The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has approved US$3bn (c. £2.23bn) in allocations to enhance safety and mobility across the state highway system and expand multimodal travel.
This includes bike lanes and pedestrian pathways across the state, with implementation reportedly guided by California governor Gavin Newsom’s Build More, Faster – For All infrastructure agenda.
Of the $3bn (c. £2.23bn) allocated, $663m (c. £492m) derives from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 and approximately $2 billion from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA).
Among the larger projects approved by the Commission:
- $102m (c. £75m) – Improve segments of Interstate 5 in Kern County. Work includes pavement repair, upgraded drainage and lighting, installation of CCTV cameras, vehicle detection systems and changeable message signs to improve traffic monitoring and incident response
- $21m (c. £21m) – Preservation of a bridge in Monterey County using an innovative electrochemical technique to remove corrosives from concrete, extending the structure’s service life
- $12m (c. £8.9m) – Construction of a bicycle and pedestrian overcrossing of U.S. Highway 101 in Santa Rosa to serve students at Santa Rosa Junior College and Santa Rosa High School and nearby commercial destinations
- $3m (c. £2.23m) – New sidewalks, landscaping and bike lanes along H Street in the city of Bakersfield, improving walking and bicycling access and neighborhood connectivity
The state hopes that the funds will serve as a catalyst to increase the capacity of the state’s transportation system, rehabilitate aging roadways and improve travel times, while balancing community impacts and promoting environmental benefits.
CTC chair Darnell Grisby said: “The funds allocated today reflect the Commission’s commitment to investing taxpayer dollars strategically.
“These investments will improve the safety and reliability of the state’s transportation network and support a thriving economy by improving the movement of freight and reducing out-of-pocket expenses for all Californians.”
Achievements and innovations in road safety will be recognised and celebrated at the fourth annual CiTTi Awards on 25 November 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector!
