SB County gets $12 million in federal funds

San Bernardino County has received $12 million in federal funds that it will use to help pay for five major community projects.

The money from the omnibus appropriations bill passed by Congress at the end of last year was arranged by Reps. Pete Aguilar, (D-Redlands),  Norma Torres, (D-Pomona), Jay Obernolte, (R-Big Bear Lake), and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, according to a statement on the city’s website.

“We are grateful to our congressional representatives for this funding,” said the board of supervisors Chair Dawn Rowe in the statement. “The county will use this new federal funding to complete important infrastructure projects that will improve facilities and amenities for local residents.”

Aguilar directed $2.56 million to street and pedestrian improvements in Little Third Street, an unincorporated community within San Bernardino. That project has long been a priority of Sup. Joe Baca, Jr., who represents the fifth district.

Other projects include:

* $3.75 million, arranged by Feinstein to expand and upgrade Mt. Baldy Fire Station, which covers about 23 square miles in San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties. The station, which is nearly 100 years old, is in Mt. Baldy, an unincorporated community within San Bernardino County;

* Torres secured two fundings: $2.8 million to renovate the Prado Regional Park food court, which was damaged in a flood several year ago, and $1.5 million to support Safe Routes to School infrastructure upgrades in unincorporated Fontana. Safe Route to School is a U.S. Department of Transportation program;

* Obernolte provided $2 million for the design of the fourth phase of Desert Knolls Wash, a flood control project near Apple Valley that will help prevent floods in the High Desert, according to the statement.