Two important bills escaped Governor Schwartzenagger’s veto temper tantrum. SB735 requires regions to connect transportation and housing plans to reduce the need for car travel and help reach greenhouse gas targets. AB 1358, the Complete Streets Act requires city and county general plans to take into account the requirements of pedestrians, cyclists, the elderly and disabled.
The suburban pattern of development in post-WW2 US wasn’t “natural” — it was shaped by policies that favored the automobile and sprawl. These two bills are major steps to reverse that trend.