City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: FEBRUARY 6, 2024 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION 2024 DRAFT TRAFFIC RELIEF PLAN UPDATE ISSUE:
Update on the Riverside County Transportation Commission’s 2024 Draft Traffic Relief Plan.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Receive an update from the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) regarding the 2024 Draft Traffic Relief Plan; and Provide feedback to RCTC regarding the draft plan.
DISCUSSION:
Per RCTC, in May 2020 the Commission adopted the Traffic Relief Plan (Plan), a transportation infrastructure planning and funding strategy for Riverside County residents. The Plan was developed over a years-long public and community engagement effort amongst Riverside County residents, its leaders and local stakeholder groups to identify solutions to fund a backlog of transportation improvements and to conceptualize the future transportation and mobility needs to support the County’s growing population and economy. This outreach included the robust launch of the #RebootMyCommute public engagement program in 2019, generating thousands of public comments from residents which were then used to finalize the Plan. RCTC staff presented these efforts to the City Council in 2019.
The Commission was in the midst of determining whether and how to fund the Plan, including consideration of a potential ballot measure before Riverside County voters in the 2020 general election, when the COVID-19 pandemic challenged public outreach and education activities and created economic uncertainty. Exploration of a local funding strategy subsequently ceased. Ultimately, the Commission decided not to move forward with a funding strategy in 2020 but did opt to approve the Plan as a statement of long-term transportation priorities.
The extent of Riverside County’s transportation needs has not changed since the Plan was adopted in 2020. However, the cost of delivering transportation projects has significantly increased and Riverside County’s population continues to grow faster than nearly all other parts of California. At its February 2023 Commission Workshop, Commissioners held dynamic discussions regarding the need for transportation funding to keep up with the population growth, adjust to new state transportation policies, and to ease traffic and congestion burden felt by Riverside County residents. As a result, the Commission directed staff to review and update the TRP to reflect any cost, funding, and policy changes since its original adoption.
In October 2023, the Commission approved the Draft 2024 Plan for circulation and public input. RCTC staff are conducting extensive outreach to hear from Riverside County residents on their transportation needs and feedback to the Plan. This feedback and input will inform the Commission as they finalize the Plan later this Spring.
In December 2023, RCTC staff held a workshop with City of Riverside staff and representatives of Caltrans to exchange ideas about the draft Plan, discuss the City’s transportation infrastructure needs and priorities, and how those could be addressed in the Plan. RCTC and City staff seek the City Council’s input before the Commission makes a decision to finalize the Plan and whether to seek voter approval for funding the projects within the Plan.
By law, RCTC is the regional transportation agency for Riverside County, which is governed by local elected officials of every city and all five members of the County Board of Supervisors. RCTC has statutory authority to propose and implement voter-approved sales taxes for transportation projects, and for distribution of some state and federal transportation funds. RCTC serves as an advocate and representative for the transportation interests of Riverside County on policy and funding issues.
City Staff Analysis
The City of Riverside Public Works Department met with the RCTC and Caltrans teams to discuss potential projects to be included in the Draft Traffic Relief Plan. A preliminary list of projects is shown below (grouped by project type), and will be brought to the Mobility and Infrastructure Committee for review and prioritization:
Grade Separations*:
Madison Street
Spruce Street
Jackson Street
Mary Street
Tyler Street (Potentially an Interchange Project)
Mission Inn
*A separate item will be brought to Mobility and Infrastructure Committee to discuss the City’s Grade Separation Priority Ranking on February 8, 2024.
Local Roadway Widenings
Van Buren Boulevard
Cajalco Road (Within County of Riverside)
Bridge and Interchange Improvements
SR 91 and Adams Interchange
Columbia + Center St Interchanges
Mission Blvd Bridge Replacement
Market Street Bridge Replacement
91/215/60 Interchange
Freeway Widenings & Aux Lanes
SR 91 Widening (Pierce to I-15)
SR 91 Aux Lanes (Various Locations)
Express Lanes (To Include Widenings)
I-215 Express Lanes
Active Transportation (Major Projects)
Downtown Pedestrian Bridge
Santa Ana River Trail – Enhancement & Regional Connectivity Gage Canal – Trail completion + Regional Connectivity
Pedestrian bridge over RR XING for trails network (University Neighborhood) Housing & Transit Centers
La Sierra Metrolink Station
Downtown Metrolink Station
Additional Recommendations:
Citywide implementation of the Riverside PACT – bikeways and pedestrian connectivity Citywide Intelligent Transportation Systems
Continual bridge inspection and repair funding
Regional transit connections to: Ontario Airport, Palm Springs Airport, and San Diego County Riverside Fleet Conversion to Zero Emissions & Supporting Infrastructure Implementation of concrete approaches at signalized intersections in industrial zones 91, 215, 60 Coordinated Adaptive Ramp Metering
Besides the discussion of individual priority projects, City staff are collaborating with RCTC to refine the proposed spending distribution within the Plan. In particular, staff are advocating for a greater allocation of the Plan’s spending to local priority transportation needs. In Riverside, these funds would be spent in alignment with the Pavement Management Program, Riverside PACT, Local Roadway Safety Plan, General Plan Circulation Element, and the soon to be developed Safe Routes to School Plans.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
The 2024 Draft Traffic Relief Plan has been prepared by the Riverside County Transportation Commission. More information about RCTC and the draft plan can be found at www.rctc.org and www.trafficreliefplan.org.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
Prepared by: Nathan Mustafa, Deputy Public Works Director Approved by: Gilbert Hernandez, Public Works Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
Presentation
RCTC Traffic Relief Plan Draft Update
Riverside County Transportation Commission 2024 Draft Traffic Relief Plan ● Page 2