SACRAMENTO, California – A historic piece of federal legislation passed a year ago ushered in a new era of infrastructure spending, delivering billions of dollars to California and putting thousands of people to work constructing a new era of improvements to the state’s energy, water, telecommunications, and transportation networks.
“We are rebuilding California and creating thousands of good-paying jobs in the process. This goes far beyond roads and bridges – this is about investing in our communities and our families, giving opportunity to hard-working Californians and ensuring we stay on the cutting edge,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.
On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, commonly known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which will provide California with more than $16.3 billion in federal infrastructure financing. This includes $14 billion for improvements to the state’s roads, bridges, rail, public transportation, airports, network of charging stations for electric vehicles, ports, and waterways.
In addition to the previously unheard-of $47 billion multiyear infrastructure package in California’s state budget, the new federal funding will help the state’s efforts to hasten the transition to zero-emission vehicles, advance energy innovation and reliability, expand access to broadband connectivity, lower the risk of wildfires for communities, and aid drought resiliency and response. More than 17,000 jobs have already been created as a result of these record-breaking state and federal funding initiatives.
The state budget proposal includes $15 billion for transportation improvements, leveraging federal monies with historic state expenditures in transit and intercity rail projects, safe walking and biking choices, and enhancements to the state’s supply chain that fuels its booming economy.
