The money comes from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity program supported by the Biden administration's infrastructure bill that was signed into law in 2021.
The project involves the removal of a rail crossing on Palomar Street. According to SANDAG, the crossing ''causes frequent delays for drivers and has been the site of 85 crashes over a 10-year period.''
When completed, the project will separate Palomar Street from the rail corridor, ''making it safer for people who walk, bike and roll,'' according to SANDAG.
Crossing removal will also decrease emissions by reducing vehicle idling as trains pass, while improved pedestrian and bicycle features will make the Palomar Transit Center more accessible, officials said.
The Palomar Street project will be put out to bid in mid-2025, followed by two years of construction — although design completion may affect that timeline, SANDAG said.
The Chula Vista project was one of 162 infrastructure projects across the United States that got funding announced Wednesday by U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who announced that the government awarded over $2.2 billion for the projects.
