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Community Development Agency, Transportation Division, recommending the Board authorize the Chair to sign the Federal Apportionment Exchange and State Match Program Agreement X16-5925(140) with the California Department of Transportation, subject to County Counsel review and approval, allowing direct exchange with the State of $359,164 in Fiscal Year 2015/16 Regional Surface Transportation Program Exchange Funds and allowing for the disbursement of $100,000 in State Match Funds (total funding to be received is $459,164).
FUNDING: Regional Surface Transportation Program Funds. (No Federal Funding)
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Community Development Agency, Transportation Division (Transportation), recommending the Board authorize the Chair to sign the Federal Apportionment Exchange and State Match Program Agreement X16-5925(140) (Agreement), with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), subject to County Counsel review and approval, allowing direct exchange with the State of $359,164 in Fiscal Year 2015/2016 Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) Exchange Funds and allowing for the disbursement of $100,000 in State Match Funds. This recommended action will allow the Road Fund to receive $459,164 of State revenue.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Section 182.6 of the Streets and Highways Code, as modified, authorizes the County to exchange the assigned Federal apportionments made available to the County under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP), for nonfederal State Highway Account funds.
In accordance with the Agreement between the County and Caltrans, $359,164 in Federal funding (Section 182.6 of the Streets and Highways Code) is being exchanged for a like amount of State funds. An additional $100,000 of State Matching funds (Section 182.9 of the Streets and Highways Code) is also being made available. By exchanging the Federal monies with State monies, funds become less restrictive in use. The funding Transportation is seeking to exchange is federal in nature and will require the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental documentation to be completed in addition to California Environmental Quality Act environmental documentation. This can substantially increase the cost of transportation projects. By exchanging these funds Transportation can complete projects for a lower cost since NEPA environmental documentation will not be required.
On August 18, 2015 (Item 6) , the Board approved a similar agreement with CalTrans for Fiscal Year 2014/2015 for $421,909.
ALTERNATIVES
If the Exchange is not approved, funding will still be available but NEPA documentation will be required. This additional documentation will raise the cost of projects
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Pending approval by County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Chief Administrative Office concurs with staff's recommendation.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Subsequent to approval by Caltrans, Transportation in accordance with the Federal Exchange/State Match Program Agreement, will allocate $321,909 in Exchange funds for various transportation improvement projects and $100,000 of State Match funds will be allocated for use as a match on existing and anticipated state and federally funded transportation projects as approved by the Board in the 2016 Capital Improvement Program. The Tahoe Basin Maintenance Program will receive $37,255 to be used for routine maintenance and pothole patching.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Following approval by County Counsel, the Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair's signature on two (2) originals of the State Agreement No. X16-5925(140).
2) The Clerk of the Board will forward the two (2) partially-executed original Agreements to the Community Development Agency, Administration and Finance Division, for further processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure
CONTACT
Bard R. Lower, Transportation Division Director
Community Development Agency