Director's Corner

It's been a historic year, and there's more to come

After working to repair $1.2 billion in damages from one of the wettest California winters on record, assessing and repairing about $30 million in damages from the devastating October wildfires, and accelerating approximately $5 billion in “fix-it-first” projects due to SB 1, I think it’s fair to say it’s been a historic year.

And we will continue to make history.

For the last 20 years, motorists have paid the same state tax on each gallon of gas, while they purchase more fuel-efficient vehicles that go farther with less fuel. So each year there has been less and less funding to maintain our state transportation system that is more than half a century old. 
But that was before the new revenue package, SB 1, was passed.  SB 1 provides $5.4 billion each year, roughly split between state and local agencies, for the maintenance and rehabilitation of local roads and the state highway system - including $400 million specifically for bridges and culverts.

SB 1 funds will allow us to fix more than 17,000 lane miles of pavement, 500 bridges and 55,000 culverts by 2027. We will also fix 7,700 traffic management systems, like ramp meters, traffic cameras and electric highway message boards that help reduce highway congestion.

The 90 projects accelerated at the October CTC meeting include a $247.2 million project to strengthen the south connector undercrossing on Interstate 5 from U.S. Highway 50 to I-80, and the American River Viaduct on I-5 in Sacramento. We will also improve 116 lane miles of pavement on Interstate 10 in Riverside County, 104 lane miles of pavement on Interstate 605 from the Los Angeles/Orange County line to Telegraph Road in LA County, 25.4 lane miles of pavement on Interstate 5 from the Sacramento River Bridge in Dunsmuir to Black Butte Overhead in Siskiyou County, and 49 lane miles of U.S. Highway 101 from south of Espinosa Road Undercrossing in Monterey County to the Monterey/San Benito County line.

And these are just to name a few. “Fix-it-First” projects like this will strengthen California’s transportation system for years to come.

This upcoming year is a critical time for us to once again show that Caltrans is a premiere organization that will deliver on the commitment to improve transportation in California.

Thank you for your diligence and perseverance and all the best to each of you and your families this holiday season!