Sacramento, CA…Caltrans awarded more than $227 million today to fund safety projects designed to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries on city and county roads. 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 today in District 10 include:
• San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) was awarded $107,300 toward a project that will install rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFB) and a refuge island to facilitate pedestrian crossing safety located on Benjamin Holt Drive at Leesburg Place, and 400 feet west of Leesburg Place (near the Church/School of the Presentation.)

• Stanislaus Council of Governments (StanCOG) was awarded $1.2 million toward a project that will install Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon, high visibility crosswalk and ADA ramps to facilitate pedestrian crossing safety located on Oakdale Road from Lancey Drive to Celeste Drive as part of the Oakdale Road: Phase 1 project.

• Stanislaus Council of Governments (StanCOG) was awarded $965,800 toward a project that will install pedestrian refuge island with directional median openings and high visibility crosswalks with pedestrian signage ramps to facilitate pedestrian crossing safety located at the intersections of Standiford Avenue and Longbridge Drive and Sylvan Avenue and Bridgeford Lane.

“Caltrans District 10 is committed to working with our local partners and improving California’s transportation infrastructure by creating safer, more reliable travel options,” said Caltrans District Director Dennis T. Agar. “Working with our local partners allows the department to continue our critical repairs and upgrades to local roads, bridges, transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities.”

According to the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, nearly 64 percent of traffic deaths in California occur on city or county roads, underscoring the significance of funding local safety improvements.

Caltrans selected a total of 266 projects statewide for funding for safety enhancements that include new traffic signals, roundabouts, turn lanes, rumble strips and guard rails. A number of projects focus on the following safety improvements at intersections:

• Retroreflective bordered backplates: yellow strips around the perimeter of traffic signals that increase visibility in bright or dark conditions, including during a loss of power.

• Timing changes to give pedestrian and bicyclists more time to cross at crosswalks before the light changes.

• Rectangular rapid-flashing beacons with a push-button signal control to increase pedestrian visibility at crosswalks.
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