Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 20, 2019
Subject
SUBJECT: SR-71 GAP CLOSURE PROJECT CONSTRUCTION, PHASE 1
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
A. APPROVING the programming of $105,072,000 in local funds for the construction of Phase 1; and
B. AMENDING the 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan to restate the project’s southern limit from Rio Rancho Road to the Los Angeles/San Bernardino County Line (SBCL).
Issue
ISSUE
The State Route 71 (SR-71) Project Phase 1 has completed design and Caltrans is in the process of acquiring the Rights-of-Way (ROW). Phase 1 will be ready to be advertised for construction in April 2020. Funding for construction must be programmed before Caltrans can advertise the Phase 1 project.
The Metro 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan listed the southerly limit of the project at Rio Rancho Road. However, per the Caltrans Project Report, the actual southern limit of the Project is the SBCL, which is 0.6 miles south of Rio Rancho Road (Attachment A).
Background
BACKGROUND
The SR-71 corridor is a freeway between I-10 and Mission Blvd and south of the Rio Rancho Road Interchange, through the SR-71/60 Interchange, to the SBCL. The roadway between Mission Blvd and Rio Rancho Road is a two lane in each direction expressway with three at-grade intersections at West Phillips Drive, North Ranch Road and Old Pomona Road. The entire segment of SR-71 between I-10 and Rio Rancho Road was identified for upgrades in the Measure M Expenditure Plan.
During design, it was identified that additional Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) coordination would be needed in the segment north of Mission Blvd. Caltrans and Metro agreed that SR-71 improvements be delivered in two phases to avoid lapsing of previously programmed funds, and to allow Phase 1 to compete for federal and state discretionary funds.
Phase 1 adds one high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane and an additional mixed-flow lane in each direction between Mission Blvd. and the SBCL, matching the freeway configuration south of SR-60. Additionally, the project closes the at-grade intersections and widens the existing median south of Rio Rancho Road to SBCL to provide for the requisite lanes.
Completion of Phase 1 will allow the Project to tie into the existing eight-lane freeway configuration on the portion of the SR-71 south of SR-60. Phase 2 would construct the portion of the SR-71 between I-10 and Mission Blvd.
As funding for design and ROW were secured with state and federal funds, Caltrans commenced final design with the scope in their approved Supplemental Project Report dated May 2013 and recently completed the design of Phase 1. ROW acquisition for Phase 1 is in progress and will be completed in December 2019. Caltrans expects to advertise Phase 1 in April 2020 and begin construction in FY 2021. Phase 2 is expected to complete the design and ROW acquisition processes in 2022.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Prior to Caltrans’ advertisement of Phase 1 for construction, funding must be programmed. The current estimate for the construction capital component is $125,072,000 and the construction support component is estimated at $24,000,000 for a total proposed construction budget of $149,072,000. As $44,000,000 in SB-1 Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) funds were awarded by the California Transportation Commission in 2018, $105,072,000 in local/other funding is required for complete funding.
The Project, inclusive of Phase 1 and 2, is a Measure M Major Capital Project with $248,557,000 in Measure funds per the Measure M Expenditure Plan. Staff recommends programming $105,072,000 in Measure M (Recommendation A). These funds will provide the required local funding match for the TCEP funds that have been secured for Phase 1 construction. Programming Phase 1 through construction will allow Metro and Caltrans to enter into a Funding Agreement, which must be executed prior to advertising the project for construction.
Also, the Supplemental Project Report that was approved by Caltrans in May 2013 shows the southern limit of the project at the SBCL. The southern limit in the Metro LRTP shown at Rio Rancho Road will be restated as the SBCL because improvements to the median of the freeway south of Rio Rancho Road are necessary to create a seamless connection to the existing HOV lanes in San Bernardino County.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The programming of the funds for the Project will have no adverse impact on the safety of Metro’s patrons, employees or users of the transportation facility. Caltrans has designed the Project in accordance with their policies and procedures.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Programming of the local funds will not have an adverse impact to the agency. If approved, $105,072,000 of the $248,557,000 in Measure M funds will be programmed for Phase 1 of the SR-71 project. The remainder of the Measure funds will be available for the delivery of Phase 2.
Since this is a multi-year project, the Project Manager, the Cost Center Manager, and the Senior Executive Officer, Program Management-Highway Program will be responsible for budgeting the remaining cost of the Project in future fiscal years.
Impact to Budget
There is no impact to the FY20 budget as the local funds are not expected to be invoiced before FY21.
The source of funds for this project will be TCEP funds from SB1 and Measure M Highway Construction Capital (17%) funds. These funds are not eligible for bus and rail operating and capital expenditures. No other funds were considered.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The project supports the Metro Vision 2028 Strategic Plan Goal #1: to provide high quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling by alleviating the current operational deficiencies and improving mobility along the highways. This project upgrades the existing expressway to an access-controlled freeway and includes HOV lanes and additional mixed-flow lanes.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board could choose to defer or to not program funding for the Project’s construction, however that is not recommended. This would delay the implementation of much needed improvements on SR-71 and will put the State TCEP funds at risk. This is one of the highest priority highway projects to be delivered under Measure M.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon approval of these recommendations, staff will amend the 2009 LRTP. Additionally, staff will prepare and execute the Funding Agreement with Caltrans while they prepare the project for advertisement in April 2020.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Location Map
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Benkin Jong, Senior Manager, Transportation Planning, (213) 922-3053
Zoe Unruh, Manager, Transportation Planning, (213) 418-3319
Wil Ridder, Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-2887
Laurie Lombardi, Senior Executive Officer, (213) 418-3251
Abdollah Ansari, Senior Executive Officer, (213) 922-4781
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by:
James de la Loza, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-2920
Richard F. Clarke, Chief Program Management Officer, (213) 922-7557
