What California Would Lose if the Infrastructure Plan Fails

The state is poised to gain nearly $1 billion from the federal plan for projects ranging from electric vehicle charging stations to bike lanes and zero-emission bus fleets.

1 minute read

August 5, 2021, 7:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Electric Vehicle Charging

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Writing in LA Magazine, Heidi Siegmund Cuda asserts that "California, with the fifth largest economy in the world, stands to gain big—nearly $1 billion—in the current $1 trillion infrastructure plan." But "if the bill is scuttled in the Senate, California could lose about $920 million dedicated to 200 projects." These include: 

a dozen bridge repair and construction projects, including a $1 million dollar pedestrian bridge in Wilmington and a bridge safety barrier rail at in Burbank at a cost of $2 million; electric vehicle charging stations for Burbank, Oakland, and San Pedro at about $2.1 million; bike lane expansions and widening in such cities as L.A., North Hollywood, Pasadena, and Camarillo for $6.6 million; and statewide wastewater and drinking water projects; as well as preparing for rising sea levels by shoring up impacted infrastructure.

In Los Angeles, the funding would go toward the Sepulveda Transit Corridor, improvements in the Vermont transit district, bike path improvements, and traffic light upgrades, among other projects. "Zero-emission bus fleets, training, and charging infrastructure are planned for Gardena, Oxnard, Pasadena, San Bernardino, and Wilmington, as part of an $18.2 million investment."

"[U]ltimately, the final bill needs the support of at least ten Senate Republicans as well as that of every Democrat to pass."

Tuesday, July 27, 2021 in L.A. Magazine

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