Caltrans awarded nearly $82 million to construct the Central Subway light rail line in San Francisco, representatives said on Wednesday.
The 1.7-mile light rail line will transport passengers from south of Market Street to Chinatown. Agency officials said they expect to attract 42,400 passengers daily by 2030.
“Not only will these project create jobs, they will also help curb greenhouse gas pollution and provide viable alternatives to driving cars,” Caltrans director Malcolm Dougherty said in a statement.
Voters authorized the funding through Proposition 1B, a 2006 bond measure that approved $19.9 billion for more than 1,000 transit projects across the state. Representatives said the majority of Prop. 1B are either under construction or complete.
This year’s budget appropriated the remaining Prop. 1B funds, primarily in local transit and intercity rail areas, according to Caltrans.
The transportation agency is currently seeking feedback on the agency’s “Interregional Transportation Strategic Plan” for 2015, which can be found at http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/tpp/offices/oasp/itsp.html.
Erin Baldassari, Bay City News
