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SACRAMENTO COUNTY-

Commuters to Cosumnes River College will be able to stay on light rail the whole way to campus, thanks to a federal grant.

The U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was in Sacramento Monday to announce the grant.

The blue line currently stops at Meadowview, west of Franklin Boulevard in South Sacramento, about 3 miles northwest

Secretary LaHood told the audience Sacramento is a good transportation center, and is creating a corridor of economic stability.

He also touched on the California high-speed rail debate, saying high-speed rail will come to California “because of our vision”.

Sacramento Regional Transit estimates the new extension will generate about 1,000 jobs over the next two years.

The cost to extend the blue line and add four stations is about $270 million, the grant will pay for about $135 million of that. The Department of Transportation is throwing in another $7.1 million, and the remaining costs will be covered by state and local funding.

Sam Cohen contributed to this report