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February 2005 Welcome to the NewsWire, your source for the regional news you need to know. We welcome your comments or questions. Send an email.
In This Issue:
"Take me to sbcag.org or trafficsolutions.info. "
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State Transportation Funds Again in Jeopardy Santa Maria 101 Widening Delayed Governor Schwarzenegger's budget for the 2005/06 fiscal year would take another $1.3 billion in transportation funds to reduce the state deficit. He may also take an equal amount the following year. Motorists stuck in gridlock will have to wait for relief until state transportation money becomes unstuck in Sacramento. Voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 42 in 2002 which required that sales taxes paid at fuel pumps be used for transportation. But the Governor and Legislature have used a loophole in the law allowing the diversion of gas tax revenue into the state budget if a fiscal emergency is declared. Since its passage in 2002, the Governor and Legislature have suspended Proposition 42 every year. More than $2.5 billion in Proposition 42 revenue has already been taken for deficit reduction purposes. If the Governor gets his way, that amount will double. These raids on the gas tax have left state transportation accounts nearly bankrupt. No new state road improvements other than safety and maintenance projects have been funded in two years because the money has been spent on non-transportation programs. Statewide, more than $2 billion in congestion-relieving projects are sitting on the shelf. All the design and permitting work has been completed, but construction can’t start because state funds are not available. As California’s traffic gridlock grows motorists are complaining about the state’s failure to deliver on promised transportation improvements. Echoing this concern, California’s business and transportation leaders are saying our state economy is threatened by California’s transportation funding crisis. Attempting to answer these critics, the Governor’s Transportation Secretary, Sunne McPeak recently laid out the outline of the administration’s GoCalifornia transportation initiative. According to a recent Oakland Tribune article, the initiative will “feature toll roads, converting some carpool lanes into tolled "HOT lanes," streamlining the state's environmental laws and promoting high-density housing in urban areas near mass transit” Bemoaning the state’s continuing fiscal problems, McPeak focused her remarks on seemingly the only available alternative “An infusion of new cash sources — private investment in toll roads and Indian gaming money — is the best way to do better, she said, promising to build in 10 years the highways and rail lines that normally take 20 years to complete”. In addition to private funding sources for highway development and streamlining environmental regulations, the Governor’s plan would interject the State deeply into the local land use decision making process. “McPeak's central point: California faces a sharp housing crisis, caused by lack of supply. Supply can be remedied by better zoning and cities can be induced with state transportation money into making more land available for houses.” Locally, the Santa Maria 101 six-lane widening project will be delayed at least one more year and perhaps longer if the Indian gaming funds promised to transportation remain frozen as litigation contesting the legality of these compacts works its way through the courts. Similarly, the 101 operational improvements scheduled to begin construction next year may also be delayed. The only reliable source of local transportation funds remains Measure D, the voter approved ½ cent sales tax increase devoted to transportation improvements. Local elected officials, desperate to keep needed state transportation projects on track are increasingly turning to local funding sources to plug the funding holes created by the state’s inaction. With Measure D expiring in 2010 that option may quickly evaporate as well. |
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101 in Motion - 6 Packages of Improvements Remain Reversible Lane and Buses on Shoulders Dropped
The 101 in Motion Steering Committee voted last month that 6 projects will continue as viable options to provide long-term congestion relief on the 101 corridor between the Ventura County line and Winchester Canyon.
“We don’t need to spend time or money analyzing projects that won’t work. We have to make some tough choices to keep this project moving forward” said Dan Secord, Santa Barbara City Councilmember and Chair of the 101 in Motion Steering Committee. In November, the Steering Committee adopted 8 possible solution packages for the 101 freeway corridor and directed staff to bring to their attention any projects that had either technical, cost or operational flaws. Each of the packages contains a mix of congestion relief projects involving highway improvements, transit/commuter rail, travel demand reduction and operational elements.
“After reviewing preliminary technical data on all 8 option packages, both the Technical Advisory Group and the Stakeholder Advisory Committee recommended that a Reversible Lane along the 101 corridor from Milpas to the Ventura County line, and a separate bus-only lane on the inside shoulder along the same corridor be dropped from further study because they are not feasible or cost effective, and after reviewing the recommendation, the Steering Committee agreed,” stated Jim Kemp, Executive Director of SBCAG.
