State officials Wednesday approved the largest infusion of state money for road improvements in decades, but for many commuters across California, the promised traffic relief might not arrive for years.
The $4.5 billion in assistance approved by the California Transportation Commission eventually will ease the plight of motorists on the Southland's most congested roads, including the San Diego Freeway, Interstate 5, and the notorious Riverside Freeway.
But it will take years before interchanges are fixed, carpool lanes are built and freeways widened. Many projects, particularly the most expensive ones, won't be completed until 2012 or later.
Just as significant, the state money, which represents the first installment of a $19.9-billion transportation bond measure overwhelmingly approved by voters in November, covers only a fraction of today's need.
The commission staff estimates that California requires up to $140 billion in highway and mass transit improvements to keep the state moving.
According to Caltrans, the percentage of highways in the state deemed congested rose from 32 to 43 from 1992 to 2002. Caltrans defines congestion as rush-hour traffic that moves at 35 mph or less.
At about the same time, the state's population grew by 21% while the number of miles in the highway system rose by only 3%.
Though the state's transportation needs are substantial, Wednesday's action marked a turning point after years of neglect and worsening traffic congestion, particularly in Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area.
"This is a significant first step," said Marian Bergeson, a former Orange County legislator and chairwoman of the nine-member Transportation Commission. "We haven't been funding projects for years. Now, we can get the ball rolling again."
During the state budget crisis, billions of dollars were shifted from transportation programs to cover deficits in the general fund, forcing the commission to withdraw financial support for road projects.
Bergeson and other transportation officials said the bond money will allow Caltrans and county transportation agencies to combine the assistance with county sales tax revenue and federal matching funds.
"There's still a big need out there," said Roger Snoble, chief executive of Los Angeles County's Metropolitan Transportation Authority. "This is a great start. It is going to take a lot more to solve all the problems."
