U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D, CA), a senior member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, announced Friday that agreement is close on a highway bill that will greatly benefit California.
“California will be the recipient of billions of dollars from the new formula, which has increased California’s highway funds by $4.4 billion from the last highway bill that was enacted in 1998,” Boxer said. “California will also be receiving millions of additional dollars in specified projects, which include Alameda Corridor East and 405 HOV lanes. This bill will create over 800,000 much-needed jobs for our state.”
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said, “From the 405 HOV lane project to traffic improvements at LAX to a more robust transit system, Los Angeles is making many important gains in the transportation bill. I am grateful for Senator Boxer’s leadership and her commitment to reducing traffic congestion, improving our air quality, and making Los Angeles a better place to live and work.”
Boxer and Senator Diane Feinstein (D, CA) also announced the following Southern California and Inland Empire Projects included in the bill:
* LAX ITS and Intersection Improvements Project will ease traffic flow in the vicinity of Los Angeles International Airport
* Compton Arterial Reconstruction Project will reconstruct and rehabilitate deteriorated arterial and collected streets throughout the community
* Century Boulevard Pedestrian Safety and Transportation Improvements Project in Inglewood will make improvements along Century Boulevard that will expand on current redevelopment efforts to make the downtown into a more livable, pedestrian friendly environment
* Alameda Corridor State Route 47 Port Access Expressway will replace the seismically deficient Schuyler Heim Bridge over Cerritos Channel that connects Terminal Island directly to Alameda Street near Pacific Coast Highway
* Santa Clarita Cross Valley Connector Project, an 8.5-mile road project, connecting Interstate 5 and State Route 14
* Intersection Improvements at Aviation Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue Project in El Segundo to build a direct link between the South Bay area of Los Angeles County and LAX Airport, Interstate 105 freeway and the aerospace employment centers in the vicinity of the airport
* Grade Separation at Mission Boulevard and State Route 71 Project in Pomona will include a new interchange with a bridge along Mission Boulevard over the existing State Route 71
* ITS Improvements Project in Pasadena will develop an automatic vehicle location system and priority signalization
* California Avenue Improvements Project in Long Beach will improve California Avenue between Willow and Spring streets
* Improvements for Interstate 710 Project will include new interchanges
* Bristol Street Multi-Modal Corridor Project in Santa Ana will widen Bristol Street
* Reduce Orange County Congestion (ROCC) Project will implement “quality growth transportation improvements” throughout the region to reduce congestion, improve safety, and protect air quality
* Riverside Highway Grade Separation Project will grade separate the Subdivision rail line at street crossings at 3rd Street, Iowa Avenue, and Colombia Avenue
* Hunts Lane Rail Grade Separation Project in San Bernardino will construct a multi-span grade separation bridge across Union Pacific railroad tracks and make street improvements to meet local safety requirements.
The bill also includes $4.6 billion in transit formula for California, the second-largest recipient of transit dollars in the country. The following specified transit projects are included in the bill: Mid-City/Exposition Light Rail Transit Project, Gold Line Foothill Light Rail Transit Project, Gold Line Eastside Light Rail Transit Project, Los Angeles Fly-Away Bus System Expansion, which will expand the network of remote transit terminals serving Los Angeles International Airport and other regional airports, providing direct-to-airport bus transportation for travelers as both efficiency and environmental mitigation measures, LAX Intermodal Transportation Center Rail and Bus Facilities, improvements to Green Line and regional rail transit system access to LAX, including construction of a rail and a bus facility as part of an Intermodal Transportation Center.
The bill will now go to both houses of Congress for a vote on the conference report.A complete list of California transportation projects included in the bill can be found at Senator Boxer’s website at: www.boxer.senate.gov.
