The California Transportation Commission (CTC) in the US has approved $325.8m worth of investments of statewide transportation projects to alleviate traffic delays, repair ageing roads and bridges.

The latest investment to be made on 142 transportation projects is also aimed at encouraging bicycling and walking.

As part of CTC’s Active Transportation programme, a total of 51 biking and pedestrian projects throughout the state will receive $27m.

Caltrans director Malcolm Dougherty said: "Caltrans is building transportation improvements that will benefit the state for decades to come.

"Caltrans is building transportation improvements that will benefit the state for decades to come."

"Not only are we working to preserve our previous investments in the state highway system, but we are investing in projects that will expand the availability of alternative, more sustainable ways of getting from point A to point B."

The State Highway Operation and Protection programme will provide $132m for 54 projects that will maintain and preserve the investment in the state highway system and its supporting infrastructure.

The capital improvements programme comprises projects such as covering maintenance, safety improvements, pavement repair and rehabilitation and upgrades to bridges.

Dougherty added: "We are striving to give California’s taxpayers the most bang for their buck because every $1 spent on preventative pavement maintenance translates into a savings of $6 to $14 that would have been spent on expensive pavement repairs."

The allocations also include $8.4m from Proposition 1B, a transportation bond approved by voters in 2006 and the remaining $158.4m was provided by various state and federal transportation accounts.

Shasta County has received $4.4m for bridge deck rehabilitation on 14 different overcrossings on Interstate 5, between Knighton Road to north of the town of Lakehead.