Sacramento recieves $20 million for transportation projects in low-income communities
SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento region is receiving more than $20 million for transportation projects aimed at lower-income communities.
California Legislators secured federal funding for transit projects under the Green Means Go program.
"The Sacramento region, we don't often show up on the federal radar screen, so to speak," said James Corless.
Corless is the executive director of SACOG, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments.
"A lot of great local projects within this grant got the attention of the Department of Transportation," he said.
So where will that $20 million go?
"This money is for planning and community engagement," Corless said.
Corless added that it's actually a vital spend and that planning includes everything but putting shovels in the dirt.
"We have not been good at engaging community organizations and neighborhood groups because they know best," he said. "They actually know [where the dangerous intersection is]."
So what are some of the projects?
"They're all forward-looking thinking about 'How do you build more housing? How do you build more transportation around those units?' " California Rep. Ami Bera said.
Some projects are in the area surrounding Sacramento.
"We have everything from a pedestrian bridge in Isleton that connects downtown back to the Sacramento River, Corless said.
With this money, Corless said another fight begins.
"We want to leverage that grant so we can get a lot more money to build all these things," he said.
With an early win, Bera believes the next fight may be easier.
"Again, I think it's important to get these planning grants since I think it puts us in a position to get the bigger grants," Bera said.
Community engagement programs on these 10 projects will begin in the coming months while SACOG and county representatives turn their attention to federal funds to put shovels in the ground.
