Federal funds totaling $15 million have been awarded to AC Transit for its San Leandro-Berkeley line.

The funds will go towards adding dedicated bus lanes, stations and signal priority to an 18-mile stretch from the Bay Fair BART Station to UC Berkeley and downtown Berkeley. Construction is forecast to start in 2012 with service beginning in 2014. It is projected to cost $235 million, according to a story in today’s Chronicle.

The money will come from the competitive New Starts and Small Starts programs, which help fund major transportation projects. Several other Bay Area transit projects received pay-outs also.

Read more here.

Tracey Taylor is co-founder of Berkeleyside and co-founder and editorial director of Cityside, the nonprofit parent to Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside. Before launching Berkeleyside, Tracey wrote for...