Wildomar Awarded $2.2M In Federal Funding To Improve Sedco Boulevard

WILDOMAR, CA — A federal grant totaling $2.2 million was awarded to the city of Wildomar and the money will go toward improving Sedco Boulevard, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced Wednesday.

The award is one of just seven California received for "implementation projects" in the first round of the new Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program.

"Implementation" grants provide federal funding to communities through the SS4A program "to implement strategies and projects that will reduce or eliminate transportation-related fatalities and serious injuries," according to Buttigieg's announcement.

The Sedco Boulevard award will be used for improvements in Wildomar's most disadvantaged neighborhood. The project includes adding bicycle lanes adjacent to vehicle traffic lanes, improving sidewalks, and installing three roundabouts along a .19-mile segment that links two planned bicycle corridors, according to the announcement.

“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," Buttigieg said in a released 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.”

Wildomar Mayor Joseph Morabito said, "We have been trying for years to bring needed improvements to the Sedco area. We are grateful for this funding and look forward to the benefits it will bring to this community."

The six other California implementation grants were awarded to Contra Costa County, $28.9 million for bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements; Los Angeles County, $21.49 million for the "Florence-Firestone for All: Achieving Vision Zero in South Los Angeles Project"; San Francisco, $17.6 million for the "Western Addition Community Safe Streets Project"; Alameda County, $15 million for the "San Pablo Avenue Safety Improvements Project"; Modoc County and Fort Bidwell Tribal Reservation, $12.9 million; and Los Angeles, $9 million for the "La Brea Avenue Complete Streets Project."

In addition to the seven implementation grants, another 43 "action plan" grants were awarded across the state as part of the SS4A program. The latter grants assist communities that do not have roadway safety plans in place to reduce roadway fatalities. According to the announcement, the Riverside County communities that received this funding were the city of Moreno Valley, $435,600; the city of Palm Desert Public Works, $720,000; and the city of Indian Wells, $200,000.

According to Buttigieg, a total of $800 million was awarded for 510 projects nationwide, including the 50 awards in California. The competitive grant program will provide $5 billion over five years, he said.