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Territorial Dispatch

Yuba County Awarded $35 Million Federal Grant

Jan 23, 2025 09:59AM ● By Yuba County News Release

YUBA COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Yuba County Public Works was awarded its largest federal transportation grant, a major milestone for improved safety, access, and future development of south Yuba County.

The $35.5 million grant, awarded on Tuesday, will help extend Plumas Lake Boulevard, connecting it to Plumas-Arboga Road via two new bridges. This project will make travel safer and easier, especially for residents and visitors in the area. Yuba County was just one of two California jurisdictions to be awarded funding through the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program from Department of Transportation.

“This is a vital project for the future of south Yuba County and will increase safety and improve access between Plumas Lake on Highway 70 and Beale Air Force Base, Wheatland, Hard Rock, Toyota Amphitheater and future development in the Sports and Entertainment Zone on Highway 65,” Yuba County District 4 Supervisor Gary Bradford said. “I’m excited that we received this grant, as it will ensure the project has the necessary funding to move forward.”

This interchange will offer direct access from Highway 70 to our Sports and Entertainment Zone, eliminating the need to cross the railroad tracks at Algodon. This safer route will also provide a way out of Plumas Lake without having to cross the tracks, which is important for potential emergency situations. The project is also key for the proposed North Valley Rail Stop in the area.

“Overall, this project is a multi-modal jumping-off point,” said Dan Peterson, former Yuba County Public Works Director who applied for this grant for the County. “One challenge faced by potential developers and residents alike is being able to get to and from this area safely.”

The timeline includes completing design and land acquisition by summer/fall 2025, starting construction in 2026, and completing the project in late 2028/early 2029.

This project is part of a long-term plan that started back in 2005, when Yuba County began working on an interchange at Plumas Lake Boulevard and Highway 70. The grant will help fund the second phase of this project.

Yuba County’s Sports and Entertainment Zone, established in 1998, spans 1,000 acres at Highway 65 and Forty Mile Road in Wheatland and is home to Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and the Toyota Amphitheater. This project aims to improve safety concerns and access challenges and support future development in the region.