Press Releases

Today, Congressman Salud Carbajal announced that California will receive over $5,000,000,000 from programs funded by the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to strengthen roads and bridges and build out a statewide network of electric vehicle charging stations.

“Through my work on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I helped craft the largest investment in fixing our roads, freeways, and bridges since the creation of the Interstate Highway System – and this week California is seeing those investments reach our state to make much-needed repairs, cut commute times, lower car repair costs, and reduce pollution while supporting good-paying, union jobs,” said Rep. Carbajal. “I will continue partnering with our state and local leaders to put these game-changing investments to work along with the billions California will be receiving to expand internet connectivity, reduce carbon emissions, and improve our public transit and clean water infrastructure up and down our Central Coast.”

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which Carbajal oversees as a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, will provide California $574,785,473 for bridge repairs–including $86 million for off-system bridges that are not part of the federal highway system.

Rep. Carbajal specifically pushed for increased funding to revitalize and repair off-system bridges, as this funding can go to counties and other local entities that own bridges in dire need of repairs.

This week’s FHWA allocation also provides California $81,720,595 to fund construction of new electric vehicle charging stations across the state – part of a projected $300 million that California will receive for these chargers from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

In California, there are 1,536 bridges and over 14,220 miles of highway in poor condition. Since 2011, commute times have increased by 14.6% in California and on average, each driver pays $799 per year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair.

These worsening conditions are why the American Society of Civil Engineers gave California a C- grade on its infrastructure report card prior to the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Rep. Carbajal and his Congressional colleagues enacted the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in November 2021 to invest public transit, broadband, clean energy transmission, and clean water infrastructure and make the single largest dedicated investment in surface transportation infrastructure since the construction of the Interstate Highway System.

Since its enactment, California has already seen more than $9 billion to support transportation, climate, energy, and environmental projects – including more than $80 million for projects in the Central Coast.

These projects include $75 million for improvements to the US 101 freeway funded with new flexibility provided by BIL, over $6 million for airport improvements, and funds to plug abandoned oil wells in Channel Islands National Park.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law also included a measure based on Rep. Carbajal’s FOREST ACT to increase funding for the Forest Service to maintain roads and infrastructure to more effectively fight fires.

Rep. Salud Carbajal represents California’s 24th congressional district, encompassing Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and part of Ventura County. He sits on the House Armed Services Committee, Agriculture Committee, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he serves as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.