Newsom’s Plan to Reinvent California’s Transport System for a More Extreme Climate

Gavin Newsom has launched a new phase of California’s effort to reshape transportation infrastructure around the threats posed by extreme weather. The package directs $2.7 billion to more than 150 projects and forms part of a broader state strategy that also includes investment in zero-emission infrastructure.

The governor’s office said the funding will reduce travel times, expand alternatives to driving and strengthen assets exposed to severe weather. It also includes improvements intended to increase safety and access.

One of the largest allocations, $267 million, will go to three of the four Caldecott Tunnel bores in Orinda. The work will cover structural pavement, drainage, lower stormwater systems, ventilation and electrical installations, including LED lighting.

Climate resilience is also central to projects elsewhere in the state. Dunsmuir in Shasta County will receive $76.5 million for a wildlife crossing over Interstate 5, fencing and upgrades to pavement, barriers, signs and drainage. Another $33.5 million will fund three projects along the South Fork of the Eel River near State Route 1 in Humboldt County. The work will remove barriers to fish passage, replace culverts with concrete bridge structures and reduce sediment loads.

The package extends beyond climate-related construction. Los Angeles County will receive $2.45 million for infrastructure and safety improvements at four stations, 7th Street/Metro Center, Norwalk, Union Station and Harbor Gateway, before the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. State Route 37 in Sonoma County will receive $63 million for two high-occupancy vehicle lanes between Sears Point and Mare Island. Oildale, east of Bakersfield, will get $1.8 million for uncontrolled multilane pedestrian crossings, warning beacons, signs and ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Newsom presented the decisions as part of a future-ready mobility model designed to keep people and goods moving under tougher conditions.