Congresswoman Capps Secures Local Rail Funds
SBCAG & VCTC Meet For First Time
Regional Chambers Host Transportation Event
Santa Maria 101 Widening Project Delayed
Ortega Hill Widening Project Gets Go Ahead
MEASURE D Renewal Spending Plan Underway
Freeway Service Patrol Contract Approved
The Art of Cycling
Get a FREE RIDE on the Clean Air Express
New Online Bike Map

CONGRESSWOMAN CAPPS SECURES LOCAL RAIL FUNDS

Congresswoman Lois Capps recently secured $1 million in federal funds for the Santa Barbara Coast Rail Track Improvement Project.  This program will assist in the effort to reduce congestion on Highway 101 by promoting intercity passenger rail service and potentially new commuter service by improving track conditions and providing better coordination between passenger and freight service.

The funding was approved as part of the Conference Report on the Transportation, Treasury, HUD, Judiciary, District of Columbia Appropriations Act, which was passed by the House in early November.

“Clearly, commuter rail is a very important component of solving our regional traffic challenges,” Rep. Capps said.  “Increasing local passenger service is constrained by the current single track line.  This federal assistance should help our local agencies increase the efficiency and capacity of the tracks that run parallel to the 101.”

“SBCAG appreciates Congresswoman Capps’ help in securing these funds for Santa Barbara County,” Jim Kemp, Executive Director of SBCAG said.  “The funding will improve passenger rail service for which there is an increasing demand.”

SBCAG & VCTC MEET FOR FIRST  TIME

As Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties are becoming more economically intertwined, the need to plan transportation improvements that connect across county lines is becoming more critical.  Elected officials from the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments and the Ventura County Transportation Commission met in Carpinteria last month for the first time to begin discussing cooperative transportation planning efforts.

At the top of their agenda were the 101 in Motion consensus projects – widening the 101 freeway from Milpas to the Ventura County line and the creation of a new metrolink type commuter rail system connecting the two counties.  While participants agreed the stifling traffic congestion plaguing the 16,000 daily commuters on the 101 freeway is an important issue, Ventura County Transportation Commissioners voiced concern that without voter support for a transportation sales tax measure in Ventura County it will be very difficult for VCTC to contribute financially to solve the problem.

Ginger Gherardi, Executive Director of VCTC, also expressed concerns about the estimated cost and ridership projections for the new rail service and wanted to see additional information from a more detailed Caltrans rail feasibility study that will be completed next spring. 

To help increase awareness of the need to work cooperatively across county lines on transportation issues, Santa Barbara County Supervisor Salud Carbajal proposed creating a citizen’s advisory committee comprised of local residents in both counties who are interested in advancing commuter rail planning efforts.  Steve Bennett, the Ventura County Supervisor whose district adjoins Santa Barbara County expressed the view that current Ventura County transportation priorities could change over time if local residents expressed support for new transportation options. 

Elected leaders from both counties endorsed meeting again early next year to continue the new cooperative dialogue.  Supervisor Carbajal stated, “This is a good start."

REGIONAL CHAMBERS HOST TRANSPORTATION EVENT

Fully funding Proposition 42 in next year’s state budget got strong bipartisan support from both Governor Schwarzenegger’s Deputy Secretary for Transportation, John Barna and State Assemblyman Pedro Nava when they addressed a full house of local business leaders from Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties meeting to discuss emerging regional transportation challenges and possible solutions.

The Transportation Symposium, entitled “Forging Partnerships to Enhance Mobility” held November 18 was sponsored by the Regional Legislative Alliance of Ventura and Santa Barbara County Chambers of Commerce.  It was designed to engage business owners in creating partnerships with government to solve our increasing congestion problems.

Zoe Taylor, president of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce forcefully summed the session's varied discussion of the regions emerging congestion crisis “We need to be at the table in helping to resolve this problem."  

Jim Kemp, Executive Director of the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments and Ginger Gherardi, his counterpart from the Ventura County Transportation Commission participated in a panel discussion with representatives from both Caltrans Districts covering Santa Barbara and Ventura County.  The panelists spoke of the challenges and opportunities of coordinating transportation planning across jurisdictional boundaries. 

