The City of Fontana will receive a $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for local road improvements, it was announced a month ago. The funding is part of $119 million for eight local governments, transit agencies, and tribes in the state.
To celebrate the milestone, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg paid a special visit to Fontana on September 8.
Key Takeaway
- Major roadway upgrades will be made during the “Building A Better Connected Inland Empire” project, including more lanes, an integrated traffic system, protected left turn medians, a roundabout, bus turnouts, lamps, signs, and raised medians.
We Covered this in our Weekly Wire Roundup
Building A Better Connected Inland Empire
Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Padilla and Feinstein voted to enact last year. The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program provided these funds. The funding for the RAISE program, which aids towns in modernizing transportation infrastructure, has grown.
The grant, a part of a package of more than $119 million for eight local governments, transportation agencies, and tribes in the state, was announced by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein (Democrats from California).
As Fontana received a new grant to upgrade its transportation network, many changes will be made along with this project to modify the old transportation system.
The following are included in this project:
- A half-mile of multi-use trails;
- Five miles of Class II bike trails;
- 2.5 miles of Class I bike lanes;
- Five miles of ADA-compliant sidewalks;
- Pedestrian crosswalks;
- A bridge and countdown signal heads.
“As the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver for California, I’m proud to see significant investments from this historic legislation for local and regional transportation infrastructure projects,” Padilla said in a news release. “This funding for projects across the state, from San Francisco to the Central Valley and Los Angeles, will improve transportation safety, better connect our communities, and help keep our economy moving.”
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law President Biden signed last year continues to deliver big wins for California,” said Feinstein. “The announcement of nearly $120 million bolsters transportation infrastructure is great news. This funding will help California continue to lead the way to cleaner, greener forms of transportation.”
Representatives Pete Aguilar (D-31st District) and Norma J. Torres (D-35th District), who supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the House, also announced funds for Fontana.
Benefits of the Funding
The RAISE Grant funds will support Fontana’s continued safe and smart expansion, provide access to affordable housing, enhance transportation corridors, and create a more interconnected Inland Empire.
A Year of Transportation Innovations in the Inland Empire
Startempire Wire previously reported about other transportation innovations in the Inland Empire.
The Regional Mobility Dialogue Series of the Leonard Transportation Center at Cal State University, San Bernardino, titled “A Year of Transportation Innovations in the Inland Empire,” discussed transportation innovations in the Inland Empire in 2021.
Wrap Up!
For the City of Fontana, August 10 was a special moment. Fontana will gain a great deal from the RAISE Grant funds. Fontana’s transportation infrastructure will improve due to the “Building A Better Connected Inland Empire” project, establishing protected lanes for students and bicycles.
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