Department of Transportation: climate change vulnerability assessment: community resilience assessment.

Assembly Member Schiavo's transportation resilience legislation requires the California Department of Transportation to incorporate community impact assessments into its climate vulnerability planning, expanding the scope beyond physical infrastructure to examine how climate-related disruptions affect residents' access to essential services.

The bill establishes two key deadlines for implementation: By January 2029, Caltrans must develop community resilience indicators to measure how transportation disruptions from extreme weather affect different populations, with particular attention to disadvantaged communities, tribal lands, and environmental justice areas. By January 2030, these indicators must be integrated into the department's Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment reports, along with evaluations of how infrastructure risks impact community access to healthcare, education, employment, and emergency services.

The legislation requires Caltrans to conduct extensive public outreach, including workshops in all 12 transportation districts, to gather input from affected communities. The department must coordinate with local jurisdictions to assess evacuation planning, particularly for residents without personal vehicles, and identify locations for heat-mitigation infrastructure. The California Highway Patrol and Office of Emergency Services will provide consultation throughout the implementation process to align transportation resilience efforts with broader emergency preparedness goals.