State to Get Additional Funds from Recovery Act for Transportation and Jobs

Other Legal News - State News February 18, 2010

Sacramento – California will receive an additional $130 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) for four highway, local, street, rail and port projects. The fund will come from Act’s $1.5 billion Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Grant program.

Similarly, the state will also get $10.7 million from the same grants which will provide more the 2,000 unemployed Californians with training to help them get jobs with a wide variety of industries throughout the state.

Senior Adviser and California Recovery director Herb Schultz confirmed the information and said the additional grants were “exactly the type of funding that the Governor had fought for since the Recovery Act was signed”.

The grants were awarded to state and local governments or transit agencies on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant impact on the nation, a metropolitan area, or a region.

In addition, priority was given to projects that require a contribution of federal funds in order to complete an overall financing package and to projects that are expected to be completed by February 17, 2012.

Caltrans Director Randy Iwasaki said the funded projects are expected to improve the safety and efficiency of the transportation system. These projects include the Doyle Drive project in San Francisco, the freight corridor crossing at the Colton Crossing in San Bernardino County, improvements in Ports of Oakland, West Sacramento and Stockton, and the new highway interchange at the Otay East border.

On the other hand, at least 13 California agencies will receive funds to train people as network administrators, systems engineers, alternative fuel mechanics, paramedics, pharmacy assistants, home health aides, warehouse specialists, and logistics clerks.

The projects will focus on the employment and training needs of low-income, unemployed, dislocated workers or under-skilled adults ages 18 and older who face challenges in regaining employment.