LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Caltrans awarded more than $227 million today to fund safety projects designed to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries on city and county roads throughout California, including in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
Funding is provided through the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program.
“Safety is always our number one priority,'' said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin. “These projects will enhance systemwide safety features, including expanded access to protected walkways and bikeways, and will move us closer to our goal of reducing serious injuries and fatalities on California roadways.''
Projects approved in Los Angeles and Orange counties include:
-- Tweedy Boulevard crosswalk upgrades in South Gate, to upgrade four uncontrolled crosswalks with enhanced crosswalk features including in-roadway warning lights, high-visibility signing and striping, and ADA curb ramps;
-- High-Visibility Crosswalk Standardization Project in Lancaster, to upgrade existing crosswalks to high-visibility, continental-style crosswalks at 53 signalized intersections;
-- Advanced Dilemma Zone Detection at 12 intersections in Lakewood, to provide advanced dilemma zone detection systems and upgrade signal hardware at 10 intersections to reduce red-light running and traffic collisions;
--Signalized Intersections in Anaheim at Walnut Street at Ball Road; Anaheim Boulevard at Santa Ana Street; and Acacia Street/Anna Drive at La Palma Avenue, to install protected/protected-permissive left-turn phasing;
-- Prioritized City-Wide Audible Pedestrian Push Button Systems Safety Improvement Project in Anaheim, to install audible pedestrian push button systems;
-- Citywide Pedestrian Crossings with Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (seven locations), to construct pedestrian crossing enhancements with rectangular rapid flashing beacons; and
-- Bristol Street at Santa Clara Avenue Signal Modification in Santa Ana, to install left turn phasing for north and south directions, the intersection of Bristol Street at Santa Clara Avenue.
According to the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, nearly 64% of traffic deaths in California occur on city or county roads, underscoring the significance of funding local safety improvements.
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