Caltrans Wraps up 29 Immediate Congestion Relief Projects; Gears up for $19.9 Billion in Longer-Term Assistance.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- As the Reason Foundation's 16th Annual Report on the Performance of State Highway Systems today highlights (http://reason.org), traffic jams continue to be a problem for motorists in California. Nevertheless, Caltrans Director Will Kempton promises congestion "has a fight on its hands."

"Over the past 18 months Caltrans has put nearly $100 million into immediate, short-term congestion relief projects around the state," Kempton says. "And, $4.5 billion in longer-term projects to reduce congestion are on the way thanks to the $19.9 billion transportation bond approved by voters in November with the support of Governor Schwarzenegger and the Legislature."

The California Transportation Commission has already programmed more than $8 billion worth of bond proceeds, and transit and local street and road funds will be available on approval of the 2007-08 fiscal year budget.

In the meantime, Caltrans is wrapping up 29 projects that will reduce congestion in hot spots around the state. The projects feature operational improvements such as truck climbing lanes, additional highway lanes that allow for smoother traffic merging, and application of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).

Some of the new ITS improvements will include real-time traffic information on changeable message signs in Orange, San Mateo, and Solano counties, and coordinated traffic lights in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.

Caltrans and the CHP have also initiated plans to reduce incident clearing times, because incidents on the state highway system create almost a third of the daily congestion delay experienced by California motorists.

For a complete list of the 29 immediate, short-term congestion relief projects, go to: http://www.dot.ca.gov/docs/PressList6_07.xls.