Specifications include, but are not limited to: “Urban heat islands” form when natural land cover, e.g. trees, grasslands, wetlands – are replaced with pavement, buildings, and infrastructure. Paved surfaces and other non-reflective surfaces absorb heat during the day and release it at night, inflating overnight temperatures. Urban areas within the region are likely to experience more frequent, more intense, and longer heat waves as temperatures continue to rise due to climate change. Urban heat islands limit mobility by inhibiting human-powered modes of transportation such as walking and biking; increase energy demands; raise air pollution levels; and cause heat-related illness. By partnering with the region’s jurisdictions, SCAG will help increase resiliency to warming urban air temperatures and alleviate effects of extreme heat events through urban greening, urban forestry, reduced impervious surfaces and cool pavement strategies and investments. This project seeks to promote increased walking, biking and other non-motorized transportation modes within defined contiguous areas that exhibit potential for increased high quality transit by strategizing for continuous shaded pathways to/from existing or planned transit and shaded transit stops. Moreover, the project will prioritize first/last mile investments, improve access to transit and other key destinations, and make the mode shift from Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOVs) to human-powered transportation for short trips more appealing. The goal of this project is to develop individual plans for three project areas; two in the City of Pasadena and one in Long Beach. Each plan will include two complementary strategies for heat island reduction: Urban Greening and Cool Pavement. Description of each project area are below.