(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: (1) âFederal Reconnecting Communities Pilot Programâ means the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program established pursuant to Section 11509 of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58). (2) âJoint powers authorityâ means a joint exercise of powers authority established pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code. (3) âProgramâ means the Reconnecting Communities: Highways to Boulevards Pilot Program established pursuant to subdivision (b). (b) The Reconnecting Communities: Highways to Boulevards Pilot Program is hereby established, to be administered by the department, with guidance from the Transportation Agency, and in consultation with the commission, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Strategic Growth Council, and the Governorâs Office of Planning and Research, to provide funding, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purpose of awarding competitive grants to eligible entities, in partnership with the department, for planning or implementing the conversion or transformation of underutilized state highways into multimodal corridors that serve residents of underserved communities. (c) The purpose of the program is to achieve the following goals: (1) Restore community connectivity through the removal, retrofit, mitigation, or replacement of eligible transportation infrastructure facilities that create barriers to mobility, access, or economic development. (2) Provide matching funding for potential federal grant funds. (3) Advance health and equity outcomes for underserved communities by removing health, safety, and access barriers associated with transportation infrastructure within communities. (4) Improve access to opportunity by improving travel options and reducing combined household transportation and housing costs for underserved communities. (5) Create opportunities for implementation of affordable housing and affirmatively furthering fair housing. (6) Avoid or minimize direct and indirect displacement effects from project implementation. (7) Advance community-based or community-driven transportation planning. (d) The program shall set aside up to 25 percent of available funding for planning and the remainder for implementation. (e) Eligible applicants under the program may include, but are not limited to, any of the following: (1) For planning grants, a nonprofit organization, a community-based organization, a faith-based organization, a coalition or association of nonprofit organizations, a local agency, a regional agency, a joint powers authority, a tribal government, or a transit agency. (2) For implementation grants, a local, regional, or state transportation agency, a joint powers authority, or a tribal government. (f) Eligible project types under the program for implementation grants include, but are not limited to, any of the following: (1) Conversion or capping of an access-controlled state-operated transportation route to increase access for bicycles, pedestrians, and transit. (2) Conversion of a state highway serving as a main street into a multimodal surface street that allows for bicycle, pedestrian, and transit access. (3) A project that significantly enhances multimodal connectivity along or across a state highway without conversion or capping. (4) Implementation of early action implementation plans developed under subdivision (g). (5) Other implementation activities authorized for funding under the federal Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program. (g) Eligible project types under the program for planning grants include, but are not limited to, the following activities leading to any of the eligible implementation project types: (1) Community engagement, consultation, and leadership activities. (2) Planning studies, needs assessments, feasibility studies, scenario planning, conceptual designs, and other planning
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