REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
July 23, 2024
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Director, Department of Public Works - Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
Project Funding Agreement with the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority for the National Trails Highway Bridge Replacement Project
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Project Funding Agreement (Agreement No. 24-1003172) with the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, for bridge reconstructions on National Trails Highway, from the community of Dagget to Mountain Springs Road near Goffs area , effective upon execution by both parties until final reimbursement is received or June 30, 2032, whichever occurs first, to receive an amount not to exceed $61,004,382.
2. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer to execute a letter to authorize and approve nomination of the National Trails Highway bridges for an allocation of Local Partnership Program funding, in the amount of $5,776,000, under the Senate Bill 1 Local Partnership Program.
3. Direct the Director of the Department of Public Works to transmit the fully executed letter in Recommendation No. 2 to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
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 additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). A total of $23,425,000 of Discretionary General Funding (DGF) was allocated in 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2024-2025 to the Department of Public Works (Department) budgets for the National Trails Highway Bridge Replacement Project (Project). The estimated total cost for the Project under this Funding Agreement (Agreement No. 24-1003172) (Agreement) is shared between the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), in the amount of $61,004,382, and the County, in the amount of $5,776,000, for a total of $66,780,382.
Under this Agreement, the Project will receive additional Local Partnership Program (LPP) funding in the amount of $5,776,000, administered by SBCTA, upon approval by the California Transportation Commission (CTC). Pursuant to the LPP guidelines, a local match is required, which will be provided by the $5,776,000 of DGF allocated in the Agreement and assigned to the Department for the Project. The remaining amount will be funded with State Transportation Improvement Program funds allocated to SBCTA.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Project will replace 33 bridges, 20 feet and less in length, along the highway. Bridges 20 feet and less in length are not eligible to receive reconstruction funding under the federal Highway Bridge Program so an alternative funding source had to be identified. This Project has been identified as the highest regional priority in the North Desert Subarea by the North Desert Subarea representatives, which include the City of Barstow, the County, and SBCTA.
The Project addresses existing gaps in service in a vital rural transportation corridor which should a disaster occur that requires full closure of the highway the result would adversely impact the interstate commerce and other travelers. The Project will be constructed in six phases due to the length of the National Trails Highway and funding availability.
The proposed Agreement funds project development of the 33 bridges and construction of 14 of the 33 bridges. SBCTA and County staff will continue to work together to secure additional funding for constructing the remaining 19 bridges to complete the entire Project. Project development is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2024 with anticipated completion of design of the first phase of three bridges in the spring of 2025. Construction of the three bridges in Phase one is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2025. The County will serve as lead agency for the Project and be reimbursed up to $61,004,382 by SBCTA for eligible Project costs, Phases one through five. SBCTA is working to identify $18,000,000 in additional funding to fully fund this Project.
SBCTA has determined that the National Trails Highway bridge replacements are a regional project and therefore eligible to receive LPP funds under SBCTA’s control. SBCTA will request authorization from the CTC to approve the allocation of SBCTA’s LPP funds for the design phase of these bridges, 20 feet or less in length. LPP funds are allocated to SBCTA on a formula basis and SBCTA may choose the project(s) on which to spend these funds. To allocate these funds to a project, SBCTA must submit a project nomination to the CTC, which must approve the project on which SBCTA will expend the funds to ensure that it is consistent with the purposes of the LPP program. The LPP program requires that the funding request must include a letter containing the signature of the Chief Executive Officer of the implementing agency for joint projects. Recommendation No. 2 will authorize the Chief Executive Officer to sign the required letter.
Execution of the Agreement allows the County to meet its goals and objectives by working with SBCTA in securing the necessary funding to develop and replace the bridges, and ensuring the development of a well-planned, balanced, and sustainable County by preserving the road surface and stabilizing the subject bridges along the National Trails Highway located between the community of Dagget to Mountain Springs Road, near Goffs area.
The County and SBCTA anticipate receiving additional funding (currently estimated to be $32,000,000) in a timely manner to complete construction of the remaining 19 bridges by the spring of 2031. The subject Agreement was approved by the SBCTA Board of Directors on July 3, 2024.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on July 18, 2024; Finance (Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5404) on July 9, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on July 10, 2024.