SANDAG approves 2010 Regional Transportation Improvement Program

The San Diego Association of Governments board of directors has approved the 2010 Regional Transportation Improvement Program.

The RTIP approved September 24 covers major highway, transit, arterial, and non-motorized projects and their funding from Fiscal Year 2010-11 to Fiscal Year 2014-15. SANDAG is required by both state and Federal law to develop and adopt a Regional Transportation Improvement Program every two years, and the RTIP which updates the 2008 version will be submitted to the state for inclusion into the statewide Federal State Transportation Improvement Program.

The $10.1 billion RTIP consists of $2.05 billion of Federal funding, $2.64 billion of state revenue, $3.06 billion from the TransNet sales tax approved by the county's voters in November 2004, and $2.35 billion in local or private funding. The projects include the widening of State Route 76 from two lanes to four between Melrose Drive in Oceanside and Interstate 15 and the construction of the State Route 241 toll road between the Orange County line and Interstate 5.

The total cost for the Highway 76 segment between Melrose Drive and South Mission Road is $157.9 million which includes $138.1 million of previously-committed funding as well as $9.41 million of programmed Fiscal Year 2010-11 funding, $6.68 million of 2011-12 programmed funding, and $3.74 million of funding programmed for 2012-13. (The State of California contributed $13 million of environmental support which is not covered under the RTIP, so a total project cost of $171.4 million is also accurate.) TransNet revenue will fund all of the expenditures which hadn't previously been programmed. The previously-committed expenditures included $16.7 million for project engineering and environmental work and $46.9 million for right-of-way acquisition, while past, 2010-11, and future programmed amounts comprise the $94.3 million construction cost.

Federal funding from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act provided $75.6 million for construction, Federal money from the Regional Surface Transportation Program accounted for $6.29 million of project engineering and environmental expenditures, the Transportation Enhancement Activities program utilized $5.52 million of Federal funding for right-of-way acquisition, the Federally-funded High Priority Demonstration Program contributed $4 million for right-of-way, State Transportation Improvement Program funding accounted for $1 million of the engineering and environmental costs, and TransNet's overall $65.5 million has covered or will cover $9.4 million of engineering and environmental expenditures, $37.7 million for right-of-way, and $18.7 million of construction costs. The widened segment between Melrose Drive and South Mission Road is expected to be open to traffic in December 2012.

The widening of Highway 76 from South Mission Road to Interstate 15 has a total programmed cost of $201.5 million, including $15.2 million of previously-programmed funding. The remaining programmed amounts are $15.4 million for 2010-11, $38.6 million in 2011-12, $49.4 million during 2012-13, $67.8 million for 2013-14, and $15.1 million for 2014-15. The expenditures cover $21.5 million for project engineering and environmental work, $16.2 million for right-of-way, and $163.8 million for construction. TransNet has funded or will provide $164.1 million, the Regional Surface Transportation Program will fund $7.4 million, and local funding from Indian gaming agreements and other developers will account for $30 million. The widened segment is expected to be open to traffic in July 2014.

The RTIP includes rail transportation, and the $3 million engineering and environmental cost to provide double tracks between Milepost 225.3 and Milepost 225.9 and to replace the 700 foot long San Luis Rey River Bridge will utilize State Transportation Improvement Program funding during Fiscal Year 2011-12.

The County of San Diego's use of $7.9 million of TransNet funding to resurface various roads caused that expenditure to be included in the RTIP. The $7.3 million previously programmed and the $555,000 programmed for 2010-11 will provide roadway rehabilitation and resurfacing, and possibly pavement overlays between two and four inches in thickness, on a number of county-maintained roads including Fallbrook Street, Green Canyon Road, Olive Hill Road, and Osborne Street.

U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs funding is also included in the RTIP, and $2.89 million of 2010-11 funding has been added to $9.15 million of previously-programmed expenditures for roadway rehabilitation and reconstruction at various locations around Indian reservations.

The Transportation Corridor Agencies will spend an expected total of $442.7 million for San Diego County portion of the State Route 241 toll road through Fiscal Year 2014-15. The road would provide three toll lanes from the county line to Christianitos Road and two toll lanes from Christianitos Road to Interstate 5. The 2010-15 expenditure covers $82.2 million for engineering and environmental work, $15.3 million for right-of-way, and $345 million for construction. Prior programmed expenditures account for $83.3 million, $2.66 million will be spent in 2010-11, $11.7 million is programmed for 2011-12, and $115 million is programmed for each of the following three years. Phase 1 is expected to be open to traffic in December 2015.