Santa Clara County Transportation Digest

In a striking setback to reduce California’s air pollution but a win for trucking companies, state regulators have walked away from their ambitious plan to phase out diesel trucks less than a week before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Read on to learn what's behind the delay in the rollout of automatic license plate readers in Monte Sereno.

Learn about the 30 locations in San Jose under consideration for towaway zones in an effort to address RV encampments in the city.

While cities in California continue to pass ordinances to combat illegal sideshows, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several laws that go into effect this year statewide to give municipalities more legal tools to address them. 

Rides on Valley Transportation Authority buses and light rail will be free on New Year's Eve, so leave the car at home. Read on to learn more.

BART’s board of directors elected new leadership at its regular meeting last week and welcomed four new members. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decree that by 2035 all new cars sold in California must be powered by batteries or other zero-emission systems has received a double dose of legal and political support.

The US EPA granted California’s waiver, which the incoming Trump administration is likely to try to overturn in the courts. The state’s zero-emission vehicle mandates have been the driving force behind California’s progress in cleaning up dangerous air pollutants.

The Biden administration is awarding Inflation Reduction Act money to help clean the air before President-elect Trump takes over.

California has an aggressive mandate for zero-emission trucks, which are powered by electricity or hydrogen. But trucking companies face big obstacles — and people are still breathing dangerous diesel exhaust.

In their December 9 meeting, the Palo Alto City Council approved a $43 million plan to upgrade the University Avenue streetscape. Get more information about the next steps in the development process.

The City of Palo Alto is considering the development of a downtown parking garage. Read on to learn more.

Most ships discharging ballast water into California waters are inspected, but state officials have tested the water of only 16 ships. Experts say invaders like mussels are inevitable under current rules and enforcement.

Learn how Mountain View is planning to drop parking requirements in parts of the city slated for new housing.

Experts don’t know how much gas prices may rise from the revised California climate program, which tightens standards and gives incentives for low-carbon fuels. The board ordered an annual review of the cost impacts.

Voters have approved a measure to extend Quarry Road to the Palo Alto Transit Center.

As part of a state authorized program, the City of San Jose is in the process of installing several speed cameras to test their effectiveness in improving traffic and pedestrian safety.

California motorists buy and consume a billion gallons of gasoline each month and are very sensitive about pump prices, which are markedly higher than those in other states. Naturally, they are a political football.

The state air board will vote on changes to its landmark clean fuel program that would cut more greenhouse gases but could raise the cost of gas and diesel.

Tens of thousands of California ride-hailing drivers, and possibly more, could eventually get back pay after a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that clears the way for the state and some cities to proceed with their lawsuits against Uber and Lyft.

The state Senate signs off on Gov. Newsom’s bill to stop spikes in California gas prices. A final vote is scheduled on Monday.

On Aug. 31, when Gov. Gavin Newsom called a special session on gas prices, California motorists were paying $4.61 per gallon on average, $1.27 more than the national average.
On October 7, when the state Senate finally convened, prices were $4.68 in California, or $1.51 above the national average.

The Assembly approves Gov. Newsom’s bill on oil refineries on a 44-17 vote. But the state Senate will have its say during the special session.

The City of Milpitas has placed a measure on the November ballot to extend an existing quarter-cent sales tax another eight years to fund emergency services, street repairs and city parks.

The governor wants new gas reserves to dampen seasonal price spikes. Refiners say the move would raise prices and require new storage tanks.

California is the seventh U.S. state to adopt mobile driver’s licenses for iPhones, part of a growing push by businesses and governments to make digital IDs commonplace.

The City of Milpitas is the recipient of a $2.9 million grant from the US Department of Transportation program to increase pedestrian and bike safety along school routes.

A plan by the City of Cupertino to reduce automobile lanes on De Anza Boulevard to increase bicycle safety is receiving pushback from residents.

Celebrating their new electric train service, CalTrain is offering free rides September 21 and 22.

Following the direction of the Federal Aviation Commission, the City of San Jose began clearing a homeless encampment from under a flight path serving San Jose Mineta International Airport.

California Highway Patrol officers received historically high raises in 2022 and 2023, but it continues to face a high vacancy rate of 16%.

A proposed market-rate housing project for Lick Avenue in San Jose has been updated to instead build 215 affordable homes as the first phase of a 565-unit project.