The California Transportation Commission (CTC) approved the programming of $482 million in State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) funding that will be used for a variety of transportation projects throughout the region including the S.R. 138 Highway Project, the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Project and the purchase of new buses for L.A. Metro’s bus fleet.
The CTC adopted the five-year 2018 STIP, which includes $482 million for Los Angeles County. The 2018 STIP is a much-needed boost of funding for California, particularly after the last STIP adopted in 2016 cut $754 million of funding from projects statewide.
The 2018 STIP provides Los Angeles and other counties the chance to fully restore projects deleted in 2016, as well as the opportunity to fund additional transportation priorities. In Los Angeles County, Metro in partnership with Caltrans is completing much-needed safety improvements on the S.R. 138 from Palmdale to the San Bernardino County line by widening the last three segments of the highway. Metro is also funding other major transportation priorities including the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor, a major Measure M capital project, and bus fleet replacements.
In approving Metro’s funding request, the CTC allocated $131 million toward the S.R. 138 Highway Project that extends from the S.R. 14 in Los Angeles County to the S.R. 18 in San Bernardino County. The funding is for all four components of the project. In addition, $202 million was allocated to the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor project, a high-capacity bus rapid transit or light-rail project that will connect the Orange Line Van Nuys Station to the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink Station. Another $47 million was awarded to Metro for a series of bus purchases to replace older buses in Metro’s fleet.
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Source: Metro Magazine
