Washington, D.C. - Today, Congress passed the "Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU)."

The legislation (H.R. 3), passed by a vote of 412 to 8, provides contract authority for $286 billion through 2009, for highways, public transit, and transportation safety and research programs.

The transportation bill includes $14.4 million in direct federal funds for communities throughout the 34th Congressional District.

Congresswoman Roybal-Allard said, "I am thrilled that I was able to secure these critical transportation dollars to improve transportation safety, ease gridlock, and accommodate growth for the communities I represent."

"This measure will help provide critical transportation improvements and create badly needed jobs in the Los Angeles area," added Congresswoman Roybal-Allard.

Under the final agreement on the transportation spending bill, the projects in the 34th Congressional District that will receive federal funds are:

City of Bell Gardens
$800,000 to reconstruct Eastern Avenue

City of Bellflower
$400,000 to replace and repair sidewalks
$320,000 to construct a raised median on Alondra Blvd
$280,000 for traffic signal upgrades on Bellflower Blvd
$200,000 to landscape the south side of the 91 freeway at Bellflower Blvd
$40,000 to repair the Rosecrans Ave and Alondra Blvd bridges

City of Commerce
$2.4 million to widen Washington Blvd

City of Downey
$1.6 million to upgrade traffic signals and make improvements to Lakewood Blvd
$1.6 million to widen and add turn lanes to Firestone Blvd
$800,000 to widen and make improvements on Paramount Blvd
$400,000 to conduct a study on the reconfiguration of the Firestone/Old River
School Road

City of Huntington Park
$960,000 to improve Randolph Street between Wilmington and Fishburn
 
City of Los Angeles
$2 million to construct pedestrian enhancements on Broadway in downtown
$1 million to widen the First Street Bridge for the Gold Line light rail to the East Side

City of Maywood
$400,000 for transportation enhancements to Atlantic Blvd

City of Vernon
$800,000 to widen the Atlantic Blvd Bridge  

Los Angeles County
$400,000 to continue funding a program to reduce diesel truck emissions in the
"Gateway Cities" area, which extends from the City of Commerce to the City of
La Mirada