The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) recently announced $105 million in State of Good Repair program funds for the rehabilitation and modernization of the state’s existing local public transportation systems.
The funds are allocated under the State Transit Assistance Program formula and authorized by Senate Bill 1 (SB 1). To be eligible agencies must have projects focused on maintaining or repairing existing transit vehicle fleets or facilities or must be for the design, acquisition, and construction of new vehicles or facilities that help maintain existing transit services. Agencies also must comply with various reporting requirements for accountability and transparency.
Half of the eligible projects were awarded according to population and half according to transit operator revenues.
“SB 1 helps California address a variety of transportation needs and through this program, we can demonstrate California’s commitment to clean, sustainable transportation and support the role public transit plays in that vision,” Caltrans Director Laurie Berman said. “This program’s investments will lead to cleaner transit vehicle fleets, increased reliability and safety, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants.”
Project awards include $1.3 million to Metrolink for the refurbishing and upgrade of 14 Metrolink Bombardier Gen1 rail cars and $815,830 to the city of Los Angeles for the electrification of 20 shuttle buses.