Title
Department of Transportation recommending the Board adopt a Resolution supporting the Department of Transportation's Grant Application for National Infrastructure Investments TIGER II Discretionary Grant funding for the U.S. 50 HOV Lanes, Phase 2A - Bass Lake Road to Cameron Park Drive Project, CIP # 53113.
FUNDING: US Department of Transportation's National Infrastructure Investments under the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2010
Resolution 132-2010
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost:
There is no Fiscal Impact or Change to Net County Cost associated with this agenda item.
Background:
The US Department of Transportation (US DOT) announced a Notice of Funding Availability for the US DOT's National Infrastructure Investments under the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2010 in December 2009. The appropriation amount is $600 million nationwide with not less than $140 million of the funds to be used for projects located in rural areas. This appropriation is similar to the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant program authorized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Because of the similarity in program structure, the National Infrastructure Investments program is being referred to as TIGER II Discretionary Grants. TIGER II applications are due to US DOT by August 23, 2010.
Reason for Recommendation:
The County of El Dorado's Department of Transportation (DOT), in collaboration with El Dorado County Transportation Commission (EDCTC) and Caltrans, has nominated the U.S. 50 HOV Lanes, Phase 2A - Bass Lake Road to Cameron Park Drive Project for TIGER II Discretionary Grant funding.
In September 2009, EDCTC, in collaboration with the DOT, submitted a TIGER grant application requesting $20 million funding for the U.S. 50 HOV Lanes, Phase 2A - Bass Lake Road to Cameron Park Drive and the U.S. 50 HOV Lanes, Phase 2B - Cameron Park Drive to Ponderosa Road. These proposed projects were not selected for TIGER funding. However, the application was ranked very favorably and EDCTC was encouraged to resubmit the proposed projects if a second round of TIGER funding became available.
DOT staff is recommending that the TIGER II proposed projects be reduced to the U.S. 50 HOV Lanes, Phase 2A - Bass Lake Road to Cameron Park Drive Project (Project) with a funding request of $16 million. If funded, this would allow the Project to be constructed with a local match of approximately $5.5 million of funding from the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians that is anticipated to be available in December 2010.
Funding this regionally significant Project with TIGER II Discretionary Grant funding will leverage funding from the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians and the County's Traffic Impact Mitigation (TIM) Fee Program. The Memorandum of Understanding and Intergovernmental Agreement between the County and Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, executed September 28, 2006, commits the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians to provide an annual funding stream in the amount of $5.2 million for twenty (20) years beginning in December 2009, to the County for transportation infrastructure improvements along the U.S. 50 Corridor between Bass Lake Road and Ponderosa Road.
The County's TIM Fee Program also provides funding for surface transportation capital improvement projects. However, the TIM Fee Program is financially constrained and all anticipated TIM fees are programmed for other projects in the County's 10-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) through 2013. The 2010 CIP adopted April 27, 2010 has projected that the Project would be constructed by 2019. If this Project is successful in being awarded the requested TIGER II funding, the Project may be constructed five (5) to seven (7) years ahead of schedule.
Design and environmental documentation are complete (CEQA MND and NEPA FONSI certified June, 2002); Right of Way is cleared and no permits are required. Plans and Specifications for the Project are anticipated to be ready to advertise in March 2011. The actual advertisement date for construction is dependent upon the timing of the TIGER II funding authorization.
The Project is included in DOT's Adopted 2010 CIP, the County's TIM Fee Program, the County's General Plan (2004), Caltrans' U.S. Highway 50 Corridor System Management Plan (CSMP) updated May 2009, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG)'s 2009/2012 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) and 2035 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), and the EDCTC Regional Transportation Plan (RTP).
DOT has prepared a Resolution for adoption by the Board supporting the Project nomination for TIGER II funding. The TIGER II application does not require a Resolution, however, it is EDCTC's standard practice to include a Resolution adopted by its Board and the Project sponsor's governing Board supporting grant applications submitted by EDCTC.
Action to be taken following Board approval:
1) The Board Clerk will obtain the Chair's signature on two (2) originals of the Resolution.
2) The Board Clerk will forward one (1) original of the adopted Resolution to DOT for inclusion with the final TIGER II grant application.
Contact:
Robert S. Slater, P.E.
Acting Director of Transportation
Concurrences: County Counsel