____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting:
Disposition:
Agenda Item No: 2.d
Meeting Date: June 1, 2026
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Public Works
Prepared by: Grey Melgard,
Senior Civil Engineer
April Miller, Public Works Director
City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: FY 2026-27 ROAD MAINTENANCE AND REHABILITATION ACCOUNT PROJECTS, FUNDED BY SENATE BILL 1
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION ADOPTING A LIST OF PROJECTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 FUNDED BY SENATE BILL 1: THE ROAD REPAIR AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2017; CEQA DETERMINATION: EXEMPT PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINE 15378(b)(5) AND 15061(b)(3)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution approving a list of projects for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 funded by Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.
BACKGROUND:
On April 28, 2017, Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act, to address the need for additional funding for transportation and infrastructure in California. SB 1 increased per gallon fuel excise taxes, diesel fuel sales taxes, and vehicle registration fees and provided for inflationary adjustments to the tax rates in future years.
SB 1 requires cities and counties to submit a list of projects proposed to be funded by the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) before receiving RMRA funds. Funding for the proposed projects will be appropriated with the City’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 budget, pending adoption. The approval of this City Council resolution is required to meet the deadline to submit the list of eligible projects for FY 2026-27 to CTC by July 1, 2026.
Cities and counties must also submit an annual project completion report to the CTC to receive RMRA funds. The report must include the following information for all projects for which RMRA funds were expended: description, location, funds expended, completion date, and estimated useful life.
Since 2018, the City of San Rafael has received about $1 million of RMRA funds annually. This revenue is factored into the City’s capital project planning and allocated towards eligible projects in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Based on state guidelines, RMRA local streets and roads funds may be allocated for projects related to road maintenance and rehabilitation; safety projects; traffic control devices and “Complete Street” components, which include pedestrian and bicycle safety projects; transit facilities; and drainage and stormwater capture projects in conjunction with any allowable projects. RMRA funds may also satisfy local match requirements for projects eligible for state or federal funds.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
ANALYSIS:
The City has used RMRA funds for road projects in the past several years, including Lincoln Ave Curb Ramps, Francisco Boulevard East Mid-Block Crossing Enhancements, and the Pavement Management Program. The remaining funds from prior years are rolled over to the following fiscal year and reallocated to eligible projects as defined by the state guidelines.
Staff anticipates the City will receive approximately $1.7 million in new RMRA funding in FY 2026-27.
Please refer to Attachment 2 for more information. These funds are being proposed to be utilized for the following projects:
• San Rafael North-South Greenway Gap Closure Project
• FY 2026-27 Pavement Management Program – Major Maintenance Project See Attachment 1 for descriptions and details for the proposed FY 2026-27 RMRA projects list.
Adopting the resolution directly supports the City Council’s Three-Year Strategic Plan under Priority Area B: Mobility and Infrastructure.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This action is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5), in that adopting a Resolution approving a list of possible transportation projects does not meet CEQA's definition of a “project,” because the action does not have the potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and if a “project,” is exempt under the “common sense” exception (14 Cal. Code Regs. § 15061(b)(3)) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this action may have a significant effect on the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
For FY 2026-27, the City is expected to receive an estimated $1,733,109 in RMRA funding from SB 1.
Funding for the proposed projects will be appropriated with the City’s FY 2026-27 budget, pending adoption. RMRA revenues will be deposited into the Gas Tax Fund (Fund 206), and projects will be expended from Fund 206. Expenditure details for all RMRA projects will be submitted to the state on an annual basis per the Road Repair and Accountability Act guidelines.
Furthermore, a Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement is associated with the receipt of RMRA funding.
Under Streets and Highways Code Section 2036, a city or county must annually expend from its general fund for street, road, and highway purposes an amount not less than the annual average of its expenditures from its general fund during fiscal years 2009–10, 2010–11, and 2011–12. If a city or county fails to meet the MOE in a fiscal year, it can make it up in the following fiscal year.
