The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 05191992 - TC.1 'TC • I TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS . Contra Costa FROM: TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE ^ County DATE: May 5, 1992 SUBJECT: Principles for Implementation of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) in California. GPEW10-REXsr(8)OR RECOMMENDATION(5)a BACKonOUND AND AMTWrAT10N I. co Ac o APPROVE the attached letter to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission(MTC)commenting on Its "Principles for Implementation of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) In California", and DIRECT the Public Works Director to request the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and the Mayors Conference to endorse the same. II. Fina Fiat Inti act~ None to General Funds. 1II. fiensone -W-Recom.Madation"I]d egckguoun4: The ISTEA of 1991 is a major landmark transportation legislation after the completion of the Interstate system. Funds will-be directly funneled to the MTC for congestion relief and air quality attainment. MTC has prepared a principles statement on how these funds should be programmed in the State of California and requested comments from Its member counties. The Technical Advisory Compnittes of the Transportation Authority recommended that a joint letter from the Authority, rlty, and the Mayors Conference be sent to MTC on this matter. Continued on Attach IGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINI TRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE _OTHER SIGNATURE(S): W.�m�.ww.��.r�.ww��s.wwwwww�.w.�I ��.0 I w��.• .�wlw�w�..��F17r�w.wlw�w� . ACTION OF BOARD ON i 911 ,9;L APPROVED A8 RECOMMENDED OTHER_ VOTE OF SUPERVISORS UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) AYES: NOES: ABSENT:-ABSTAIN: 1 hereby ceRif y that this is a true and correct copy of MMS•eh an action taken and entered on the minutes of the C'1305b.t5 Board of Supervi rs on the date shown. �. ATTESTED: PHIL BATCHEL R.Clerk Adm nBoard Ong. Div: Transportation Committee of supervisors and county trator cc: See Page 2 By r ' Principles for Implementation of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (iSTEA) in California. May 5, 1992 Page 2 ltl. Bisons.for Recce'Mmendations afr 9r,o� rnd. (Cont-) The Transportation•Committee has reviewed the principles statement and a drafted letter from the Authority. The Transportation Committee recommends that the Board approve the letter with one addition. Contra Costa County is a suburban county with many small rural communities. The needs of the rural areas should be recognized and addressed. Without some hold harmless provisions, rural needs will never be able to compete with urban congestion needs. MTC has previously endorsed this concept and may not feel it Is necessary to incorporate this particular policy statement In its principles statement. We should request a clarification from MTC. IV. Conse g2nces of Negative Action: The Board's desire will not be conveyed to MTC. cc: Community Development Public Works Caltrans via CDD CCTA via CDD MTC via CDD Mayors Conference-via via CDD c::i.11 I-Pit `P1 �1'r lwiS� liflYa r..:4F Pitv.�>iJ .;3 :"4u?, to b roe 5 r;atatL' r'(Si TE7s ie°RwCy�m to May 27;-1992 Mr. Steve Weir, Chairman Metropolitan Transportation Commission 101 Eighth Street Oakland, CA 94607-4700 Dear Chairman Weir: We are writing to enter into a dialogue with you and the other Commissioners, as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) embarks upon implementation of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). ISTEA offers a broad spectrum of flexibility for funding future projects. It also requires sensitive decisions. We endorse MTC's attached "Principles for Implementation of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act," which was developed in cooperation with Caltrans and the California Transportation Commission. However, we in Contra Costa have the following observations, and four requests. Our first observation is that MTC has already begun to evaluate the screening and scoring criteria for prioritizing projects for the next Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP). Contra Costa Transportation Authority staff, as well as staff from the City of Hercules, will be involved in this process. We appreciate the opportunity to participate in developing the draft criteria, and look forward to commenting on them when they are available for public review and comment. Our second observation is that the projects MTC submitted for funding in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) last year were based upon using 50% of the funds for transit projects, and 50% for other types of projects. All projects were screened and rated according to the interim prioritization criteria and procedures, which are now being reviewed and revised, as discussed in the preceding paragraph. Our third observation is that the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, as the designated Congestion :Management Agency (CMA) for Contra Costa, has the responsibility for submitting Contra Costa's priority list of projects - both transit and roadway projects - as well as priorities for Project Study Reports. CCTA is planning to update the Congestion Management Program (CMP) this year, as currently required by State law. The.updated CMP, in combination with the CCTA's Strategic Plan, will be used as a basis for future priorities in Contra Costa. And now for our requests. As you are aware, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority has an intricate committee structure that provides an opportunity for developing a consensus. However, developing this consensus takes time and effort; it can be quite a challenge