For City Council Meeting [September 13, 2022]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Marcus Fuller, City Manager
FROM: Marcus Fuller, Acting City Engineer
Title
Request City Council to: (1) Authorize Staff to Submit an Application for the SB 1 Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) Grant for the I/10 Riverside Avenue Interchange Phase 2 Project in the Amount of $19,800,000 with a Local Match Not-To-Exceed of $8,500,000 for Construction; and (2) Authorize the City Manager to Execute all Related Documents.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 or Senate Bill (SB) 1 established the Trade Corridor Enhancement Account to fund corridor-based freight projects nominated by local agencies and the state. The Trade Corridor Enhancement Account funds corridor-based freight projects that have a high volume of goods movement, undergo a competitive statewide evaluation, and are subsequently chosen by the California Transportation Commission (CTC).
The purpose of the Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) is to provide funding for infrastructure improvements on federally designated Trade Corridors of National and Regional Significance, on California's portion of the National Highway Freight Network, as identified in California Freight Mobility Plan, and along other corridors that have a high volume of freight movement.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
The 2022 TCEP will provide two years of programming in fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25 for an estimated total of $1.051 billion of TCEP funds. Sixty percent of identified program funding will be available for projects nominated by regional transportation agencies and other public agencies, including counties, cities, and port authorities. The Los Angeles/Inland Empire Region’s programming target is $353 million (56% of the Regional Corridor Target Funds).
The City, in cooperation with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), previously coordinated and funded completion of the I-10 / Riverside Ave. Interchange Project (the “Interchange Project”).
The Interchange Project is located immediately adjacent to an existing Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) bridge crossing - a local bridged owned and maintained by the City. This UPRR bridge crossing is located over the West Colton Yard - one of the largest railroad hubs for UPRR. With the understanding that the LA/Long Beach ports move 40% of the nation’s cargo throughout the United States, much of that cargo is offloaded onto rail cars traveling directly through the West Colton Yard and under the City’s UPRR bridge crossing.
During design of the Interchange Project, decisions were made to construct a narrower overcrossing to “fit” the eastbound I-10 on/off ramps without impacting the immediately adjacent UPRR bridge to the south of the I-10 freeway. This design was based, in part, to minimize the cost of the Interchange Project in that widening the UPRR bridge was estimated to cost as much or more than the Interchange Project.
The resulting design decisions for the Interchange Project forced a deficient geometric layout for northbound left turn lanes on Riverside Ave. to I-10 given the tight “fit” required to avoid impacting the UPRR bridge immediately to the south of I-10. However, SBCTA recognized the need to widen the UPRR bridge in the future to further accommodate northbound left turn lane capacity for the I-10 / Riverside Ave. Interchange and identified a “Phase 2” Interchange Project in SBCTA’s 10-Year Plan.
In June 2012 the City completed construction of the I-10/Riverside Ave. Interchange Project - constructing a new overcrossing for Riverside Ave. on I-10. However, given the tight constraints of the eastbound on/off ramps immediately adjacent to the Riverside Ave. / UPRR overcrossing and UPRR right-of-way with its West Colton Yard. It was these tight constraints that limited a wider overcrossing for Riverside Ave. on I-10 as a wider overcrossing impacted the existing UPRR overcrossing immediately to the south.
The Project is demonstrated as necessary due to recent traffic studies that identified Average Daily Traffic (ADT) volumes and truck traffic concentrations in Rialto. These studies confirmed that Riverside Avenue is a vital trade corridor in that the segment from I-10 south has ADT volume of 38,000 vehicles with 7,800 of these trips (over 20%) being trucks serving the logistical warehouses in that area. As a comparison - the latest traffic census data on the Caltrans website for 2020 lists ADT for I-10 between Cedar Ave. and Pepper Ave. at 175,000 with truck trips at 17,700 or 10%.
Based on this data, the number of trucks accessing I-10 from Riverside Ave. is a significant portion of the overall truck trips on the mainline freeway. Moreover, the limiting geometric capacity of the existing I-10/Riverside Ave. Interchange cannot accommodate the full volume of truck traffic traveling on Riverside Ave. to I-10 and now leads to traffic congestion at the I-10/Riverside Ave. Interchange as the significant volume of truck traffic waits to proceed through the short turn lanes leading to backups both on Riverside Ave. south of I-10 as well as the eastbound off ramp (causing backup onto the mainline freeway) as traffic congestion clogs the signalized intersection on Riverside Ave. at the I-10 eastbound on/off ramps.
The City has identified the “Widening Alternative” as the Preferred Alternative in that replacement of the bridge is not necessary. Under the widening alternative the bridge will be widened to allow for extension of the dual northbound left-turn lanes for traffic entering the I-10 westbound on-ramps, and related improvements. The total cost estimate to widen the existing UPRR bridge is $33.5 million based on the following phases:
• ROW $2,200,000 (includes environmental mitigation)
• Utility Relocation $2,600,000
• PS&E $2,350,000
• Construction $23,500,000
• Construction Management $2,800,000
Earlier this year the City and SBCTA entered into a Project Funding Agreement to program Measure I Valley Interchange Project funds for Phase 2 of the Riverside Avenue / Interstate 10 Interchange Project, (the “Project’). SBCTA programmed $5,193,156 in Measure I funds with City local match of $1,959,951 for the right-of-way and final design phase. However, SBCTA has not yet identified Measure I funding for the construction phase.
