LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The state has awarded $3 million for a highway project meant to reduce crashes on Highway 29 near Middletown in its latest round of transportation funding.

On Monday, the California Transportation Commission allocated $1.9 billion to support transportation infrastructure projects across the state, including the Middletown project.

The approved funding provides significant investments for bridges, roadways, transit, and improved facilities for people who walk and bike, the state reported. Also included are projects that will build or renovate shoreline embankments, bus, bicycle, and pedestrian infrastructure, and railroad overcrossings.

“California’s transportation infrastructure is critical to the economic and cultural lifeblood of our state, and this funding provides key support in our mission to provide a safe, equitable and sustainable transportation system for all users,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares.

The state said the latest allocations also include nearly $430 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, also known as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” and $740 million via Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.

Since 2021, California has received more than $42 billion in IIJA funds, including more than $29 billion for transportation-related projects, officials said.

Regarding Lake County’s award, approximately $3 million in support allocations will go toward roadway and culvert upgrades and the installation of a radar feedback sign on Highway 29 from north of Butts Canyon Road to south of Grange Road near Middletown.

Manny Machado, spokesman for Caltrans District 1, told Lake County News that this safety project is located approximately 1.6 miles north of Middletown on Highway 29 between postmile 7.4 and 8.9.

“This project proposes to widen the roadbed to create a soft median with centerline rumble strips. The proposed work includes shoulder widening, roadway excavation, culvert extension, rumble strip, and pavement delineation,” said Machado. “The purpose of this project is to reduce traffic collisions.”

Machado said the 2018 Crossover Collision Monitoring Report identified this location as an area with crossover collisions that involve two or more vehicles traveling in opposite directions.

“Currently there is no median to create distance or separation between opposing traffic. In addition, existing shoulders are 4 feet wide, limiting the recovery area for errant vehicles and space for stalled vehicles, maintenance vehicles, maintenance personnel and non-motorized users,” Machado said.

He said construction is expected to start in May of 2028.

In addition to the Lake County project, the latest CTC-approved projects include the following:

• $27.4 million for the Interstate 405 improvement project in Los Angeles County.

• More than $4 million to repair bridge damage along Interstate 80 in Alameda County.

• $600,000 to replace the Ackerman Creek Bridge in Mendocino County.

• $1.2 million in support of allocations toward the construction of a left-turn lane, install lighting and other roadway improvements on U.S. 101 from the Rowdy Creek Bridge to Timbers Boulevard near Smith River in Del Norte County.

• $1.8 million in support allocations toward guardrail and other roadway safety improvements on U.S. 101 from north of the Wilson Creek Bridge to south of Crescent City in Del Norte County.

• $527,000 in support allocations toward revegetation mitigation and monitoring for culvert rehabilitation along U.S. 101 from south of Old Sherwood Road to north of Route 271 at various locations near Laytonville, Leggett and Piercy in Mendocino County.

• $28.5 million including more than $25.2 million in federal IIJA funding and $3.3 million in SB1 funding in support allocations toward roadway and guardrail improvements from south of Shimmins Ridge Road to north of Old Sherwood Road near Willits in Mendocino County.

• $830,000 toward roadway, guardrail, sign panels and Americans with Disabilities Act improvements on Route 128 from the Mill Creek Bridge to the Robinson Creek Bridge near Boonville in Mendocino County.

• $900,000 toward the construction of left-turn lanes, a merge lane and other roadway improvements on U.S. 101 from the Hopland Overhead to Mountain House Road near Hopland in Mendocino County.

• $1.1 million toward roadway, guardrail, lighting and other improvements on U.S. 101 from north of the Robinson Creek Bridge to the Pomo Lane Undercrossing near Ukiah in Mendocino County.

• $2.6 million in SB1 funding in emergency allocations toward roadway and culvert repairs and debris removal on U.S. 101 from north of the Newton Road Undercrossing and on Route 254 to north of Lum Street/Newton Road near Weott in Humboldt County following heavy rainfall that started on Feb. 14, 2024.

• $3.2 million in emergency allocations toward culvert and embankment repairs with rock slope protection along U.S. 101 south of Hookton Road near Loleta in Humboldt County following heavy rainfall that started on Jan. 9, 2024.

• $2.5 million in SB1 funding in emergency allocations toward culvert and embankment repairs, rock slope protection and erosion control on Route 1 north of Pacific Drive near Gualala in Mendocino County following heavy rainfall that started on Jan. 31, 2024.

• $4.5 million in SB1 funding in emergency allocations toward roadway and embankment repairs, rock slope protection and erosion control on U.S. 101 south of Route 271 near Leggett in Mendocino County following heavy rainfall that started on Jan. 31, 2024.

• $6.5 million in emergency allocations toward roadway, viaduct, retaining wall and culvert repairs and erosion control on Route 1 south of the Juan Creek Bridge near Rockport in Mendocino County following heavy rainfall that started on Jan. 31, 2024.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.