California Transportation Plan Updates

The California Transportation Plan (CTP) provides a common framework for guiding transportation decisions and investments by all levels of government and the private sector. Statutorily mandated federal and state law require that Caltrans facilitate, develop, and prepare the CTP. It is Caltrans responsibility to work with stakeholders and the public to update the CTP every five years.

California Transportation Plan

To view the latest iteration of the CTP (CTP appendices are available upon request) and previous versions of the document:

CTP Guidelines

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) oversees the CTP Guidelines which is a framework document that helps Caltrans to prepare every new iteration of the CTP. The CTP Guidelines are assembled to ensure that the that main plan is revised to implement any new legislation.

To view the entire listing of CTP statutory requirements, please view the latest version of the guidelines:

CTP Addendum

As a retroactive addendum to the 2023 CTP Guidelines, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) created the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Federal Aid Program. PROTECT’s program purpose is to help make surface transportation more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters through support of planning activities, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk coastal infrastructure. The PROTECT Program invites state departments of transportation to create a Resilience Improvement Plan, an optional component that can reduce the state and local cost-share of certain identified PROTECT projects from 20 percent to 10 percent. The State Climate Resilience Improvement Plan for Transportation (SCRIPT) is California’s response to this optional component.

State Climate Resilience Improvement Plan for Transportation

The State Climate Resilience Improvement Plan for Transportation (SCRIPT) summarizes the breadth of existing climate adaptation policies, tools, guidance, and activities that have positioned Caltrans and its partners to take a systemic approach to making immediate and long-range investments to improve the resilience of the multi-modal transportation system, from the onset of IIJA through the aligned effective date of the CTP 2050 (2021- 2050). The SCRIPT supports the CTP 2050 Climate Goal of increasing resilience to climate change, and is hereby incorporated into the CTP 2050 by addendum in November, 2023, as well as reflected in the CTP Implementation Progress Report.

To view the final draft of the SCRIPT:

45-Day Public Review Period for the Public Participation Plan

Caltrans is currently in the process of updating the Public Participation Plan (PPP). Caltrans invites you to participate in shaping California's transportation future by reviewing the next iteration of the PPP for the CTP and Federal Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (FSTIP) until May 20, 2024. Your insights are invaluable, and we welcome your input through a convenient submission form or email. Due note that your involvement also helps create a transportation system that addresses your needs, values, and aspirations. It is important to keep in mind that your input influences project prioritization, resource allocation, and the overall direction of California transportation network. We look forward to receiving your input and working together to make California's transportation system better for everyone.

To view the previous and draft versions of the PPP:

To review and provide PPP feedback:

  • Submission Form (Smartsheet) – Conveniently submit and provide your thoughts and suggestions through our user-friendly online submission form.

If you prefer, you can also send your direct feedback via email to EEH@dot.ca.gov, however please include "Draft PPP Review" in the subject line to ensure your comments are processed promptly. Caltrans values your participation so thank you for sharing your perspectives, concerns, and innovative ideas. 

CTP Implementation

Caltrans works with stakeholders to report on CTP implementation progress. Implementation for the CTP remains an ongoing fluid process. Upon final release of the more recent CTP 2050 - Caltrans has worked with stakeholders to develop both an annual progress report and real-time dashboard that both monitor and identify statewide progress towards the implementation of the CTP.

To view the latest version and previous releases of the annual CTP Implementation Progress Report:

To view the CTP Implementation Dashboard:

Key CTP Legislation

The following legislation and executive orders have been or will be taken into account in both previous and future iterations of the CTP:

  • AB 857 – Established three planning priorities: promote equitable infill development within existing communities, protect the State’s most valuable environmental and agricultural resources, and encourage efficient development patterns.
  • EO S-3-05 – Requires continued reduction of transportation-related GHG emissions to a new standard of 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
  • AB 32 – California’s landmark Global Warming Solution Act of 2006 requires reducing the State’s GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and continued reductions beyond 2020.
  • SB 375 – Requires Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to include Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCSs) in their Regional Transportation Plans (RTPs)for the purposes of reducing GHG emissions, aligning planning for transportation and housing, and creating incentives for the implementation of strategies.
  • SB 391 – Requires the California Department of Transportation to update the CTP every five years while showing how the State will achieve the statewide GHG reduction to meet the goals of AB 32 and EO S-3-05.
  • EO B-16-12– Reaffirms EO S-3-05, and calls for continued reduction of GHG emissions in the transportation sector to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
  • SB 743 – Requires the Office of Planning & Research (OPR) to revise California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines and establishes criteria for determining transportation impacts of projects within transit priority areas.
  • EO B-30-15 – Establishes a California GHG target of 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 – the most aggressive benchmark enacted by a government in North America to reduce dangerous carbon emissions over the next decade and a half.
  • EO B-32-15 – Requires that the Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CALSTA), the Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), and the Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) lead other relevant State departments including ARB, Caltrans, the California Energy Commission (CEC), and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) to develop an integrated action plan by July 2016 that establishes clear targets to improve freight efficiency statewide.
  • AB 179 – This bill would additionally require the Governor to use every effort to ensure that the commission has a diverse membership with expertise in transportation issues and disadvantaged communities. Also, this bill would require the commission, Caltrans and the State Air Resources Board to hold at least 2 joint meetings per calendar year to coordinate their implementation of transportation policies.
  • AB 1755 – This bill would subject a person riding a bicycle on a Class I bikeway to those rights and requirements of the Vehicle Code that apply if that person is involved in an accident resulting in injury or death of a person other than himself or herself, as specified. Because a violation of those provisions of the Vehicle Code by that person would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.