The California Department of Transportation in the US has awarded a contract to Security Paving to construct new bus / carpool lanes in the state.

The $129m project involves building nearly nine miles of new bus / carpool lanes and repairing the pavement on the I-5 freeway in California.

The lanes will be constructed on the Golden State Freeway (I-5) between the Hollywood Freeway and the Buena Vista Street interchange in Burbank.

The project, scheduled to begin in September this year, is intended to help reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in the San Fernando Valley.

The project will be part-funded with $41m of federal money through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.