California has directed roughly $109.1 billion into infrastructure since 2021, combining about $66.8 billion in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law money with approximately $42.3 billion in one-time state investments.1California Department of Finance. Governor’s Budget Summary 2025-26 – Infrastructure California infrastructure spending is flowing to roads and bridges, public transit, high-speed rail, water systems, the electrical grid, and broadband. The federal program was built as a five-year package, so 2026 is the last year of scheduled formula funding, and the state is moving to lock in projects before the window closes.
Where the Money Comes From
The federal share is driven by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has sent at least $61.5 billion to California across six categories.2Governor of California. Three Years In, President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Has Unleashed Investment Across California The breakdown:
- Roads and bridges: $24.4 billion
- Public transit: $22 billion
- Water, climate, and environment: $6.9 billion
- Broadband: $4 billion
- Airports, ports, and waterways: $2.8 billion
- Energy efficiency and clean energy: $1.4 billion
Separate from the federal money and separate from the $109.1 billion figure, Senate Bill 1 (the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017) provides an ongoing $5.4 billion a year for roads, freeways, bridges, transit, and safety projects, split evenly between state and local investments.3Caltrans. Senate Bill 1 (SB1) That stream continues regardless of what happens with federal funding.
Federal support is not guaranteed to arrive in full. Some awarded dollars are already obligated to specific projects, but future disbursements face political headwinds. In late 2025, the California High-Speed Rail Authority cut ties with the Trump administration after federal officials threatened multiple funding streams tied to the project.4Politico. California Gives Up on Federal High-Speed Rail Funding Whether other categories see similar disruption will affect how much of the $61.5 billion ultimately reaches California projects.
Roads, Bridges, and Transit
Transportation gets the largest share. Based on formula funding, California is expected to receive about $28.2 billion over five years for highways and bridges, aimed at repairs to more than 14,220 miles of highway and 1,536 structurally deficient bridges.5US Department of Transportation. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Will Deliver for California Those federal dollars sit on top of the annual SB 1 funding that Caltrans and local agencies already use for maintenance, seismic work, and storm-damage repairs.
In December 2025, the California Transportation Commission approved $1.1 billion for zero-emission buses, charging stations, bridge restoration, highway safety, and local mobility projects.6Governor of California. Governor Newsom Announces 1.1B in Zero-Emission Transit, Safer Roadways and Resilient Infrastructure That package included $53 million to buy 12 clean-energy locomotives replacing older diesel engines across Southern California’s Metrolink commuter rail system.7Caltrans. Governor Newsom Announces One Point One Billion Dollars for Zero-Emission Transit, Safer Roadways and Resilient Infrastructure
High-Speed Rail
High-speed rail is the single largest construction effort California has taken on, though it sits outside the BIL category totals. The Authority’s 2026 Business Plan calls for track laying to begin in 2026 on a 171-mile initial segment between Merced and Bakersfield, with fare service targeted for 2033 and eight round trips per day at launch.8California High Speed Rail. Draft 2026 Business Plan Designing that segment for initial service rather than full capacity saved about $2 billion. Dozens of new highway overcrossings in the Central Valley are already open as a byproduct of construction.
Federal funding for the project is now in question after the Authority’s late-2025 break with the Trump administration.4Politico. California Gives Up on Federal High-Speed Rail Funding The state is proceeding with available funds.
Water Systems
Water spending targets aging delivery systems and contamination in pipes and treatment plants. The $6.9 billion in BIL water, climate, and environment funding includes a substantial share for drinking water safety and lead service line replacement.2Governor of California. Three Years In, President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Has Unleashed Investment Across California
For state fiscal year 2025–2026, the State Water Resources Control Board has roughly $197 million available specifically for lead service line replacement through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.9State Water Resources Control Board. Supplemental Intended Use Plan: Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program Lead Service Line Replacement Funding The program requires full replacement rather than partial fixes, and water systems have to identify lead pipes on both the utility-owned and customer-owned sides. Projects serving disadvantaged communities receive grant priority; other systems get zero-interest loans.
