The California Transportation Commission has approved $3 billion in funding for transportation projects aimed at improving safety and expanding travel options across the state. The allocation will support upgrades to highways, bike lanes, and pedestrian pathways.
Funding comes from two major sources: $663 million is provided by Senate Bill 1, also known as the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, while approximately $2 billion comes from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. These investments are intended to increase transportation capacity, rehabilitate aging infrastructure, and reduce travel times while considering community impacts and environmental benefits.
Among the larger projects receiving approval are improvements to Interstate 5 in Kern County. The project will use $102 million for pavement repairs, drainage upgrades, lighting enhancements, installation of CCTV cameras, vehicle detection systems, and changeable message signs to help with traffic monitoring and incident response.
A bridge preservation project in Monterey County will receive $21 million. This effort will use an electrochemical technique designed to remove corrosives from concrete structures, which is expected to extend the bridge’s service life.
In Santa Rosa, a new bicycle and pedestrian overcrossing of U.S. Highway 101 will be constructed with a budget of $12 million. The overcrossing aims to serve students at Santa Rosa Junior College and Santa Rosa High School as well as people accessing nearby commercial areas.
Bakersfield will see new sidewalks, landscaping improvements, and bike lanes along H Street through a $3 million investment. This project seeks to improve walking and bicycling access as well as neighborhood connectivity.
Additional projects throughout California are included in this round of allocations under Governor Gavin Newsom’s Build More, Faster – For All infrastructure agenda.
