REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
December 17, 2024
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Director, Department of Public Works - Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
Measure “I” Five-Year Capital Project Needs Analysis - Project List
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution approving the annual Measure “I” Five-Year Capital Project Needs Analysis - Project List for 2025-26 through 2029-30, Valley Major Streets, Valley Freeway Interchange, and the Victor Valley Major Local Highways Programs, identified in Exhibit A, attached to the Resolution.
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The total cost of projects listed in the Measure “I” Five-Year Capital Project Needs Analysis (CPNA) Project List for 2025-26 through 2029-30 is $78,368,000, which includes 4% escalation cost on projects that are in progress, and of this amount, $29,898,000 is the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) Public Share contribution; and $16,310,500 will be funded by grant revenue from the federal Highway Bridge Program assigned to the County for the Rock Springs Road Bridge Project. The remaining balance of $32,159,500 is comprised of $15,144,600 for the unfunded portion, funding to be determined, for the Rock Springs Road Bridge Project, and $17,014,900 is the Regional Transportation Development Mitigation Program developer fair-share contribution. The developer fair-share contribution is anticipated to be funded through development impact fees collected by the County, and/or a loan of local funds in anticipation of reimbursement from future collected regional fees.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Adoption of the recommended Resolution approves the annual update to the Measure “I” Five-Year CPNA Project List for 2025-26 through 2029-30 and authorizes the County to submit the CPNA Project List 2025-26 through 2029-30 (attached to the Resolution as Exhibit A) to the SBCTA for allocation of Public Share contributions.
The County receives Measure “I” funds in the follow manner:
1. Local Street Pass-Through funds - SBCTA receives the Measure “I” revenues and disburses this revenue to the County and the cities. The Department of Public Works (Department) administers the funds allocated to the County. The Measure “I” Local Street Pass-through funds must be spent only in the subarea wherein the revenue was collected. These funds can be used flexibly for any eligible transportation purposes determined to be a local priority, in a manner like the Gas Tax revenues. The County is required to adopt a resolution annually that identifies the Pass-Through funds named as the “Capital Improvement Plan” (Plan). The last annual Measure “I” Local Street Pass-Through Five-Year Plan Project List was approved by the Board of Supervisors (Board) on August 20, 2024 (Item No. 67).
2. Measure “I” Public Share contributions - these funds are spent on major streets, interchanges, and highways listed in the SBCTA Nexus Study. The SBCTA Nexus Study identifies transportation improvement projects needed on regional roadways to accommodate increased traffic generated from new development. These funds are administered by SBCTA and require a fair-share contribution from new development in the form of development impact fees (also known as the “Local Share”). The County is required under Measure “I” policies to adopt a resolution identifying a list of capital projects from the SBCTA Nexus Study on which these developer and public share funds will be spent in the next five years. The Project List for this program is the CPNA. Last year’s Measure “I” CPNA was approved by the Board on September 12, 2023 (Item No. 51).
The Measure “I” Five-Year CPNA Project List identifies County Nexus Study projects eligible for Public Share reimbursement under the Measure “I” Valley Major Streets, Valley Freeway Interchanges, and the Victor Valley Major Local Highways Programs, consistent with the SBCTA’s Nexus Study and the County’s Regional Transportation Development Mitigation Plan originally approved by the Board on December 5, 2006 (Item No. 57). The CPNA Project List for 2025-26 through 2029-30 updates the previously approved CPNA Project List with any project cost revisions, addition of new project(s), or removal of projects.
The subject Measure “I” CPNA Project List is comprised of projects in which the County is the lead agency for some or all phases and are anticipated to begin construction during the 2025-26 through 2029-30 period. The Project List is required to be updated annually and submitted to the SBCTA to support its decisions to appropriate and allocate Measure “I” funding to local jurisdictions. Submission of the CPNA Project List to the SBCTA also provides a means for the County to assure availability of its allocation of Measure “I” Public Share funds for County Nexus Study projects through 2029-30.
The Department prioritizes projects for inclusion in the CPNA based on needs-analysis, project readiness, and availability of funding. All projects in the CPNA were identified and included as part of the SBCTA 2009 Nexus Study and the County’s 2006 Regional Development Mitigation Plan but added to the CPNA at different times based on the availability of public and local funds and project readiness.
The CPNA Project List for 2025-26 through 2029-30 updates the previous year’s CPNA Project List by: (a) including projects that are incorporated in both the SBCTA’s Nexus Study and the County’s Regional Transportation Development Mitigation Plan that are scheduled to be underway by 2029-30; (b) updating project costs and allocations; and (c) removing projects that are complete and fully reimbursed by the Public Share. The 2025-26 through 2029-30 CPNA Project List updates are as follows:
Valley Major Streets Program:
• San Bernardino Avenue, from Cherry Avenue east to Fontana City limits, widens from 2-lanes to 4-lanes in the Fontana area (Second District). There is no update for this project. The project remains in the final design and right-of-way phases. The total project cost remains at the estimated cost of $15.6 million with a balance of $15 million. Construction is anticipated to begin 2026-27.
• Cherry Avenue, from Merrill Avenue to Whittram Avenue, Grade Separation over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad line Fontana area (Second District). The project remains on hold because of insufficient fees collected in the County’s Regional Transportation Development Mitigation Program - Fontana Sphere of Influence account. There is no change to the project cost estimate of $11.0 million.
• State Street (Interim) Widening Project, from Adams Street north to Darby Street east side only, widen and install sidewalk and Adults with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramps, Muscoy area (Fifth District). The project is in the design phase with construction anticipated in the spring 2027 instead of the fall 2026. There is no change to the previous estimated total project cost of $4.0 million.
Valley Freeway Interchange Program:
There are no projects assigned to the County as a lead agency in this program.
Victor Valley Major Local Highways Program:
• Rock Springs Road Bridge No. 54C-670, over the Mojave River, Bridge Replacement Project, Apple Valley area (First District). The project continues in the design and right-of-way phases with an estimated completion in spring 2025. The project construction is separated into two phases because of insufficient funds. Phase I construction of the road widening with two lanes on the bridge is anticipated to commence in the summer 2025. The estimated total project cost remains at $27.4 million, with a remaining balance of $25.3 million. Phase II constructs the additional two lanes at an estimated cost of $15.1 million (currently unfunded). The design of the bridge replacement will incorporate the 4-lane bridge replacement.
• Phelan Road Widening Project, from State Route 138 to Los Banos Avenue, Phelan area (First District) remains in the development phase with an anticipation to proceed to the Plans, Specifications and Estimate phase in 2025-26. The total estimated cost for the project development and design phase remains at $6.6 million (remaining balance of $5.5 million) and is anticipated to last through 2026-27, and the right-of-way phase is expected to commence in 2025-26 at an estimated cost of $2.5 million.
This item meets the County and the Chief Executive Officer’s goals and objectives of working with other agencies and stakeholders, and ensuring the development of a well-planned, balanced, and sustainable County by updating the Measure “I” 2025-26 through 2029-30 CPNA Project List and submitting the CPNA Project List to the SBCTA for the allocation of the SBCTA Public Share funds.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on September 19, 2024; Finance (Jessica Trillo, Administrative Analyst, 387-4222) on November 22, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on December 2, 2024.