Information from the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG):
SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. – In a significant boost for Santa Barbara County’s public transit
and rail infrastructure, the California State Transportation Agency awarded over $70 million to the
Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) and local transit and rail partners
from the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program. SBCAG secured the substantial funding after
participating in two successful applications to revitalize and expand transportation options, create
1,700 jobs, and improve rail infrastructure with transformative projects countywide.
The California State Transportation Agency announced the funding awards this week, revealing
that twenty-seven projects will receive a total of $1.3 billion from Cycle 7 of the statewide Transit
and Intercity Rail Capital Program.
$51.3 million was awarded to SBCAG’s Charging Forward Project in partnership with the City
of Lompoc Transit, Santa Maria Regional Transit (SMRT), and Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit
District (MTD). The partners committed more than an $85 million match with state and local funds
to deliver the projects and secure the award.
"It's a proud moment for SBCAG and all the local partners who creatively joined forces to work
smarter and more efficiently as a team for the benefit of the communities we serve,” said SBCAG
Board Chair and County Supervisor Steve Lavagnino. “This award brings over $70 million in
taxpayer dollars back into our region to make it easier for all of us to get to work, school, and all
the essential services we rely on."
The Charging Forward Project funds the following initiatives countywide:
Transit Electrification:
• Electric Buses: Enhance sustainable transportation by purchasing 23 new electric buses
for the City of Lompoc Transit, Santa Barbara MTD, and SBCAG Clean Air Express
($14.4 million).
Innovative Transit:
• Countywide Contactless Payment System: Introduce a Contactless Integrated Fare
System to create a single transit payment system countywide to accept contactless credit
and debit card payments, improving the transfer of discounts and ridership data collection
($2.25 million).
• Bus Rapid Transit: Establish a high-quality bus-based public transportation system for
Santa Maria Regional Transit featuring dedicated bus lanes, level boarding stations, signal
prioritization, and modern buses along State Route 135/Broadway, the City’s most
congested corridor ($1.5 million).
Transit Facilities:
• Santa Barbara MTD: Complete the funding needed to construct the new Operations and
Maintenance Terminal 2 Phase 2 facility in the City of Goleta, including replacing the
existing 6,200-square-foot building with a new 10,000-square-foot building designed to
safely accommodate the personnel, equipment, and systems needed to operate the battery electric buses that will be housed, maintained, and charged at the facility ($18 million).
• City of Lompoc Transit: Complete the funding needed to construct the Lompoc Transit
Facility and implement Photovoltaic Solar Canopies for solar energy and a microgrid
storage system to operate and manage the City’s growing fleet of electric buses ($5.45
million).
• Santa Maria Regional Transit: Construct transit facilities in the Cities of Santa Maria
and Buellton to serve as an electric transit charging hub for multiple transit providers with
bus rapid charging during layovers ($9.5 million).
An additional $63 million was awarded to Facilitating and Accelerating Service Transformations
on the Central Coast Program (FAST Central Coast Program), a collaborative effort of the Coast
Rail Coordinating Council involving the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, the
Transportation Agency for Monterey County, SBCAG, and LOSSAN The Rail Corridor Agency.
$22 million of the FAST Central Coast Program award will directly fund rail infrastructure in
Santa Barbara County for the Ortega Rail Siding Project, allowing for future service expansion.
“I am proud to have been a strong advocate for the $70 million provided by the California State
Transportation Agency,” said Senator Monique Limón. “This funding will go towards creating
new environmentally friendly modes of transportation within our counties and cities and building
increased connectivity between our entire community.”
“The State of California’s $70 million grant awards to SBCAG and its partners for clean
transportation projects in our region is a big win,” said Assemblymember Gregg Hart. “This
funding will significantly increase the number of electric buses on our roads, upgrade transit
facilities, deploy new solar energy projects, and enhance our rail infrastructure. These
improvements will make it easier for local residents to commute affordably and safely while
reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
“We are incredibly grateful for the investment the state is making in our region and along the rail
corridor serving the Central Coast,” said SBCAG Executive Director Marjie KIRN. “We are
eager to work on these life changing transportation opportunities for a better life for our residents
and generations to come.”
The public is encouraged to follow the progress of these transportation investments and more by
signing up for news alerts on the SBCAG website at www.sbcag.org, calling (805) 961-8900, or
emailing info@sbcag.org.
