CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: June 05, 2023
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
SUBJECT: ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. ___-23 TO IDENTIFY THE CONTRA COSTA
BOULEVARD (HARRIET DRIVE TO VIKING DRIVE) IMPROVEMENT
PROJECT FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF FISCAL YEAR 2023/2024
FUNDS OF SENATE BILL 1: THE ROAD REPAIR AND
ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2017
SYNOPSIS
The City of Pleasant Hill will receive an estimated $853,095 in new Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) funds in Fiscal Year 2023/24 from Senate Bill 1 (SB1). In order to be eligible for the funds, the City must identify and adopt by resolution all projects proposed to be funded with SB1 funds. Staff is recommending the City appropriate these SB1 funds for the Contra Costa Boulevard (Harriet Drive to Viking Drive) Improvement Project as identified in the FY 2022/2027 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) as it is high priority project for the City.
DISCUSSION
Background
On April 28, 2017, the Governor signed SB1, which is known as the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. To address basic road maintenance, rehabilitation and critical safety needs on state highways, local streets and the road system, SB1 generates funds by: increasing the per gallon fuel excise taxes; increasing diesel fuel sales taxes and vehicle registration fees; and provides for inflationary adjustments to tax rates in future years.
Since November 1, 2017, the State Controller (Controller) deposited various portions of this new funding into the RMRA. A percentage of this new RMRA funding is apportioned by formula to eligible cities and counties pursuant to Streets and Highways Code Section 2032(h) for basic road maintenance, rehabilitation, and critical safety projects on local streets and the roads system. The City has received approximately $2.8 million dollars between FY 2017/2018 and FY 2022/2023, and these funds were allocated to the Pleasant Hill Road (Gregory Lane to Taylor Boulevard) Improvement Project, the 2019 Street Resurfacing Project, the 2021 Street Resurfacing Project, and the 2022 Street Resurfacing Project.
In order to be eligible for annual RMRA funding, statute requires cities and counties to provide basic annual RMRA project reporting to the California Transportation Commission (Commission). Prior to receiving an apportionment of RMRA funds from the Controller this fiscal year, the City must submit to the Commission a list of projects proposed to be funded with these funds by the July 1, 2023 deadline. All projects proposed to receive funding must be included in an approved or amended budget that is adopted by the City Council at a regular public meeting. The list of projects must include a description, location, proposed schedule for the project’s completion, and the estimated useful life of the improvement.
Additional requirements for funding eligibility include public outreach and use of a Pavement Management System to develop the SB1 project list, ensuring that SB1 funds are being utilized on high priority, cost effective projects that meet the City’s pavement maintenance needs. The City meets both of these requirements.
RMRA funds may be used for: road maintenance and rehabilitation projects; safety improvement projects; Complete Streets projects and components (including pedestrian and bicycle safety projects, transit facilities, and drainage and stormwater capture projects); and traffic control projects.
Analysis
The Contra Costa Boulevard (Harriet Drive to Viking Drive) Improvement Project is an approved project in the FY 2022-2027 CIP, which was adopted by Resolution 59-22 on July 11, 2022 at the City Council’s regularly scheduled meeting, and is an ideal candidate that meets the criteria for expenditure of SB1 funds. The project is currently out to bid, and construction is anticipated to begin in August 2023 and all project work is expected to be completed by June 2024.
The Contra Costa Boulevard (Harriet Drive to Viking Drive) Improvement Project will provide needed “complete street” improvements along Contra Costa Boulevard, between Harriet Drive and Viking Drive. These improvements will include a new intersection geometry at Taylor Boulevard, a new traffic signal at Contra Costa Boulevard and Alan Drive, new LED street lighting, bicycle lanes, ADA upgrades and pavement rehabilitation.
Although these funds may not be expended entirely during the fiscal year, they have no maturity timeline and may be rolled over and expended in upcoming years.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City of Pleasant Hill will receive an estimated $853,095 in new RMRA funds in Fiscal Year 2023/2024 from SB1.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the City Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center and at the Pleasant Hill Police Department. The agenda and staff report are posted on the City’s web page.
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION
Adopt Resolution.
ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDED ACTION
Not adopting the attached resolution by July 1, 2023, will result in the City’s loss of $853,095 in eligible RMRA funds. The City Council may choose to fund other projects that meet the RMRA criteria
ATTACHMENT(S):
Proposed Resolution
Prepared by: Ann James, Public Works Manager
Approved by: June Catalano, City Manager