Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 16-129 IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT LIST FOR THE MEASURE R OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENT AND RAMP / INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM KNOWN IN THE SOUTH BAY AS THE SOUTH BAY HIGHWAY PROGRAM (SBHP). (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
The South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) has requested that the governing board (i.e., Carson City Council) of each lead agency (i.e., City of Carson) confirm their commitment to the South Bay Highway Program (SBHP) projects by approving attached Resolution No. 16-129 (Exhibit No. 1). This will demonstrate to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) that the City supports and endorses the projects to be implemented through the SBHP.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
1. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 16-129, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT LIST FOR THE MEASURE R OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENT AND RAMP / INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM KNOWN IN THE SOUTH BAY AS THE SOUTH BAY HIGHWAY PROGRAM (SBHP).”
2. DIRECT staff to submit Resolution No. 16-129 to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for its governing board’s consideration.
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III. ALTERNATIVES
1. DENY the recommendations.
2. TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
Measure R was approved by voters in 2008 to impose a half-cent sales tax in Los Angeles County to generate funds for transportation improvements. Carson taxpayers generate approximately $12 million annually in sales tax revenue related to Measure R. MTA also receives another $24 million in sales tax revenues annually from Carson taxpayers for Proposition A and Proposition C. The City receives $4.2 million in “local return” funds annually from MTA, from the total of $36 million in revenues.
Cities in the South Bay generate $289 Million annually in sales tax revenues to MTA based on the one-half percent increase from Measure R. Measure R returns less than $67 Million to the South Bay Cities annually, for a 23% rate of return to our communities.
There are additional MTA programs outside of the local return in Measure R. South Bay agencies are eligible to receive funding under the subcategory entitled “Interstate 405, I-110, I-105, and SR-91 Ramp and Interchange Improvements (South Bay).” It is estimated that $906 million (in year 2008 dollars), or roughly $1.4 billion in inflated dollars over 30 years, will be available to South Bay agencies over the next 30 years to fund capacity improvements that benefit the state highway system. Eligibility provisions in the measure have been interpreted to include routes parallel to state highways as well. This funding is identified as “South Bay Measure R Funds.”
MTA oversees the distribution of South Bay Measure R Funds through specific funding agreements with each local agency. An approved MTA project that has been programmed in the City’s Annual Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) as funded through the South Bay Measure R Highway Program, as well as additional projects for funding considerations, are shown below.
|
# |
MTA Project Agreement ID |
Project Description |
|
1 |
Executed MR312.37 |
Sepulveda Boulevard widening from Alameda Street to the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility driveway |
|
2 |
Committed MR312.46 |
Figueroa Street at 234th Street - Upgrade the traffic signal equipment to modernize the controller and signal lights |
|
3 |
Committed MR312.41 |
Traffic signal upgrades at 10 intersections: Figueroa Street at Victoria Street; Main Street at 220th Street; Main Street at Victoria Street; Main Street at Albertoni Street; Figueroa Street at 223rd Street; Broadway at the following locations - Victoria Street, Albertoni Street, Gardena Boulevard, Alondra Boulevard, and a midblock crossing south of Albertoni Boulevard |
|
4 |
Requested |
I-110 arterial signal improvements |
|
5 |
Requested |
223rd Street from Lucerne Avenue to Alameda Street: widen roadway and install median |
Since Carson has been identified as the lead agency to implement these projects, SBCCOG requested that the Carson City Council adopt a resolution stating the City’s commitment to complete the approved and newly requested projects in a timely manner.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
Measure R has a local return of 15% of the funds generated based on a “per capita” funding formula. This is the lowest local return rate of the three approved sales tax measures. Proposition A returns 25% to the cities, while Proposition C returns 20%. These funding formulas have resulted in a regional transfer of funds from Carson to other areas of the County. It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain our existing street network, due to Federal and State gas taxes. The highway program will result in approximately $30 million returned to the South Bay annually.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Resolution No. 16-129. (pgs. 4-15)
Prepared by: Raymond Velasco, P.E., Senior Civil Engineer