Inland Empire’s Deadliest Roadways Targeted For Repairs

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The U.S. Department of Transportation this week gave out $5 billion in grants designed to make roads safer for drivers and pedestrians, targeting some of the deadliest roadways across California.

Eight projects in the Inland Empire have received millions of dollars in grants through the Safe Streets and Roads for All program, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced this week.

The money will be spent to redesign roads and improve sidewalks on the nation's roadways.

"Every year, crashes cost tens of thousands of American lives and hundreds of billions of dollars to our economy; we face a national emergency on our roadways, and it demands urgent action," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. "We are proud that these grants will directly support hundreds of communities as they prepare steps that are proven to make roadways safer and save lives."

The transportation department also launched an interactive map showing crash hotspots, and both Southern California and the Bay Area have roads with high traffic death rates.

In addition to funding roadway improvement projects, the federal government also awarded grants to 43 California communities including seven in the Inland Empire to develop action plans for roadway improvements. They include Rialto, Moreno Valley, Colton, Riverside County, Apple Valley, Indian Wells and Palm Desert Public Works.

In the meantime, seven projects in California this week received millions of dollars to jumpstart projects.

In Riverside County, $2.2 million will go to Sedco Boulevard improvements in Wildomar. “The City of Wildomar, a historically rural community, will use this award to execute infrastructure improvements in its most disadvantaged neighborhood,” according to the transportation department. “The project includes adding bicycle lanes adjacent to vehicle travel lanes, improving sidewalks, and installing three roundabouts along a 0.19-mile segment that links two planned bicycle corridors.”

The other California projects include:

• $28.9 million for Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Improvements Project (Contra Costa County, CA): This project includes improvements to pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure at five areas close to schools, major transit stops, and the largest concentration of pedestrian-involved crashes in the county. Improvements will include upgraded pedestrian and bicycle signaling, new street trees, bike lanes, and ADA-compliant curb ramps.
• $21.49 million for the Florence-Firestone for All: Achieving Vision Zero in South Los Angeles Project (Los Angeles County, CA): The Florence-Firestone neighborhood in South Los Angeles has experienced a dramatic increase in crashes since 2016, with 32 fatal crashes and 177 severe injury crashes between 2017 and 2021. This project will improve safety in the area by installing ADA-compliant curb ramps, curb extensions, raised crosswalks, raised medians, pedestrian refuge islands, speed cushions, high-visibility crosswalks, among other improvements. LA County will also undertake educational campaigns with teen drivers in schools and a “Safe Routes for Seniors Program.”
• $17.6 million for the Western Addition Community Safe Streets Project (San Francisco, CA): Currently, pedestrians in San Francisco’s Western Addition neighborhood face unsafe conditions due to high vehicle speeds and a lack of pedestrian infrastructure in the area. This project will upgrade traffic and pedestrian signals and crossings, deploy better speed management strategies and other safety improvements at 16 intersections to improve safety for these vulnerable road users.
• $15 million for the San Pablo Avenue Safety Improvements Project (Alameda County, CA): This award will help the Alameda County Transportation Commission address safety concerns for all road users, especially pedestrians and cyclists, along San Pablo Avenue. The project includes bus bulb-outs and bus stop relocation, in-lane transit stops for better speed moderation, and the creation of parallel bike routes. The project will also improve connections to schools and development activities and supports emissions-reduction strategies and efforts to combat urban sprawl.
• $12.9 million for Modoc County’s SS4A Implementation Project (Modoc County and Fort Bidwell Tribal Reservation, CA): Modoc County seeks to improve safety along two corridors located in rural disadvantaged communities and Tribal areas that have the County’s most dangerous crash history: County Road 91 and County Road 1. The project will address pedestrian and bicyclist needs identified by community and Tribe members including new bike lanes, pedestrian crosswalks, speed control measures, and mobility-assisted support infrastructure.
• $9 million for the La Brea Avenue Complete Streets Project (Los Angeles, CA): This project will make safety improvements along La Brea Avenue, which currently poses safety risks for pedestrians. An average of 11.2 pedestrians and 3.2 bicyclists are injured annually in the corridor. The project includes new pedestrian crosswalks and signals; sidewalk repairs; upgraded markings; street tree plantings; and upgrades to the transit user experience to support the city’s Vision Zero goals.

Also this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced $2.5 billion in funding for 16 mass transit projects across the Golden State. Newsom called it the first wave of a historic infusion of state funding to expand transit and passenger rail service throughout the state.

“The projects funded represent critical transportation and will provide alternatives to driving with access to a modernized, public transit system,” said Governor Newsom. “California is unwavering in our commitment to our world-leading climate agenda, including record levels of investments in public transportation projects to electrify fleets, expand and improve service, and spark ridership growth.”

The funding is part of a larger, multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment to upgrade the state’s transit system to enhance mobility options, improve service and reduce overdependence on driving, according to a statement released by Newsom.

In the Inland Empire, $19 million wil go to the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority’s West Valley Connector Bus Rapid Transit and Zero-Emission Bus Initiative, which will introduce a new 19-mile bus rapid transit system connecting Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario Airport, Ontario, Montclair and Pomona. Scheduled to be completed in 2025, the project previously received $15 million in TIRCP funding.

According to the governor’s office, the funding will also include

• $600 million for LA Metro’s East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor project to complete the 6.7-mile initial segment between Van Nuys/Orange Line and Van Nuys/San Fernando stations, scheduled by 2030. The project previously received $205 million in TIRCP funding.
• $407 million for the Inglewood Transit Connector, putting it at full funding. Scheduled to be completed in time for service to support the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the project previously received $95 million in TIRCP funding.
• $375 million for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension project, which will bring BART service to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara. Scheduled to be completed in 2033, the project previously received $750 million in TIRCP funding.
• $367 million for the Peninsula Corridor Electrification project, which is electrifying Caltrain rail service and acquiring new electric multiple unit trains for improved and more frequent service. Scheduled to be completed in 2024, the project previously received $20 million in TIRCP funding.
• $142 million for the Valley Rail project, ensuring completion of nine project components stretching throughout the Altamont Corridor Express and San Joaquin service areas. The project, scheduled to open in phases beginning in 2025, previously received $900 million in TIRCP funding.

City News Service contributed to this report.