California invests $540M to support zero emission projects, transit, more

The California Transportation Commission (CTC or Commission) allocated approximately $540 million in transportation investments to improve travel times, shore up aging facilities and add new layers of safety around schools and community centers. Guided by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Build More, Faster – For All initiative, this support also fuels alternative transit options, maintains critical transportation assets such as bridges and freight corridors, and generates nearly 6,000 new jobs.

The total includes $152 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and $253 million in support from Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. The remaining $135 million is funded through the State Highway Account, the general fund and other state and federal programs. Several projects with IIJA and SB1 funding are combined with these other sources.

The single largest proposal winning support this month is a $117.8 million project to replace the fender system on the West Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. In addition, the Commission approved $53 million to complete a communication-based train control system for BART. As the Bay Area prepares for upcoming events like the FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer tournament, the new system will allow for more frequent train service capable of handling a daily increase of more than 200,000 riders. CTC also provided nearly $70 million to address weather-related highway repairs statewide.

SB 1 provides approximately $5 billion annually for transportation projects. SB 1 calls for splitting the money between state and local agencies.

Source: Caltrans