The California Transportation Commission has approved $3 billion in funding for projects aimed at improving safety and mobility on the state’s highways, as well as expanding options for multimodal travel such as bike lanes and pedestrian pathways. The decision is part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Build More, Faster – For All infrastructure initiative.
Of the total funds allocated, $663 million comes from Senate Bill 1 (the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017), while approximately $2 billion is sourced from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. These investments are intended to increase transportation capacity, rehabilitate aging roadways, improve travel times, balance community impacts, and promote environmental benefits.
Among the major projects receiving funding are a $102 million effort to upgrade segments of Interstate 5 in Kern County with pavement repairs, improved drainage and lighting, CCTV cameras, vehicle detection systems, and changeable message signs to enhance traffic monitoring and incident response. Another project involves a $21 million bridge preservation in Monterey County using an electrochemical technique designed to extend the structure’s service life by removing corrosives from concrete.
Additionally, $12 million has been set aside for constructing a bicycle and pedestrian overcrossing on U.S. Highway 101 in Santa Rosa. This crossing will serve students attending Santa Rosa Junior College and Santa Rosa High School as well as nearby commercial areas. In Bakersfield, $3 million will go toward new sidewalks, landscaping, and bike lanes along H Street to improve access for pedestrians and cyclists.
“Guided by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Build More, Faster – For All infrastructure agenda, these improvements will make California communities safer, cleaner and increase access to active transportation options,” according to a statement from state officials.
The commission stated that these allocations would act as a catalyst for enhancing California’s transportation system while supporting community connectivity and sustainability goals.
