Caltrans Carbon Reduction Program

Project Description

Caltrans is partnering with the University Transportation Center (UTC) led by University of California, Davis (UCD), and the University of California Institute of Transportation Studies (UC ITS) to assist Caltrans in developing a comprehensive and evidence-based Carbon Reduction Strategy (CRS) that identifies projects and strategies to reduce transportation emissions. Caltrans is dedicating its current federal Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) funding to road pricing projects on the State Highway System that commit to funding low carbon transportation options with toll revenues.

This project will provide research assistance in understanding how road pricing in general, and priced managed lanes in particular, could reduce transportation emissions in California. UTC’s research will identify and summarize different road pricing strategies; how priced managed lanes have been implemented and performed within California, the United States, and globally to address transportation, climate change, and equity issues; provide specific case studies on existing priced managed lanes within California; provide a methodology for prioritizing future projects for investment; and provide a methodology to evaluate future projects’ impact on California’s GHG emissions. UTC’s research will seek to determine how priced managed lanes could simultaneously address Caltrans’ broader transportation, climate, and equity goals as defined in the Caltrans Strategic Plan 2020-2024; and be the focus of successfully implementing equitable roadway pricing statewide.