Transportation Technical Committee

All items on the consent agenda are considered to be routine and non-controversial by COG staff and will be approved by one motion if no member of the Committee or public wishes to comment or ask questions. If comment or discussion is desired by anyone, the item will be removed from the consent agenda and will be considered in the listed sequence with an opportunity for any member of the public to address the Committee concerning the item before action is taken.

May 8, 2026 TTC Minutes

Action: Approve the May 8, 2026, Transportation Technical Committee   meeting minutes.

Summary: Longstanding member, Matthew Gillian has agreed to another two-year term on the SSTAC as a sitting board member.  Mr. Gillian represents the general public who use public transit,

There are also three vacancies on the SSTAC.  Staff will be actively outreaching to recruit new members.

Action: Staff and the SSTAC request the TTC/PAC recommend to the Policy Board that Matthew Gillian serve another two-year term.

Res 2026-21 Clovis OPB

Summary: The Clovis Consolidated Transportation Services Agency’s (CTSA) Operations Program and Budget (OPB) for fiscal year 2026-27 for the Clovis urban area provides an overview of the services offered over the next fiscal year. The proposed adoption is scheduled for Thurs., June 25 at the Fresno COG Policy Board meeting.

Action: Staff and SSTAC requests that the TTC/PAC recommend approval of Resolution 2026-21, adopting the Clovis Consolidated Transportation Service Agency’s Operations Program, and Budget for FY 2026-2027.

Res 2026-19 Urban CTSA OPB

Res 2026-19 Urban CTSA OPB

Summary: The Consolidated Services Agencies’ (CTSA) Operations, Program and Budget (OPB) for fiscal year 2026-2027 provides an overview of how CTSA will be providing service with Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (FEOC) as the subcontractor for these services in both the urban and rural areas over the next fiscal year. The proposed adoption is scheduled for Thurs. June 25, at the Fresno COG Policy Board meeting.

Action: Staff and SSTAC requests that TTC/PAC recommend two actions to adopt the Urban and Rural Consolidated Transportation Agency’s Operations, Program, and Budget.

• Fresno COG Policy Board approve Resolution 2026-19 for the urban CTSA (Fresno Area Express), and
• Fresno COG Policy Board approve Resolution 2026-20 for the rural CTSA (Fresno County Rural Transit Agency).

Summary:  The Fresno County Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) consists of seven members per Public Utilities Code Section 21670(b). One of the two members representing cities within the county recently resigned from the Commission. A replacement will be named at the June 25 City Selection Committee meeting, which will be held just prior to the Fresno COG Policy Board meeting.

The newly resigned representative and his proxy represented the City of Reedley. The remaining city representative is Alma Beltran, representing the City of Parlier. Statute requires that the member replacement must be appointed by a selection committee comprising the mayors of all the cities within that county. It states that if there are any cities contiguous or adjacent to a qualifying airport (one of eight public use airports within the county), at least one city representative shall be appointed from there. Consequently, since the City of Parlier is not contiguous or adjacent to a public-use airport, the new member’s city must be.

Fresno County’s eight public use airports include the following:

• Coalinga Municipal Airport
• Firebaugh Airport
• Fresno-Chandler Executive Airport
• Harris Ranch Airport
• Reedley Municipal Airport
• Selma Airport
• Sierra Sky Park Airport
• William Robert Johnson Municipal Airport (Mendota)

A person who already holds an elected or appointed public office may be appointed and serve as a member of the commission during their term of public office (PUC Section 21670(c)), though appointing an elected official is not required. Each member of the ALUC shall appoint one proxy to represent him or her in commission affairs and to vote on all matters when the member is not in attendance. The proxy must be appointed in writing and kept on file with the ALUC. Proxies serve at the pleasure of the members who appoint them. A vacant proxy position shall be promptly filled (PUC Section 21670(d).

The ALUC meets at 2 p.m. on the first Monday of every other month at Fresno COG. The next meeting will be held on Aug. 3.

Action: Information. The Committee may provide additional direction at its discretion.

2026 SCS Performance Indicators_TTCPAC June

Summary: Fresno COG has developed five transportation and land use scenarios for the 2026 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). Each scenario was modeled and computed for 2035, consistent with California Air Resource Board (CARB) guidelines. Staff presented the scenarios’ modeling results, along with the performance indicators, to the TTC/PAC and Board in March 2026, and they have approved staff’s recommendation of Scenario C to move forward in the SCS process.

Staff were awaiting release of the updated California Statewide Travel Demand Model (CSTDM) in April to update the interregional travel component of the model. Interregional travel includes the intercounty trips that include either one leg in Fresno County or traffic just passing through the county. However, staff and the consultant discovered technical inconsistencies within multiple years of the updated CSTDM, mainly related to the traffic volumes.

The consultant proposed using a different approach to estimate the interregional trips for all future years, including 2035. The base year 2023 will use the earlier version of CSTDM, and then the growth factors, computed from the Department of Finance’s population growth projection, will be applied for the future years.

