Archives: Research Products

Collaborative Community Engagement for Infrastructure Rebuilding after the LA Wildfires

Abstract

The California Environmental Quality Act is designed to ensure consideration of environmental impacts of new development projects, but it can also invite litigation that can delay or derail projects, even those that may benefit the environment, such as transit oriented development (TOD). TOD aims to reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions by locating housing, jobs, and amenities near high-frequency public transit. But when CEQA requirements delay or discourage TOD, the result can be to push development to less accessible areas, leading to more driving, more emissions, and fewer housing options— undermining the very goals CEQA was meant to protect. In 2008, California passed SB 375, which included two CEQA streamlining provisions for TOD projects that meet specific criteria. This project investigated how much and where these provisions have been used. The research team also interviewed practitioners to assess how effective the provisions have been when used, and how streamlining could be improved to better facilitate TOD projects.

Related Publications

published journal article

Can Governments Streamline Environmental Impact Analysis to Promote Transit Oriented Development? Evidence from California

policy brief

Connect, Rebuild, Prepare: Community-Informed Transportation Planning After the 2025 L.A. Fires

Publication Date

November 20, 2025

Associated Project(s)

Author(s)

Megan Mullin, Colleen Callahan, Elena Hernandez, Naomi Rosen, Arushi Somani

Areas of Expertise

Collaborative Community Engagement for Infrastructure Rebuilding after the LA Wildfires

Abstract

The January 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires destroyed homes and roads across L.A. County. The experience revealed how urgently transportation systems must restore mobility and access after a fire or other major disaster—even though rapid transportation rebuilding can lock in unsafe road designs and miss chances to advance long-term resilience and community priorities.

Related Publications

research report

Collaborative Community Engagement for Post-Disaster Transportation Rebuilding

research report

Collaborative Community Engagement for Post-Disaster Transportation Rebuilding

Publication Date

November 1, 2025

Associated Project(s)

Author(s)

Megan Mullin, Colleen Callahan, Elena Hernandez, Naomi Rosen, Arushi Somani

Areas of Expertise

Optimizing the Roll-Out of the Innovative Clean Transit Rule with a Focus on Suburban Settings

Abstract

The January 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires revealed how urgently transportation systems must recover—and how quickly a rush to rebuild can entrench old risks. This report examines how collaborative community engagement can shape safer, more equitable transportation rebuilding and evacuation planning in Los Angeles. Drawing on literature, public agency records, and interviews with transportation professionals, fire survivors, and community leaders, the research explores whether California’s Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) model can guide post-fire recovery. Findings show that rapid, like-for-like restoration often precludes safer designs and multimodal options; effective rebuilding requires cross-agency coordination, integration of evacuation needs into transportation planning, and trauma-informed engagement with residents. Community-based organizations can foster trust and inclusion, but need compensation and support to participate meaningfully. The TCC model offers adaptable structures—collaborative visioning, shared governance, and flexibility—that could strengthen post-disaster recovery if scaled to faster timelines. This research calls on policymakers and practitioners to embed community priorities in transportation decisions, align funding to sustain partnerships, and rebuild for long-term resilience rather than short-term restoration.

Related Publications

policy brief

Connect, Rebuild, Prepare: Community-Informed Transportation Planning After the 2025 L.A. Fires

policy brief

Transportation Network Companies Could Be a Cost Effective Alternative to Microtransit in Low-Density Communities

Publication Date

March 1, 2026

Associated Project(s)

Author(s)

Wesley Darling, Michael Cassidy

Areas of Expertise

Public Transit, Shared Mobility, & Active Transportation Zero-Emission Vehicles & Low-Carbon Fuels

Highway Expansions and Environmental Review: A Case Study Review of How Agencies are Addressing Induced Travel and Related Impacts

Abstract

Many suburban and rural communities struggle to provide affordable, efficient public transit. Some have replaced underused fixed-route, fixed-schedule public transit with on-demand, door-to-door microtransit services. In some cases, microtransit has provided better service, though it’s only economical when most trips serve multiple riders. In low-demand areas, limited ride consolidation drives costs sharply upward– often exceeding $50 per rider trip. Transportation Network Companies (TNCs), like Uber and Lyft, could help fill this gap. They already provide door-to-door service with extensive driver networks and low overhead. Yet most public-private pilot programs using TNCs to supplement or replace traditional transit have failed to last beyond their initial funding periods.

