The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has allocated $325.8 million to 142 transportation projects that will alleviate traffic delays, repair aging roads and bridges and encourage bicycling and walking. Fifty one biking and pedestrian projects throughout the state will receive $27 million in allocations from the Active Transportation Program.

“Caltrans is building transportation improvements that will benefit the state for decades to come,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “Not only are we working to preserve our previous investments in the state highway system, but we are investing in projects that will expand the availability of alternative, more sustainable ways of getting from point A to point B.”

The newly allocated funding also includes $132 million from the State Highway Operation and Protection Program for 54 projects that will maintain and preserve the investment in the state highway system and its supporting infrastructure. These capital improvements consist of projects covering maintenance, safety improvements, pavement repair and rehabilitation and upgrades to bridges throughout the state.

“Caltrans is embracing a ’fix it first’ strategy by focusing on preventative maintenance to our existing transportation infrastructure,” continued Dougherty. “We are striving to give California’s taxpayers the most bang for their buck because every $1 spent on preventative pavement maintenance translates into a savings of $6 to $14 that would have been spent on expensive pavement repairs.”

The allocations also include $8.4 million from Proposition 1B, a transportation bond approved by voters in 2006. To date, more than $18 billion in Proposition 1B funds have been put to work statewide for transportation purposes. The remaining $158.4 million in allocations came from various state and federal transportation accounts.

Among the projects that received funding allocations were:

• Lassen County: $539,000 has been allocated to upgrade the water supply at the Honey Lake Safety Roadside Rest Area near Janesville on US 395. A new well will be drilled, a new pump installed, and new plumbing and electrical service to improve water quality and drought tolerant reliable supply of potable water.

• Tehama and Siskiyou County: $420,000 has been allocated to upgrade the landscape irrigation systems, improving water conservation on Interstate 5 and State Route 36 at various locations. These new systems will reduce demands on potable water by installing a more efficient water distribution system, sprinkler heads and controllers.

• Various Counties: $3.3 million has been allocated to improve six chain-on areas throughout the district, including widening paved shoulders, adding lighting and upgrading signage to improve the safety of workers and the traveling public.

• Shasta County: $4.4 million has been allocated for bridge deck rehabilitation on 14 different overcrossings on Interstate 5, between Knighton Road to north of the town of Lakehead.

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