Sacramento – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Recovery Task Force announced this month that another $53 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding has been allocated by the California Transportation Commission for transportation projects statewide, including here in the sierras. The current allocation will help fund a $1.5 million project to resurface 14.6 miles of Highway 89 and Highway 4 near Markleeville, adjacent to Amador County. “My administration is working hand in hand with President Obama’s team to pump Recovery funding into California quickly and responsibly to help drive our economy,” said Schwarzenegger. This latest funding block is part of a series of grants designed to fund transportation-related improvements and employ thousands in California. Future allotments could include major repairs in Amador County. Formula programs in the ARRA apportion to California approximately $2.57 billion for infrastructure projects and $1.07 billion for transit projects. Nationally, the bill provides more than $48 billion for transportation. The lion’s share of this most recent allocation goes to San Luis Obispo County, where $45.9 million will be used to “make a wide range of improvements to U.S. 101 in and near Atascadero.” Santa Barbara County will receive $4.2 million to resurface 18 lane miles of highway, Santa Clara County will spend $6.4 million to install 170 closed-circuit cameras along freeway ramps, and the Inland Empire will get $1.4 million to develop a geographical information system that will enable Caltrans to maintain an inventory of important archaeological sites. According to a release, the California Transportation Commission also “allocated an additional $214 million to 44 transportation projects statewide, including $73.9 million in non-Recovery Act funding to Doyle Drive, the 73-year old southern access to the Golden Gate Bridge and a vital transportation link between San Francisco and Marin Counties.” That project has also received $50 million in Recovery Act funding. “Investing in California’s infrastructure helps put Californians back to work and supports long-term economic growth, while also reducing traffic congestion and improving our very quality of life,” said Schwarzenegger. For a comprehensive list of all projects that receive allocations funding, please visit the state’s website at dot.ca.gov. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.