California Invests in Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure
Press release from Caltrans:
Caltrans will spend approximately $930 million over the next four years to improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure throughout the state, according to a plan approved by the California Transportation Commission (CTC) this week. This includes 265 miles of new and improved bike lanes on state highways and the addition of more than 1,300 safety elements by mid-2028.
The CTC also approved a series of transportation projects totaling approximately $1 billion in continuing a historic push to improve the vital transportation infrastructure through rural and urban projects throughout the state.
The latest allocations include nearly $375 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and $276 million via Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.
The bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure spending plan is part of the 2024 State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP). Funding over the next four years will improve access and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians using the state highway system. Of the 265 new and improved bike lanes, 203 miles are a combination of Class 1, 2, and 4 variety, and 62 miles are designated Class 3. Safety elements featured in the plan include more visible and separated bike lanes, ADA-accessible curb ramps, better signage, and upgraded signalization.
“The future of transportation relies on offering increased options for everybody, including better paths for walking and infrastructure for biking,” Caltrans Director Tony Tavares said. “These investments will help us build a California that fits every traveler, including those on foot, on bicycles, and on other personal mobility devices.”
The following projects are among those that will focus on improvements in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure:
- A $36 million project in Imperial County on State Routes 115, 111 and 86 to fix existing sidewalks and add new sidewalks, Class II bike lanes, and Class IV separated bikeways. Improvements include ADA curb ramp upgrades, lighting systems, traffic signal system upgrades, and overhead sign structure rehabilitation.
- A $19.6 million project on the Pacific Coast Highway (SR-1) in Santa Cruz County to repair 8.3 miles of pavement, guardrail, crosswalks, sign panels, and Class II bike lanes. This project includes new bike guide striping and enhanced signage. The finished product will all be brought up to the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The latest CTC-approved projects include:
- Tangle Blue CAPM (State Route 3 near Coffee Creek (Trinity County) from the Coffee Creek Bridge to the Trinity/Siskiyou County Line): Pavement preservation project which will also improve drainage, update bridges, upgrade guardrail, and creating disposal sites, improving travel in the area for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. This project includes $1.52 million in SB 1 funding.
- Del Loma Pavement (State Route 299 near Del Loma (Trinity County) from approximately 1 mile east of Trinity River Bridge to approximately 1.5 miles east of Little French Creek): Pavement rehabilitation project which will also improve drainage, replace guardrail, construct turnouts and a retaining wall, and add width to lanes and shoulders in specific areas, improving travel for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. This project includes $18.9 million in IIJA funding and $2.45 million in SB 1 funding.
IIJA, known as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure to improve the sustainability and resiliency of our energy, water, broadband and transportation systems. Since 2021, California has received nearly $38 billion in IIJA funds, including more than $27.6 billion for transportation-related projects.
In addition, SB 1 provides $5 billion in transportation funding each year that is shared between state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of SB 1 funds, including those partially funded by SB 1.
For more information about California transportation projects funded by IIJA and SB 1, visit RebuildingCA.ca.gov.
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Sounds like worthy projects. Yet, we can’t fix the Jitney Gulch bridge.
Outside of er… ‘urban’ areas… have not seen many (outside of a couple over 60 years) bicyclists or pedestrians on Hwy 299… or Hwy 3.
They have several 2,500 foot mountains in the way… coupled with 8 months of nasty weather and 4 months of too hot.
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Go figure.
This has been on hold for awhile now but still worth looking into.
E-bike voucher program for RCEA customers.
http://www.RedwoodEnergy.org/e-bikes-information
May want to wait til this recession is over.
Wow. You managed to be wrong twice in just one sentence.
We are not currently in a recession.
And, if we were, the best way to get out of a recession is through increased spending.
Credit card debt is very high and loans against retirement funds are at an all time high, real-estate market is in the tank and I just paid the highest price ever for a big Mac, crack me up. Only question is, how bad is it?
Wow just what we really need another way for people to get something they want without having to pay for it , e cars toll and plate reduction , yet they do more damage to the roads and just through their nature of not using fuel do not support the hwy ways a d roads they drive on . Now we have walking trails for the nature lovers , using road tax money to pay for it , wonder what percentage truly will use these trails for getting to and from a store or work ? Same with bikes , if the person walking on these trails or riding a bike on the paths are over 16 there should be some sort or toll or annual pass fee they need to pay inorder to at least fund the upkeep . I mean come on people you can be given a dui for riding a bike while drunk , but they cant enforce the rest of the traffic laws when it comes to sharing the road ? And what about the taxes are by law required to go towards the projects they were passed for ? I know there are a shit ton of people that cant think for themselves and feel like the climate is really a problem , and maybe they should try to take as much away from auto operators as they can but this nation threw a tea party back in Boston over something very similar . If they really cared about global warming they would be outraged the super elite can launch whatever rockets whenever they want doing god only knows how much damage to launch things into space we truly dont need and only the elite can afford . Or they would be demanding a freeze on data centers one of the largest customer’s or power there is and heaven help if they loose power , have anyone of you seen the size of the back up gennies they are running so you can have your tiktok and facebook and amazon ? No their concern about the planet is merely lip service so they can feel cool and disrupt the daily lives of folks who really only want to earn a living and support their family without having to charge their trucks for 36 hours so they can drive 8 yep walking trails and bike paths what a load of crap , guess they spent the parks departments money on needle exchanges or some such bs
They should invest some of the $930 million dollars here in Northern California. Fix the crappy roads, put up some much-needed guard rails, etc. They can start with that damn worthless Jitney Gulch bridge. That thing is a death and accident trap.