State - The California Transportation Commission (CTC) allocated $298 million for 81 transportation projects Thursday, which includes $181 million from Proposition 1B, the 2006 voter-approved transportation bond, and $62 million in federal economic stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The remaining $55 million was allocated for pavement maintenance, bridge preservation, safety, and environmental enhancement projects. “These projects will create thousands of jobs and boost the economy while improving the state’s highway system,” said California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Director Will Kempton. The Recovery Act funding provides $49 million to advance a widening project on Interstate 215 in San Bernardino County. The additional $13 million will fund two highway improvement projects in Monterey and Fresno counties. The Proposition 1B allocation went to four projects in San Bernardino County. In addition to the allocations, the CTC voted to allow Caltrans to advance $261 million in Recovery Act funds to three Proposition 1B projects. The funds will go to projects on Interstate 405 at the Sepulveda Pass in Los Angeles County, State Route 905 in San Diego County, and the Caldecott Tunnel in Contra Costa and Alameda counties. The San Diego County project was previously approved by the CTC, but was stalled due to the state’s difficulty in funding the project through its bond sales. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.