from September through December 2023. Below is a summary of key community engagement events in Phase I.
Virtual Community Meeting #1
VTA hosted a Virtual Community Meeting on Zoom on the evening of Monday, October 16, 2023. In the meeting the team gave an overview of the project, received input on travel challenges and how we could reduce driving, and answered questions. Bilingual staff presented in Spanish, Mandarin and Vietnamese. About 25 members of the public participated in the meeting.
Tabling at Community Events
The project team had a table at five community events, with posters of input exercises asking about how people travel, and how we could reduce driving. Materials were translated into Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. Bilingual Spanish-speaking and Mandarin-speaking staff were available at most of these events. Together about 325 people provided input at these events.
- Viva CalleSJ – Japantown, San José – Sunday, September 10, 2023
- VTP 2050 Open House – Roosevelt Community Center, San José – Wednesday, September 27, 2023
- Day on the Bay – Alviso, San José – Saturday, October 14, 2023
- La Ofrenda Festival – Downtown Gilroy – Saturday, October 28, 2023
- De Anza College Flea Market – Cupertino – Saturday, December 2, 2023
Community Survey of Travel Needs, Challenges and Preferences
VTA conducted a Community Survey from October through December 2023 asking about how people travel, their travel needs and challenges, and preferences for how we could reduce driving. The survey was available on the web in 11 languages, and on paper at the events above. Over 375 people provided input through the survey.
Previous Opportunities - Phase 2
The second phase of community engagement took place in May and June 2024. VTA held a series of virtual and in-person community workshops to discuss possible transportation solutions to reduce driving within Santa Clara County.
Community Workshops
In addition to two in-person workshops in Gilroy and San Jose, VTA hosted a virtual community workshop on Zoom on the evening of Monday, May 30, 2024. In this workshop, the project team and participants discussed three possible transportation programs to reduce driving.
Current OpportunitY - Phase 3
VTA is hosting the third phase of community engagement in November and December 2024. During this phase, we are sharing the draft recommendations of the project, and we are interested in the community’s feedback on whether we got the recommendations right, and whether you have more comments or questions.
Phase 3 Engagement Opportunities
Virtual Community Meeting
November 21 | 6-7:30 p.m.
RSVP on Eventbrite
Learn about the project recommendations and bring your questions and comments at the upcoming virtual community meeting on Thursday, November 21. Project staff will discuss the project background, the program framework, and the next steps in developing a program.
Ask VTA: Reducing Driving from New Developments
December 10 | 6- 7 p.m.
RSVP on Eventbrite
Ask VTA is an ongoing virtual facilitated Q&A series that highlights different VTA topics. The session on Tuesday, December 10 will feature a general overview on Equitable VMT Mitigation and other related topics and opportunity to ask the project team questions.
VTA Committee Meetings
November 13, 14, & 21
Join Committee Meetings
VTA staff will also be bringing Equitable VMT Mitigation as a Discussion Item to the VTA Board Committees in November. The team will present at the November TAC, CAC, BPAC, PAC or CMPP meetings (either in-person or online) to hear the discussion and offer a public comment.
Publicity and Media Library
- "Developing an Equitable VMT Mitigation Program for Santa Clara County" - Research Snaps Webinar from Mineta Transportation Institute (May 2024)
- "A Framework for Fair Travel: Integrating Equity in Strategies to Reduce Driving" - Press Release from Mineta Transportation Institute (July 2024)
- "An Equitable VMT Mitigation Program is in the Works in the South Bay" - KCBS Radio (July 2024)
- "Equitable VMT Mitigation: An Interview with Robert Swierk" - Interview with SCC4Transit (July 2024)
Reducing Driving from Development Projects
The Equitable Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Mitigation Program aims to reduce the amount of driving from land use developments in Santa Clara County, working across jurisdictional lines and improving travel options. The amount of driving, or VMT, is tied to greenhouse gas emissions, local air quality, health, noise pollution, and street safety. So lowering VMT improves quality of life and the environment. VTA is leading this project to develop a framework where cities, the county and developers can work together to reduce driving and improve equity along the way. We welcome your input and involvement!
NEW - Draft Report/Program Framework (November 2024)
The project team is pleased to share the Draft Report, which summarizes the project goal, background, community needs and engagement process, examples of what a program could fund, how a program could be set up and next steps.
Equitable VMT Mitigation Program Draft Report
An Equitable VMT Mitigation Program fact sheet will be available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Mandarin.
We welcome comments and questions from community members, city/county staff, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders. Please email comments to VTA Community Outreach by December 18, 2024. Comments and questions are also welcome at Community Engagement events in November and December 2024. Details are available below.
Project Information Videos
| Project Introduction | What is VMT & Why Does it Matter? | Why It's Important to Reduce VMT |
Background
California Senate Bill (SB) 743 required cities and counties to switch from using automobile delay in transportation analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to using Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), which measures the total amount of driving over a given area. These changes became mandatory in July 2020. Now that SB 743 is in effect, cities and counties need to consider the amount of VMT when they evaluate projects like new housing, office buildings, or shops under CEQA. VTA is working with its 15 cities/towns and the County of Santa Clara to assist in implementing SB 743.
