The funding aims to improve road safety, reduce traffic congestion, and promote cleaner transportation
California is investing nearly $5 billion to repair highways, expand bus and train services, and enhance pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, state officials announced Friday.
The funding, approved by the California Transportation Commission, aims to improve road safety, reduce traffic congestion, and promote cleaner transportation options.
Of the total, $2.44 billion comes from the 2017 Road Repair and Accountability Act, funded by gas taxes, to address deteriorating roadways. Another $1.45 billion will support zero- and low-emission transportation projects, including upgrades to the state’s freight network to ease traffic and improve connections between marine ports, railyards, and freight corridors.
The Trade Corridor Enhancement Program will allocate $810 million to streamline freight movement, reduce truck idling, and cut pollution. The program includes plans to increase zero-emission truck charging stations by 25%.
Additional projects include $483 million for passenger rail extensions, bike lanes, and rapid transit bus systems, plus $202 million for local rail, transit, and pedestrian upgrades. Specific initiatives include $63 million for Riverside County’s Ramona Expressway, adding a bridge, bike lanes, and a wildlife crossing, and $49 million for charging hubs in Fresno, Oakland, Ontario, and San Diego. Another $28 million will fund ultra-fast vehicle chargers along Interstate 5 and State Route 99, while $18 million will improve traffic safety near five Los Angeles schools.
Since 2017, the gas tax has provided roughly $5 billion annually for transportation, split between state and local agencies, according to the Governor’s office.