California allocates $1 billion in new funding to upgrade transportation infrastructure

Sacramento, Calif. – The state's vast transportation system has received a major infusion of cash, as the California Transportation Commission (CTC) has allocated $1 billion to repair local streets and state highways, improve public transit and alleviate traffic delays statewide.

"This funding helps preserve California's great infrastructure and puts thousands of Californian's to work building sustainable, new improvements," said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. "The investment in highway preservation and innovation is absolutely critical to California's economy."

The allocation of $750 million in federal funds for Caltrans' Local Assistance Program annually pays for more than 1,200 projects designed to improve local roads, bridges and public transit. In the months ahead, more than 600 city, county and regional transportation agencies will submit their projects to Caltrans for review and approval to ensure compliance with federal requirements.

The CTC also allocated nearly $87 million to Caltrans to pay for the operating expenses for the Pacific Surfliner and San Joaquin intercity passenger rail services. These routes are two of the five busiest in the Amtrak system. Ridership on the three state-supported rail routes (which includes the Capitol Corridor) for federal fiscal year 2013 was a record 5.6 million. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, per passenger mile, travel by rail generates about half the carbon dioxide emission of an automobile trip.

The CTC closed out the allocations by approving $170 million for 29 additional projects.