SACRAMENTO
Caltrans awards $34 million to fund future sustainable transportation projects in local communities
Caltrans awarded $34 million in state and federal funds to cities, counties, tribes and transit agencies throughout California today to improve the state’s transportation network. The grant money—including $25 million funded by Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017—will be used to plan sustainable transportation projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve the state highway system, enhance access to safe walkways and bikeways, and increase natural disaster preparedness.
Approximately $700,000 was awarded to tribes, agencies and local governments within Caltrans District 1 for transit and active transportation projects. Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants were awarded to the following projects in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake and Mendocino Counties:
- Lake County Transit Development Plan Update
- Humboldt Bay Trail Planning Study: Eureka to College of the Redwoods
- Feasibility Study – Mobility Solutions for Rural Communities of Inland Mendocino County
- Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation Connected Communities Plan
“These investments will positively impact our communities,” said District 1 Director Matt Brady. “Our local partners will use this opportunity to explore multimodal transportation solutions and ways to positively impact some of our District’s more disadvantaged communities.”
In total, Caltrans allocated:
- $17.4 million – including $12.38 million from SB 1 – in Sustainable Communities Competitive and Technical Grants to 50 local, regional, tribal and transit agencies for climate change adaptation, complete streets, transportation and land use planning, and natural disaster preparedness. This includes more than $4 million to fund planning for 13 projects that improve safety and access for people who walk and bike.
- $12.5 million in Sustainable Communities Formula Grants, completely funded by SB 1, to metropolitan planning organizations to further regional transportation plans and sustainable communities strategies.
- $4 million in federally funded Strategic Partnership Grants to nine projects that will plan for next-generation freeways, improve transit options between communities, research alternative funding for road repairs, and advance the timely and efficient movement of goods throughout the state.
Caltrans awards transportation planning grants each year through a competitive process to encourage local and regional projects. Applications are evaluated on how they further state transportation goals by identifying and addressing statewide, interregional or regional transportation deficiencies on the highway system.
View the FY 2021-22 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program Award List for all of the planning grant project awardees online at https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/transportation-planning/documents/sustainable-planning-grants-2021/fy-21-22-stpg-award-list-a11y.pdf
—Submitted
—Compiled by Ariel Carmona Jr.
