California must invest in infrastructure as a climate solution

We've all been stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on California's congested and decaying roads, wondering how late we're going to be to our next meeting and if our car will ever inch past whatever the latest traffic hazard is. And we're not alone — all told, Californians waste 94 million hours a year sitting in traffic.

With 27 million licensed drivers in the Golden State, imagine the environmental impacts of those cars idling day after day, sitting on highways and roadways instead of moving efficiently to their destinations.

Mitigating the environmental impacts of drivers on the road is one of many reasons that we need to invest in fixing our transportation infrastructure. And with a $97.5 billion budget surplus, our state's leaders are at a critical juncture. The administration and Legislature can either chart a more sustainable future for California with one-time investments into reducing congestion, saving lives and significantly increasing transit and active transportation opportunities, or they can let this unique opportunity pass for the second year in a row.

Though our state's urban areas continue to rank among the highest for traffic congestion, California continues to be a leader in the global fight against climate change. It's time we bring those two divergent realities into alignment.

The state has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. To achieve these ambitious but achievable goals, all sectors of the economy must play a part. With work well underway to transition to zeroemission vehicles and reduce the carbon intensity of fuels, the state can use the historic surplus to improve the condition of our infrastructure and reduce climate change through transportation system improvements.

By investing in these elements, we can work to actively mitigate against and adapt for the effects of climate change that are already playing out across the state — from sea level rise to larger wildfires to heavier rainstorms. These impacts pose a dangerous risk to our built and natural environment, including our statewide multimodal transportation infrastructure.

Here in the Bay Area, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission has ambitious projects underway to improve clean mobility, sustainability and quality of life. These local investments provide clean transportation solutions including smaller scale car, bike and scooter-sharing projects and subsidies for public transit.

Another critical infrastructure investment here in the Bay Area is the electrification of CalTrain. When complete, this update is projected to result in a 97% reduction in pollution and a 15% reduction in travel time for Bay Area commuters.

The Legislature's state budget proposal and associated infrastructure package, currently under consideration and which builds off the governor's transportation proposal, is a good place to start. It provides a total of $10.9 billion in investments over four years, including funding for transit and active transportation.

California's high-speed rail project is another critical piece of the sustainability puzzle to meet our state's vast mobility needs and provide alternatives to commuters moving up and down the Interstate 5 and Highway 99 corridors. Once built, with fewer people on the roads and more people moving efficiently for long distances up and down the state, greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced for many impacted communities.

The fact is, our daily lives are impacted by these critical transportation investments, and the state is at a crucial moment to meet ambitious climate goals and improve the quality of life for all Californians.

We simply can't let another year go by without a transportation infrastructure package. If we miss this window of opportunity to invest in our state's future, we will regret it for decades to come.