House Approves Final Transportation Authorization

Alameda Corridor East Receives $155 Million
Gold Line Receives $19.79 million and Makes Critical Step Forward in the Process

WASHINGTON, DC- Congressman David Dreier (R-CA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, voted today to approve the final version of legislation providing authorization and funding to several critical transportation projects in Southern California and the Foothills. The Alameda Corridor East (ACE) will receive $155 million in federal funding to support ongoing grade separation work. The Gold Line extension will receive $19.79 million to continue planning and designing the project and to construct intermodal centers. The Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users Conference Report, H.R. 3, was approved with overwhelming bipartisan support, 412-8. The bill now goes to the Senate for final approval and then to the President for his signature.

“This bill sought to accomplish four goals - improving safety, mitigating congestion, improving air quality, and moving goods,” Dreier said. “The Alameda Corridor East is a project of regional and national significance that embodies all four of these criteria. With forty percent of America’s imports moving through the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the ACE is a major economic corridor. The funding provided in this bill represents a strong federal commitment to the future of this critical project, and we will vigorously pursue additional funds as they become necessary.”

Also included in the legislation is funding for the following projects in the Foothills: $7.9 million for the Foothill Transit “Transit-Oriented Neighborhood Program”; $4 million for the Rancho Cucamonga I-15/Base Line Road Interchange; $2.4 million for Arcadia Santa Anita Avenue Corridor improvements; $2.2 million for the Monrovia Transit Village; $1.6 million for the Montclair Ramona Avenue grade separation; and, $1.6 million for the Montclair Monte Vista Avenue grade separation. In addition, the Gold Line Foothill Extension is designated in the Final Design category in the New Starts program, which is a critical step that bodes well for the future of the project.

Dreier noted that the California delegation worked together in a bipartisan way to achieve strong results for the state of California. “Transportation is not a Republican or Democrat issue,” Dreier said. “This is an issue that affects every citizen in our state. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the future as we strive to meet California’s growing transportation needs.”