Hamid Bahadori, spokesperson for the Automobile Club of Southern California, said much of the problem delivering needed transportation improvements lies in Sacramento where, for too long, State leaders have neglected investing in California’s transportation infrastructure.  Business owners on the panel with Mr. Bahadori emphasized the need to move beyond planning to actually deliver transportation improvements soon before frustrated commuters quit their jobs to move out of the community ultimately forcing businesses to relocate.  Conference attendees left the Symposium with a renewed commitment to advocate forcefully for needed regional transportation projects.

SANTA MARIA 101 WIDENING PROJECT DELAYED

Central Coast residents, looking forward to the widening of the 101 freeway though Santa Maria will have to wait a little longer for the project to begin construction.  Unfortunately, the lone bid received by Caltrans for the Santa Maria 101 freeway six-lane widening project was $8.4 million over the project’s more than $22 million budget.  While the SBCAG Board voted last month to allocate an additional $5 million dollars in state funding to keep the project on schedule, state transportation officials recently balked at the extra cost, instead insisting the project should be rebid.

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has the final say in the use of state transportation funds on this project.  CTC staff is concerned about some bid issues that could have contributed to the higher bid cost and by the fact that there were no competing bids submitted.  The commission feels that putting the project out to bid again could result in lower costs to construct the project. 

Rebidding however, will delay the project and could incur the risk of even higher costs as construction materials continue to increase in price because of increased competition for construction materials from China.  The impact of rising oil prices has also impacted the manufacture of asphalt and the trucking of equipment, materials and personnel to job sites.   

Caltrans officials are concerned that major construction firms left the transportation market during the two years that Prop. 42 funds were diverted from transportation projects and are now working on other development projects.  This has resulted in fewer bidders and less competition for contracts.  The practical effect of reduced bidding competition experienced on Santa Maria six lane project is being replicated around the state as recent large projects typically receive only one or two bids often 40-50% over cost estimates.

The cost of delaying needed infrastructure investments could escalate even higher some experts predict, if Proposition 42 revenues are again diverted from next year’s State budget.

ORTEGA HILL WIDENING PROJECT GETS GO AHEAD

Following close on the heels of the recent disappointing CTC decision to rebid the Santa Maria six lane widening project, bids for the Measure D funded Highway 101 project for Ortega Hill were recently opened.  The good news was this project had four bidders, but the bad news was they all exceeded the project budget. 

This project will add an additional lane on northbound 101 from the Evans Avenue interchange in Summerland to the Sheffield Drive interchange.  This improvement will address current congestion that is caused by slow moving traffic entering the freeway uphill from Summerland’s Ortega onramp.  Another benefit of the project will be separation of vehicular traffic from bicycles through the construction of a Class I Bikeway on State right of way, between the interchanges.  The Class I facility will be lighted for improved safety.   

In October 2003, the SBCAG board approved using $3.1 million in Measure D funding to complete construction on this project in lieu of delayed State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) funding.  The lowest responsive bid on the project, from Mendez Concrete Inc. from Santa Paula, was $4.8 million, 55% over the previously allocated budget for the project.   

Because sufficient funds remain in the Measure D regional program to cover these anticipated costs the SBCAG Board voted unanimously to move ahead with the project and to increase the Measure D allocation.  Boardmembers expressed concern that additional delays could increase the cost of the project.  The actual award of a contract is the responsibility of the State, but because Measure D is funding 100% of construction, support from the SBCAG Board is crucial if construction is to begin early next year and take about ten months to complete.  This project is effectively the first component of the full widening project approved as part of the 101 in Motion consensus package.

MEASURE D RENEWAL SPENDING PLAN UNDERWAY

Measure D, the voter approved funding source for local transportation improvements in Santa Barbara County will sunset in 2010 unless County voters agree to continue the ½ cent local sales tax for transportation projects.  The first step in the process of renewing Measure D is to develop a spending plan that describes the transportation projects that will be funded with the more than $ 1 billion dollars in future sales tax revenue that could be generated over the next thirty years. 

