The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) released more than $9.5 million in federal and state grants to 74 agencies, including local governments, planning groups, community-based organizations, and tribal governments. The grant funds are contingent on the approval of the fiscal year 2008-09 state budget.
“These funds will help build stronger communities in which to live, promote equity for low-income citizens and minority groups, and protect the environment,” Caltrans Director Will Kempton said.
The state funding comes from the State Highway Account, and the federal funding comes the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration.
Highlights of the grants include:
• Metro Folding Bike Implementation Plan — $85,000 was awarded to a project in Los Angeles for the development of a folding bike subsidy program that would provide price discounts to transit riders to purchase a collapsible bike to use in conjunction with bus and/or rail systems.
• The Alameda: A Plan for “The Beautiful Way” — $250,000 was awarded to a 1.5 mi. (2.4 km) portion of state Route 82 in San Jose between Diridon Transit Station at Cahill Street and Interstate 880. The project revitalizes the neighborhood and historic commercial corridor that is part of the original Spanish El Camino Real (King’s Highway). It also encourages multi-modal transportation including transit access, biking and walking.
• San Joaquin Regional High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes Study — $150,000 was awarded to the San Joaquin Council of Governments for a project to analyze the feasibility and implementation of HOT lanes between San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sacramento and Alameda counties.
• Transportation and Food Access in South Los Angeles — $229,500 was awarded to improve access to healthy food in low-income communities in south Los Angeles by identifying transportation strategies linked to land use and economic redevelopment policies.
• High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lane Feasibility Study — $105,000 was awarded to examine issues related to the feasibility of implementing a system of HOT lanes in the Sacramento region. The Interstate 80 corridor between Interstate 5 in Sacramento County and state Route 65 in Placer County will be the pilot to determine HOT lane feasibility.
• Central Valley Tribal Collaboration Transportation Planning — $250,000 was awarded to eight San Joaquin Valley councils of government to develop a report for approximately 30 California Indian tribes that will address tribal transportation issues and priorities, cultural preservation and heritage, and tribal participation in the planning and project delivery process.
• Downtown/Santa Fe Corridor Transportation Connectivity Study — $208,349 was awarded to develop a framework to maximize linkages between Vista’s (San Diego County) public transportation hubs, mixed use and transit oriented developments, pedestrian and bicycling pathways, downtown, the Vista Village entertainment and retail complex and a new civic center.
• International Boulevard Transit Oriented Development Plan — $245,000 was awarded to the city of Oakland to create a transit oriented development plan for the 6-mi. (9.7 km) International Boulevard corridor. The project attempts to bring neighborhood communities (San Antonio, Fruitvale, Elmhurst, and Melrose) together to plan the future of the corridor before major land use and transportation changes are made.
• Metro Blue Line Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan — $84,600 was awarded to Long Beach to assess eight train stations and recommend infrastructure, access and safety improvements that will increase bicycling and walking to the stations.
For a complete list of grant recipients, visit www.dot.ca.gov/hq/tpp/grants.html.
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