California Construction News staff writer
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has approved $2.7 billion for more than 150 transportation projects across the state, including major tunnel rehabilitation, highway expansion, transit upgrades and pedestrian safety improvements.
The funding is intended to improve travel times and multimodal transportation options while strengthening transportation infrastructure against severe weather and other climate-related threats.
Nearly $1.6 billion of the approved funding comes from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, while another $542 million is being provided through California’s Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.
Among the largest projects receiving funding is a $267 million rehabilitation of the Caldecott Tunnel in Orinda. The project will rehabilitate and upgrade ventilation systems in three of the tunnel’s four bores.
In Sonoma County, $63 million will fund the addition of two lanes to State Route 37 between Sears Point and Mare Island.
The commission also approved $2.45 million for infrastructure, landscaping and safety improvements at four transit stations in Los Angeles County ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics.
In Oildale, an east Bakersfield community, $1.8 million will support a new Safe Route to School project. The work will include warning beacons, signs and other safety features intended to improve conditions for students walking and biking to school.
The projects form part of the state’s broader transportation infrastructure program, with funding directed toward highway, transit, pedestrian and other transportation improvements.
California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin said the investments are intended to support a transportation system that can serve residents regardless of how they travel while improving resilience to climate-related impacts.
Caltrans Director Dina El-Tawansy said the projects address current transportation needs while supporting longer-term safety and infrastructure objectives.
Commission Chair Clarissa Falcon said the funding will support safety, resilience and expanded transportation options in communities across California.
The projects are being funded through a combination of federal and state transportation programs.
