January 5, 2026
Dear Monterey County Zero Emissions Shared Mobility Study Team,
LandWatch Monterey County appreciates the County’s work on the Draft Zero Emissions Shared Mobility Study. We support the general direction and concepts outlined in this study, including shared micromobility (e-bike/scooter) hubs, electric car sharing, and expanded trolley and bus service. We are excited to see these ideas further develop and implemented
At the same time, we believe this document is a mobility study; it should not be treated as a transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction strategy, or a substitute for one, as a component of the County’s Climate Action Plan. As drafted, the study does not include even high-level estimates of avoided car trips, avoided vehicle miles traveled (VMT), or GHG reductions. It also does not evaluate how these programs might reduce the need for additional automobile-oriented infrastructure and land uses (e.g. parking supply and roadway capacity) as travel demand grows. Without this information, it is difficult to understand the likely scale of outcomes or to compare and prioritize the options presented in this report.
LandWatch recommends adding rough benchmark estimates for the potential benefits of each proposed project, even if based on simple assumptions and ranges. At minimum, the study should estimate avoided car trips and avoided VMT and ideally provide a transparent pathway to approximate GHG impacts.
We also recommend including a comparison against the alternative of accommodating equivalent mobility demand through private automobiles,for example, the parking and/or lane expansions that may be necessary to meet demand if the proposed bike/transit projects are not completed. This would make the document far more actionable for prioritization, grant applications, and public decision-making.
Thank you again for developing this draft. We look forward to continued engagement as the study is refined.
Best regards,
Michael D. DeLapa
Executive Director
