WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) March 11 announced $236.9 million in federal funding for 17 California projects to improve neighborhood connectivity, roadway infrastructure, and street safety. The announcement includes $139 million for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority “Removing Barriers and Creating Legacy” project, which will reconnect communities and strengthen mobility across highway and arterial barriers ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The FY 2023 grants come through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program and the Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Grant Program established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, respectively. The RCP was modeled off the Reconnecting Communities Act that Padilla co-led in 2021.
Local recipients of the RCP and NAE grants include:
- Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority — $139 million: This project will reconnect communities across highway and arterial barriers by creating multimodal investments: bus speed and reliability improvements, first/last mile strategies and projects, mobility hubs, and non‑capital mobility solutions. These investments will improve connectivity in LA County, providing direct benefit to 1 million disadvantaged Angelenos.
- Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority — $9.96 million: The project is a partnership between LA Metro, Caltrans, and LA County Public Works and consists of the construction of a dedicated pedestrian and bicycle overcrossing adjacent to the existing Humphreys Avenue bridge over I-710 in the historically disadvantaged community of East Los Angeles, California. It also includes complementary pedestrian safety and accessibility improvements such as upgraded crosswalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps, and improved sidewalks.
- Port of Los Angeles — $5 million: This funding will support a pedestrian bridge over two mainline freight tracks in the Port of Los Angeles, which can accommodate emergency vehicles and connects the economically disadvantaged Wilmington community with the Wilmington Waterfront.
A full list of California projects receiving funding is available here.
Details: Find Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant program information: here.