The following are the City’s general fund expenditures on street and road repair for the three fiscal years, and the 3-year average used to determine MOE requirement:
FY 2009-10 FY 2010-11 FY 2011-12 AVERAGE
Annual Street and
Road Expenditures
$3,286,015 $2,131,621 $3,516,476 $2,978,037
These expenditures are based on the numbers reported to the State Controller’s Office in the annual streets and roads report. The City has satisfied the MOE requirement for RMRA funds, as street and road expenditures are currently higher than the average for FY 2009-10 to FY 2011-12. The FY 2026-27 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3
general fund budget request for the Streets Maintenance Division (personnel and non-personnel) is estimated at $3,636,192.
OPTIONS:
The City Council has the following options to consider on this matter:
1. Adopt the resolution approving a list of projects for FY 2026-27 funded by SB 1.
2. Do not adopt the resolution and direct staff to revise the list of RMRA-funded projects.
3. Do not adopt the resolution and provide direction to staff RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution approving a list of projects for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 funded by Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution adopting a list of projects for FY 2026-27 funded by SB 1
2. Estimated RMRA funding for the City of San Rafael (California City Finance) RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION OF THE SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL ADOPTING A LIST OF PROJECTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 FUNDED BY SENATE BILL 1: THE ROAD REPAIR AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2017; CEQA DETERMINATION: EXEMPT PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINE 15378(b)(5) AND 15061(b)(3)
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (Chapter 5, Statutes of 2017) was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor in April 2017 to address the significant multi-modal transportation funding shortfalls statewide; and
WHEREAS, SB 1 includes accountability and transparency provisions that will ensure the residents of San Rafael are aware of the projects proposed for funding in our community and which projects have been completed each fiscal year; and WHEREAS, the City must adopt by resolution a list of projects proposed to receive fiscal year funding from the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA), created by SB 1, which must include a description and the location of each proposed project, a proposed schedule for the project’s completion, and the estimated useful life of the improvement; and
WHEREAS, the City will receive an estimated $1,733,109 in RMRA funding in Fiscal Year 2026-27 from SB 1; and
WHEREAS, this is the tenth year in which the City is receiving SB 1 funding and will enable the City to continue essential road maintenance and rehabilitation projects, safety improvements, repairing and replacing aging bridges, and increasing access and mobility options for the traveling public that would not have otherwise been possible without SB 1; and
WHEREAS, the City used the Project Rating System from its Capital Improvement Program to develop the SB 1 project list to ensure revenues are being used on priority projects for transportation investment; and
WHEREAS, modernizing the local street and road system provides well-paying construction jobs and boosts local economies; and
WHEREAS, the local street and road system is also critical for interconnectivity, multimodal needs, and commerce; and
WHEREAS, police, fire, and emergency medical services all need safe, reliable roads to react quickly to emergency calls, and a few minutes of delay can be a matter of life and death; and
WHEREAS, maintaining and preserving the local street and road system in good condition will reduce drive times and traffic congestion, improve bicycle safety, and make the pedestrian experience safer and more appealing, which leads to reduced vehicle emissions, helping the State achieve its air quality and greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals; and
WHEREAS, the SB 1 project list and overall investment in our local streets and roads infrastructure, with a focus on basic maintenance and safety, investing in complete streets infrastructure, and using cutting-edge technology, materials, and practices, will have significant positive co-benefits statewide.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of San Rafael, State of California, does hereby resolve as follows:
1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct.
2. This action is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5), in that adopting a Resolution approving a list of possible transportation projects does not meet CEQA's definition of a “project,” because the action does not have the potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and if a “project,” is exempt under the “common sense” exception (14 Cal. Code Regs. § 15061(b)(3)) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this action may have a significant effect on the environment.
3. The City Council hereby adopts the following list of projects to be funded in part or solely with Fiscal Year 2026-27 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account revenues:
San Rafael North-South Greenway Gap Closure Project
• Project Description: The project scope creates safe, comfortable, and accessible bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in Downtown San Rafael, California. The project will construct bicycle facilities along Tamalpais Avenue from Mission Avenue to 4th Street and along 4th Street from Tamalpais Avenue to Grand Avenue, creating a seamless, protected route to access the nearby transit center and downtown destinations. • Project Location: Mission Ave to Tamalpais Ave/Fourth St to Grand Ave • Estimated Project Schedule: Start (July 2026) – Construction (June 2029) • Estimated Project Useful Life: 30 years
FY 2026-27 Pavement Management Program – Major Maintenance Project • Project Description: As part of the City’s Pavement Management Program, select streets for application of pavement treatment based on the existing conditions, needs, and road type. This project plans to slurry seal or micro surface approximately 26 lane miles within the Mont Marin and Peacock Gap area.
