Allison BarnetteCalifornia Congressman Ken Calvert announced approximately $67 million in federal funding for infrastructure projects in the 41st Congressional District. The funding comes as part of the FY 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Bill, which cleared the House Appropriations Committee earlier last month.
The 41st Congressional District in southern California encompasses several cities, including Palm Desert, Corona, Palm Springs, Calimesa, Lake Elsinore, Norco, Menifee, Rancho Mirage and La Quinta.
These Riverside County projects focus on transportation and water quality. Notable plans include an $8 million Lake Elsinore construction of a 3,200 square-foot water treatment facility and education center. Elsinore is the only natural freshwater lake in the county, and the investment is designed to integrate infrastructure upgrades with ecological restoration, habitat protection, and enhanced recreational access.
Another major expenditure in the bill is $5.6 million for the design and engineering of an elevated bridge where Cook Street crosses the Whitewater Channel in Palm Desert. According to local leaders, the flood prone area would benefit from safer connectivity that reinforces multimodal infrastructure.
Other mid-sized projects focus on enhancing transportation infrastructure, and smaller initiatives target community and utility enhancements.
Although the THUD Bill has not yet reached a House vote, there are some favorable conditions for its passage. It was approved in the committee along party lines that align with the full House. Additionally, the Senate is working on a companion bill that proposes approximately $1 billion in additional infrastructure funding. While it does not have the California earmarks embedded in the House version, the robust funding aspect could be encouraging to its proponents.
Including the THUD legislation, Congress must pass 12 appropriations bills across clusters of federal agencies before Oct. 1, when the new fiscal year begins.
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