The California Transportation Commission has allocated nearly $1 billion to a range of transportation projects aimed at expanding transit, improving highway safety, and promoting walkable communities across the state. The funding is part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s infrastructure agenda known as “Build More, Faster – For All,” which seeks to make California’s communities safer and more resilient to climate change.
Of the $988.7 million approved, $184 million comes from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA), while $336 million is provided by Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), also called the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. According to state officials, these investments have contributed to an estimated 684,000 jobs and support Californians’ access to employment, education, goods, services, and recreation.
The list of funded projects includes several major initiatives. Among them is a $96 million allocation for improvements between Ventura County and Goleta that will add high-occupancy vehicle lanes, pedestrian and bike paths, as well as enhancements for public transit. Another $73 million will be used to improve semi-truck operations and safety on Interstate 10 in San Bernardino County. In Riverside County, $63 million will fund a new bridge with bike lanes and a wildlife crossing as part of upgrades to the Ramona Expressway.
Transit-related projects receiving funding include $60 million for rehabilitation work at Los Angeles Union Station; $17 million for Glendale’s purchase of 20 electric buses; and $21 million for Sacramento Regional Transit’s acquisition of eight new light rail vehicles.
The commission also allocated $18.8 million toward the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in partnership with the California Natural Resources Agency. This project aims to provide safe passage for wildlife over U.S. Highway 101—reducing collisions between animals and vehicles—and is described as “the first of its kind in California” that will serve as “a globally significant model for wildlife connectivity in an urban corridor.”
