The CRIPP is a programming document for the funding of capital road improvement projects within unincorporated Contra Costa County. It includes estimated project costs, funding source information, and scheduling information for known potential projects within the next seven fiscal years. It also includes revenue projections and a summary of estimated project-related expenditures for each funding source.
The Capital Road Improvement & Preservation Program (CRIPP) was established by Resolution 89/306 under the County Road Improvement Policy. The Policy was authorized by Government Code Section 66002 and is required under the Growth Management Element of the Contra Costa Transportation and Growth Management Program Ordinance approved by the voters in November 1988 (Measure C-88) and reaffirmed in 2004 with passage of Measure J. Measure J requires that each participating local agency develop a five-year CRIPP to meet and/or maintain traffic service and performance standards. In 1991, the CRIPP was expanded to cover seven years to conform to the Congestion Management Plan, and in 1992 the CRIPP update was changed to a biennial schedule.
Approval of the CRIPP by the Board of Supervisors does not automatically approve each individual project listed in the CRIPP. Each project in the CRIPP is subject to a separate public review, engineering feasibility analysis, and environmental assessment and whenever feasible, be consistent with County policies, design guidelines, and regional planning documents. This includes an assessment of opportunities for Green Infrastructure and Complete Streets elements. Some projects may have cost increases and/or project scope changes after these elements are evaluated in more detail. All these things are considered before the Board of Supervisors will consider final approval of the project. As this is a planning level document, adoption of the CRIPP will not preclude development and construction of projects that have not been identified.
As more information is gathered about a project, the Public Works Department may determine that the project will cost more than originally estimated for reasons not known at this time. In such a case, the Public Works Department will study various alternatives to find a solution to funding shortfalls. The Public Works Department will adjust subsequent CRIPPs to reflect any changes in project scope or cost.
On April 14, 2016, the TWIC accepted a report on the impacts to County transportation projects from the declining State Gas Tax. This impact is reflected in the 2015 CRIPP. If the State Legislature fails to take effective action, the County will likely need to indefinitely delay several projects and lose the already secured grant funds associated with those projects. These changes will need to be reflected in future CRIPP updates.
Adopting a CRIPP to guide our capital improvements will do several things for the County:
• Increase public awareness of how and where funds will be spent on our road system.
• Enhance public trust and increase funding transparency by demonstrating that funds are programmed and expended in accordance with an approved program.
• Encourage more public involvement in the programming and expenditure of our capital funds.
• Provide accurate “accountability” of whether our transportation system will meet an acceptable level of service to satisfy our growth management policies.
• Provide a basis for projecting staffing needs over the next seven years.
• Provide a budget tool to track expenditures of each type of funding utilized for capital improvements.
Failure to approve the CRIPP could adversely affect the schedule of road improvements for the next seven years as this document provides direction for project planning and staff requirements in the coming years.
Measure J and the County’s proposed growth management policy requires adoption of a CRIPP be enacted to meet the anticipated needs of new development impacts on the roadway systems. Without an approved CRIPP, the County will not be able to fulfill this requirement, which would jeopardize our Measure J return to source funding.