Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar announced that the Inland Empire is receiving $17,037,217 for local projects as part of the Fiscal Year 2024 government funding package. Rep. Aguilar requested funding for these projects in March 2023, advocated for them as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations and pushed for their inclusion in the final government funding package.

“I’m proud to have secured over $17 million for 14 projects across the Inland Empire,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “This funding will support local law enforcement and public safety, reduce traffic congestion, build more affordable housing, improve drinking water quality and expand recreational opportunities for children and families in our community.”

Rep. Aguilar championed funding for 14 projects that will directly benefit Inland Empire residents. These include:

$3,000,000 for the City of Highland’s SR-210 at 5th Street Interchange Improvements

This funding will support improvements at the State Route 210 and 5th Street interchange to improve traffic flow. The interchange at State Route 210 and 5th Street is a major interchange within the City of Highland, providing access to the southern part of the city, the San Bernardino International Airport and the City of San Bernardino from SR-210.

$2,600,000 for the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino’s Arrowhead Grove Community Resource Center

This funding will be used to establish a community resource center focused on health, wellness, housing stability services and economic self-sufficiency for residents of Arrowhead Grove, San Bernardino County and Inland Empire Health Plan members.    

$1,666,279 for the Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services’ Affordable Housing Development and Preservation Program

This project will support the preservation of an existing affordable housing multi-family unit in the City of San Bernardino by upgrading its plumbing, adding tankless water heaters, replacing roofing, adding solar panels, installing energy-efficient windows and other weatherization, energy and water conservation upgrades.

$1,000,000 for the City of Rancho Cucamonga’s Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS)

This funding will support the deployment of an Advanced Traffic Management System to be responsive to real-time traffic patterns and natural disasters. This citywide communication network would improve the efficiency of traffic signals, reduce traffic and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors to the city.

$1,000,000 for the San Bernardino County’s Glen Helen Regional Park Playground Expansion

The funding will be used to rehabilitate and greatly improve a children’s play area, addressing equipment safety concerns and the structural integrity of the playground and enhancing the recreational and aesthetic experience for visitors and residents.

$963,000 for the City of San Bernardino’s Safety Camera Project

This project will support law enforcement in their efforts to reduce violent crime by installing safety cameras that include data analytics that can be used to monitor activity and assist with investigations.

$963,000 for the CSUSB’s Tech and Workforce Hub Project

This funding will upgrade technology in the California State University, San Bernardino Tech Workforce and Apprentice Hub where students, university faculty, community college faculty and employers will be trained on cybersecurity projects.

$959,757 for the San Bernardino County’s Bohnert Sewer Project

The funding will convert approximately 150 septic tanks to municipal sewer in the County of San Bernardino within the City of Rialto region. The project will keep groundwater free from degradation due to failing septic tanks. It will ensure clean drinking water to residents in this underserved community.

$959,757 for the West Valley Water District’s Bunker Hills Wells Project

This funding will support the drilling and equipping of two new groundwater production wells, storage tank, booster pump station and pipelines to transport the needed water supply to water management agencies within the Upper Santa Ana River Watershed.

$875,424 for the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council’s Skyland Ranch Project

The funding will be used for facility improvements at Skyland Ranch Camp, which hosts outdoor and environmental education programming for Girl Scouts and co-ed schools in the region.

$850,000 for the Omnitrans’ Battery Electric Buses and Design of On-Route Charging Infrastructure

The funding will be used to purchase three zero-emission electric busses to operate out of the maintenance facility in San Bernardino and develop engineering design plans for on-route electric charging stations throughout San Bernardino to support reliable and clean public transit, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality for the region.

$850,000 for the City of Rialto’s I-10/Riverside Avenue Freight Improvement Project

This project will extend the existing two northbound left turn lanes on the Union Pacific Railroad overcrossing and provide for a continuous sidewalk on Riverside Avenue from I-10 to Slover Avenue. This will reduce traffic congestion associated with regional and local trip increases and improve mobility and accessibility throughout the City.

$850,000 for the City of San Bernardino’s Nicholson Community Center Restoration

The funding will be used for renovation and restoration of the Nicholson Community Center in west San Bernardino, which serves a diverse, low-income area within San Bernardino.

$500,000 for the The Blessing Center’s Hannah’s Village

The funding will be used for improvements of The Blessing Center Inc.’s current transitional housing program by adding six new high-quality housing units of four bedrooms each, one additional unit for an on-site Resident Manager, two modular units for use as on-site daycare for dependent children and a multi-purpose meeting space for Village community gatherings and counseling rooms.

The full text of the The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 is available here. A list of bill highlights is here. A full summary of the appropriations provisions in the bill is here.