CalSTA previews TIRCP draft guidelines, sets funding estimate and application timeline
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
California State Transportation Agency staff outlined draft updates to the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program guidelines, said they expect about $900 million for the next cycle, and set public-comment and application deadlines while noting the cap-and-invest appropriation is now capped at $400 million per year under staff assumptions.
California State Transportation Agency senior adviser Anthony Serna told workshop attendees that the agency is circulating draft Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) guidelines and expects to post the recorded workshop online.
Serna said the state’s cap-and-invest program (formerly cap-and-trade) has been extended to 2045 and that TIRCP receives a continuous appropriation from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. "That will now be capped at a maximum of $400,000,000 per year," he said, adding that staff are being conservative in their early estimate and will revisit the number before the final call for projects.
Why it matters: TIRCP is a major statewide discretionary funding source for rail and transit projects. Serna said staff are currently estimating about $900,000,000 available for awards in the upcoming cycle, a working figure subject to final revenue calculations. He noted this estimate could change once quarterly auction proceeds are better understood.
Key dates and next steps: Serna said public comments should be submitted by Feb. 17 (the team agreed to reconcile a discrepancy with an alternate Feb. 18 date noted in the guidelines), a two-week block of one-on-one consultations will be offered in early March, applications are due May 14, and award announcements are expected by Sept. 18, 2026. "We will be revisiting this number before the final call for projects out," Serna said.
What to expect from applicants: Serna encouraged potential applicants to use the March consultations to seek targeted feedback and to consider how projects demonstrate benefits to disadvantaged and priority populations and geographic equity. He also said awards will be focused on new projects for this cycle.
Closing: The workshop closed after a brief Q&A. Serna asked interested parties to send formal comments to trcpcomments@dot.ca.gov and said the workshop recording will be posted on the agency website.