Agenda

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TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	05/08/2023
Subject: CONSIDER Fiscal Year 2023/2024 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account Project List for Unincorporated Contra Costa County.
Submitted For:	Brian M. Balbas, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer
Department:	Public Works
Referral No.:	1
Referral Name:	Review legislative matters on transportation.
Presenter:	Nancy Wein, Public Works Department	Contact:	Nancy Wein, (925) 313-2275

Information

Referral History:

In 2017, a landmark transportation funding package known as Senate Bill 1 (SB1) was signed by Governor Brown to create new revenue to help fund California’s significant funding shortfall to maintain the state’s multimodal transportation network.

SB1 increased several taxes and fees to raise over $5 billion annually in new transportation revenues. SB1 prioritizes funding towards maintenance, rehabilitation and safety improvements on state highways, local streets and roads, and bridges and to improve the state’s trade corridors, transit, and active transportation facilities.

SB1 funds were available to cities and counties starting in Fiscal Year (FY) 2017/2018 and are comprised of two parts—an increase in the original gas tax revenue that local agencies have been receiving prior to 2017 and Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) program funds.

SB1 includes performance and reporting requirements in order to be eligible to receive the RMRA funds. The information and recommendations in this report, once approved by the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee (TWIC) and the Board of Supervisors, will fulfill these requirements.

Referral Update:

The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) annually provides an estimate of the total gas tax revenues the County can expect to see from the transportation bill, including the total estimated revenue from RMRA program funds. CSAC estimates the County will receive about $47.8 million in total transportation funding for FY 2023/2024 from SB1, with about $20.5 million of that amount from the RMRA program.

SB1 emphasizes the importance of accountability and transparency in the delivery of California’s transportation programs.

Prior to receiving an apportionment of RMRA funds from the State Controller, the County must submit a list of projects (including maintenance activities) proposed to be funded with these funds to the California Transportation Commission (CTC). All projects proposed to receive funding must be reviewed and approved by the County Board of Supervisors at a regular public meeting.

The list of projects must include a description and location of each proposed project, a proposed schedule for the project’s completion, and the estimated useful life of the improvement (see Attachment A). The project list does not limit the flexibility of an eligible city or county to fund other projects in accordance with local needs and priorities as long as the projects are consistent with RMRA priorities as outlined in the applicable code sections. Some example projects and uses for RMRA funding include, but are not limited to, the following:

Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation
Safety Projects
Railroad Grade Separations
Complete Streets Components (including active transportation purposes, pedestrian and bicycle safety projects, transit facilities, and drainage and stormwater capture projects in conjunction with any other allowable project)
Traffic Control Devices

Streets and Highways Code Section 2030(b)(2) states that funds made available by the program may also be used to satisfy a match requirement to obtain state or federal funds for projects authorized by this subdivision.

The County currently uses the majority of the gas tax funds towards public roadway maintenance and repair of over 660 miles of the roadway network in the unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County to ensure safe and convenient public travel in a variety of modes: driving, walking, and bicycling. These funds are also used to improve traffic safety throughout the County by using it as the local match to leverage funds from state and federal grant programs.

In FY 2023/2024 it is proposed to use all the RMRA funds for maintenance activities.

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

REVIEW the recommended list of Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) Senate Bill 1 (SB1) funded road projects, RECEIVE public comment and DIRECT staff to perform any changes or revisions to the recommended project list. RECOMMEND the Board of Supervisors approve the project list, and DIRECT staff to proceed with submitting the Fiscal Year 2023/2024 list of projects to the California Transportation Commission for approval prior to the July 1, 2023, submittal deadline.

Fiscal Impact (if any):

If the project list is not reviewed by the TWIC, forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for approval, and submitted to the CTC by the July 1, 2023, deadline, the County will not be eligible to receive its portion of RMRA funds.

Attachments
Attachment A