Dive Brief:
- The California Transportation Commission allocated $848 million, largely focused on rail projects, to advance mass transit and improve freight operations in the state, according to a Wednesday news release.
- The approved spending includes $273 million for rail systems already under construction in the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California. Of that portion, $100 million will support the construction of a 5-mile tunnel between San Jose and the city of Santa Clara as part of an expansion of Bay Area Rapid Transit, the region’s light-rail system.
- The funding includes $47 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, as well as $405 million from California’s Senate Bill 1, which has provided nearly $5.5 billion for transportation projects since 2017, according to the release.
Dive Insight:
In addition, CTC also laid groundwork for $17.9 billion in funding over the next four years for the state’s highway system. Improvements include pavement and bridge repairs, as well as safety features. That money is part of the 2026 State Highway Operation and Protection Program.
“The significant allocations made this past week support a sensible balance between immediate project needs with funding for long-term improvements that continue to shape the future of our transportation system,” said Caltrans Director Dina El-Tawansy in the release.
Funds for the BART tunnel are part of the $12.2 billion BART Silicon Valley Phase II project and will help construct a tunnel launch structure and tunnel supports to enable future tunneling operations. That project is leveraging more than $1.2 billion in state funding, with billions more from local and federal sources, per the CTC release.
Other notable allocations, according to the release, include:
- $35 million to complete the design and construction of rail power stations in Los Angeles.
- $33 million to expand rail freight operations at the Port of Long Beach.
- $33 million to build a major, public-access electric vehicle charging facility on a 118-acre parcel in Sacramento.
- $5.3 million for pedestrian and bike upgrades along Routes 115, 111 and 86 in Imperial County.
- $3 million to stabilize erosion on the Deal Mar Bluffs in San Diego County.
