What you need to know: Additional investments are helping power the state’s ongoing transportation efforts to increase highway safety, enhance connectivity for all users and restore highways damaged by extreme weather, fire and other natural disasters.
San Jose – The California Transportation Commission (CTC or Commission) today allocated approximately $540 million in transportation investments to improve travel times, shore up aging facilities and add new layers of safety around schools and community centers. Guided by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Build More, Faster – For All initiative, this support also fuels alternative transit options, maintains critical transportation assets such as bridges and freight corridors, and generates nearly 6,000 new jobs.
The total includes $152 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and $253 million in support from Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. The remaining $135 million is funded through the State Highway Account, the general fund and other state and federal programs. Several projects with IIJA and SB1 funding are combined with these other sources. The allocations have helped Californians, businesses and visitors who rely on the state’s transportation network for employment and educational opportunities, access to goods and services, and connection to recreational attractions.
“Californians deserve a transportation system that is safe, reliable and built for future growth,” said California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. “The Commission’s action today helps support Governor Newsom’s goals of improving multimodal connectivity.”
“The support made possible by these forward-thinking investments will help Caltrans increase sustainability, maintain safer and more connected bridges and roadways and bolsters our efforts to counter the effects of extreme weather on critical transportation assets,” said Caltrans Director Dina El-Tawansy.
“Once again, the Commission and Caltrans are making tremendous investments in our communities. These decisions will make a real difference in how we get to jobs, schools, and other essential services, and will create a safer, healthier California,” said CTC Chair Clarissa Falcon.
The single largest proposal winning support this month is a $117.8 million project to replace the fender system on the West Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Bridge fenders are structures installed around bridge piers or towers that provide an extra level of advanced security in the event of an accidental ship allision by absorbing the impact before hitting the bridge.
In addition, the Commission approved $53 million to complete a communication-based train control system for BART. As the Bay Area prepares for upcoming events like the FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer tournament, the new system will allow for more frequent train service capable of handling a daily increase of more than 200,000 riders.
CTC also provided nearly $70 million to address weather-related highway repairs statewide. Heavy rains earlier this year caused slope erosion above Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, requiring $2.3 million in stabilization work. Another $1.4 million will be used to restore a rest area in Lebec that was covered under nearly six feet of sediment. And in Santa Barbara, damage caused by storms from 2024 still require $4.3 million in additional work. These investments will repair existing concerns and improve system resiliency by hardening transportation assets against future threats posed by severe weather, wildfires and other natural disasters.
Other noteworthy investments include:
- $6.7 million to create a pedestrian priority area with new sidewalks in downtown Long Beach.
- $520,000 to support new walking and biking routes to schools and community centers in the Highland neighborhood in Visalia.
- $35,000 to design new safe routes to two public elementary schools in northeast San Bernardino.
Local district projects include:
- $1,300,000 in support costs for the State Route 4 Jack Tone Road Intersection Improvement Project in San Joaquin County. The funding will be used for planning and implementation of a roundabout intersection safety improvement project scheduled to begin construction in 2029. The project will replace the existing four-way stop intersection with a roundabout to improve traffic safety and reduce fatality collisions along the SR-4 corridor near the City of Stockton.
- $6,484,000 in support of the State Route 59 Intersection Control Project in Merced County. The funding will be used to construct a single lane roundabout at the intersection of SR-59 and Gerard Avenue just south of the City of Merced. The project will reduce delays and improve traffic safety within the intersection during peak commute hours.
- $6,292,000 to support Calaveras County’s State Route 4 (SR-4) Wagon Trail Project (Eastern Segment). The project will realign and reconstruct approximately six miles of SR-4 between Stallion Way and Stockton Road in Calaveras County with 12-foot width lanes and 8-foot paved shoulders, enhancing traffic safety with improved sight distance, smoother curves and a better ride quality for motorists.
- $2,393,000 to support Merced County Association of Government’s Santa Fe Drive Pavement Rehabilitation Project. The project will rehabilitate approximately twenty-five miles of deteriorated roadway between the City of Merced and Atwater in Merced County.
Approximately 30 percent of today’s total funding comes from IIJA. California has received an annual investment of approximately $16.7 billion in infrastructure funding since IIJA’s passage. That includes investments to upgrade the state’s roads, bridges, rail, public transit, airports, electric vehicle charging network, ports and waterways.
Other investments are supported by SB 1, which provides approximately $5 billion annually for transportation projects. SB 1 calls for splitting the money between state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of funds, including projects that are partially funded by SB 1.
For more information about transportation and other infrastructure projects funded with state and federal investments, visit Build.CA.gov.
Motorists should expect 5-to-10-minute delays and use alternate routes whenever possible. All work is scheduled to occur as listed but is subject to change due to traffic incidents, weather, availability of equipment/materials, and construction-related issues.
For the safety of workers and other motorists, please Be Work Zone Alert. Caltrans also reminds motorists to #KnowBeforeYouGo by checking QuickMaps on your mobile device or visit quickmap.dot.ca.gov for real-time highway conditions.
