http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/index.htm Recent Press Releases from the California Department of Transportation en-us http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr14.htm Sacramento – Caltrans has named 14 transportation projects for its “Excellence in Transportation” awards. The awards are given annually by Caltrans to recognize excellence in design, construction, traffic operations, maintenance, planning, and improvements throughout California. "The projects are among the best anywhere," said Caltrans Director Will Kempton. "We continue to lead the nation in innovation and technology."... August 5, 2008 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr13.htm Sacramento – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced today that $36.6 million in transportation funding from Proposition 1B, the 2006 voter-approved transportation bond, has been allocated by the California Transportation Commission. "This Administration is investing billions to improve California’s transportation infrastructure across the state," said Caltrans Director Will Kempton... July 25, 2008 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr12.htm Sacramento –Funding allocations from Proposition 1B, the 2006 voter approved bond to improve California’s transportation infrastructure, have surged close to $4 billion near the end of the 2007-08 fiscal year, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced today. "Proposition 1B is paying for vital transportation projects that relieve traffic congestion, which helps greatly when Californians are spending more than $4 per gallon on gasoline," said Caltrans Director Will Kempton... June 26, 2008 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr11.htm Sacramento – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has received a 2008 Tranny Award for Environmental Enhancement in the field of stormwater quality management. The California Transportation Foundation presented this award to the Caltrans Stormwater Management Program at the 19th Annual Tranny Awards Ceremony earlier this month... June 11, 2008 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr10.htm Sacramento – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced today that Chief Deputy Director Randell Iwasaki, one of the nation’s leading authorities on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), has been elected by the Intelligent Transportation Society of America as chairman of its board of directors. He is the first official from any state department of transportation to achieve this. Iwasaki has served as vice chair of the board since June 2007... June 3, 2008 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr9.htm Sacramento – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced today that the California Transportation Commission (CTC) has approved $382 million in transportation funding from Proposition 1B, the 2006 voter-approved transportation bond. "Every investment in infrastructure is an investment in California’s future," said Business, Transportation, and Housing Secretary Dale E. Bonner. "Today's action will support the state's economy and improve the quality of life for all Californians." The Proposition 1B projects that received funding allocations today are: Los Angeles - $39 million was allocated to the city of Los Angeles to repair Interstate 710 from the Imperial Highway to Firestone Boulevard... May 29, 2008 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr8.htm Atwater - The Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced today the groundbreaking for a $43 million Proposition 1B funded project that will convert approximately two miles of State Route 99 from a four-lane expressway to a six-lane freeway on an alignment that will allow for future growth. Proposition 1B is the $19.9 billion transportation bond that was championed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and approved by voters in November 2006. It is part of the Governor’s overall $42 billion infrastructure-improvement program for transportation, education, housing, levee repair, flood control, and parks plays an important role in creating jobs, preserving our quality of life and growing the state's economy... May 9, 2008 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr7.htm Anaheim, CA – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), California Office of Traffic Safety, California Highway Patrol, and California State Association of Counties today announced a bold set of 152 actions designed to reduce serious injuries and fatalities 10 percent on California’s roadways by 2010. Actions were created with goals geared toward reducing head-on collisions and run-off-the-road crashes, improving safety at intersections and interchanges, and enhancing safety for pedestrians and bicycles. The actions stem from California’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) that identifies the state’s highest priority traffic safety needs and prioritizes investment decisions to achieve the 10 percent reduction in fatalities and disabling injuries versus 2004 levels... May 1, 2008 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr6.htm Sacramento – Sacramento - The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will observe its Annual Workers Memorial in conjunction with the National Work Zone Awareness Week kick-off at 11 a.m., April 8, 2008, on the west steps of the State Capitol. The ceremony, themed after Caltrans' "Slow for the Cone Zone" slogan and highway safety public awareness campaign, will honor the 170 Caltrans employees who have died... April 8, 2008 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr4.htm Sacramento –The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) today awarded $52 million to cities and counties for 139 projects funded through the state’s Safe Routes to School program, which is designed to give students in grades K-12 easier and healthier ways to safely travel to and from schools. "Safety is Caltrans' number one priority, and nothing is more important than assuring the health and safe mobility of our children," said Caltrans Director Will Kempton.... March 18, 2008 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr5.htm Sacramento – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is utilizing its electronic message signs on freeways, Highway Advisory Radio and the media to remind motorists that it is now the law to turn on their headlights when driving in the rain. "Rain is forecasted for Northern California over the next few days and some drivers may not realize that it is now the law to turn on their vehicles’ headlights ... March 14, 2008 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr3.htm Sacramento – $57.4 million in new transportation funding has been allocated from Proposition 1B, the voter-approved transportation bond, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced today. The funding will be used for two projects: One will construct a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane and auxiliary lanes at various locations on Interstate 580 north of Pleasanton and in Livermore in Alameda County and widen the freeway to accommodate the future conversion of an HOV lane to a High Occupancy Toll lane... March 13, 2008 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr2.htm Sacramento – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) today announced it has teamed with the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to make it easier to purchase surplus state properties for affordable housing projects. New Web information (http://www.dot.ca.gov/property or http://www.hcd.ca.gov) has been established to assist developers in locating these Caltrans-owned properties.... January 29, 2008 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/08pr1.htm Sacramento – Ridership on the state-supported Amtrak California trains continued an upward trend during the final quarter of 2007 with an increase of 7.7 percent. A total of 1,266,751 passengers used the popular intercity trains, compared to 1,183,150 during the same three-month period in 2006. "Clearly, we are filling an important need for the traveling public in California," said Caltrans Director Will Kempton. "We have been aggressively marketing the state supported train service, and it’s really paying off... January 16, 2008