Planning and Policy

The Planning and Policy department is responsible for regional planning and policy development. Regional planning elements include transportation, housing, growth, air quality and watershed management. Regional planning responsibilities include: developing specific regional plans; coordinating planning activities among regional stakeholders; providing a forum for public debate of regional issues; developing consensus on key regional issues; and serving as a main source of regional data/information.

The Department is also responsible for mandated transportation system planning and programs, and develops and updates regional plans mandated by federal and state statutes - the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and the Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP). In addition, the Department is responsible for all regulatory compliance activities, some which include, preparing the RTP Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR); the Transportation Conformity Analysis; and Environmental Justice Analysis.

Additionally, the Department is responsible for preparing and monitoring all technical studies and policy development, such as: Regional Socioeconomic Forecasts; Growth Visioning; Jobs-Housing Balance; SR-60 Truck Lanes Study; MAGLEV System Planning; Inter-Governmental Reviews and Relations; and Watershed Management/Planning.

Rich Macias, Interim Director
(213) 236-1805 | Email: macias@scag.ca.gov

Community Development Division

The Community Development Division is responsible for demographic, housing and employment data in support of the federally mandated Regional Transportation Plan and the state mandated Regional Housing Needs Assessment. Growth projections, forecasts and small area distributions are used in developing urban form scenarios and visioning efforts that inform future transportation plans, investments and environmental analysis. The federal government in sizing infrastructure investments in the region mandates the use of regional demographic and socioeconomic forecasts.

Mark Butala, Acting Manager
(213) 236-1875 | Email: butala@scag.ca.gov

Environmental Planning Division

The Environmental Planning Division is responsible for regulatory compliance activities that are required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the federal Clean Air Act to mitigate transportation-related environmental impacts. To fulfill these mandates, the Division produces several supporting analyses for each Regional Transportation Plan:

  • Program Environmental Impact Report,
  • Transportation Conformity Analysis (also done for RTIP as required)
  • Environmental Justice Analysis

Comprehensive Program of Environmental Issues

The Division is responsible for and maintains a comprehensive program of environmental issues analysis with emphasis on transportation, water, fish and wildlife, energy, land use, air quality, and environmental justice issues, and serves as technical and policy liaison with leading environmental groups, government/regulatory agencies, and elected officials.

Comprehensive Water Policy Program

The Division is responsible for and maintains a comprehensive water policy program that considers growth, storm water runoff, and watershed management.

Intergovernmental Review

Under CEQA, the Division is responsible for functions related to SCAG's authority as the regional agency for Intergovernmental Review of programs proposed for federal financial assistance and development activities. In this regard, the Division reviews regionally significant plans and projects for consistency with policies in the Regional Comprehensive Plan & Guide and Regional Transportation Plan and provides feedback to applicants to help achieve regional policy implementation.

Sylvia Patsaouras, Manager
(213) 236-1806 | Email: patsaour@scag.ca.gov

Transportation Planning

The Transportation Planning Division is responsible for updating and preparing the RTP. The RTP includes an assessment of overall growth and economic trends in the region, and provides strategic direction for transportation Capital investments. The RTP covers all transportation modes, and features sections on: Highways, Arterials, Goods Movement, Aviation, Transit, Transportation Demand Management, Transportation System Management, Non-motorized transportation, Transportation Finance, Land Use and Growth, and transportation plan performance.

Regional Corridor Studies

The Division is responsible or participating in a number of corridor studies and other planning studies, many with subregional or other partners. In each case, the study goals are unique, but all are designed to better inform regional transportation decision making. Following is just a few of the many studies in progress or planned pending grant approval:

  • Eastern Gateways Corridor (SR-60 Corridor)
  • Southwest Compact Corridor
  • I-405 (South Bay) Corridor Study
  • I-15 Comprehensive Corridor Study
  • Ontario Ground Access Study
  • Four Corners Study
  • Regional Airspace Study

Modeling

The Division section is responsible for developing, refining, maintaining and coordinating the transportation and air quality data base and computer models.

The Association's models have been developed and applied over the last three decades to forecast travel demand for planning activities such as the Regional Transportation Plan, Air Quality Management Plan, and the Regional Transportation Improvement Program.

In addition to long term forecasting, the computerized model is used to provide a quick method of evaluating the impacts of highway and transit improvements, and changes in land use or travel behavior on the transportation system.

In recent years, these travel demand forecasting models are being proposed for use in estimating transportation emissions and evaluating the conformity of transportation plans, programs, and projects for attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

The travel demand modeling process consists of four generalized steps. These four steps are trip generation (number of trips generated in each zone), trip distribution (number of trips between two zones), mode choice (split among available modes of travel), and trip assignment (assign trips on routes).

A variety of reports can be generated by the modes, such as:

  • The number of trips generated by various trip purposes
  • The path of travel from one zone to another by distance and/or time
  • The number of trips from one zone to another
  • The number of trips by mode of travel
  • The volume of traffic on the highway or transit network
  • Vehicle miles traveled by facility type, grouped by region, air basin, etc.

Naresh Amatya, Acting Manager
(213) 236-1885 | Email: macias@scag.ca.gov