Ventura County receiving $3.8M for innovative transportation projects

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Regional Council on Thursday, July 6, approved $3.8 million in funding for four innovative transportation and land-use projects in Ventura County that advance sustainable communities.

In all, $80 million in funding has been awarded to projects across the six counties comprising the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). The County Transportation Commission (CTC) Partnership Program, under which these awards are issued, represents the first stage of implementation of the state-funded Regional Early Action Planning (REAP 2.0) grant.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) formally awarded SCAG $237 million in REAP 2.0 grants earlier this week to accelerate progress toward housing goals and climate commitments by strengthening the partnership between the state, its regions and local entities.

The four Ventura County projects are managed by the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) and align with the goals SCAG has set forth in Connect SoCal, the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, to reduce vehicle miles traveled and help the six-county region meet state air-quality mandates.

“These four Ventura County projects will positively impact quality of life by increasing economic and career opportunities and reducing vehicle emissions across our region. We applaud the innovative thinking, collaboration and hard work that has gone into securing this critical funding,” said Jenny Crosswhite, member of SCAG’s Regional Council and Santa Paula City Councilmember.

After receiving approval from SCAG's Regional Council, funding has been allocated to the following projects in Ventura County:

Santa Paula Branch Line Active Transportation - Master Plan Update and Validate Connections to Serve New Housing and Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled ($1,677,000). The project advances the Santa Paula Branch Line Trail Master Plan which will improve active transportation connections to housing, transit, and job centers in the Santa Clara River Valley.

Community Traffic Calming & Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program ($300,000). The project will establish a Community Traffic Calming Program in Ventura County. The program will target areas with excessive vehicle speeds, identify concepts for permanent infrastructure improvements, and develop and implement a comprehensive traffic calming program incorporating the SCAG Go Human toolkit.

Countywide Transit Stops Inventory & Accessibility Assessment / Capital Improvements Grant Program ($1,500,000). This project will conduct an inventory of all bus stops and train stations in Ventura County and establish a competitive grant program for transit agencies and municipalities to request funding for capital improvements at transit stops and stations. Capital improvements that result from this project can be paired with future affordable housing investments within Ventura County to foster inclusive development and boost accessibility and mobility for historically disadvantaged communities.

Countywide Paratransit Integration Study ($300,000). The project will evaluate and provide recommendations for consolidation of all demand-response (paratransit and dial-a-ride) operations into a new countywide agency with a single call/dispatch center. By improving paratransit service, Ventura County will be able to more effectively and efficiently serve more locations enabling residents to maintain their mobility and independence while remaining connected to their community.