CalSTA awards $4.3 billion to California transit and intercity rail projects through grants, funding agreements

Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority

The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) awarded $2.6 billion in Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) grants to 28 recipients. CalSTA is also providing additional funding for seven projects through multi-year funding agreements, bringing the total awarded to more than $4.3 billion.

TIRCP funding is provided through Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) and from the proceeds of the Cap and Trade program. The program provides major benefits towards meeting the State’s climate and air quality goals, with a total reduction of more than 32 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

“The projects selected for this round of Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program grants make great strides in helping California transform the state transportation system,” said CalSTA Secretary Brian Annis. “This investment of SB1 revenue and Cap and Trade dollars will help us reduce harmful emissions, expand mobility options and create jobs statewide.”

This multi-year funding program provides project funding for 28 projects, with a total cost exceeding $18 billion. Officials said these projects will provide significant benefits to Californians through expanded transit and rail offerings that are faster, more frequent and more reliable.

CalSTA said investment is focused on critical projects to prepare Los Angeles and the Southern California region for the 2028 Olympic Games with six major Los Angeles County Transportation Authority expansion projects receiving funding including light-rail extensions to Torrance and Montclair and additional rapid transit service along congested corridors. Additional funding to go towards improving regional commuter and intercity rail to make Pacific Surfliner and Metrolink services faster and more reliable through major investments including track improvements at Los Angeles Union Station.

Another area that saw significant funding was the Bay Area, where projects will establish the San Jose Diridon station as a Bay Area Regional hub by completing the funding for BART to San Jose, create new rail service to Salinas and Monterey and continue support for Caltrain electrification with funding for additional electric trainsets. TIRCP invests in additional new rail vehicles for BART and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to improve service and reduce train crowding during peak service, and funding for SMART train extensions to connect with Larkspur ferry service and Windsor.

In the Central Valley, CalSTA says the investments will support the creation of an integrated ACE and San Joaquin rail system increasing service frequency in the Central Valley while providing new service connections to Ceres and Sacramento. The funds will also allow for improvements to light-rail service for Sacramento Regional Transit.

This round of awards is part of SB 1’s $7.6 billion investment in transit projects. In January, CalSTA awarded $51.9 million in State Rail Assistance program funding which focused on projects that improve commuter and intercity rail service across the state, reduce air pollution and ease traffic congestion.