Article Source:  CA U.S. Senator Padilla

January 7, 2025
Padilla Announces Over $258 Million for California Transportation Infrastructure Projects

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will award 25 California projects a combined $258 million for transportation infrastructure upgrades. The grants come through three programs funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Program, the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Grant Program, and the Rural Surface Transportation Grant (Rural) Program.

Padilla supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s substantial increase in funding for the RAISE program, which invests in road, rail, transit, and port projects across the country. The RCP — which focuses on improving access to daily needs such as jobs, education, health care, food, nature, and recreation — was modeled off the Reconnecting Communities Act that Padilla co-led in 2021. The Rural program supports projects that improve safety, connectivity, and economic growth in rural communities.

“Far too many communities across California have been cut off by old highway construction projects or are struggling with aging transportation infrastructure in their own neighborhoods,” said Senator Padilla. “These major transportation investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will reduce historical barriers to economic and educational opportunities and create a safer, cleaner commute for millions of Californians.”

City of Tracy — $41.35 million: The project includes three elements: 1) I-580/Corral Hollow Road Interchange improvements constructing two roundabouts at the freeway ramp intersections, widening the overcrossing at I-580, and installing a Class I path; 2) Corral Hollow Road Improvements widening the two-lane roadway to a divided four-lane roadway with multimodal facilities and replacing the bridges over the California Aqueduct and Delta Mendota Canal; and 3) Corral Hollow Road/Linne Road intersection improvements with a new traffic signal, turn lanes, and a strengthened at-grade crossing.

Yuba County — $35.52 million: The project will extend Plumas Lake Boulevard eastward, over SR 70, using two bridges, one spanning the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and one spanning the Western Pacific Interceptor Canal (WPIC), to connect easterly to Plumas-Arboga Road. The project will eliminate an existing at-grade UPRR crossing on Plumas-Arboga Road. The extension will also serve the proposed location for a new North Valley Rail Stop.

Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles — $26.64 million: This set of three related projects will mitigate transportation-related disadvantages and challenges by removing barriers to daily destinations and by creating a cohesive network of safe and accessible pathways and facilities for all users. The projects address burdens caused by the Metro A Line, create safe and accessible pathways via new Complete Streets, retrofit existing streets to improve active transportation connectivity, improve a heat island impacted area to increase resilience to climate change, and spur affordable housing and economic development activities for Watts residents.

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) District — $25 million: This project will replace the existing train control system with a new moving-block signaling system known as a communications-based train control (CBTC) system. BART D-Cars will be outfitted with the processor-based controllers, transponders, communication equipment, and location sensors.

City of Palmdale — $23 million: This project will construct the railroad grade separation of Rancho Vista Boulevard at both Sierra Highway and the at-grade crossing of Metrolink and UPRR tracks. This will consist of a six-lane grade separation (overpass) of Rancho Vista Boulevard at its intersection with the railroad tracks east of Sierra Highway, and will include access ramps to Sierra Highway.
Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission — $19.50 million: The project will fund construction activities for approximately 32-miles, universally accessible multi-use trail along the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line, an underutilized rail corridor. These segments reach from the City and County of Santa Cruz to other parts of the Monterey Bay area. The project comprises approximately 7.5 miles of a universally accessible multi-use trail.

City of Hanford — $15.53 million: This project will fund engineering design, public outreach, and construction activities for corridor improvements along approximately 0.8 miles in Downtown Hanford between the Hanford Amtrak Station and Tenth Avenue, including Historic China Alley, and around the Civic Center Park. The project will include roadway and intersection safety improvements, ADA upgrades, two bus stop improvements, wayfinding signage, micromobility amenities, lighting, stormwater improvements, electric vehicle charging stations, and electronic informational displays.

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) — $14.93 million: This project will reconstruct the existing US 101 and Sunset Avenue interchange with two roundabouts. The project will also provide pedestrian and bicycle access, new bus stops, signage, lighting, ADA improvements, as well as connections to the adjacent Class I trail system.

City of Goleta — $11.16 million: This project will build a separated and dedicated multipurpose underpass through US 101, the UPRR tracks, and SR 217 to eliminate a barrier and connect residents located in Old Town Goleta to education, employment, housing, services, and amenities in the north and south. The project will create a new Class I bicycle path and pedestrian amenities and improve pedestrian and cyclist safety along adjacent high-volume arterials and freeway underpasses with inconsistent infrastructure. The project will also create a new connection for the surrounding street network, offering residents, for the first time, direct access to the grocery stores, health care services, green spaces, and the educational, employment, and recreational opportunities located in the north of the city, directly across the highway.

A full list of California projects receiving funding from the three programs is available here. Last year, Senator Padilla announced $236.9 million for California from the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program, including $139 million for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to reconnect communities and strengthen mobility across highway and arterial barriers ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. He also announced over $35 million for California in the first round of funding from the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program. Additionally, Padilla has announced over $184 million from the RAISE program to help communities in California complete critical freight and passenger transportation infrastructure projects.

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