Related Publications

research report

Partnering with Transportation Network Companies to Serve Low-Density Communities

policy brief

Mitigating VMT from Highway Expansion Projects: Early Insights from California

Publication Date

March 1, 2026

Associated Project(s)

Author(s)

Amy Lee, Jamey Volker, Susan Handy

Areas of Expertise

Wildfire Evacuation Response and Plans Among Transit Riders in Los Angeles County

Abstract

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires lead agencies to evaluate the environmental impacts of major projects, including highway expansion projects, and to mitigate those impacts to the extent feasible. In 2013, SB 743 (Steinberg) changed how transportation impacts are evaluated by shifting the performance measure from traffic delay to vehicle miles traveled (VMT), a measure of total driving. This change reflected evidence that the metric of VMT captures the influence that transportation projects have on driving behavior and its related environmental and social impacts, such as greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, safety, and public health.

How have lead agencies implemented the requirement to analyze and mitigate VMT induced by highway expansion projects? To better understand how SB 743 has affected highway expansion projects in practice, the team reviewed state regulation and guidance and evaluated the Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) for the six highway expansion projects that have started the environmental review process since the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) adopted guidance in 2020 to implement SB 743. In this brief, the research team focuses on how lead agencies propose to mitigate any increases in VMT from each of the six highway expansion projects, including the measures proposed, the extent to which mitigation reduces VMT, the cost associated with mitigation, and sources of funding for VMT mitigation.

research report

Health and Evacuation Challenges for Transit Riders During the 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires

Publication Date

March 31, 2026

Associated Project(s)

Author(s)

Sang-O Kim, Madeline Brozen, Amy Lee

Areas of Expertise

Safety, Public Health, & Mobility Justice

Co-Location of Light-Duty and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure to Promote a Resilient, Cost-Effective Fueling Network in California

Abstract

Wildfires pose threats to health due to exposure to wildfire smoke and other toxic debris. Those who rely on public transit are potentially more exposed to these threats, yet little is known about how transit riders navigate this increased exposure amid evacuation and displacement. In this study the research team examines the exposures of transit riders during a fast-moving wildfire emergency, the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. The team conducted a mixed methods study of transit riders, drawing from a survey and semi-structured interviews of riders sampled from Transit, a widely used real-time bus tracking app for transit riders. Preliminary findings show that during the wildfire, many transit riders relied on informal rides, public transit, or walking to evacuate, leading to longer evacuation times and heightened exposure to smoke. Survey-linked air quality data revealed that nearly half of Black and Latino respondents experienced “unhealthy” PM2.5 concentrations at their homes on peak smoke days, a burden echoed in widespread reports of respiratory and mental health impacts. Riders adopted protective strategies such as wearing masks and avoiding transit when possible, but those without cars faced limited options. These results underscore the need for transportation planners and emergency managers to design evacuation and communication strategies that explicitly support transit-reliant and car-less households.

Related Publications

policy brief

Evacuation Patterns, Health Risks, and Mobility Strategies Among Transit Riders in the 2025 L.A. Fires

research report

Co-Location of Light-Duty and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure to Promote a Resilient Fueling Network in California

Publication Date

April 1, 2026

Associated Project(s)

Author(s)

Kate Forrest, Benjamin Hudson, Blake Lane, Scott Samuelsen

Areas of Expertise

Freight, Logistics, & Supply Chain

Mapping the Potential of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Across Transportation Sectors in California

Abstract

This study examines whether co-locating stations for light-duty zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) with stations for heavy-duty ZEVs would increase network coverage and improve resiliency to help California achieve its targets for widespread ZEV adoption. The study separately models of siting light-and heavy-duty at the same locations vs. separate locations for (i) electric charging stations and (ii) hydrogen refueling stations. The results indicate electric charging stations in California are being used at only 13% of total capacity. Building out and optimizing the locations of light-duty electric vehicle stations will results in greater demand met and resiliency than will co-locating these at heavy-duty charging stations. On the other hand, co-location of hydrogen refueling stations for light duty vehicles at sites for heavy-duty vehicle stations may increase demand met, network resiliency, and adoption rates of light-and heavy-duty fuel cell electric vehicles. These adoption rates are constrained by the current infrastructure.

