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Why is this a Climate Smart indicator?
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Transportation creates almost half of our city's greenhouse gas emissions. If more people commuted by walking or biking, this would reduce our emissions. It would also reduce traffic, air and stormwater pollution and crashes.
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People who live in walkable and bike-friendly neighborhoods tend to be healthier.
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Walking and biking can reduce transportation costs for households.
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One of our Bold Goals is to reduce the number of drive-alone commute trips to only 40 percent of all commute trips by 2040. This is only achievable if other ways of commuting, such as walking and biking, become more common.
What is the City doing to make progress on this indicator?
Completed
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San José Complete Streets Design Standards & Guidelines, describing a vision and best available practices for designing streets that are comfortable, safe and welcoming for all modes of travel (adopted 2018)
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Transportation Analysis Policy to shift the focus of developments’ transportation improvements to pedestrian, bicycle and transit facilities (adopted in 2018, updated in 2022)
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Ordinance and permit system to address safety and operational issues of e-scooters while facilitating their growth; 3,250 scooters currently permitted
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Sustainable Commute Incentive Pilot program to test the effectiveness of various incentive strategies for reducing drive-alone automobile trips
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Vision Zero Action Plan (adopted 2020) and Quick Build team
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Better Bike Plan 2025 (adopted 10/6/20)
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East San José Multimodal Transportation Improvement Plan (En Movimiento; adopted 2021)
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Emerging Mobility Action Plan (adopted 4/5/22)
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Complete public bike share system with 83 stations and 1,100 bikes, including 100 dockless electric-assist bikes
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Move San José, a new transportation strategy for San José (adopted 8/9/22)
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Downtown Transportation Plan, which includes 17 transportation strategies to assist the city in designing, securing funding, and delivering key downtown improvements (adopted 11/15/22)
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West San José Multimodal Transportation Improvement Plan (adopted 12/6/22)
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Parking and Transportation Demand Management Ordinance update (adopted 12/6/22, effective 4/10/23)
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Hire the City’s first Transportation Demand Management coordinator to manage the City’s existing employee commute programs, such as VTA’s Smart Pass Program, as well as expand and improve the program
In Progress / Ongoing
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Implement the Vision Zero Action Plan
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Implement En Movimiento projects
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Implement Emerging Mobility Action Plan
- Implement the Downtown Better BikewaySJ Network
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Promote Transit Oriented Developments (TOD) through implementation of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan and urban village plans
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Partner with regional agencies on cross-jurisdictional active transportation projects
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Develop the Diridon Integrated Station Concept plan with regional partners
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Climate Smart Challenge and GoGreen Teams programs for San José residents, which encourage walking and biking
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LED Streetlight Conversion Program to make streets feel safer for pedestrians (2009-present)
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Walk n’ Roll program to increase the number of kids walking and biking to school
Planned
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Walk Safe San José Plan (expected 2024)
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North San Jose Multimodal Transportation Improvement Plan (expected 2025)
Evaluating
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Green Trip Challenge, an annual competition for City employees that encourages use of sustainable travel modes (suspended during COVID-19 pandemic; may be continued in future)
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Consider increasing maximum acceptable densities so that land resources are not locked into low-density patterns of development
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Prioritize active transportation projects to leverage local and regional funding opportunities
About the data
Sources
The percentage of commute journeys by walking and cycling is obtained from the American Community Survey, a yearly survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau that provides detailed population and housing information including commuting data. The data shown here are 5-year estimates from the Commuting Characteristics by Sex table.
Last updated
August 2023