The California Transportation Commission (CTC) on May 12 allocated $58 million in new funding to 56 highway, transit, and rail projects statewide to support jobs and upgrade the state’s vital transportation system.

“We are putting transportation dollars to work creating jobs and making transportation improvements that will benefit Californians today and for decades to come,” said Caltrans Director Cindy McKim in a written press statement.

Highlights of the project allocations given on May 12 include the following:

• Alameda/Santa Clara - $10 million to construct two carpool lanes on Interstate 680 from Milpitas to State Route 84 in Santa Clara and Alameda counties.
• Los Angeles – $1.8 million to seismically retrofit the Century Bridge and to repair 20 bridges in the San Fernando Valley between Interstate 5 and Big Tujunga Wash.
• Sacramento – $336,000 to purchase a new neighborhood ride hybrid bus and make repairs and improvements to various light rail stations.
• Orange County – $2.5 million to install electronic highway message signs at seven locations. Caltrans has a statewide network of more than 700 of these signs and posts messages on them for the traveling public regarding traffic incidents, estimated freeway travel times, weather, and Amber Alerts.

For information about all projects that received allocations, go to http://www.dot.ca.gov/docs/ctcprojectallocationsmay2011.pdf.