Better Using Changeable Message Signs

August 18th, 2025

Hon. Dina El-Tawansy
Director, Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
1120 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
 

Dear Director El-Tawansy:
 

I greatly appreciate Caltrans’ commitment to serving the transportation needs of the state, including leveraging all available resources to encourage the use of public transportation services. It is in that spirit that I write to you regarding Changeable Message Signs (CMS) along state highways and how to best leverage them for state priorities. I encourage Caltrans to display transit-related messaging on these signs, specifically along highways parallel to intercity and regional rail. The Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) rail corridor is crucial to the state’s mobility and environmental goals and runs adjacent to some of the heaviest traveled freeway corridors in the state, such as the Interstate 5.

Improving the awareness of safe alternative travel options to driving directly aligns with existing requirements for CMS alerts. Furthermore, increasing the use of transit services is an important part of the state’s long-term strategy to improve air quality, limit greenhouse gas emissions and reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). Lastly, and most notably, transit messaging could be and should be incorporated as a core component in the draft Caltrans Director’s Transit Policy which will serve as a high-level guide that outlines the Department’s commitment to supporting public transit on the State Highway System. Early adoption of this would be seen as a good faith effort to meaningfully implement the draft Caltrans Director’s Transit Policy. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Senator Catherine S. Blakespear
California State Senate District 38