Related Publications

policy brief

Planning Light- and Heavy-Duty ZEV Infrastructure for a More Resilient Fueling Network in California

research report

Mapping the Potential of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Across Transportation Sectors in California

Publication Date

March 1, 2026

Associated Project(s)

Author(s)

Lewis Fulton, Madhu Lamichhane, Timothy Lipman, Daniel Coffee, Weilong (David) Kong

Areas of Expertise

Zero-Emission Vehicles & Low-Carbon Fuels

Stakeholder Perspectives and Strategies for Reviving Public Transit Ridership to Downtowns and Employment Centers in the Bay Area

Abstract

This report develops a transportation hydrogen roadmap for California projected to 2045, building on previous UC ITS work, partly in cooperation with the ARCHES hydrogen hub for analysis of trucks, ports, and aviation. This study adds these modes as well as rail systems and fuel-cell light-duty vehicles, to provide a comprehensive transportation sector map of potential hydrogen use. The report focuses on a scenario of high adoption of hydrogen-fueled transport, where the modes and sectors covered would use 1000 tonnes/day of hydrogen by 2035 and 5000 tonnes/day by 2045. To 2035, about 40% of the expected growth occurs in heavy-duty trucking. Another 20% is used by other truck types, 20% by light-duty vehicles, and 20% by other modes, notably shipping and aviation. These shares remain similar out to 2045. Trucking remains the dominant driver of hydrogen demand throughout the projection period. Shipping, aviation, and rail are not expected to account for an increasing share of demand in these scenarios. The study includes a jobs analysis, led by UCLA, that estimates that the hydrogen fuel system would support around 6,000 jobs per year. Hydrogen vehicle adoption will depend on strong policy support, coordination of planning and investments, and rapid scale-up for the system to be self-sustaining, using many hundreds of tonnes per day by 2040.

white paper

Reviving public transit ridership to downtowns and employment centers: Case Studies of San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Berkeley, and Walnut Creek

Publication Date

October 1, 2024

Associated Project(s)

Author(s)

Elizabeth Deakin, Egon Terplan, Maya Najjar, Kathryn Exon Smith

Areas of Expertise

Public Transit, Shared Mobility, & Active Transportation

View white paper

Abstract

This paper examines transit ridership and its role in downtowns in five San Francisco Bay Area cities pre-and post-COVID. The research analyzes transit ridership data from 2019 and 2022-24, review transit agency responses to COVID’s consequences, and examine the plans and proposals for downtowns adopted by the cities and those developed by business improvement districts (BIDs). The research draws upon focus groups that the research held with transit users and interviews that were conducted with key stakeholders to gain additional information and insights. The research finds that trips to, from and within our five case study downtowns account for a significant share of overall regional transit ridership, a finding that underscores downtown transit’s importance to state and regional goals for greenhouse gas reduction, pollution abatement, economic prosperity, and equity and inclusion. For the five downtowns, transit ridership is on a path to recovery but as of early 2024 was still falling short of pre-COVID levels, leaving transit agencies facing financial shortfalls despite service adjustments and other cost-cutting measures. The downtowns with concentrations of employment that generally depend on face to face contact (healthcare, education), are faring better than those where working remotely suffices and this appears to be largely independent of the workers’ income levels. For general offices, the longer transit trips that rail services provide have not recovered as quickly as shorter bus trips. Downtown plans for the five cities assume transit will be available and used, but have not been updated to deal with changed conditions. The case studies’ city officials and business leaders have proposed additional housing, sports events, and frequent festivals and farmers markets as ways to invigorate downtowns. While these strategies could lead to more transit use, they are unlikely to make up for the losses in office worker transit use, a consequence of increased working at home or in a hybrid home-office mode. Since recovery to previous levels may take several more years, finding ways to support transit in the meantime will be important.

published journal article

Improving Evacuation and Resilience Strategies for Older Adults During and After Wildfires: A Systemic Review

Publication Date

November 5, 2025

Associated Project(s)

Improving Evacuation and Resilience Strategies for Older Adults with Disabilities During and After Wildfires

Author(s)

Yuriko Matsuo, Kathryn Kietzman, Ron Hays, Yeonsu Song

Areas of Expertise