The BIL also includes $500 million over five years for dam safety projects managed by the Bureau of Reclamation. The first project funded was a $100 million seismic upgrade to B.F. Sisk Dam, which holds back San Luis Reservoir, the nation’s largest off-stream reservoir and a critical piece of both the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project.10U.S. Department of the Interior. Interior Department Invests 100 Million in First Dam Safety Project Through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Longer term, Senate Bill 72 directs the Department of Water Resources to update the California Water Plan with an interim planning target of 9 million acre-feet of additional water supply by 2040, and a further 2050 target.11California Legislative Information. SB-72 The California Water Plan: Long-Term Supply Targets Studies project a shortfall of 4.6 to 9 million acre-feet a year by mid-century without intervention.12California State Senate. Senator Anna M. Caballero Introduces SB 72, California Water for All, to Modernize Water Planning
Electrical Grid
The grid has to carry more renewable energy while surviving wildfires, heat waves, and earthquakes. Two recent laws address different pieces.
Senate Bill 254 created the California Transmission Infrastructure Accelerator at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Financing transmission projects with public debt rather than private utility capital removes profit margins, lowers borrowing costs, and reduces tax burdens, changes the state estimates could cut ratepayer costs by up to $3 billion a year.13California State Senate. Governor Signs Biggest Energy Affordability Bill in Recent History The law also limits investor-owned utility earnings on capital projects and tightens oversight of wildfire mitigation plans.14California State Assembly. Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy – Transmission Accelerator Oversight Hearing Background
Senate Bill 1006 requires every transmission utility to study the feasibility of grid-enhancing technologies, including advanced power flow controls, dynamic line rating systems, and topology optimization, by January 1, 2026, and every two years after.15California Legislative Information. California Senate Bill 1006 – Electricity: Transmission Capacity: Reconductoring and Grid-Enhancing Technologies These technologies pull more capacity out of existing power lines without new construction.
Broadband
Senate Bill 156 committed $6 billion to close California’s digital divide: $3.25 billion for a statewide open-access middle-mile network and $2 billion for last-mile connections to unserved and underserved communities.16California Public Utilities Commission. Broadband Implementation for California Middle mile is the long-haul fiber backbone connecting regional hubs; last mile is the final connection to homes and businesses.
As of November 2025, about 4,361 miles of middle-mile fiber had moved into installation through joint builds, leases, purchase partnerships, and direct Caltrans construction.17California Department of Technology. November 2025 Broadband for All Update Caltrans is directly building roughly 246 miles. Of 128 planned network huts, five broke ground in October 2025, with 13 more scheduled by year-end. The network is designed as open-access, so any last-mile provider can plug in.
Faster Permitting
Large infrastructure projects in California historically face years of litigation under the California Environmental Quality Act. Senate Bill 149 lets the Governor certify eligible projects for expedited judicial review, in which any CEQA challenge to the environmental impact report or approvals must be resolved within 270 days of the administrative record being filed with the court.18Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. Governor’s Guidelines for Infrastructure Projects Seeking Streamlined Judicial Review Under CEQA That compresses a three-to-five-year lawsuit window down to about nine months.19Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation. Judicial Streamlining Eligible categories include energy infrastructure, semiconductor and microelectronic facilities, transportation, and water infrastructure. The streamlining authority expires January 1, 2034.20California Legislative Information. SB 149 – California Environmental Quality Act: Administrative and Judicial Proceedings: Infrastructure Projects
Who Gets Priority
California uses CalEnviroScreen 4.0, a mapping tool that scores every census tract on pollution burden and population vulnerability, to identify communities that get priority for infrastructure funding. Under SB 535, a community qualifies as disadvantaged if it sits in the top 25% of CalEnviroScreen scores, ranks in the top 5% for cumulative pollution without a full score, was designated disadvantaged in 2017, or is on land controlled by a federally recognized tribe.21Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. SB 535 Disadvantaged Communities
For California Climate Investments programs, administering agencies have to show that projects reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deliver health and environmental benefits to these priority populations.22California Climate Investments. Funding Guidelines Resources The lead service line program applies the same logic, prioritizing disadvantaged communities for grants and offering zero-interest loans to other water systems.9State Water Resources Control Board. Supplemental Intended Use Plan: Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program Lead Service Line Replacement Funding
How to Track Where Projects Stand
Oversight is split. Caltrans handles transportation, the California Public Utilities Commission oversees broadband implementation, and the California Energy Commission manages transmission planning.23Caltrans. Project Management Oversight The High-Speed Rail Authority publishes its own business plans and progress reports. On the federal side, the Permitting Dashboard at permits.performance.gov tracks project-level data and timelines for federally permitted infrastructure, including California-specific Caltrans and high-speed rail projects.24Permitting Dashboard. FAST-41 Transparency Projects The California Department of Technology publishes regular updates on middle-mile broadband construction.17California Department of Technology. November 2025 Broadband for All Update If you want to know whether the money is reaching the ground in your region, those dashboards are where the answer lives.