What you need to know: California is investing nearly $300 million of federal funding in traffic safety projects to protect public safety across the state.

SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom today announced nearly $300 million in funding for 288 projects aimed at reducing traffic deaths and serious injuries on city and county roads across California.

“We’re making roads safer up and down the state with significant investments. I’m proud of the lifesaving work Caltrans has done to protect drivers, pedestrians, and bikers as they go about their daily commutes.” - Governor Gavin Newsom

The funding for these local projects is provided through the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), a critical federal-aid program with the goal of reducing fatal and serious injuries on public roads across the nation.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is using the Safe System approach - which emphasizes multiple layers of protection, including safer road designs - to achieve its goal of reducing fatalities and serious injuries on state roadways to zero by 2050.

Caltrans’ adoption of the Safe System approach builds on its ongoing work to embed safety in the state’s transportation system. When feasible, transportation projects Caltrans funds or oversees will include “complete street” features that provide safe and accessible options for people walking, biking, and taking transit.

“Under Governor Newsom’s leadership, California remains committed to helping ensure that every Californian has access to safe and reliable transportation, no matter who they are or where they live,” said California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. “These investments highlight our people-first approach, because we know it will pay the most important dividend of all - their safety.”   

Safety improvement efforts from projects receiving the funding announced today will be distributed throughout the state, making impactful enhancements from Del Norte County in the north to San Diego County in the south and communities everywhere in between.

A sample of the safety projects include:  

• In the Bay Area, a $5 million project will install Class IV bike lanes in Contra Costa County, a $4.4 million project will install new high-visibility signage in San Francisco, and a $1.75 million project will improve intersection lighting and pedestrian throughways.
• Along the Central Coast, a $4 million project in Santa Barbara County will implement new pedestrian improvements and traffic signals, and a $2 million project in Santa Cruz County will improve daylight and pedestrian crossings.
•  In the Central Valley, a $3.7 million investment will fund a new roundabout in Fresno County, a $4.5 million project in Tulare County will install rumble strips, left-turn lanes, and flashing beacons, and a $2.6 million project in San Joaquin County will improve 42 separate traffic signals.
• In Northern California, nearly $6 million will go toward installing retro-reflectivity striping throughout Trinity County, and $1 million will be spent to improve guardrail throughout Humboldt County.
•  In Southern California, a $3.6 million project in Fullerton will provide a protected left lane, a $1 million effort in Orange County will upgrade nearly 60 signalized interchanges, and a nearly $3 million investment in Riverside County will install protected bike lanes and ADA-accessible curb ramps.

A list of projects receiving funding from today’s announcement can be found here.

Since 2007, California has provided $1.5 billion to local safety projects, which included installing rumble strips, flashing beacons, warning signs, roadway lighting, delineators and new sidewalks to make roads safer.

For more information about transportation projects and funding, visit: Build.ca.gov.