Transit In the News

In brief: far too much on new roads, not nearly enough for badly needed repairs and public and non-motorized transportation. "Given California's enormous backlog for road repair and mass transit, building new roads is like adding a new wing to a house when the roof is falling in," said Emily Rusch, CalPIRG's state director in San Francisco.

The Golden State is not alone. The study, compiled by CalPIRG and Smart Growth America, a nationwide planning advocacy organization, says the vast majority of state plans - Delaware and Iowa being notable exceptions - fall short of the stimulus package's criteria for job creation, infrastructure fixes and reducing sprawl, congestion and energy dependence.

Based on data provided by state agencies, California, is set to spend 96 percent of the $2.1 billion it had itemized by June 15 on roads, 42 percent of which is going for new construction. That's among the highest ratios in the nation. Without citizen input, which Caltrans, to its credit, largely accepted, there would have been even less money for road repairs, mass transit and such things as bike paths. "We're missing an opportunity to create even more jobs from this funding," said Rusch.

The report, data for which was pulled together largely by Charlier Associates Inc., a Boulder, Colo., transportation planning and consulting firm, is scheduled to be posted online Monday at www. calpirg.org/report.