California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that more than $690 million would fund 28 public transportation projects in disadvantaged communities. The new funding will conclude the first wave of the state’s initiative to expand transit and passenger rail service throughout the state,
“California is making a multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment to transform and modernize our transportation infrastructure, creating jobs, alternatives to driving, and reducing pollution,” Newsom said in a statement.
“Our state is placing a high priority on investing in public transportation projects that aim to shift away from fossil fuels while making public travel more rider friendly.”
The multimillion-dollar funding will support multiple transportation projects, including the following:
- San Diego: $100 million will be used for the North County Transit District. This project will replace a wooden trestle bridge and construct more than one mile of double-track railroad, allowing a higher capacity of commuter and freight trains in the area.
- Sacramento: More than $42 million will be used to construct a regional mobility bus and hub at the Sacramento Valley Station. The money will also be used to install contactless fare payment systems and go towards the project development for Hercules station, Sacramento to Roseville service expansion and the Link21 Megaregional Rail Program.
- Santa Cruz: More than $38.5 million will be used for the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District’s Zero Emission Intercity Transit and Service Expansion Project.
Officials hope these projects will directly benefit residents in disadvantaged communities and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 2 million metric tons, which is equal to taking more than 445,000 gas-powered cars off the road.
The latest funding for transportation projects across the state is part of a multiyear investment in improving California’s public transportation systems.
In January, Newsom announced a $2.5 billion award to fund public transit projects in the San Fernando Valley, Inglewood, Santa Clara Valley, San Bernardino County and other places.
More than $3.2 billion has been set aside for public transportation projects, a news release said.
