HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06271995 - SD9 S.D. 9
Contra
Costa
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS County
FROM: TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
DATE: June 21 , 1995
SUBJECT: Report on Seismic Refrofit of State Highway Facilities
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
1 . Oppose use of toll bridge revenues for seismic retrofit of toll bridges.
2. Request the Transportation Committee to meet with state transportation
officials to work toward a satisfactory resolution of this issue.
FISCAL IMPACT
None directly.
BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
The state has initiated a comprehensive program to retrofit bridges, overpasses and
elevated freeways on the state highway system against potential damage in the event
of a severe earthquake. This program is expected to exceed $1 billion in costs. Most
of these funds were not programmed and are being drawn from other transportation
funding categories. Two legislative proposals to finance seismic retrofit (through a
temporary gas tax or a bond measure) failed passage last year.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE
_ RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR X RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD
COMMITTEE
APPROVE _ OTHER
SIGNATURE(S): J f i rhX Tom Torlakson
ACTION OF BOARD ON June 27, 1995APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED x OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A
x UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ------- TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN
AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
Orig Dept: Community Development ATTESTED June 27, 1995
Contact: Ernest Vovakis, 646-2355 PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF
cc: Robert McCleary, CCTA THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Smith and Kempton AN NTY ADMINIS TOR
BY ,
•.7
Seismic Refrofit of State Highway Facilities
June 21 , 1995
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Page 2
The cost for retrofitting state-owned toll bridges is estimated at $650 million. The Governor's budget
proposed allocating $114 million for this purpose in 1995-96 from toll bridge revenues. These funds
are the result of an increase in bridge tolls authorized by Regional Measure 1 , approved by the electorate
in 1988. The Assembly has supported the Governor's proposal, while the Senate supports use of state
highway account funds (gas tax). Currently the issue is before the Conference Committee. Use of toll
bridge for seismic work would delay the projects originally intended to use these funds including
construction of a new span of the Benicia-Martinez bridge and replacement of the western span of the
Carquinez Bridge. Use of these funds for seismic retrofit purposes would also not be keeping faith with
the voters, who approved this toll increase to support construction of specific projects. The
Metropolitan Transportation Commission opposes use of bridge toll funds for seismic retrofit, although
it agrees that seismic retrofit projects should be the highest priority. MTC supports a uniform statewide
approach to financing seismic upgrading by use of state highway funds. The Transportation Committee
recommends that the Board oppose use of toll bridge revenues for seismic retrofit and that the
committee could help resolve this issue by meeting with state officials.