California Awards $140M to Boost Bike, Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Programs
Key Takeaways
- California is investing $140 million in federal grants to fund 495 traffic-safety programs targeting impaired driving, EMS, and bike/pedestrian protection.
- CHP will receive $22.3 million for enforcement, officer training and community engagement aimed at reducing statewide roadway deaths.
- Funding supports a statewide goal to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries by 30% by 2035, complementing $14.6 billion in state transportation investments.
The California Office of Traffic Safety has awarded more than $140 million in federal funding to support bicycle and pedestrian safety initiatives, impaired-driving enforcement and other critical traffic safety programs statewide.
The funding will support 495 grants for state and local agencies to address drug-impaired driving, expand emergency medical services and implement bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements, according to The Center Square.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will receive $22.3 million for 20 programs that will focused on drunk and distracted driving, motorcycle safety, traffic safety enforcement and additional transportation initiatives, the outlet reported. The grants will also help CHP train officers from other agencies across the state.
In a press release, CHP said the grants will strengthen outreach, enforcement and community engagement efforts aimed at reducing traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
Federal Dollars Complement Major State Safety Investments
The federal funds supplement $14.6 billion in state transportation investments and support a multi-agency goal to cut statewide traffic fatalities and injuries by 30 percent by 2035, the CHP reported.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued $140 million using multi-year appropriations from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, The Center Square reported.
California has recently reported improving traffic-safety trends: from 2022 to 2023, statewide traffic fatalities dropped 11 percent, with alcohol-impaired deaths down 4.5 percent and unrestrained occupant death down 8.6 percent, according to The Center Square.
Larger grant-supported initiatives include $6 million for DUI checkpoints, saturation patrols and public education campaigns. Another $54 million will go to law enforcement agencies to reduce speeding, distracted and impaired driving, as well as bicycle and pedestrian safety programs, according to CHP’s press release.
Sources: CHP, The Center Square