Student programs, lower fares, and improved service are just some of the benefits made possible thanks to a funding boost of $7.5 million as part of California’s Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP). During its June 12 meeting, the Commission approved RCTC’s allocation of $6.4 million in LCTOP funding to eligible Riverside County transit operators. An additional $1 million in LCTOP funding is being provided directly to transit operators from the state, for a total funding amount of $7.5 million.

California’s LCTOP program, developed to provide operating and capital assistance for transit agencies, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve mobility with a priority on serving disadvantaged communities. The LCTOP program supports a variety of initiatives, including new or expanded bus or passenger rail services, expansion of intermodal (multiple modes of transportation) transit facilities, equipment acquisition, and more, with each project reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

These funds have been allocated toward a variety of approved transit programs, such as Metrolink’s popular Student Adventure Pass Program, which allows any student with a valid student ID to travel anywhere on the Metrolink system free of charge. The program also helps fund Riverside Transit Agency’s (RTA) 25 Cent Fare Program – offering customers rides anywhere RTA buses go for just a quarter. In the Coachella Valley, transit riders will also benefit as a portion of program funds will go toward SunLine Transit Agency’s free fare days.

This round of LCTOP funding not only helps provide discounted fares for students, seniors, veterans, and riders with disabilities, the program also allocates additional improvements to bus and rail services throughout the county. As part of planned service enhancements, Metrolink will be increasing train frequency and optimizing train schedules later this year.

Each year, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund provides funding for LCTOP based on population and revenues. RCTC then works closely with local transit agencies to program these funds, ensuring they are used adequately for operational and capital needs, thereby helping transit riders and meeting the program’s goals.

Over the last few years, grants for transportation projects have become increasingly competitive as agencies work to address the mobility needs of growing communities. Not only is the grant application process lengthy and complex, but an award is also not guaranteed. Recently, the Riverside County Transportation Commission worked closely with the Riverside Transit Agency, the city of Coachella, and the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) to assemble a series of grant applications for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Regional Early Action Planning (REAP 2.0) grants program.

The following five Riverside County projects are approved for funding through the REAP 2.0 program:

• Riverside Transit Agency GoMicro Microtransit Pilot Program Extension ($2,378,635)
• CVAG Vehicle Miles Traveled Study ($2,005,000)
• Riverside County Transportation Commission Core Capacity Innovative Transit Study ($3,000,000)
• City of Coachella Rail Station Feasibility Study and Integrated Land Use and Transit Network ($2,005,000)
• CVAG (CV) Link Community Connectors Analysis ($1,700,000)

The REAP 2.0 program was open to County Transportation Commissions, such as the RCTC, to apply for a limited amount of funding for projects aimed at reducing congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and vehicles miles traveled. Through these projects, RCTC is not only working to address issues related to congestion and air pollution, but also addressing the needs of disadvantaged communities and encouraging sustainable development that produces economic and environmental benefits.

As part of the REAP 2.0 program, submissions had to demonstrate that the studies and projects would eventually encourage housing development closer to where people live and work, reducing the need to travel long distances. These grants will accelerate the state’s progress towards housing goals and climate commitments through a strengthened partnership between the state, its regions, and local entities.

In the past 10 years, the mid county region of Moreno Valley, Perris, San Jacinto, and Hemet has grown significantly. More people are traveling between this area of Riverside County and the rest of the County for housing and work than ever before, and they must also compete in traffic with the nation’s agricultural and freight carriers, 40 percent of which travels through the Inland Empire to serve the rest of the state and country. This rapid growth shows in the congestion that these communities must endure daily on the I-215 corridor and unsafe surface streets on Ramona Expressway to access employment and education opportunities.

RCTC is working diligently to advance mobility solutions in these corridors, and a recent award announcement from the State provides a needed boost for two critical projects. Thanks to the California Transportation Commission, the region’s Mid County Connectivity Enhancement Program is set to receive $44.5 million in Solutions for Congested Corridors Program (SCCP) competitive grant funding.

Funded by the Road Repair and Recovery Act of 2017, also known as SB 1, the SCCP award to the Mid County Connectivity Enhancement Program includes two projects – the Mid County Parkway Ramona Expressway Project and the Metrolink Double Track Project. Together, these projects will provide greater access to multimodal transportation options, relieve traffic congestion, improve roadway safety, and promote clean air.

The Mid County Parkway Ramona Expressway Project runs along the Ramona Expressway and will add one lane in both directions for 8.6 miles between Warren Road near San Jacinto and one mile east of Rider Street near Lake Perris. The project will also include medians, a bridge over the San Jacinto River, upgraded traffic signals, and a wildlife crossing – all to dramatically improve safety on a road known for fatal traffic collisions. Notably the project will also help relieve traffic in this growing community by bolstering connections to Metrolink service on the western side.

The Metrolink Double Track Project will add a second track to the Metrolink 91/Perris Valley Line between the Moreno Valley/March Field Station and the Perris-Downtown Station allowing for increased service frequency in the future by Metrolink’s commuter trains.

