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Caltrans awards $34 million to fund future sustainable transportation projects in local communities
The grant money — including $25 million funded by Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 — will be used to plan sustainable transportation projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve the state highway system, enhance access to safe walkways and bikeways, and increase natural disaster preparedness.
“Investing in transportation planning is essential to our goal of providing a safe, sustainable system that advances equity and livability throughout the state,” said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin. “These grants will help our communities create more connected routes for all residents, regardless of whether they travel by car, bike, foot or mass transit.”
Approximately $700,000 was awarded to tribes, agencies and local governments within Caltrans District 1 for transit and active transportation projects.
Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants were awarded to the following projects in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake and Mendocino Counties:
— Humboldt Bay Trail Planning Study: Eureka to College of the Redwoods.
— Lake County Transit Development Plan Update.
— Feasibility study on mobility solutions for rural communities of inland Mendocino County.
— Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation Connected Communities Plan
Lake County will receive $103,580 for a project that involves updating the county’s 2015 Transit Development Plan, or TDP, for use by Lake Transit Authority and other local service providers, according to the grant award list.
First adopted in 2008, the TDP has helped guide the development of transit services providing improved mobility for area residents and visitors.
The region’s large populations of aging, disabled and economically disadvantaged residents relative to other regions of the State emphasizes the importance of the TDP, and past Lake Transit Authority audits have recommended frequent updates to address the most current ridership needs in a timely manner.
Such needs include those for less traditional options that provide flexibility and/or on-demand services, particularly for transit dependent users unable to access existing Lake Transit facilities due to physical or scheduling related barriers. A new update will include an examination of feasible alternatives.
Keeping the TDP current will also further transit planning goals of the Lake Regional Transportation Plan and the California Transportation Plan.
Mendocino County will receive $177,060 for a study to research mobility solutions/transit alternatives existent in the marketplace that have been implemented in similar locations, for applicability in our region.
The study will look at developing innovative solutions (including pilot projects) to meet mobility needs of these remote communities. Various public engagement tools will be utilized for community outreach.
Communities to be studied are Covelo, Laytonville, Brooktrails, Hopland and Potter Valley.
“These investments will positively impact our communities,” said District 1 Director Matt Brady. “Our local partners will use this opportunity to explore multimodal transportation solutions and ways to positively impact some of our District’s more disadvantaged communities."
In total, Caltrans allocated:
— $17.4 million — including $12.38 million from SB 1 — in Sustainable Communities Competitive and Technical Grants to 50 local, regional, tribal and transit agencies for climate change adaptation, complete streets, transportation and land use planning, and natural disaster preparedness. This includes more than $4 million to fund planning for 13 projects that improve safety and access for people who walk and bike.
— $12.5 million in Sustainable Communities Formula Grants, completely funded by SB 1, to metropolitan planning organizations to further regional transportation plans and sustainable communities strategies.
— $4 million in federally funded Strategic Partnership Grants to nine projects that will plan for next-generation freeways, improve transit options between communities, research alternative funding for road repairs, and advance the timely and efficient movement of goods throughout the state.
— Caltrans awards transportation planning grants each year through a competitive process to encourage local and regional projects. Applications are evaluated on how they further state transportation goals by identifying and addressing statewide, interregional or regional transportation deficiencies on the highway system.
View the FY 2021-22 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program Award list for all of the planning grant project awardees.