On Thursday, Caltrans announced it had awarded $41.6 million in planning grants for 90 sustainable transportation projects.
The projects located throughout the state will address local and regional impacts of extreme weather, the agency said, by reducing pollution, improving resiliency, enhancing access to safe walkways and bike paths and increasing natural disaster preparedness. Officials said that nearly $40 million of the funding comes from one-time state and federal sources made possible by Gov. Gavin Newsome’s clean transportation package included in the state’s 2022-2023 budget. Another $12.4 million comes from the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. The awards will fund project planning and conceptual design efforts that will help move projects closer to construction, Caltrans said.
“California is at the forefront of planning transportation projects built to withstand the effects of climate change. By working closely with local partners, we can maintain a sustainable, adaptable and resilient transportation system that will serve the people of California far into the future,” Tony Tavares, Caltrans Director said.
Included in the awards are $20.2 million in Sustainable Communities Competitive and Technical Grants to 56 local, regional, tribal and transit agencies for transportation and land use planning; $18.1 million in Climate Adaption Planning Grants; and $3.3 million in federally funded Strategic Partnership Grants.
The funding joins $12.5 million in SB1 funds awarded earlier this month for Sustainable Communities Formula Grants for metropolitan planning organization as they further regional transportation plans and sustainable community strategies, the agency said.