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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 12022003 - SD6 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Camra FROM: TRANSPORTATION, WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE Costa COMMITTEE (SUPERVISOR JOHN GIOIA, CHAIR) County DATE: NOVEMBER 3, 2003 SUBJECT: PROPOSED TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATIVE GOALS FOR 2004 SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS Adopt the attached set of goals for transportation legislation for calendar year 2004. FISCAL IMPACT None to the General Fund. If some goals are obtained, they could result in increased funding for transportation purposes. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS Each year the Board of Supervisors adopts a set of goals for transportation-related legislative advocacy forthe coming year. The Board's Transportation,Water and Infrastructure Committee and staff work with the County's legislative advocacy firm on transportation, to try to attain the legislative goals. In some cases the goals include sponsorship of legislation, while others may rely on adopting positions or seeking amendments to legislation sponsored by others. The Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee has discussed transportation legislation periodically throughout the past year. At the Committee meeting on November 3, 2003, the Committee developed a recommendation for the Board of Supervisors to adopt the attached goals for transportation legislation in 2004. Attachment A is a set of proposed goals for the 2004 state legislative session. These include ten proposed goals, along with particular objectives that would help accomplish each of the goals. Of the ten proposed goals, the first eight are continuations of goals from the 2003 session with minor revisions. Goals 9 and 10 are newly added for the coming year. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR X RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURES : i2rvlsor John Gioia Su ervisor Millie Greenberg ACTION OF BOARD ON December 2, 203 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED x OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE _ UNANIMOUS (ABSENT AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES:I,IIIJV,VNOES: II AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact: John Greltrer(925/335-1201) cc: Community Development Department (CDD) ATTESTEDDeca"r 2, "3 Public Works Department JOHN SWEETEN, CLERK OF S. Hoffman, CAO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS M. Watts, Smith Watts Co. AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR h BY , DEPUTY GATransportat1on\TWIG\Board Orders\2003\Trans les?aoals 2004.doc TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATIVE GOALS FOR 2004 NOVEM"ABER.3, 2003 Page 2 BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS Continued The goals concern state legislation only. While the County has occasionally;taken a position on a federal transportation bill,federal bills usually don't have a direct impact on Contra Costa County transportation projects. The County's interaction on federal legislation generally is focused on obtaining federal funds for particular transportation improvements,either through specific budget earmark requests or through the reauthorization process for federal transportation funding bills such as the u coming "TEA-3" reauthorization in Congress. TEA-3 refers to the Transportation Equity Act, 3` iteration (meaning the third time this omnibus federal transportation act has been passed by Congress). The legislation was first enacted in 1991 (then known by the acronym "ISTEX) and renewed in 1998, with some minor revisions. The upcoming federal reauthorization will be on the agenda for a future meeting of the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee. Possible project proposals for federal transportation earmarks also will be brought to a future meeting of the Committee. The County's transportation advocacy firm,Smith Watts Company of Sacramento,will represent the County in seeking to attain the attached goals in the State Legislature. Smith Watts assisted the County in addressing the goal for interregional planning with a successful bill in 2903,winning passage of SB 802 through the sponsorship of Senator Tom Torlakson(D-Antioch)and Assembly Member Guy Houston (R-Livermore). The bill,which has been signed into taw by the Governor, designated future State Route 239 and State Route 84 (Vasco Road)as part of the Interregional Road System. This elevates the importance of the two roadways in the state highway network and makes the routes eligible for certain state funding programs for which they wouldn't otherwise be eligible. By making these changes, the bill improves the chances of getting state funds for projects on the two roadways. GATransoartaUon\TWlC\Board Ordersi20=Trans 1eQ goals 2004.doc ATTACHMENT A Draft Gods for Transportation Legislation in 2004 Goal Objectives 1.SUPPORT increased transportation 1a) Additional state funding for Caldecott Tunnel 4t" Bore funding and protection of current project. transportation funding. 1b) State funding assistance for acquisition of the Union Pacific's Mococo railroad line for use in East County commuter rail service. 1 c) New funding sources to improve transportation in Contra Costa County, provided the new source doesn't shift any additional funds away from the state's General Fund. 1d) Extend existing transportationfunding programs that benefit Contra Costa County. le) Protect existing sources of transportation funds from reduction or elimination. 2. SUPPORT regional coordination 2a) Improve coordination and delivery of transit and in addressing transportation needs. paratransit service. 2b) Coordinated provision of rail' services throughout Contra Costa County 2c) Improve coordination between 'bus and rail services throughout the County. 2d) Coordination between Native American tribes and the County in siting and planning casinos in the County. 3. SUPPORT efforts to expand school 3a) Increase funding for school transportation services. transportation services and improve 3b) Improve coordination between school districts and coordination between school districts local jurisdictions in siting and planning school facilities. and Focal jurisdictions on school siting and planning. 3c) Provide safer access for walking and bicycling to school, including routes to school, crossing guards, and other items. 4. SUPPORT efforts to improve safety 4a) New and expanded programs that improve safety for and facilities for bicyclists,pedestrians, bicyclists, pedestrians and wheelchair users (including and others. awareness and education programs as well as infrastructure improvements for safety) 5. SUPPORT efforts to advance inter- 5a) Multi-agency participation in creating the Brentwood- regional corridor improvements. Tracy Expressway (also known as State Route 239) with San Joaquin and Alameda Counties, local agencies, Caltrans District 4, Caltrans District 10, and Caltrans headquarters. 5b) State funding and planning assistance with the Brentwood-Tracy Expressway(SR 239) project. 5c) Funding for cooperative efforts with Alameda County to improve safety and operations on Vasco Road and ultimately widen Vasco Road to four lanes. 5d)State assumption of maintenance and operations for Vasco Road as State Route 84. 6. SUPPORT funding or incentives for 6a) State grant programs, tax credits for manufacturers, state the use of renewable resources in purchasing programs,or other incentives for local jurisdictions to transportation construction projects. use recycled materials such as the rubberized asphalt (made from recycled tires)that the County has used as paving material on San Pablo Dam Road and Pacheco Boulevard. 7.SUPPORT streamlining the delivery 7a) Reduce the time and paperwork needed to bring a of transportation projects. transportation project through planning, engineering and design, environmental review, funding applications, and construction. 7b)Streamlining the CEQA environmental review process. GATransportationlTWIMBoard Orders120031Trans!ea orals 2004.doc Goal Ob'ectives 7c) Streamlining state permitting requirements that relate to transportation. 8. SUPPORT efforts to getter link 8a)Financial or regulatory incentives for local jurisdictions transportation planning and land use to incorporate transit-oriented development in their planning. General Plans (particularly for areas expected to become rail station sites). 8b)Assistance for local jurisdictions;to implement existing plans for transit-oriented development. 8c) Financial or regulatory incentives for jurisdictions to increase the development of affordable housing 8d) Incentives for housing and transportation improvements provided at or near state-owned facilities such as courts,schools, jails and state offices. 9.SUPPORT efforts to reduce the voter 9a) Reduce the required threshold to fess than the current majority threshold needed to pass two-thirds requirement for passing a transportation sales-tax transportation sales-tax measures measure 10.SUPPORT efforts to facilitate traffic- 10a) Limit or eliminate public liability for installing traffic- calming measures in residential calming devices neighborhoods GATransportation\TWlCtBoard Orders\20031Trans tea Ovals 2004.doc