when the time for review and approval is short- at this point MTC's schedule provides six months for developing the screening and scoring criteria. We encourage you and your staff to allow adequate time to discuss and comment upon the screening and scoring criteria as they are being developed. Allowing adequate review time during development of the criteria will increase support for it when it is ultimately adopted by the Commission. Next, we encourage you to recognize the importance of the priority lists adopted by the CMAs. CCTA, as the Sales Tax Authority and the CMA, is charged with implementing a broad range of projects within Mr. S. Weir May 27, 1992 Page 2 the limits of the Growth Management Program, and for balancing air quality concerns with mobility and safety goals. CCTA's list of projects for the 1992 RTIP accomplished this balance. We anticipate that our future priority lists will also balance the needs of local jurisdictions, the region, the environment and the economy. It has been a commendable endeavor for MTC to take the lead role, immediately after the 1987 Surface Transportation Bill, in shaping the outcome of this landmark legislation, ISTEA. In the early days of generating consensus on what the federal program should encompass after the interstate program, MTC has been advocating that rural areas have special needs and any new federal legislation should recognize and address these needs. Being a suburban county with many small rural communities, Contra Costa County has consistently supported your effort in shaping ISTEA. In your statement of principles, rural areas concerns were not mentioned. In may be that you do not think it is necessary to mention rural areas in a document that principally deals with how the State and the region will program funds in the future. We request that you clarify this and continue to provide support for the needs of rural areas. Last of all, but certainly not of least importance, we request MTC's support for providing a secure and dependable amount of funds each year for local street and road projects. Historically, the Combined Road Program (previously the Federal Aid Urban, Federal Aid Secondary programs) has been a critical supplement to local capital improvement programs. The funds have often been used on projects that benefit more than one jurisdiction. It is essential that MTC support a continuation of funds for these purposes, as well as local control over the distribution of these funds. We look forward to developing the screening and scoring criteria with you, and submitting formal comments on it. We also look forward to working with MTC in securing a set aside of funds for local street and road projects. Sincerely, Evelyn Munn, Chair Contra Costa Transportation Authority Sunne W. McPeak, Chair Board of Supervisors Don Tatzin, Chair Conference of Mayors c:MTCISTEA.t5 PRINCIPLES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERMODAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION EFFICIENCY ACT (ISTEA) IN CALIFORNIA The enactment of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act in December 1991 presents an historic opportunity for California. Congress and the President have signaled the end of the Interstate construction era by enacting a flexible intermodal transportation program designed to develop a National Highway System and address the problem of urban/suburban congestion. It is crucial for California to implement the reauthorization bill in a way that meets these challenges. To accomplish this goal , the Metropolitan Transportation Commission supports the following principles. Surface Transportation Program The new Surface Transportation Prpgram should be treated as new money for California and should be allocated to urbanized areas on the population formula contained in the bill . Congress intended these new funds to be used to address .urban/suburban congestion problems in a multimodal manner. Project selection should be undertaken by metropolitan planning organizations outside the existing STIP process, much as FAU programs have been developed. Combined Road Program project -commitments in existing TIPs must be honored. Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program This new program was intended to provide new funding to implement transportation provisions of the 1990 Federal Clean Air Act. Projects must be consistent with the applicable State Implementation Plan (SIP). This new money must. be allocated solely to non-attainment areas through a new project selection process outside existing formulas and STIPs. MPOs should. nominate projects for this program. Nationa ...Highway System` ' California should designate a limited National Highway System through a cooperative process involving MPOs. In urbanized areas, Caltrans and the MPOs should jointly designate NHS corridors. California should consider transfering its NHS. funds to the Surface Transportation Program. A portion of NHS funding should immediately be allocated to operational improvements, including incident management and- ramp metering to show immediate congestion relief. Systems Emphasis The ISTEA recognizes the complementary and interdependent relationships between different modes and different levels of government by strengthening planning and congestion management requirements at both the state and regional level . This systems relationship should be enhanced by including the congestion management agencies into the partnership defined in the ISTEA. A newer, stronger intergovernmental partnership involving Caltrans, MPOs and RTPAs and congestion management agencies must result. Transit operators must meaningfully participate in planning and decision making for flexibility to work. HD: lw 8752p/48/12/31/91