California awards $1.3 billion in Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program funding

The state of California has awarded $1.3 billion in funding to 27 new public transportation projects intended to fund transformative rail and transit improvements throughout the state. The projects, funded by the Cycle 7 Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), will give Californians real alternatives to driving and help to keep the state on track to meet its climate goals. 

“California is expanding our transportation network and making it greener and more equitable. From new zero-emissions buses in the Central Valley to vital rail projects in Orange County, we’re building a better transit system to benefit all Californians,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom. 

The funding is part of a multiyear, multibillion dollar investment to modernize and expand the state’s public transit network and prioritizes safety, equity, climate action and economic prosperity in the transportation decisions California makes. The $1.3 billion in competitive awards follows more than $2.2 billion distributed to agencies statewide earlier this summer on a formula basis pursuant to State Bill (SB) 125. The projects awarded will leverage more than $8.6 billion in matching local, federal and other state funding. 

“Under Gov. Newsom’s leadership, California is furthering its commitment to fund transit projects that boost the state’s zero-emissions goals,” said California Department of Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. “This critical investment is yet another major step towards growing a more sustainable and equitable transit system for those who work, live and play in California.” 

Projects receiving funding come from all corners of the state. The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) notes several awards are being awarded to first-time applicants and awardees. Examples of projects include: 

• $12.6 million awarded to Imperial County Transportation Commission (ICTC) to design and construct a new intermodal transportation center to serve the Calexico East Port of Entry and purchase four electric zero-emission vans to expand public transit to the new facility connecting vulnerable communities within the city of Calexico and Imperial County. ICTC is a first-time awardee. 
• More than $117 million awarded to Golden Empire Transit (GET) to purchase 18 zero-emission buses to increase bus rapid transit line frequency to 15 minutes and establish a new commuter bus service. It will also add California Integrated Travel Project (Cal-ITP) validators for credit card payments on all buses. CalSTA says GET will also install new hydrogen fueling infrastructure and modernize the Downtown transit plaza to include new bus bays and modern passenger amenities. The transit plaza will include the construction of 81 affordable housing units and will have retail and medical space on the ground floors. GET is a first-time awardee. 
• $125 million awarded to Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) for the Coastal Rail Infrastructure Resiliency Project to implement improvements, including sand replenishment, at four locations along a seven-mile coastal section within the OCTA-owned Orange Subdivision of the 351-mile Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor that are at high risk of failure. During the past three years, there has been a cumulative total of more than 12 months of closures in this section of the corridor due to extensive railroad track movement and slope instability. CalSTA notes the TIRCP-funded improvements will safeguard the reliability and resiliency of the railroad for at least the next 30 years. CalSTA says IRCP funding is matched with $80 million of Trade Corridor Enhancement Program funding awarded by the California Transportation Commission and it is expected to attract additional federal funding for the rail corridor. 
• $25 million awarded to Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) for the North Berkeley Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Mobility Enhancements Project to enhance walking and biking infrastructure and augment multimodal connections. BART says the enhancements are expected to boost ridership by facilitating safe pedestrian and bike access and promoting non-automotive transportation. The estimated total cost for the Mobility Enhancements Project is $37 million. Remaining funding sources are from local and state contributions. 
• $53.3 million awarded to the city of Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus to complete the phased implementation of an electrification master plan, enable the purchase of 73 battery-electric buses and provide workforce development to operate infrastructure improvements. 
• $29 million to the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) to support the purchase of 10 new S700 low-floor light-rail vehicles; converting 17 Blue Line rails stations to accommodate the height requirement of the new low-floor vehicles; constructing the new Dos Rios Station and constructing the new Horn Road Station in Rancho Cordova, which will close a 2.5-mile gap between existing stations on the Gold Line and provide access to a public library, parks and the American River. Additionally, SacRT will install Cal-ITP platform validator devices and integrate them with Scheidt & Bachman fare vending machines at 54 light-rail stations to streamline ticket purchasing and validation, improving the customer experience. 
• $231 million to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for its Southeast Gateway Line, which will include nine stations extending from the Slauson A Line station located in the city of Los Angeles/Florence-Firestone unincorporated area of Los Angeles County to its southern terminus at the Pioneer Station located in the city of Artesia, passing through the cities of Bell, Bellflower, Cerritos, Cudahy, Downey, Florence-Firestone, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, Paramount, South Gate and Vernon. The line will also include a new C Line station at the I-105 freeway. 
• $16.9 million to Foothill Transit to purchase 30 hydrogen fuel cell buses, enhance traffic signal priority for existing Lines 187 and 188 and introduce the new Line 295, connecting local communities to the Metro A Line and key educational and employment centers. 
• TIRCP has provided more than $11.5 billion in funding to 153 projects since 2015, funded primarily from SB 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, Cap-and-Trade program proceeds and the General Fund. 

A complete list of the recipients can be found here.