Allocations made pursuant to Section 2453 shall be made on the basis of the following:

(a) An allocation of 80 percent of the estimated cost of the project shall be made; except that whenever contributions from other sources exceed 20 percent of the estimated cost, the allocation shall be reduced by the amount in excess of 20 percent of the estimated cost.

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(b) On projects that eliminate an existing crossing, or alter or reconstruct an existing grade separation, no allocation shall be made unless the railroad agrees to contribute 10 percent of the cost of the project.

(c) (1) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), the total of these allocations for a single project shall not exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000) without specific legislative authorization. Cumulative allocations to a single project shall not exceed 80 percent of the cost to construct the project.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the California Transportation Commission may allocate up to fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) to a single project if that project is the highest ranking project on the priority list established by the Public Utilities Commission pursuant to Section 2452.

(d) (1) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) to (c), inclusive, a single project in excess of five million dollars ($5,000,000), but not exceeding twenty million dollars ($20,000,000), shall be considered without specific legislative authority, if the project (A) is included in the Public Utilities Commission’s priority list of projects scheduled to be funded, (B) eliminates the need for future related grade separation projects, (C) provides projected cost savings of at least 50 percent to the state or local jurisdiction, or both of them, by eliminating the need for future projects, and (D) alleviates traffic and safety problems or provides improved rail service not otherwise possible. Projects approved pursuant to this subdivision shall be funded over a multiyear period, not to exceed five years, and the allocation for any one of those years shall not exceed the amount prescribed by subdivision (c) for a single project.

(2) Not more than one-half of the total allocation available in any one fiscal year for grade separation projects may be used for the purposes of this subdivision. An agency that has received an allocation for a project approved pursuant to this subdivision shall not be eligible for an allocation for another project under this subdivision for a period of 10 years from the date of approval of that project. However, if funds are available for allocation, as determined by the Department of Transportation, an agency may be eligible for an allocation for another project.

(e) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this section or any other provision of law, when the state or a local agency uses funds derived from federal sources in financing its share of project costs, the railroad contribution, where required by federal law or regulation, shall be computed pursuant to federal law.

(f) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this section or any other provision of law, when the state or a local agency uses state funds in financing a portion of project costs, the railroad contribution, to the extent determined pursuant to this section, shall be calculated based on the cost of the grade separation only, and not the cost of any other part of the project.

(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 315, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2009.)