A significant portion of the interregional travel is excluded from SCS’ greenhouse gas (GHG) analysis. Also, this component is a static input and therefore reflected equally across the scenarios, making no difference in the model’s comparative analysis. Scenario C is still the best performing scenario across most of the performance indicators, with minimum VMT per capita and maximum GHG reduction. The attached file shows the current performance of the scenarios across the 12 indicators.

Action: Information. The Committee may provide additional direction at its discretion.

Summary: A round-up of recent State and Federal grant announcements and deadlines.

USDOT has issued several notices of funding opportunities as detailed below, and more are expected in the coming weeks:

National Culvert Removal, Replacement & Restoration Grants fund culvert or weir replacement, removal and repair that meaningfully improves or restores fish passage for anadromous fish. On June 2, FHWA announced up to $800 million in available funds with applications due July 16.

The Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA) program offers $626 million under two tracks: Track 1 is for surface transportation projects of national and regional significance (due July 1) while Track 2 is for commercial motor vehicle parking projects of national or regional significance (due July 15).

The Competitive Type 3 Highway Bridge Program has $25 million available to fund the replacing or rehabilitating county-owned bridges that are classified as Type 3 bridges by the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and cross a water conveyance structure owned by USBR. Applications are due July 16.

Caltrans is expected to issue the largest ever call for projects ($370 million) for the Cycle 13 Highway Safety Improvement Program this month, with an anticipated due date of September 2026.  Agencies late on their construction milestones for existing projects must submit authorizations or risk being ineligible to be awarded funds this cycle.

The Fiscal Year 27-28 Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant applications are expected to be issued this spring/summer with an anticipated due date of Fall 2026.

Action: Information.  The Committee may provide additional direction at its discretion.

Summary: Owing to Federal air quality policy changes and subsequent effects on State and regional air quality modeling for the 2026 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, Federal Transportation Improvement Program and the corresponding air quality conformity documents, Fresno COG’s timeline to deliver these documents has been both confused and frustrated at multiple points during the development process.

Additional scheduling conflicts have necessitated a request from staff to adjust by a single day the regular July 2026 Policy Board meeting, from Thurs., July 30 to Wed., July 29 to help properly ensure a public hearing for all three documents and meet Federal and State deadlines for both draft and final delivery.

Action: Staff requests the TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board adjust its regular July 2026 meeting date to July 29.

LSA-On-call-Exhibit-A-05062026

Summary:  Senate Bill 743 requires that the traffic congestion metric level of service (LOS) within the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process be replaced with a metric that would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), develop a multi-modal transportation system and increase land use diversity. The Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) recommended vehicle miles traveled (VMT) as the most appropriate metric to measure the transportation impacts for developments, considering it is more aligned with the state’s goals of reducing GHG emissions through infill development, active transportation and other sustainable land use and transportation projects.

Fresno COG, with the help of the consultant LSA, developed SB 743 regional guidelines for Fresno County and implemented them in July 2020. The guidelines include VMT thresholds, VMT screening maps, project screening criteria, VMT analysis methodology for different land-use types, and basic VMT mitigation measures. The regional guidelines were later updated in 2025. This document has been serving as a guide to local governments and consultants for traffic impact studies, along with CEQA-related studies.

To assist COG with VMT analysis and implement the regional guidelines, LSA has been providing on-call support since 2020. LSA is an established environmental firm with expertise in CEQA and SB 743. LSA is also very familiar with the local land-use and VMT assessment in Fresno County. Attached is the scope of work.

Action: Staff requests that TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the executive director enter into a new, on-call contract with LSA for an amount not to exceed $15,000 through June 30, 2027.

FCOG ML Study_FINAL_20260602

Summary: Managed lanes provide a strategy for managing congestion, reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and improving safety on urban freeway networks. These lanes are widely used throughout California. “Managed lanes” is an umbrella term for freeway lanes that address congestion by controlling the traffic movement on the highway. These lanes may operate as express lanes, high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, or bus-only lanes or truck-only lanes. Managed lanes may be useful, and are sometimes the only option that meets Federal air quality standards for expanding road capacity in non-attainment areas like Fresno.

In March 2025, Kimley-Horn was selected to conduct a study evaluating managed lanes as a potential solution to reduce congestion on highways within the Fresno-Clovis Metropolitan Area (FCMA). The consultant team reviewed existing conditions and planned improvements, developed goals and objectives, evaluated managed lanes strategies, prepared an implementation plan, conducted public outreach, and developed a final report.

The final report is attached to this agenda item, and the consultant team will present the study findings.

Action: Staff requests that the TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board accept the final report for the Fresno-Clovis Metropolitan Area Managed Lanes Study as the project deliverable.

KH_TSMO Plan and Regional ITS Architecture Update Proposal

Summary:  Fresno COG released a request for proposals (RFP) in March for consultant services to prepare a Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) Plan supported by updated Regional Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Architecture.

