State invests in transportation technology, safety improvements across the Bay Area

The California Transportation Commission has allocated $1 billion for projects across the state that will improve safety and enhance the state’s vast network of streets and highways, including bicycle lanes, sidewalks and transit facilities. 

About one-third of the investment, nearly $311 million, comes from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and another $301 million is from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. 

"As California continues adapting to evolving transportation realities, it is important that we invest in emergent technologies to enhance system-wide safety for the public,"  Caltrans Director Tony Tavares said last week when the funding was announced. "(The) action dedicates vital funding for upgrades that will protect our infrastructure now and well into the future."

The latest CTC-approved projects in the Bay Area include:

San Francisco County:

• $27,965,000 allocation in the City and County of San Francisco, from Holloway Avenue to Lincoln Way and at the intersection of California Street and Park Presidio Boulevard, for rehabilitating pavement and upgrading facilities to ADA standards, to extend pavement service life and improve ride quality.

Contra Costa County:

• $7,598,000 allocation in the City of Oakley for Valley Rail (Oakley Station) for constructing a new train station platform to increase ridership and provide necessary infrastructure to meet high-frequency service demands, ultimately decreasing vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions.
• $1 million allocation in Contra Costa County for the I-680 Express Bus Program for the construction, implementation, and refinement of Transit Bus on Shoulder support services, including the procurement of hardware technologies to enhance safety, reduce GHG emissions, and improve transit service reliability and accessibility.
• $700,000 allocation in Contra Costa County for the I-680 Express Bus Program for installing and removing pavement markings, mobilizing, and demobilizing technology-equipped trailers, and testing at the GoMentum Station to enhance safety, reduce GHG emissions, and improve transit service accessibility.

Various Bay Area Counties:

• $122,335,000 allocation in Alameda, Contra Costa, and Solano Counties, on I-580, I-680, and I-780, for installing 36 miles of fiber optic cable, 45 ramp metering systems, 61 Vehicle Detection Systems, 9 Closed-Circuit Television cameras, 1 Changeable Message Sign, 2 Variable Message Signs, widening ramps to provide High-Occupancy Vehicle bypass ramp lanes, and upgrading ADA curb ramps to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
• $37,371,000 allocation in San Francisco, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Sonoma Counties, on SR-1, SR-17, SR-37, I-80,SR-82, SR-84, SR-85, SR-87, SR-92, US-101, SR-116, SR-121, SR-152, SR-237, I-280, I-380, I-580, I-680, and I-880, for replacing technology components of the Transportation Management System elements.

Senate Bill 1 has invested approximately $5 billion annually toward transportation projects since 2017. It provides funding split between the state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of funds, including projects that are partially funded by SB 1.