The California Transportation Commission (Caltrans) has allocated $830 million to fund a broad range of investments to improve access, safety and provide sustainable projects.
The approved allocations include $249 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and another $306 million via Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.
“These investments will help provide the next generation of transportation projects in California, strengthening efforts for bridge maintenance and renovation, increasing safety for people who walk and bike, expanding equitable access and continuing support for the movement of goods and services that fuel the state’s economic engine,” said Tony Tavares, Caltrans Director, in a statement.
In addition to major undertakings, such as the rehabilitation of the Vincent Thomas Bridge in Los Angeles and the Silicon Valley rail extension in San Jose, the allocation contains funds for local projects, including:
· The Orange Family Street Project in San Diego’s City Heights community will install traffic circles and buffered bike lanes and raise crosswalks to reduce traffic and improve pedestrian safety.
· Nearly 10 miles of new bike lanes in the Wilmington neighborhood near the Port of Los Angeles will also include pedestrian and ADA upgrades, new sidewalks, shade trees and lighting.
· The L.A. River Greenway project will connect East San Fernando Valley with LA Metro’s North Hollywood rail station through a network of pedestrian and bicycle trails.
· The purchase of zero-emission, high-capacity buses to serve residents of Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
Other projects have been funded in Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano and Sonoma counties.
California has received nearly $62 billion in IIJA funding since its passage. It includes investments to upgrade the state's roads, bridges, rail, public transit, airports, ports, waterways and the electric vehicle charging network. The funding alone has already created more than 170,000 jobs in California.
Source: Caltrans, Timesofsandiego.com
