$191M In New Proposition 1B Funding Approved For Transportation Projects

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Bay Area and San Diego were big winners today as the California Transportation Commission allocated $191M in new transportation funding from Proposition 1B, the 2006 voter-approved transportation bond.

"The new projects will reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and, most importantly, provide good paying construction jobs that will help boost our state's economy," said Caltrans Director Will Kempton.

Since the passage of Proposition 1B, more than $5 billion has been put to work to improve California's transportation infrastructure. It's estimated that 18,000 jobs are supported for each $1 billion invested in transportation.

$75.3M in Proposition 1B was allocated to construct a new High Occupancy Vehicle lane and a new interchange, and repave Interstate 580 in the Bay Area community of Livermore. San Diego received an $84M allocation in bond money to construct a six-lane freeway on Interstate 905 from the Interstate 805/905 separation to just east of the Britannia Overcrossing.

$27M was allocated (including $8.5M for Los Angeles and $5.8M for San Diego) from Proposition 1B's Traffic Light Synchronization Program for a wide range of projects statewide that will improve safety, reduce congestion and improve air quality by better managing the flow of traffic.

In addition to those Proposition 1B allocations, the California Transportation Commission allocated $25M for 24 other transportation projects. For information about these projects and the Proposition 1B projects, visit: http://www.dot.ca.gov/docs/ctcprojectallocationsoctober2008.pdf.

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