$1.45 million, 100% Local Road Fund. The Local Road Fund will be used to satisfy the match requirement for a $14 million Federal grant to fund this project. The County will avoid expenditure of Measure J funds associated with filling a vacant Senior Transportation Planner position by transferring this project to the CCTA, partially mitigating the overall cost impact to the County.
In 2005 Contra Costa County received two federal appropriations totaling $14 million for the planning and construction of State Route 239 (Project), a future highway that will connect eastern Contra Costa County with the Central Valley. State Route 239 will extend from State Route 4 in the Brentwood area to Interstate 205 in the Tracy area. The appropriations were received through the efforts of former U.S. Representative Richard Pombo. The Project will require collaboration among a broad number of interested parties, Contra Costa County (County), the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA), San Joaquin and Alameda Counties, two Caltrans Districts, and numerous other entities.
In 2010, with the assistance of an inter-agency selection panel that included CCTA, the County selected Parsons Transportation Group as the consultant to lead the planning phase of State Route 239 development. The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors authorized a consulting services agreement in May 2011.
Project Update
Work has been proceeding, three briefing meetings were held for three different stakeholder groups in September, 1) key elected officials, 2) Non-Governmental Organizations, and 3) TRANSPLAN (eastern Contra Costa County's Regional Transportation Planning Committee). The consultant is currently proceeding on the following Project tasks:
- Project Management Plan
- Project Website (internal and public/external)
- Financial Screening Study
- Vision Statement
- Travel Demand Model Development
Basis for Recommendation of Transfer
Discussions with responsible staff from the County and CCTA have resulted in the determination that the CCTA is willing to administer the subject Project. CCTA's broader geographic area of responsibility and direct, active, and continuing relationships with involved state and regional agencies position CCTA to administer this regional Project. The County also has a opportunity to achieve a savings by not filling a transportation planner position at this time by making this transfer.
Additional Background
The three agreements addressed in the Recommendations Section result in the following actions which, in total, transfer all current and future project development responsibilities to CCTA:
- Assignment and Assumption of Consulting Services Agreement and Consent: This agreement transfers all rights and responsibilities currently held by the County to CCTA relative to the existing contract (HPLUL-5928[099]) with Parsons for the Phase 1 Planning of the Project. The contract was approved by the Board of Supervisors on May 10, 2011. (Exhibit A)
- Cooperative Funding Agreement: State Route 239 Project - Phase 1 - Planning: This agreement facilitates reimbursement of the Partner Agencies from the federal appropriations through the project lead. These agencies include San Joaquin County, Alameda County, the Cities of Tracy & Brentwood and the Mountain House Community Services District. After the transfer of the Project to CCTA, this agreement will have the County involved in the project as a "Partner Agency". (Exhibit B)
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the CCTA and the County for the State Route 239 Project - Phase 1 - Planning: This MOU addresses matters not covered in agreements #1 and #2 above. These include the County's continued commitment to: fulfill local match funding obligations; provide CCTA access to the federal appropriations which the County must retain control of; continued staff support for current and future project development activities; work cooperatively with CCTA, Caltrans and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to transfer responsibility; and generally affirming the cooperative spirit the transfer is taking place under. (Exhibit C)
If the recommended actions are not taken the Project will not be transferred to the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and the County will retain responsibility for project development activities for the foreseeable future.