SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The US Department of Transportation has awarded California nearly $35 million for six projects throughout the state, according to an announcement today by Caltrans.
The funding stems from a grant program by the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program (TIGER).
“Improving California’s transportation infrastructure is vital to economic development and job creation,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “I congratulate the local governments and agencies who are spearheading these efforts in their communities to ensure Californians have safer roads and greater access to multiple transit options.”
The projects funded are:
$11.8 million for the East Side Access Improvement Project: This Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority project will create a network of bike lanes and sidewalks for bicyclists and pedestrians to access the new Regional Connector/1st Central Station in Los Angeles, set to open in 2020.
$10.25 million for Willowbrook/Rosa Parks station: This project will improve several components of the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station near the Los Angeles community of Watts, which is a major transfer point for many commuters. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority project will lengthen the Metro Blue Line platform, enhance pedestrian and car access and link existing rail, bike and bus facilities.
$10 million for State Routes 57/60 Confluence Project – Freight Corridor Bottleneck Relief in Diamond Bar: Forecasted to ultimately cost $256 million, this realignment project will relieve congestion and improve safety along this regionally and nationally significant goods movement corridor. Grant funding was awarded to the Cities of Industry and Diamond Bar.
$1.5 million for West Sacramento Broadway Bridge Plan: The grant will complete the environmental documentation phase of a new Broadway bridge crossing the Sacramento River, connecting the cities of West Sacramento and Sacramento. The City of West Sacramento took the lead in applying for the grant to complete project authorization and the environmental documentation phase.
$1 million for San Francisco Bay Core Capacity Study: Study will evaluate and prioritize a package of investments that expand transit capacity and connectivity to major core San Francisco job centers (Downtown, Civic Center, South of Market and Mission Bay) to account for current and forecasted job and housing growth. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission, in partnership with several local and regional transit and transportation entities, spearheaded the grant application.
$235,000 for Old Town Goleta: Hollister Complete Street Corridor Plan: The grant will fund a planning project to develop a Complete Streets Corridor Plan for the redesign of the Hollister Avenue Corridor, with a goal to make streets within the corridor safer and more convenient for all users and all travel modes. Funding was awarded to the City of Goleta in Santa Barbara County.
The TIGER program, which began as part of the federal Recovery Act, offers federal funding possibilities for large, multi-modal projects. These federal funds leverage money from private sector partners, state, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations and transit agencies. Since 2009, California has received a total of $106 million for transportation projects across the state.