The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) just announced which projects have been selected to receive grants under the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program's Cycle 7. Twenty-seven awards will receive a total of $1.3 billion from the program, which is funded from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (cap-and-trade).
The purpose of the TIRCP is to support projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, expand and improve transit, integrate rail operations, and improve transit safety. The awards will be supplemented by the receiving agencies with funding from other sources; the total cost of all the projects awarded, according to CalSTA, is over $10 billion.
The awards, in order of size, include:
$231 million to LA Metro for the Southeast Gateway Line, a future light rail line connecting southeast LA County to downtown LA, through the cities of Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, Vernon, and unincorporated Florence-Firestone.
$130 million to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency for a modern communications-based train control system (as opposed to the current floppy disks) to reduce delays and increase efficiency.
$125 million to the Orange County Transportation Authority to shore up several cliffs and replenish beaches along the LOSSAN corridor, where erosion and sea level rise have caused serious problems for the rail line over the past few years.
$118 million for Golden Empire Transit (GET) to implement "transformative" transit improvements in Bakersfield, including fifteen zero-emission buses, increased frequency on the BRT line, improved fare payment, a hydrogen fueling station, and an upgrade for the downtown transit plaza, including new housing units.
$81 million to the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART) to extend service to Healdsburg, along with a parallel, paved bike and pedestrian pathway.
$70 million to the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission and the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority for several projects along the Valley Rail project, including the Stockton Diamond Grade separation to separate freight and passenger trains and a new Madera station that will accommodate high-speed rail.
$63 million to the Coast Rail Coordinating Council to coordinate improvements between Monterey and Santa Barbara Counties, including a new rail station in downtown King City, crossovers and sidings to allow another Surfliner roundtrip and improve efficiency.
$59 million to the Tulare Association of Governments for a new bus network linking several cities, Amtrak, and the future high-speed rail station.
$53 million to the City of Santa Monica to expand service on the Big Blue Bus, with 73 new zero-emission buses as well as chargers, improvements to the bus yard, and a backup generator.
$52 million for Fresno Area Express (FAX) for a hydrogen fueling station, bus stop improvements, and service expansions.
$51 million to the Santa Barbara Association of Governments to procure 23 zero-emission buses, build a BRT system in Santa Maria, and upgrading transit facilities throughout the region.
$44 million to the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink) for new service and inspection tracks to allow new roundtrips on the Inland Empire-Orange County and the San Bernardino lines.
$40 million to the Riverside County Transportation Commission for the Mead Valley Metrolink station and mobility hub along the Perris Valley Line.
$38 million to the North County Transit District and San Diego Association of Governments for the critical LOSSAN corridor. The funding will go towards stabilizing bluffs in Del Mar and double tracking over the San Luis Rey river to help improve service and reduce delays.
$28 million to the Sacramento Regional Transit District for system improvements including new stations, new light rail vehicles, and improved fare collection.
$25 million to Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) for a transit-oriented development at the North Berkeley station, which will build 739 affordable residential units and add EV charging, expanded bike parking and improved bike and ped infrastructure to the station.
$19 million to the University of California Los Angeles to fully electrify its bus fleets and expand transit service, and build a new transit hub linking to the future LA Metro D Line.
$18 million for Humboldt Transit Authority to procure five fuel cell buses and enable more frequent service on intercity express buses.
$15.9 million to the Central Contra Costa Transit Authority for a new solar facility to power zero emission buses.
$14 million for the Capitol Corridor RAPID program, which will add new siding and a crossover near Santa Clara station, and finish the connection for biking and walking to the Railyards district north of the Sacramento station.
Additional awards went to:
- SunLine Transit Agency, for payment system upgrades
- Imperial County Transportation Commission, for a new intermodal transportation center at the Calexico Port of Entry
- Foothill Transit, for new hydrogen fuel cell buses and a new intercity bus route
- Sunnyvale, for a new on-demand microtransit service
- Irvine, to buy new electric buses
- The San Francisco ferries, to build electric charging facilities and rehabilitate the ferry terminal in Alameda.
- Monterey-Salinas Transit, to upgrade passenger information and contactless payment systems.
Details about all the projects, and why they were selected for funding, can be found on this document at the CalSTA website.
