We were disappointed this week when, at the first Senate Transportation and Housing Committee hearing of the year, SB 760 - the Complete Streets for Active Living (Wiener) bill - was stripped of its most transformative components.

Those measures would have transformed stretches of the state highway system that connect critical community sites such as schools, hospitals, parks and grocery stores. However, fears that SB 760, though unrelated to last year’s hike in the state gas tax (SB 1), would nevertheless be attacked by proponents of the SB 1 repeal effort, led to severe amendments that stripped the bill of the majority of its elements.

We are heartened to know that there was not any substantive objection to the bill--merely that it was poor timing in light of efforts to repeal SB 1. We hope to work with SB 1 proponents to ensure that as we are increasing our investments in California’s road repair, we do so in ways that make those roads safer and accommodating for all users.

We wish to thank Senator Wiener for his leadership on this issue, and deeply appreciate his determination to reintroduce the full version of this bill next year, when the SB 1 repeal effort has run its course.