• Project Location: Currently proposed streets for maintenance include but are not limited to: Las Gallinas Avenue, Canyon Oak Drive, Knight Drive, Castlewood Drive, Peacock Drive, Riviera Drive, and Biscayne Drive. • Estimated Project Schedule: Start (July 2026) – Construction (April 2027) • Estimated Project Useful Life: 10 years
I, LINDSAY LARA, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of San Rafael, held on Monday, the 1st day of June 2026, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Councilmembers:
NOES: Councilmembers:
ABSENT: Councilmembers:
____________________
Lindsay Lara, City Clerk
ATTACHMENT B
Local Streets and Roads - Projected FY2026-27 Revenues
Based on State Dept of Finance statewide revenue projectionsEstimated May 2026 TOTAL Road Mntnc Sec2103 (3) Sec2105 (3) Sec2106 (3) Sec2107 (3) Sec2107.5 (4) HUTA Rehab Acct TOTAL Highway Users Tax Acct (HUTA)(1) Streets & Highways Code
MADERA COUNTY
CHOWCHILLA 124,672 190,745 52,790 166,630 4,000 538,836 542,186 1,081,022 MADERA 429,869 657,688 170,269 574,540 7,500 1,839,867 1,869,457 3,709,324
MARIN COUNTY
BELVEDERE 13,742 21,024 13,428 18,366 1,000 67,561 59,761 127,322 CORTE MADERA 66,063 101,074 46,279 88,296 3,000 304,712 287,299 592,011 FAIRFAX 49,138 75,179 35,653 65,675 2,000 227,645 213,695 441,339 LARKSPUR 84,624 129,473 57,934 113,104 3,000 388,135 368,022 756,158 MILL VALLEY 91,424 139,876 62,203 122,192 3,000 418,696 397,593 816,289 NOVATO 343,971 526,266 220,773 459,732 7,500 1,558,241 1,495,892 3,054,133 ROSS 15,113 23,123 14,289 20,200 1,000 73,725 65,726 139,452 SAN ANSELMO 82,716 126,553 56,736 110,553 3,000 379,557 359,722 739,280 SAN RAFAEL 398,517 609,720 255,021 532,636 7,500 1,803,395 1,733,109 3,536,504 SAUSALITO 46,058 70,468 33,719 61,559 2,000 213,804 200,302 414,106 TIBURON 59,088 90,403 41,900 78,974 2,000 272,366 256,968 529,334
MARIPOSA COUNTY
MENDOCINO COUNTY
FORT BRAGG 46,498 71,141 33,641 62,147 2,000 215,426 202,215 417,642 POINT ARENA 2,976 4,553 6,646 3,978 1,000 19,153 12,943 32,096 UKIAH 107,411 164,336 71,422 143,559 4,000 490,728 467,118 957,846 WILLITS 32,006 48,968 24,652 42,777 1,000 149,403 139,190 288,593
MERCED COUNTY
ATWATER 206,139 315,387 96,286 275,514 6,000 899,326 896,477 1,795,804 DOS PALOS 37,492 57,362 21,439 50,110 2,000 168,403 163,050 331,453 GUSTINE 39,330 60,173 22,255 52,566 2,000 176,323 171,040 347,364 LIVINGSTON 93,430 142,945 46,265 124,873 3,000 410,512 406,316 816,828 LOS BANOS 316,345 483,999 145,196 422,809 6,000 1,374,348 1,375,750 2,750,099 MERCED 634,288 970,443 286,300 847,754 7,500 2,746,285 2,758,450 5,504,735
MODOC COUNTY
ALTURAS 17,598 26,924 14,363 27,255 1,000 87,140 76,531 163,671
MONO COUNTY
MAMMOTH LAKES 46,712 71,467 66,070 1,679,365 2,000 1,865,614 203,144 2,068,758 15 May 2026 CaliforniaCityFinance.com Page 7 of 16