In 2022 VTA was awarded a Caltrans planning grant to develop the framework for an Equitable VMT Mitigation Program for Santa Clara County, in coordination with its cities/towns and the County. The program could take the form of a VMT Exchange or VMT Bank, which could provide more options for agencies and developers who find a VMT impact that is difficult to mitigate at the individual project level.
The team working on this project includes VTA staff, a Consultant Team (including two local Community-Based Organizations), and researchers and students from San José State University and the Mineta Transportation Institute.
Community Engagement
VTA is leading a broad community engagement effort as part of this project. We are reaching out to residents of equity priority communities, the general public, Community-Based Organizations, city and county partners, and VTA Committees. We are sharing information about the project, and talking with people about their transportation challenges, what improvements would help people drive less, and how we can improve equity with this project. We welcome your input!
Previous Opportunities - Phase 1
The first phase of community engagement ran from September through December 2023. Below is a summary of key community engagement events in Phase I.
Virtual Community Meeting #1
VTA hosted a Virtual Community Meeting on Zoom on the evening of Monday, October 16, 2023. In the meeting the team gave an overview of the project, received input on travel challenges and how we could reduce driving, and answered questions. Bilingual staff presented in Spanish, Mandarin and Vietnamese. About 25 members of the public participated in the meeting.
Tabling at Community Events
The project team had a table at five community events, with posters of input exercises asking about how people travel, and how we could reduce driving. Materials were translated into Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. Bilingual Spanish-speaking and Mandarin-speaking staff were available at most of these events. Together about 325 people provided input at these events.
- Viva CalleSJ – Japantown, San José – Sunday, September 10, 2023
- VTP 2050 Open House – Roosevelt Community Center, San José – Wednesday, September 27, 2023
- Day on the Bay – Alviso, San José – Saturday, October 14, 2023
- La Ofrenda Festival – Downtown Gilroy – Saturday, October 28, 2023
- De Anza College Flea Market – Cupertino – Saturday, December 2, 2023
Community Survey of Travel Needs, Challenges and Preferences
VTA conducted a Community Survey from October through December 2023 asking about how people travel, their travel needs and challenges, and preferences for how we could reduce driving. The survey was available on the web in 11 languages, and on paper at the events above. Over 375 people provided input through the survey.
Previous Opportunities - Phase 2
The second phase of community engagement took place in May and June 2024. VTA held a series of virtual and in-person community workshops to discuss possible transportation solutions to reduce driving within Santa Clara County.
Community Workshops
In addition to two in-person workshops in Gilroy and San Jose, VTA hosted a virtual community workshop on Zoom on the evening of Monday, May 30, 2024. In this workshop, the project team and participants discussed three possible transportation programs to reduce driving.
Current OpportunitY - Phase 3
VTA is hosting the third phase of community engagement in November and December 2024. During this phase, we are sharing the draft recommendations of the project, and we are interested in the community’s feedback on whether we got the recommendations right, and whether you have more comments or questions.
Phase 3 Engagement Opportunities
Virtual Community Meeting
November 21 | 6-7:30 p.m.
RSVP on Eventbrite
Learn about the project recommendations and bring your questions and comments at the upcoming virtual community meeting on Thursday, November 21. Project staff will discuss the project background, the program framework, and the next steps in developing a program.
Ask VTA: Reducing Driving from New Developments
December 10 | 6- 7 p.m.
RSVP on Eventbrite
Ask VTA is an ongoing virtual facilitated Q&A series that highlights different VTA topics. The session on Tuesday, December 10 will feature a general overview on Equitable VMT Mitigation and other related topics and opportunity to ask the project team questions.
VTA Committee Meetings
November 13, 14, & 21
Join Committee Meetings
VTA staff will also be bringing Equitable VMT Mitigation as a Discussion Item to the VTA Board Committees in November. The team will present at the November TAC, CAC, BPAC, PAC or CMPP meetings (either in-person or online) to hear the discussion and offer a public comment.
Publicity and Media Library
- "Developing an Equitable VMT Mitigation Program for Santa Clara County" - Research Snaps Webinar from Mineta Transportation Institute (May 2024)
- "A Framework for Fair Travel: Integrating Equity in Strategies to Reduce Driving" - Press Release from Mineta Transportation Institute (July 2024)
- "An Equitable VMT Mitigation Program is in the Works in the South Bay" - KCBS Radio (July 2024)
- "Equitable VMT Mitigation: An Interview with Robert Swierk" - Interview with SCC4Transit (July 2024)
Timeline
Title
Existing Conditions Analysis
Phase Date Range
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Title
Public Input
Phase Date Range
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Title
Report Development
Phase Date Range
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Upcoming Meetings
Project Diagram
