Evaluation of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Climate Initiatives Program

Abstract

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the metropolitan planning organization for the San Francisco Bay Area, California, launched the Climate Initiatives Program in 2010 as part of the region’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation sources. Most of the Climate Initiatives Program funding was allocated to local governments or used by MTC for innovative pilot projects to test the ability to reduce GHG emissions. The results of a comprehensive evaluation of the program are reported. The evaluation covers 16 projects that received a total of $33 million in funding in five project categories: transportation demand management (TDM), safe routes to school, bicycle projects, electric vehicle projects, and other project types. This evaluation differs from many previous studies in that it is based on observed transportation activity before and after each project, with data collected through user surveys and other methods. The evaluation found that projects varied widely in their ability to reduce GHG emissions and in their cost-effectiveness. The largest emission reductions came from a multifaceted TDM program in San Mateo County. The most cost-effective project applied cold in-place recycling to pavement resurfacing in the city of Napa. The evaluation provides valuable information as MTC and its partners seek to fund activities that can help achieve the region’s GHG emission reduction goals.