SB 743 (Steinberg) states that “New methodologies under the California Environmental Quality Act are needed for evaluating transportation impacts that are better able to promote the State’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and traffic-related air pollution, promoting the development of a multimodal transportation system, and providing clean, efficient access to destinations.” The State has shifted away from using LOS because measuring congestion can have the unintended consequence of encouraging urban sprawl. Why did the State pass legislation to adopt this change? The State also established Jas the date for cities to begin implementing the new law.6. However, the State established VMT as the appropriate methodology for measuring transportation impacts and updated the CEQA Guidelines in 2018 to reflect this transition from LOS to VMT. Historically, cities in California have used LOS to measure transportation impacts. In 2013, the State of California passed SB 743 (Steinberg), which changes the way transportation impacts must be analyzed under CEQA. The State is recommending using VMT to measure of transportation impacts because it encourages infill and mixed-use development and the use of active transportation and transit, which reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote healthier lifestyles. This often results in greater vehicle use and traffic congestion overall because people must travel longer distances to reach destinations. To avoid triggering significant impacts and the cost of mitigating those impacts, new developments may locate in more remote areas with minimal traffic congestion. California jurisdictions have been using LOS to analyze a project’s CEQA transportation impacts since the inception of CEQA in 1970.Ĭalifornia has shifted away from using LOS because measuring congestion at intersections and roadway segments can have the unintended consequence of encouraging urban sprawl. LOS assigns a letter grade (A through F) to intersections or roadway segments based on the level of traffic congestion. Historically, Milpitas and other jurisdictions have used Level of Service (LOS) to analyze impacts to transportation infrastructure under CEQA. The State gave cities a Jdeadline to begin implementing the new law. The law establishes Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) as the appropriate methodology for measuring transportation impacts. In 2013, the State of California signed into law Senate Bill 743 (SB 743), which changes how transportation impacts are analyzed under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The final VMT policy with the City’s VMT heat maps can also be accessed here. For more information about the VMT policy and the City’s efforts to transition from using LOS to VMT, please refer to this agenda report and presentation to the City Council. The City Council adopted the VMT policy on May 18, 2021. This Fehr & Peers YouTube video provides a simple and clear explanation of VMT. Typically, isolated developments with poor access to walking, biking, and public transit facilities will result in more driving than mixed-use developments in already developed areas with strong access to non-automobile travel. VMT measures the amount and distance a project might cause people to drive. The VMT policy aligns with the goals and policies of the General Plan and adopted plans and supports new development in suitable areas near transit, mixed-use neighborhoods, and other amenities. City staff developed a new citywide VMT policy to comply with State law and provide established and consistent criteria for analyzing transportation impacts of development projects and long-range plans.

Senate Bill 743 (SB 743) requires local jurisdictions to use Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) instead of Level of Service (LOS) to analyze transportation impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). City Council Transportation Subcommittee.Ad Hoc Main Street Revitalization Subcommittee.Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.Library and Education Advisory Commission.Energy and Environmental Sustainability.Economic Development and Trade Commission.

California vmt