Title:
Title
Transportation Funding and Priorities Workshop
End
FileID
File ID: 2019-01563
Location
Location: Citywide
Recommendation:
Recommendation
Receive and file.
Contact: Ryan Moore, Interim Public Works Director, (916) 808-6629; Lucinda Willcox, Program Manager, (916) 808-5052, Public Works Department
Body
Presenter: Ryan Moore, Interim Public Works Director, (916) 808-6629; Lucinda Willcox, Program Manager, (916) 808-5052, Public Works Department
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Attachment A: Summary of Transportation Needs
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: Historically, transportation infrastructure maintenance, repair, and construction of new facilities have been funded almost exclusively with dedicated transportation funding sources, primarily state and federal transportation funds, gas taxes, countywide transportation sales tax (Measure A), and dedications and fees/taxes on new development.
Almost all these transportation funding sources are not keeping up with inflation and in some cases are declining, while the funding needs to maintain, upgrade, and modernize the transportation network continues to grow. Although the state transportation effort (Senate Bill 1 or SB1) did provide additional funding, there continue to be challenges funding the City’s ongoing responsibilities.
The Sacramento Transportation Authority (STA) is exploring a potential supplemental countywide transportation sales tax measure for the November 2020 election. As part of this effort, each agency in the county presented its unmet transportation needs. Readers can review the presentations for all the cities in the region, transit and rail agencies, Sacramento County, Sacramento Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) at the following link.
<http://www.sacta.org/n_news.html>
Based on an analysis of existing plans and policies (discussed in the Policy and Sustainability Sections below), City staff prepared this analysis and estimated approximately $2.5 billion in currently unfunded needs over the next 20 to 30 years for assets managed by the City of Sacramento. Please note this does not include services or facilities managed by other agencies (i.e., transit services, freeway improvements).
Some key issues:
§ The City is in the process of updating its Pavement Report. In 2017, the City had a Pavement Condition Index of 66 (fair). The latest update finds that it has fallen to 60 in two years, despite new SB1 investments. Pavement condition is the foundation for most mobility modes -- buses, trucks, cars, bikes, scooters, automated vehicles, emergency vehicles -- so continued decline is anticipated to negatively affect future mobility and safety in the city.
§ The City currently does not have anticipated adequate local transportation funding to match additional state and federal grants. In order to pursue continued grant funding, alternative sources of funding will need to be identified.
§ For new capital projects, the City relies almost exclusively on state and federal grants. As a result, determination of which projects get funded is determined by outside funding agencies rather than the City. In addition, there is no certainty in which projects and/or how much will be funded for planning purposes, so long term planning and funding for critical projects is not possible.
§ Regional plans call for the City to accommodate 30 percent of the six-county region’s new housing over the next 20 years, although it represents about 22 percent of the existing population. Most of this is presumed to be higher density infill housing, much of it for affordable incomes. To achieve this level of growth would require extensive investment in transportation infrastructure improvements as well as other infrastructure. Historically, the City has directly received about 12 percent of regional transportation funding.
Policy Considerations: Transportation policy is governed by numerous City adopted plans and policies, as well as other regional plans and plans by other agencies. The General Plan and its Mobility Element establish the circulation network and policies governing facilities in the City. The City is in the process of updating the General Plan and Mobility Element.
The City also has many adopted Area Plans and Specific Plans and development plans that govern transportation improvements; many of which contain Finance Plans. There are also documents that guide specific policy areas, including the Vision Zero Action Plan, Bicycle Master Plan, Pedestrian Master Plan, Sacramento River Parkway and American River Parkway Plans, Electric Vehicle Strategy, and various additional guidelines and standards. In addition, the City has several corridor plans and studies with recommendations for specific improvements.
Many regional plans and programs affect mobility in the City, including the Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) adopted by SACOG, which is currently being updated, SACOG Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Master Plan, currently being developed, Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) transit plans, the State Rail Plan, Caltrans’ System Plans, and SMAQMD Air Quality Attainment Plans.
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations: This is an informational report and not a project for the purposes of CEQA.
Sustainability: The transportation sector is one of the largest generator of air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, so several state laws and regional and City initiatives to reduce vehicle miles travelled and enhance shared and cleaner mobility options, including increased opportunities for transit, cycling, walking, electric vehicles and other zero emission options, and taking advantage of additional technology improvements. In addition, mobility is a core component of the Climate Action Plan, a component of the City’s General Plan, considerations as part of the Mayor’s Commission on Climate Change, and the MTP/SCS requirements to comply with SB375 and AB743, which govern reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and analysis of vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
Commission/Committee Action: None.
Rationale for Recommendation: This report is for information only.
Financial Considerations: This report is intended to share the financial needs related to City transportation goals and facilities.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.