The project will update the County’s existing 2015 ITS Strategic Deployment Plan and Regional ITS Architecture to reflect current technologies, operational practices, and regional transportation planning priorities. The updated plan will support regional coordination, emergency response, congestion management, and integration with regional transportation planning and programming efforts. It will also help ensure continued compliance with federal ITS architecture requirements under 23 CFR 940 necessary for Federally funded ITS projects.

Three consultant teams submitted proposals. A selection committee comprising representatives from regional partner agencies reviewed and evaluated the proposals based on criteria identified in the RFP. Following the proposal review, the selection committee conducted consultant interviews with the two highest-ranked firms.

Based on the proposal evaluations, interview discussions, project understanding, technical qualifications, and overall project approach, the committee recommends Kimley-Horn as the preferred consultant.

Action:  Staff requests that the TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the executive director to enter into a contract with Kimley-Horn for the Fresno COG TSMO and ITS Architecture Update Project for an amount not to exceed $484,452.96.

Summary: Fresno COG staff has been developing the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), environmental impact report (EIR), Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP) and the corresponding Air Quality Conformity Analysis since last year.

Each document helps promote a continuous, comprehensive, and cooperative transportation planning process that enables rapid and efficient project development to maintain California’s commitment to public health and environmental quality, as well as a planning process that considers all stakeholders’ views. The outline below includes the upcoming public review periods.  

Fresno COG is Federally mandated to prepare the RTP and State-mandated to prepare for the SCS. The RTP is a long-range transportation plan that is based on the unique needs and characteristics of the Fresno region, helps shape the region’s economy, environment and social future, and communicates the regional transportation vision to the State and Federal governments. The SCS outlines the plan for reducing per capita greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by integrating the transportation network and related strategies with an overall land use pattern that accounts for projected growth, housing needs, changing demographics, and forecasted transportation needs among all modes of travel. Under the Sustainable Communities Act, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) sets regional targets for GHG emissions reductions from passenger vehicle use. 

Draft 2026 RTP/SCS 

• Public review & comment period: 55 days 

• Start date: June 23, 2026 

• End date: August 17, 2026 

The EIR is a required environmental review document for the RTP/SCS. The EIR will inform residents of the Fresno region and decision makers on the impacts from implementing the 2026 RTP/SCS. As a program level EIR, the EIR looks at the potential environmental impacts of the plan as a whole and requires that individual projects comply with CEQA and/or NEPA as applicable. Overall, the EIR will enable funding eligibility, regulatory compliance, and streamline future projects, while also maintaining public transparency for the proposed transportation and housing policies. 

Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the 2026 RTP/SCS 

• Public review & comment period: 45 days 

• Start date: July 2, 2026 

• End date: August 17, 2026 

The Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP): Fresno COG is Federally mandated to prepare and maintain this four-year program of projects, which includes a listing of all transportation-related projects requiring Federal funding or other approval by Federal transportation agencies. The FTIP also lists non-Federal, regionally significant projects for information and air quality modeling purposes. Projects included in the FTIP are consistent with Fresno COG’s Regional Transportation Plan and are part of the area’s overall strategy for providing mobility, congestion relief, and reduced transportation-related air pollution to help attain Federal air quality standards for the region. The corresponding Air Quality Conformity Analysis demonstrates through computer modeling that these projects will help improve air quality for specified pollutants or at least, not worsen air quality in the region. 

Draft 2027 FTIP and Draft Conformity Analysis 

• Public review & comment period: 30 days 

• Start date: July 17, 2026 

• End date: August 17, 2026 

 ACTION: Information only.

Res 2026-18 TTC Unmet Transit Needs Report

FY2026-27 FCOG UTN Assessment Report FINAL

Summary: On Wed., May 25, 2026, the draft FY2026-27 Fresno COG Unmet Transit Needs (UTN) Report was released for public review and comment on the Fresno COG website and is available on the following web page:

https://www.fresnocog.org/unmet-transit-needs-assessment/

To date, 73 comments have been received, 12 of which are unmet transit needs, 49 that do not meet the definition of an unmet transit need, and 12 comments that are not applicable to the program.  Of the 12 comments received meeting the definition of an unmet transit need, none of them are determined to be ‘reasonable to meet.’

The public hearing for the FY 2026-27 FCOG unmet transit needs process was held Tues., June 2, in-person and online, at Fresno COG’s offices.

Staff convened a special meeting of the Social Services Transportation Advisory Committee (SSTAC) two days later to approve the final report.

The comments received, transit agency response, and the determination of unmet transit needs are included in the final FY 2026-27 FCOG Unmet Transit Needs Report included with this agenda or at the URL listed after the first paragraph above.

Action: Staff and SSTAC requests that TTC and PAC recommend the Fresno COG Policy Board adopt Resolution 2026-21, approving Fresno COG’s FY 2025-2026 Unmet Transit Needs Assessment Report, and to find that there are 12 unmet transit needs, none of which are “reasonable to meet.”

CALTRANS REPORT [INFORMATION]