Report: Caltrans Stuck In The Past; Major Overhaul Needed

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A new report commissioned by California's top transportation officials concludes that the state department in charge of highway planning and construction needs a major overhaul.

The report authors say that the California Department of Transportation, known as Caltrans, is stuck in the past.

While Caltrans was great at building freeways, that era has passed and its approach to transportation planning has neglected trends such as increased local decision-making and more efficient land use.

The California State Transportation Agency paid a group of outside experts to scrutinize Caltrans, which the agency oversees.

The transportation agency's head, Brian Kelly, said in a statement Thursday that he is determined to implement the report's many recommendations. In his words, Caltrans needs "modernizing."

Caltrans did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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