Caltrans awards $26 million in sustainable planning transportation grants to local projects

250Caltrans today announced its award of $26.5 million in planning grants for 65 local projects to strengthen climate resiliency, reduce planet-warming pollution, improve bicycle and pedestrian safety and increase natural disaster preparedness throughout California. Including the grants announced today, the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant program has awarded more than $292 million to 750 projects since 2015.

Nearly $3 million of these funds comes from one-time state and federal sources made possible by Governor Gavin Newsom’s historic $15 billion clean transportation package — part of the 2022-23 budget to further the state’s ambitious climate goals.

Another $12.4 million comes from Senate Bill 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.

“These selected projects will greatly improve mobility statewide by supporting multimodal transportation and help our under-resourced communities become more climate resilient,” said Caltrans Director Dina El-Tawansy. “By supporting our local and tribal partners, California can maintain a sustainable, adaptable and resilient transportation system to help all Californians become better connected.”

Funding includes
• $21.2 million in Sustainable Communities Competitive and Technical Grants to 51 local and regional, transit agencies and tribes for transportation and land use planning, as well as planning for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. This includes more than $10 million to fund 25 projects that improve safety and access for people who walk and bike. Ninety-four percent of these projects awarded will benefit under-resourced communities.
• $3.1 million in Climate Adaptation Planning Grants — all from Newsom’s clean transportation infrastructure package — to eight local and regional 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. Seventy-five percent of these projects awarded will benefit under-resourced communities.