Riverside County is set to benefit from important revenue programs that were established through Senate Bills passed by the California Legislature. Thanks to 2017’s Senate Bill 1 and 2014’s Senate Bill 862, the county will see an influx of state funds slated for infrastructure and transportation improvements.

$1.2B from SB 1: The Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017

The county is set to receive an estimated $1.2 billion from revenues raised by SB 1. The funds will go to a total of 93 road improvement and related infrastructure projects in Riverside County, according to the California Transportation Commission.

All 28 incorporated cities within the county are on the CTC’s list of eligible recipients for some portion of the SB 1 allotment for fiscal year 2018-19. Riverside County’s unincorporated communities are also on the list, with 18 projects designated for support.

“The projects funded by the gas tax provide important safety and quality-of-life improvements like maintaining and rehabilitating bridges, repainting crosswalks so kids can get to school safely, and filling potholes to prevent costly vehicle repairs,” said CTC Chairwoman Fran Inman.

The CTC’s list of SB 1 revenue recipients for 2018-19 will be finalized in August, when the exact allotments to each city will be disclosed. According to officials, 450 cities and 57 counties statewide have been provisionally approved to receive support for over 2,200 projects.

$3M from SB 862: The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program

Riverside County has been awarded $3 million in state funds to support the expansion of public transportation resources. The $3 million will go to seven transit projects, announced Caltrans.

According to the agency, a total of 152 projects statewide were awarded grants totaling $97 million under the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program. The LCTOP is one of several state programs that are part of the Transit, Affordable Housing, and Sustainable Communities Program established by SB 862 in 2014. The LCTOP was created to provide operating and capital assistance for transit agencies to reduce greenhouse gas emission and improve mobility, with a priority on serving disadvantaged communities.

The largest share earmarked for Riverside County is a $1.27 million allotment to the Riverside Transit Agency to expedite services along routes between Riverside, Perris and Hemet. Other awards include: $861,000 to the Riverside County Transportation Commission to upgrade commuter rail service on the Perris Valley Line, and $86,000 to the Riverside Transit Agency to expand ridership on the RapidLink Gold Line.

“This program is about making transit work better for more riders, funding expanded service and reducing fares, especially for those who face financial barriers to mobility,” said Caltrans Director Laurie Berman. “Providing accessible, reliable and affordable public transportation all feeds into promoting a healthier environment, better access to economic opportunity and a higher quality of life.”

Southern California Partnership for Jobs supports infrastructure investment. We advocated for the passage of SB 1, a new transportation funding source that is becoming ever more critical for California. We oppose any efforts to repeal SB 1 that would rob our communities of vital road safety and transportation improvement funds.

Source: Patch.com