Together, both projects allow better access to multimodal transportation services such as bus and rail, project safety improvements, relieve traffic congestion, and help improve air quality in the region.

This grant award complements a previous state award from the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) and will also support other improvements already underway along the Perris Valley Line corridor such as RCTC’s $33 million Moreno Valley/March Field Improvements Project and Metrolink’s Perris Valley Line Capacity Improvement Project, which includes additional double tracking and an expansion and improvement of the Perris-South Station.

The SCCP is a highly sought-after statewide grant program that makes available approximately $250 million annually to projects. RCTC’s Mid County Connectivity Enhancement Program strikes a competitive balance that provides traffic relief while also increasing multimodal transit connectivity, enhancing safety and security, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting wildlife habitat connectivity, and increasing access to jobs for the community.

The 91/Perris Valley Line (91/PVL) will see service improvements thanks to a $15.5 million award for the Metrolink Double-Track Project announced in April by Governor Gavin Newsom. The award announcement follows a joint application by RCTC and Metrolink to expand passenger rail service on the 91/PVL and reduce congestion along the heavily traveled I-215.

The project will improve 6.5 miles of existing freight railroad track to meet standards for Metrolink passenger rail service. The historic freight tracks are rated for much slower speeds than passenger trains require. The upgrades will include reconstructing existing track and the addition of a second set of tracks between the Moreno Valley/March Field Station and just north of the Perris-Downtown Station along the 91/PVL. These improvements will allow for expanded Metrolink service in the area and safely accommodate local freight trains serving freight rail shippers along the corridor.

The improved tracks will offer improved reliability, increase service frequency, and keep on-time performance. Furthermore, the project expands transportation options by offering an alternate to driving, reducing air pollution, and serving underserved communities. Through these improvements, Metrolink will be closer to offering service every 30 minutes, consistent with the Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) Program and California State Rail Plan.

The project will connect to the Moreno Valley/March Field Station Improvements Project, which began construction in October 2022. Construction for the Metrolink Double-Track Project could begin in mid-2024.

The grant, administered by the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), is derived from the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) and is part of a $690 million investment by the state to fund 28 new public transportation projects in disadvantaged communities. Funding helps expand transit and passenger rail service in Riverside County and throughout California while eliminating an estimated 2,068,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

For a complete list of the grant recipients, click here.

It was a year marked by major investments in highway, road, public transit, and the environment like none other in RCTC’s 46-year history. This progress is highlighted in the 2022 Annual Report presented to the RCTC Commission on February 8.

Our transportation network safely connects Riverside County’s diverse communities, offers mobility choices, improves traffic operations, and streamlines the movement of goods, all of which help residents make important connections to school, work, family, friends, and things that matter most.

During 2022, RCTC invested $879 million in construction activity with support for 10,513 construction jobs. Five highway projects opened – the 91 Corridor Operations Project in Corona, the I-15 Railroad Canyon Road Interchange in Lake Elsinore, the Route 60 Truck Lanes in Riverside County’s Badlands between Beaumont and Moreno Valley, the I-15 Interim Corridor Operations Project in Corona, and the I-215 Placentia Avenue Interchange in Perris (shown below). Construction also continued on the 15/91 Express Lanes Connector Project in Corona.

At the local level, RCTC allocated $126 million in Measure A funding for 248 road projects countywide. Measure A is the twice voter-approved half-cent sales tax dedicated to transportation improvements in Riverside County.

Public transit was an ongoing focus in 2022. RCTC unanimously approved the program-level environmental documents for the proposed Coachella Valley Rail passenger train service between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley, a significant milestone for this long-range project. Efforts are under way to secure grant funding for a more in-depth project-level environmental review that could lead to future construction. Construction began on improvements to the Moreno Valley/March Field Metrolink Station in Riverside, and RCTC received $25 million toward costs to upgrade freight tracks to meet the standards for passenger rail, allowing an additional set of tracks for the 91/Perris Valley Line. RCTC also completed 25 other Metrolink station maintenance projects and continued to help fund seven local bus systems and 15 specialized transit services across the county.

In addition to highway, road, and rail projects, RCTC provides commuter assistance. Our Freeway Service Patrol program aided 63,550 stranded motorists during the past year by jump-starting batteries, fixing flat tires, conducting other minor roadside repairs, or towing vehicles to CHP-approved locations. RCTC also encourages motorists to share rides, increasing its $2 per day incentive to $5 per day last year. The IE Commuter program supported 592 employers with ridesharing programs and provided subsidies to 40 vanpools, reducing 55,650 single occupancy trips and 7.2 million pounds of vehicle emissions.

Vehicle emission reduction is just one way that RCTC helps the environment. As the managing agency for the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority, RCTC supported efforts that added 2,445 acres of protected habitat toward the overall goal of preserving 500,000 acres. This habitat benefits 146 native animal and plant species.

Read more about RCTC’s 2022 work and accomplishments in our Annual Report infographic and watch for our video series coming soon.