California commission allocates funds for Amtrak routes, BART facilities

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has allocated $1 billion to improve public transit and other modes of transportation to alleviate traffic delays in the state, as well as help fund operating expenses for the Pacific Surfliner and San Joaquin intercity passenger-rail services.

The CTC allocated nearly $87 million to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to pay for the intercity rail routes, which are two of the five busiest in Amtrak's system. Ridership on the three state-supported rail routes — which also includes the Capitol Corridor — reached a record 5.6 million for federal fiscal-year 2013, Caltrans officials said in a press release.

The CTC closed out the allocations by approving $170 million for 29 additional projects, including $78.6 million for a Bay Area Rapid Transit project designed to expand capacity for maintenance and warehouse activities for its "fleet of the future."