Funding Projects (RTIP)

Projects approved for funding by the RTC are included in the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP).

What’s New

2012 RTIP Adopted

The 2012 RTIP identifies projects to receive various state and federal funds through Fiscal Year 2016/17, amends information on previously programmed projects, and acts as Santa Cruz County’s proposal to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) for programming State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) funds. The RTC adopted the 2012 RTIP at its December 1, 2011 meeting, selecting projects to receive $8.9 million in State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and $1.4 million in Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) funds.

Approved Projects (12/1/11) include:

  • Highway 1 Soquel Dr-41st Ave Auxiliary Lanes and Chanticleer Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge – Design and Right-of-Way phases – $4 million
  • Highway 1/9 Intersection Improvements – $850,000
  • Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line Repairs -  $1 million
  • Airport Boulevard sidewalk, travel and bicycle lane extensions near Freedom Blvd, Watsonville – $850,000
  • Sidewalks on Park Avenue, Capitola – $200,000
  • Sidewalks and Bike Lanes at Vine Hill Elementary School, Scotts Valley – $400,000
  • Soquel Dr/Park Way Intersection Turn Lanes – $450,000
  • Storm Damage Repairs on Nelson Road and Redwood Lodge – $2 million

The availability of STIP funds is subject to concurrence from the California Transportation Commission (CTC).

The complete Regional Transportation Improvement Program document and supporting documents:

The 2012 RTIP project list will be amended periodically to reflect actions taken by the CTC, RTC, and project sponsors.

Projects Previously Selected to Receive Over $11 million in Transportation Funds

Following a public hearing in Watsonville on June 4, 2009, the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) selected transportation projects to receive over $11 million in federal funds, including economic stimulus funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA).

Approved projects 6/4/09 include:

  • Local Road Repairs
  • Transportation Demand and Incident Management
  • Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects
  • Traffic Congestion Relief Projects
  • Countywide Bicycle Route Signage Project

Economic Stimulus Funds

At its February 5, 2009 and June 4, 2009 meetings, the RTC selected projects to receive $12.1 million in funds from the “highway” portion of the federal economic stimulus bill – the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). In October 2009 and spring 2010, additional changes were made to the project list, primarily resulting from cost savings on projects constructed over the summer.

Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP)

Federally-funded transportation projects, including those projects approved for funding by agencies other than the RTC, are included in the Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP). The FTIP for the Monterey Bay Area is prepared by the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) and is called the Monterey Bay Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP).

The Monterey Bay MTIP: FY 2010-11 to 2013-14 is the region’s (Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties) short range transportation programming document that contains transportation improvement projects including public mass transit, highway, local road, bicycle and pedestrian projects proposed for funding based on anticipated available federal, state and local funding over the next four year (FY 2010-11 to 2013-14).

To view/download the complete MTIP document, please visit at www.ambag.org or contact Bhupendra Patel at bpatel@ambag.org or call at 831-264-5091.

Helpful Links:

Overview of Transportation Funding in California

Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) – Federal Programming Document Prepared by AMBAG

State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) – Prepared by the California Transportation Commission

Caltrans Division of Transportation Programming – Information on STIP, Proposition 1B, TCRP, and other Funding Programs

Caltrans Local Assistance – Information on grant opportunities and implementing local transportation projects

RTC Contact

Rachel Moriconi
Senior Transportation Planner

(831) 460-3200