A $166 million federal grant will add lanes to fight congestion on northbound Interstate Highway 680 from Walnut Creek to Martinez, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority said.
The project will build a northbound express lane from Livorna Road to state Highway 242 and turn a high-occupancy vehicle lane into an express lane from Highway 242 to north of Arthur Road, the authority said Friday.
The grant is the largest transportation award earmarked for California this year, U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Walnut Creek) and U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said in a press release.
The project will also construct a braided ramp system between the North Main Street and Treat Boulevard interchanges in Walnut Creek to fix a bottleneck.
The upgrade is critical to the region’s economy and prosperity, providing for the movement of goods, services, and people throughout northern California and beyond, the transportation authority said.
“Upgrading I-680 will truly improve our quality of lives as they ease congestion, make our roads safer, and boost our economy by creating 3,500 direct and indirect jobs per year for the duration of the projects,” CCTA Chair Newell Arnerich said.