California governor's budget includes 'significant' transit-rail funding, association says

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposed fiscal-year 2022-2023 state budget would provide "significant new investments" in the state's public transit and rail system, the California Transit Association (CTA) announced Monday.

Newsom's proposed $286.4 billion budget calls for $2 billion for high-priority transit and rail projects that would improve statewide connections between state and regional services; $1.25 billion for "critical" transit and rail projects in Southern California; $500 million for high-priority grade separations and grade crossing improvements; $4.2 billion to complete high-speed rail construction in the Central Valley and advance work to launch high-speed rail service between Merced and Bakersfield; $750 million to transform California’s active transportation network; and $400 million for projects to mitigate climate impacts.

Those investments are in addition to $6.1 billion Newsom proposed for zero-emission vehicle deployments, including benefits for public transit agencies in rail, buses and ferries. All these investments will propel transformation of the state’s public transit systems, CTA officials said in a press release.

“Through his proposed budget, Gov. Newsom has once again acknowledged the importance of public transit and rail investments for advancing the state’s ambitious environmental goals, creating good paying California-based jobs, boosting economic growth, and connecting more equitable, resilient communities for all Californians,” said CTA Executive Director Michael Pimentel.