Caltrans Awards $51.4 Million for Sustainable Transportation Projects to Strengthen California’s Climate Resilience

Published: Jul 10, 2024

What you need to know: Caltrans is awarding more than $51million in planning grants to 89 projects to help make the state's transportation system more resilient to the impacts of climate change. Of the total, $48.3 million (94 percent) will benefit disadvantaged communities.

SACRAMENTO- With a majority of funding coming from Governor Gavin Newsom's clean transportation infrastructure package and the California Climate Commitment, Caltrans today awarded $51.4 million in planning grants for 89 sustainable, climate-resilient transportation projects throughout California to help communities better withstand the impacts of extreme weather events fueled by climate change.

The selected projects will help reduce planet-warming pollution, improve resiliency of the state highway system, enhance access to safe walkways and bike paths, and expand natural disaster preparedness. Nearly $29 million comes from one-time state and federal sources made possible by Governor Newsom's historic $15 billion clean transportation package in the 2022-23 state budget to further the state's ambitious climate goals. Another $12.4 million comes from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. The awards will fund project planning and conceptual design efforts, helping move the projects closer to construction.

"California is at the forefront of planning transportation projects built to help underserved communities withstand the effects of climate change," said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. "By working closely with local partners, we can maintain a sustainable, adaptable and resilient transportation system that will serve all Californians far into the future."

In total, Caltrans will fund:

• $28.8 million in Climate Adaptation Planning Grants - all from Governor Newsom's clean transportation infrastructure package - to 30 local, regional and transit agencies to identify transportation-related climate vulnerabilities through the development of climate adaptation plans, as well as project-level adaptation planning to address climate impacts to transportation infrastructure. Ninety-seven percent of these projects will benefit disadvantaged communities.

• $19.2 million in Sustainable Communities Competitive and Technical Grants to 50 local, regional and transit agencies for transportation and land use planning, as well as planning for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. This includes more than $6 million to fund planning for 16 projects that improve safety and access for people who walk and bike. Ninety-two percent of these projects will benefit disadvantaged communities.

• $3.4 million in federally funded Strategic Partnerships Grants to nine projects that will plan for managed lanes, training and certification for local elected officials, comprehensive multimodal corridors, transit network and comprehensive operational analyses, improve interregional ADA paratransit coordination, develop airport passenger transportation recommendations, develop a zero-emissions bus fleet, coordinate multimodal transportation and land use compatibility.

District 2 projects include:

• The Modoc County Active and Multimodal Transportation Plan- To address the challenges to active transportation - including an almost complete lack of infrastructure to support walking, bicycling, and access to transit - identified in the 2020 Modoc Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP), Modoc County will develop an Active and Multimodal Transportation Plan that will include a prioritized list of active transportation (AT) and transit projects in communities throughout the county. The plan will identify changes that can be made to streets, sidewalks, crossings, trails, and transit service to improve access for pedestrians and cyclists to schools, retail and other key destinations in the City of Alturas and the unincorporated communities. It will also explore options for trail connections between communities and to recreation areas and, will include complementary policy recommendations, funding mechanisms, and a detailed strategy to ensure implementation of projects.

• The Plumas County Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Master Plan- The Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure Master Plan for Plumas County is a visionary project aimed at constructing EV charging facilities throughout the county. Its necessity stems from the current lack of adequate public EV charging options, hindering the adoption of environmentally friendly vehicles. The plan involves a thorough assessment of the existing charging landscape and the identification of strategic locations for new charging stations. This will enhance the county's commitment to ecological preservation, boost economic growth, and improve local and tourist mobility. In collaboration with key stakeholders and aligned with regional sustainability goals, this initiative marks a significant step towards a sustainable and well-connected community, driving Plumas County towards an eco-friendly future.

• The Siskiyou County Evacuation and Preparedness Plan- Siskiyou County has experienced twenty-three wildfires dating back to 2020 that have resulted in over one million acres burned plus subsequent mud flows and mud slides impacting transportation facilities. Evacuation efforts during events have been a partnership between the Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services (with other law enforcement agencies) and Siskiyou Transit and General Express (STAGE), providing transportation services to transit dependent residents and other evacuees who lost transportation resources. This project would establish evacuation protocols and procedures for relevant agencies, in conjunction with existing emergency operations. The final product would include a reference document aimed at seamless coordination between the various agencies and communities with respect to transportation and evacuation services. The project will also be used to analyze the risk assessments of existing transportation facilities to determine potential strategies or improvement needs for vulnerable areas and populations.

View the complete list of this year's planning grant project awardees.

Caltrans awards transportation planning grants each year through a competitive process to encourage local and regional projects. Applications are evaluated on how projects advance state transportation and climate goals by identifying and addressing statewide, interregional, or regional transportation deficiencies on the highway system. The grant program began in the 2015-16 fiscal year. Since then, Caltrans has awarded 685 planning grants totaling $266 million, and more than 60 percent of those projects have been completed.

SB 1 provides $5 billionin transportation funding annually that is shared between state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of SB 1 funds, including projects that are partially funded by SB 1.

Find more projects that are building California's climate-friendly future at build.ca.govand RebuildingCA.ca.gov.