The Daily Dig
The California Transportation Commission approved $848 million last week across transit, freight, and active transportation, covering projects from the Bay Area to Southern California.
The largest single award is $100 million for the BART Silicon Valley Phase II project, part of a $273 million package for rail systems currently under construction across the state.
The funds go toward a tunnel launch structure and supports for a planned 5-mile tunnel connecting downtown San Jose to Santa Clara, marking the project's shift from preparation into active tunneling operations. Total state investment in Phase II now exceeds $1.2 billion.
The Commission also directed $33 million to expand rail freight operations at the Port of Long Beach, $35 million toward design and construction of rail power stations in Los Angeles, and $33 million to build a public-access EV charging facility on a 118-acre parcel in Sacramento.
The package draws $47 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and $405 million from Senate Bill 1. The Commission also approved the 2026 State Highway Operation and Protection Program at the same meeting, committing $17.9 billion over four years to the state highway system.
Project Snapshot:
Approving Body: California Transportation Commission (CTC)
Total Allocation (Current Round): $848 million
Approval Date: March 2026
Rail Technology Investment: $273 million
BART Silicon Valley Phase II Allocation: $100 million
BART Tunnel Scope: 5-mile tunnel, tunnel launch structure and supports, San Jose to Santa Clara
Total State Funding on BART Phase II: $1.2 billion+
Port of Long Beach Rail Freight: $33 million
LA Rail Power Stations: $35 million (design and construction)
Sacramento EV Charging Facility: $33 million (118-acre parcel, public access)
Federal IIJA Funding in Package: $47 million
SB 1 Funding in Package: $405 million
SHOPP Program (2026): $17.9 billion over four years
State Transportation Improvement Program (2026): $2.7 billion
California Total IIJA Funding Since 2021: $16.7 billion annually
SB 1 Annual Contribution: $5.5 billion annually since 2017
Imperial County: $5.3 million (Routes 115, 86, 111 - sidewalks, bike lanes, ADA upgrades, TMS); $231,000 (Gillet Road asphalt rehab, El Centro)
Del Mar Bluffs Stabilization (San Diego County): $3 million
Sector: Public Transit, Rail, Freight, Active Transportation, EV Infrastructure
Region: Statewide, California
Governing Agenda: Governor Newsom's Build More, Faster - For All
TheJobWalk Thoughts
The tunnel launch structure and supports represent one of the earliest major physical construction scopes on the BART Phase II alignment. Underground specialists, structural concrete subs, and heavy civil firms that aren't already prequalified should be moving now, procurement won't wait.
The Port of Long Beach rail freight award and the LA power station funding are separate scopes with different owners, procurement structures, and subcontractor needs. Treat them as two distinct opportunities, not one transportation package.
The $17.9 billion SHOPP approval is the steadier, longer-term signal. Four years of statewide pavement, bridge, and safety work means consistent bid volume for paving contractors, bridge subs, and materials suppliers well into the decade.
