Amendment 2 to 2012 RTIPTCTCNovember 26, 2013
STAFF REPORT
Subject: SECOND AMENDMENT TOTHE 2012 REGIONAL TRANSPORATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (RTIP) for the 2012 STATE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (STIP)
Date: November 18, 2013
ISSUE: SHOULD THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ADOPT THE RESOULTION AMENDING THE 2012 RTIP TO DELAY PROJECTS AND REDIRECT FUNDING TO CONSTRUCTION OF THE EAST CONNECTOR PROJECT.
BACKGROUND:
Construction of the East Connector Project (Lance Gulch Road) is programmed in the current Fiscal Year 2013/14. The amount currently programmed is $6,379,000, including $647,000 in Transportation Enhancement (TE) funds. The Final Engineers’ estimate indicates the project will cost close to $14,000,000 to construct.
During discussion of the 2014 Regional Transportation Improvement Program, Staff indicated that construction of the East Connector could be broken into two phases; one in the current Fiscal Year 2013/14 and the second in a later year. Phase 1, the project programmed in this Fiscal Year, would be built from State Highway 3 past Brown’s Ranch Road and provide two access points to the Trinity River Lumber Mill. This Phase 1 project will require a total of $7,461,000 to construct. To obtain the additional $1,082,000 needed to construct Phase 1 additional funds that are already available to the County in the current fiscal year will need to be used.
In addition, design of this project to replace County Bridge 5C-086 over Hayfork Creek in Wildwood is almost complete. After negotiating with Caltrans, Staff succeeded in obtaining additional funds from the Federal Highway Bridge Program to realign the approach roadways on either end of the bridge to correct some tight curves. This increase in Federal Funding will also increase the required 11.43% match, for which the TCTC has programmed State STIP funds. Allowing for Construction Engineering and Contingencies, the total estimated cost will be $4,268,100, bringing the match to $490,000. Since $287,000 is already programmed in Fiscal Year 12013/14, an additional $203,000 is needed.
DISCUSSION:
In Staff’s November 12, 2013 presentation to the TCTC, they presented a plan to move several major capital projects to future years in order to fund construction of Phase 1 of the East Connector project in fiscal year 2013/14. The TCTC made no objection to this plan during the November 12 meeting. We are presenting this plan again for formal TCTC approval so that these changes can be requested at the time funding is allocated for Phase 1by the California Transportation Commission on January 29, 2014. Agenda items for the January CTC meeting are due to Caltrans on December 2, 2013.
The request is as follows:
1)Request conversion of $647,000 of TE fundsto State Highway Account funds for construction of Phase 1 of the East Connector
2)Allow $500,000 in design (PS&E) funds for Wildwood Road Rehabilitation Project to lapse and reprogram $297,000 to construction of Phase 1 of the East Connector and $203,000 for construction of Hayfork Creek Bridge on Wildwood Road
3)Allow $15,000 of PS&E funds for Lewiston Road Rehabilitation Project to lapse and reprogramto construction of Phase 1 of the East Connector
4)Allow $770,000 in TE funds for construction of the Lowden Park to Senior Center Bicycle/Pedestrian Lane to lapse, convert the funds to State Highway Account funds and reprogram to construction of Phase 1 of the East Connector
ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
1) The Commission may approve the change as described above, and summarized inthe attached Resolution. Staff will submit the requested change to CTC staff along with the allocation for construction funds for the East Connector Phase 1. Funding for the lapsed projects will be re-programmed in the 2014 RTIP in a separate TCTC action on today’s agenda.
2) The Commission could decline to change the current programming. Phase 1 of the East Connector project would not be fully funded, and the funds that are programmed now could not be allocated, causing them to lapse. The County does not have enough new STIP shares to re-program these funds later in the 2014 STIP.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is staff’s recommendation that the Commission adopt the attached Resolution amending the Trinity County Regional Transportation Improvement Program for the 2012 State Transportation Improvement Program as proposed, and authorizing the Director of Transportation to sign all documents related to the changes for the purposes of obtaining funding for construction of Phase 1 of the East Connector Project in Fiscal Year 2013/14.
Respectfully Submitted,
______
Richard Tippett, Executive Secretary
CAO RECOMMENDATION: Concur: Yes No
Comments:
1