California Transportation Commission has granted $703.6m in SB-1 funding for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).

Recently, the California Transportation Agency (CalSTA) also announced its SB-1 grant to fund transit and intercity rail capital improvements, with $1.088bn being allocated for Metro.

California has received a total of $1.8bn for Metro from two awards, with the second from CTC. These awards are the largest under the SB-1 in the state so far.

SB-1 is California’s gas tax and transportation funding programme. Metro has secured around 26% of the state’s total funding.

Funds will be distributed to Metro’s projects on highway, freight, and transit.

“Metro has secured around 26% of the state’s total funding.”

According to Los Angeles mayor and metro board chair Eric Garcetti, SB-1 has allocated billions of dollars to create viable transportation options.

Metro will combine SB-1 gas tax funds with its transportation sales tax contributions generated locally to carry out works.

Transportation projects receiving SB-1 funding include $150m for Airport Metro Connector 96th Street Transit Station Project, $128.6m for America’s Global Freight Gateway: Southern California Rail Project.

The CalSTA’s transit and intercity rail capital improvements programme aims to boost rail ridership by providing advanced transportation infrastructure.

This programme will include projects on Vermont transit corridor, East San Fernando Valley transit corridor, West Santa Ana Branch light rail transit corridor, and Gold Line Foothill light rail extension to Montclair. It also covers Orange/Red Line to Gold Line BRT transit corridor, and Green Line light rail extension to Torrance.