Staff is recommending that the City apply for TCEP funding for construction of the Project.
Since environmental clearance has been achieved for the Project, the City can apply for construction funds with ability to allocate construction funding before June 2025 as a key criterion. Applications require a 30% minimum local match, however, most successful applications provide a higher local match.
Eligible corridor projects for the TCEP were developed based upon readiness including completed environmental clearance and substantial design progress; ability to leverage outside fund sources to provide match commitments; cost effectiveness; and other factors. The Project meets these criteria and is a viable project for TCEP funding.
The estimated construction cost is approximately $28.3 million dollars. The TCEP requires a minimum of 30% local matching funds, however, staff proposes a local match of $8.5 million, or 43% of the construction costs to keep the TCEP request under $20 million and a higher local match than the minimum 30% will make the project more competitive.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
Section 21084 of the California Public Resources Code requires Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"). In accordance with the CEQA Guidelines, the City acting as "Lead Agency" pursuant to CEQA, previously completed an environmental analysis of the potential impacts resulting from widening the UPRR bridge. On April 1, 2015, the City of Rialto approved a Notice of Exemption determining that the project was exempt under Statutory Exemption Section 21080.13 of the California Public Resources Code that allows for an exemption for projects that reconstruct an existing grade separation.
The Project was initially funded, in part, by federal funds, requiring local oversight by the State of California, Department of Transportation (Caltrans). As a federally funded project at that time, the project was subject to environmental review pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). On April 25, 2016, Caltrans, acting as the lead agency pursuant to NEPA, made an environmental determination that the project does not individually or cumulatively have a significant impact on the environment as defined by NEPA and is excluded from the requirements to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA') or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), has considered unusual circumstances pursuant to 23 CFR 771.117(b), and that it qualifies for a Categorical Exclusion under 23 CFR 771.117, activity (c)(27).
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
The City of Rialto has outlined key Goals and Objectives through which the City looks to minimize congestion on the local road network and maintain a circulation system that supports local businesses’ needs. The proposed actions comply with the following Goal and Policy outlined in the City’s General Plan.
Goal 4-1: Provide transportation improvements to reduce traffic congestion associated with regional and local trip increases.
Policy 4-1.1: Establish and maintain standards for a variety of street classifications to serve both local and regional traffic, including Major Arterial Highways, Major Arterials, Secondary Arterials, Collector Streets, and Local Streets.
Policy 4-1.11: Pursue the replacement of the Riverside Avenue bridge over the Union Pacific rail lines with a wider structure to accommodate larger volumes of traffic or to increase safety of crossing traffic.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and supports approval of this staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Operating Budget Impact
The proposed action will not affect the City’s Operating Budget.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
Major transportation projects are generally funded from Regional Transportation Development Impact Fees, Measure I Sales tax, Gas Tax, SB-1 New Tax, SBCTA Arterial Reimbursement (CPNA) and Project Funding Agreements.
Design and Right of Way Phase
The City and SBCTA entered into a Project Funding Agreement in the amount of $7.1 million to fund the Design and Right of Way phases. This funding cannot be counted as local match for construction funding being requested.
Construction Phase
The estimated construction cost is approximately $28.3 million dollars. The TCEP requires a minimum of 30% local matching funds, however, staff proposes a local match of $8.5 million, or 43% of the construction costs to keep the TCEP request under $20 million and a higher local match than the minimum 30% will make the project more competitive.
In the Fiscal Year 2023/2024 budget, the City expects to receive $2.6 million in Measure I Sales Tax and $1.8 in Gas Tax. These funds are used to provide local match to various state and federal grants for transportation projects.
Additionally, the City has $6.2 million in funds available for new expenditures (funds accumulated and carried forward) from SBCTA reimbursements for over $44 million of costs for Major Arterial Projects including Pepper Avenue Extension, Ayala Drive Widening, Cactus Avenue Widening, Alder Avenue Widening, and Randall Avenue Widening amongst other projects identified in the Nexus Study and eligible for the Major Street Arterial program reimbursement.
Staff recommends funding the City’s local match of $8.5 million from the following sources:
• SBCTA Arterial Reimbursements $6.2 million
• Measure I Sales Tax (FY2023/2024) $1.3 million
• Gas Tax (FY2023/2024) $1.0 million
Table 1 Below summarizes the Project’s cost by phase and sources of funds.
Table 1
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
• Authorize Staff to Submit an Application for the SB 1 Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) Grant for the I/10 Riverside Avenue Interchange Phase 2 Project in the Amount of $19,800,000 with a Local Match Not-To-Exceed of $8,500,000.
• Authorize the City Manager to Execute all Related Documents.