The major elements of the 6 alternative solution packages still being considered as long term solutions to increasing 101 freeway traffic congestion are:
In addition to the roadway and transit elements, all of the alternative solution packages include Demand Management and Operational Improvements including: • Adjusting Work Schedules • Individualized Marketing • Ramp Metering • Reducing bus/vanpool fares
Some of the packages also include Demand Management and Operational Improvement options such as: • Intelligent Transportation Systems • Transit Oriented Development • Variable Parking Rates • Variable Speed Limits • Voluntary adjustments to Truck Delivery Hours
Over the next few months 101 in Motion project staff will be making presentations to community groups to highlight the information that is being developed on the remaining 6 alternative packages. Around April, the packages will be recombined and refined to 3 or 4 remaining options for consideration by the community. To schedule a presentation on 101 in Motion to your own organization please contact Gregg Hart at 961-8905 or ghart@sbcag.org. |
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Measure D Funded Safety Improvements for 154 Plans for new safety and operational improvements for Highway 154 were unveiled last week at a public meeting in Solvang.
The proposed
improvements include construction work at five
· A scenic turnout overlooking the South Coast for eastbound traffic near the summit of San Marcos Pass. Planning for these projects will continue for the next few months and a draft environmental document will be released for public review this spring. Construction is estimated to be completed in the fall of 2007. These improvements are the second phase of safety improvements funded by Measure D on Highway 154. The first phase of improvements, completed in 1997, resulted in a significant reduction in serious traffic accidents and fatalities even though traffic is increasing on Highway 154. Gregg Albright, Caltrans District 5 Director explained “The Highway 154 safety improvements are a smart investment. For a relatively low cost drivers are safer and the Highway has been reengineered to accommodate increasing use. Phase 1 was a win/win and Phase 2 to will deliver the same results”. To see images of the improvements being made to Highway 154, click here. |
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“Getting Commuter Rail on Track” Former presidential candidate and Governor of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis, was the keynote speaker at a February 7 forum on commuter rail opportunities sponsored by the City of Santa Barbara. More than 150 local residents spent the morning listening to a series of speakers offer their insights into the opportunity and limitations of commuter rail service between Ventura and Southern Santa Barbara County.
Recounting his own experience as a State legislator in
Massachusetts, former Governor Dukakis explained how Boston Liz O'Donoghue, director of Amtrak's Corridor Strategy West explained that California has the most successful state rail system in the country. Three of the top four performing Amtrak rail corridors in the nation are in California. Passenger traffic is increasing by double digits annually because Caltrans, Amtrak and regional agencies are partnering together to make the necessary track and train improvement investments to improve on-time performance and attract new riders. Following Ms. O’Donoghue’s remarks, Jim Kemp, Executive Director of SBCAG emphasized that developing a successful commuter rail system will require regional cooperation, changes in travel habits by commuters and reliable funding sources. He explained, "Local funding is going to be required to make this happen. Unless we extend Measure D, commuter rail simply isn't going to happen." The 101 in Motion project recently released preliminary cost estimates for a commuter rail system linking Ventura and Santa Barbara County. Operating two trains in the morning and two trains in the evening could cost up to $65 million in capital expenses and more than $3 million a year in operating subsidies. |
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The Clock is Ticking on Measure D funds The last fully funded five year Measure D revenue estimate was received by the SBCAG Board this month. Each year SBCAG provides estimates of the amount of Measure D ½ cent transportation sales tax funds projected to be available for the next five year period. The County of Santa Barbara and the cities of Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Solvang, Buellton, Lompoc, Santa Maria and Guadalupe, and local paratransit operators use these estimates to prepare a five-year program of projects to be funded with Measure D. Since Measure D will expire at the end of its 20 year life in April 2010, this is the last year the five year revenue estimates will be fully funded. Unless Measure D is extended before 2010 (requiring a two-thirds majority vote) the region will lose nearly $35 million annually in local discretion transportation funds
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All meetings are open to the public. Individuals needing special accommodations to participate in the meeting should contact SBCAG at least three work days prior to the scheduled meeting. Various other meetings, workshops, and public hearings are held periodically. For meeting locations, agendas or questions, call SBCAG at (805) 961-8900 or visit www.sbcag.org |
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Clean Air Express to Have MTD Counterpart MTD Santa Barbara will be starting the Valley Express on March 1st. The Valley Express will transport commuters from Buellton and Solvang to Goleta and Santa Barbara during peak hours, Monday thru Friday. As a result, the Clean Air Express commuter bus service will no longer make its scheduled stop in Buellton, as those riders will have the opportunity to ride the Valley Express. For a complete listing of the Valley Express’ schedule and fares, visit www.sbmtd.gov. |
PROGRAM UPDATES
VANPOOL OPPORTUNITIES
There is a part-time vacancy on a vanpool commuting between Ventura and
the Cottage Hospital area of Santa Barbara. For more information
email
Ron Lafrican.
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