The chapter basically covers crucial issues in the transportation field, precisely the plans that have been tabled for the transport sector and how financing will be executed. Focus is put on regional financial planning, local transportation planning, the current transportation funding challenges, and transportation and land use (Fulton, 2001). All this intertwine to develop an integrated system meant to achieve a common goal. Transport is an integral component in the contemporary world. The globe has transformed to present itself as a global village, meaning that all regions worldwide are unified. This unity has been duly facilitated by transport, which has enabled faster communication, quick delivery, and more informed responses to the practices involved. In the corporate world, transport is imperative in ensuring that business practices are carried out efficiently, especially where a concern indulges in the Just In Time (JTI) delivery system (Fulton, 2001). Transport is, therefore, an essential component in today’s world and investment on the sector is vital to ensure continued success in the fields it is involved in. In California, transportation planning was facilitated by vast range of factors. The paramount one was improving on transport mobility via reduction of transport barriers like poor roads and congestion. Another factor was the reduction of the greenhouse gases, most common amongst unroadworthy vehicles (Fulton, 2001). The persons involves also wanted to ensure that the transport system is capable of addressing the local and regional mobility and economic needs. Transportation does not just ease movement; it contributes in the shaping of economic health of a region as well as the overall quality of life (Stein, 2008). Transportation has a nod in influencing the patterns of growth in an area since it affects the choice of economic activity via the accessibility of land. Despite the economic implications of transportation, it also affects public policy concerns like the greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, conservation, and protection of the environment (Stein, 2008). Transport, in general, aids in attainment of the societal goals. Transportation planning is a tedious activity since it involves incorporation of a variety of factors. This is attributable to the wide nature of the transport sector, as it affects various fields. The planning process incorporates the development of strategies for operation, management, maintenance, and the financing of the transportation system (Fulton, 2001). Planning is important in advancing the long-term goals of the California transport system. The planning process should be integrated, focus on the state and effective in order to provide a uniform framework in the whole of California. The federal and state requirements should be complied with when setting up these plans. Planning should result to comprehensive, continuous, and co-operative with all the requirements (Fulton, 2001). This will enable the development and efficient implementation of the future projects and will outline the commitment of California toward ensuring quality of the transport system. It should also consider the views and needs of all the stakeholders, with the public being supreme. Effective planning and financing will promote and encourage efficient management of the transport system, and will be a leeway for the development of a system that meets the mobility needs of both people and goods (Stein, 2008). Local transport planning, regional transport planning, and statewide transport planning are but a hierarchy, since one leads to the other. Planning commences at a local level, which amalgamates to regional level and combination of these results to the state level. This implies that planning should not be centered, it should emanate from a wide point of view which will combine to form an assimilated road network that will suit the needs of the California residents (Fulton, 2001). The other needs such as environmental concerns should also be considered, and the transport system should be able to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and such targets have been set by the California Air Resources Board who plays a vital part in the planning process. The planning process involved a number of factors in ensuring its success. Among them is the maintenance of regional decision making, where all regions in the state are in a position to come up with optimal suggestions for the development project (Stein, 2008). Preparation of an overall work plan is what succeeds, and then the public should also be actively involved in decision making. Any transportation system is focused on the general public, and it is critical for their inclusion in such decisions. After preparation of the plans, there should be an improvement program to be implemented in case the plans fall short of the expectations (Stein, 2008). The plans, nevertheless, should focus on the long term in order to establish and accomplish the local, regional, and state goals and ensure both the present and future needs are met. Solutions for any discrepancies need to be established, and this will entail active prediction of any predicaments that may arise in case the intended results are not attained. The transportation process should foster the involvement of all the parties with vested interest in it. This includes all members of the business community, community groups, local jurisdictions, the general public, and environmental conservation groups (Stein, 2008). Participation can be effected by active involvement of all the stakeholders in formulation of the plans. Public participation should also entail persons who in the past have been underserved by the transportation services and the overall system in California. If public involvement is neglected, then the persons involved are likely to face problems during the project implementation stage. Financing will be a decision that will be fully implemented by the state. Effective planning will prevent barriers in terms of the financing sector, since decisions that involve the public and various major stakeholders will be considered effectively by the state and put to utmost consideration.
References
Fulton, W. B. (2001). Guide to California planning. Point Arena, Calif: Solano Press Books.
Stein, J. M. (2008). Public infrastructure planning and management. Newbury Park, Calif: Sage
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