{"id":345606,"date":"2026-06-03T23:32:07","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T23:32:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/345606\/"},"modified":"2026-06-03T23:32:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T23:32:07","slug":"watch-padilla-questions-federal-highway-administrator-on-california-highway-projects-and-infrastructure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/345606\/","title":{"rendered":"WATCH: Padilla Questions Federal Highway Administrator on California Highway Projects and Infrastructure"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"\"\"<\/a>WATCH<\/a>: Padilla: \u201cI will submit a full list of California grants that remain held up and I am requesting status updates on each.\u201d<\/p>\n

WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, questioned Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Administrator Sean McMaster about the Trump Administration\u2019s proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget. Padilla pushed for the release of stalled funding for California transportation projects across the state and discussed rising costs families are facing as a result of the Administration\u2019s policies.<\/p>\n

In the hearing, Padilla pressed McMaster\u00a0about unexplained pauses in grants awarded to California, including\u00a0more than $160 million to support highway infrastructure in the Bay Area,\u00a0$105 million for\u00a0safety improvements near the Port of Redwood City, and nearly $100 million for\u00a0interchange improvements in the Central Valley. Padilla secured a commitment from McMaster to provide an update on the status of funding for these and dozens of other previously awarded grants being held up by the\u00a0Trump\u00a0Administration. In addition to discussing blocked projects, Padilla reminded McMaster about\u00a0the importance of securing transportation funding for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. He noted that the Administration has directed LA Metro to seek funding within existing DOT programs for transportation infrastructure to ensure the games run smoothly. He highlighted LA Metro\u2019s attempts to work with FHWA to secure a Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan for the I-105 Express Lanes Project, which is central to LA Metro\u2019s Games mobility plan. Padilla secured a commitment from McMaster to review the loan and follow-up in the coming days.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalifornia has several projects that were awarded funding in previous fiscal years that have not been able\u00a0to move forward, either because obligations have stalled or because other final actions remain pending,\u201d\u00a0said Senator Padilla. \u201cCalifornia is a big state with a big economy,\u00a0so these\u00a0projects\u00a0are not small or narrow investments. Several carry significant regional economic impact, and they represent federal dollars that have already been approved and committed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Padilla\u00a0also expressed concern about rising gas prices, noting that electric vehicles (EVs) have become more affordable and an increasingly popular option for consumers nationwide. As many federal EV\u00a0and alternative fueling charging infrastructure programs fall under FHWA\u2019s jurisdiction, Padilla questioned whether EV charging projects are being funded equitably and being taken seriously as a potential cost-saving measure for Americans\u00a0who are getting squeezed at the gas pump due to President Trump\u2019s war with Iran.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than a billion dollars in charging projects are also shovel-ready, with funding awarded and waiting to be put to work,\u201d\u00a0said Senator Padilla.\u00a0\u201cNow, while the funding is not moving, it\u2019s not just contractors that aren\u2019t being hired or chargers that aren\u2019t being built, but families are locked into high prices that Americans are experiencing right now and not being able to exercise options for what types of vehicles they want.\u201d<\/p>\n

Padilla has been a strong advocate for critical funding for California\u2019s transportation and infrastructure projects. This year, Padilla announced that the Los Angeles metro area will receive nearly $90 million<\/a> for transit costs associated with hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games. Last year, Padilla announced over $258 million<\/a> for California transportation infrastructure projects across the state.<\/p>\n

Video of Padilla\u2019s remarks is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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