IE to receive $20M to support innovative transportation projects

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Regional Council on Thursday, July 6, approved allocation of $20 million in funding for seven innovative transportation and land-use projects in the Inland Empire 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 seven IE projects are managed by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) and the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) and align with goals SCAG 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 seven San Bernardino and Riverside 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 Curt Hagman, First Vice President of SCAG and a San Bernardino County Supervisor.

After receiving approval from SCAG's Regional Council, funding has been allocated to the following projects in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties:

Riverside County Transportation Commission ($11.1 million)

Riverside Transit Agency GoMicro Microtransit Pilot Program Extension ($2,378,635). This project funds the GoMicro Microtransit Pilot Program that serves the Hemet-San Jacinto area with on-demand shared ride service. RTA will prepare a Best Practices Summary to serve as a foundational document to implement similar on-demand transit service in other areas of the SCAG region.

Vehicle Miles Traveled Study ($2,005,000). The study will provide local jurisdictions in the Coachella Valley with a framework to utilize vehicle miles traveled as the primary transportation evaluation metric by establishing screening criteria, analysis methodologies, calculation tools, and mitigation strategies.

Riverside County Transportation Commission Core Capacity Innovative Transit Study ($3,000,000). The study will evaluate transit potential along the Interstate 15, Interstate 215, and along the San Jacinto Branch rail line in western Riverside County. The long-term vision of the study is a fully integrated transportation network that allows for multimodal access while leveraging advanced technology.

Coachella Rail Station Feasibility Study and Integrated Land Use and Transit Network ($2,005,000). The study will create a vision and implementation plan for the multimodal transit-supportive rail station district in the City of Coachella, including a land use focused development strategy, infrastructure investments, active transportation projects, and placemaking amenities to increase housing and jobs in a walkable and transit accessible environment.

CV Link Community Connectors Analysis ($1,700,000). The project builds upon CV Link, a $118 Million multimodal transportation facility that connects various cities, tribal nations, and unincorporated areas in the region, by developing design plans for connector routes to this important regional active transportation route.

San Bernardino County Transportation Authority ($9.1 million)

San Bernardino County Vehicle Miles Traveled Mitigation Bank ($3,045,000). The project will establish a new and innovative San Bernardino County Vehicle Miles Traveled Mitigation Bank; using proceeds from the Vehicle Miles Traveled Bank, the San Bernardino County Housing Trust will be able to target funding to affordable housing and supportive infrastructure projects located in disadvantaged communities.

Countywide Multi-Modal Complete Streets Program ($6,519,868). The project will fund portions of several multi-modal projects in the cities of Fontana, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Rialto, Twentynine Palms, and Upland. These projects will lay the groundwork for developing efficient mobility hubs and addressing infrastructure needs related to affordable housing development.