SBCAG staff has been working with an expenditure plan committee comprised of staff from each city, the county, SBMTD and Caltrans.  The committee has met several times to assist SBCAG in developing revenue estimates, candidate projects and their cost estimates and a process for creating a draft expenditure plan for board consideration.   A preliminary draft plan has been developed by the committee based upon retention of the existing 70% local - 30% regional distribution of Measure D funds.   

The plan is a work in progress.  Although funding is included for many high priority transportation improvements, not all the identified needs can be fully funded even with the extension of Measure D.  Transportation officials from throughout the county developed a list of needed transportation improvements that totaled more than $3 billion over thirty years.  These needs include projects and programs required to maintain, repair, improve and expand the region’s highways, local streets, bridges, public transit systems, bikeways, sidewalks and other transportation infrastructure and services.  This funding is required both for capital improvements as well as annual operations and maintenance costs.  The identified needs include costs associated with the 101 in Motion consensus recommendations which were unanimously approved by the SBCAG board last month.   

The expenditure plan must be approved by SBCAG, the County Board of Supervisors and cities representing a majority of the incorporated area population before the measure can be placed on the ballot.  Approval of the expenditure plan by each of the agencies must be completed by June 2006 to meet the county elections office deadline for placing the measure before county voters in November 2006.  The process will need to allow adequate time for public and agency review of the draft expenditure plan.  Following SBCAG approval, the draft plan will be presented to city councils and the Board of Supervisors for review as well as to stakeholders and members of the public through February.   

The draft expenditure plan will then be revised based on agency and public input.  A revised expenditure plan could then be approved by SBCAG in April and then presented to each city and the county for final approval through May.   The Board of Supervisors would be requested to place the measure on the ballot in June of 2006.  

The Measure D renewal expenditure plan will describe Santa Barbara County’s transportation improvement program for the next thirty years.  To gain approval from County voters the plan must be balanced and multi-modal.  Local residents clearly understand our region’s high quality of life depends upon an effective transportation system.  SBCAG will need the constructive engagement of all segments of the community to ensure the Measure D renewal spending plan represents local residents' vision of our transportation future.

FREEWAY SERVICE PATROL CONTRACT APPROVED 

Bob Holzer Towing and Storage, a local company with 27 years of experience in the towing business, was recently selected by the SBCAG Board to operate the new south county 101 freeway service patrol.  This new motorist aid service is scheduled to begin operation in March of 2006. 

Holzer Towing will begin patrolling the 101 freeway from Milpas to the Ventura County line mornings from 6:30-9:30 AM and from Turnpike Avenue to Padaro Lane evenings from 4:00-7:00 PM, Monday through Friday.  Holzer’s fleet of tow and pickup trucks will assist in clearing accidents and removing debris to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety.   

Twelve other California counties currently operate FSP programs.  This new program will be jointly managed by SBCAG and the California Highway Patrol, with assistance from Caltrans. 

Funding for the program each year comes from state FSP funds and revenues from the local call box program.  Prior to the end of the contract in 2007, the SBCAG Board will review the operation of the FSP, including the performance measures established for the program.  If the program’s performance is satisfactory, the Board can renew the one year contract for two one-year extensions. 

Freeway Service Patrols are one of the most cost effective ways to reduce freeway congestion available.  By constantly patrolling the most congested segments of the freeway FSP tow trucks can quickly clear accidents and remove stranded vehicles allowing normal traffic flow to resume in far less time than it currently takes for tow trucks to be dispatched to incidents.  Santa Barbara County motorists can look forward to a significant improvement in freeway traffic flow when FSP tow trucks hit the road early next year.

THE ART OF CYCLING: USING A BIKE TO TRANSPORT AND TRANSFORM

BICYCLING SKILLS FOR WOMEN 

The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, in conjunction with SBCAG Traffic Solutions, is offering a two-day Bicycle Street Skills course designed for women on Saturday, January 21st and January 28th (class details below).  Participants will learn the basics of driving a bicycle confidently in a supportive and fun environment.  This class is designed for both experienced bicyclists who want to learn their legal rights and responsibilities on the road and for those who want to use a bike for getting around town or for fitness, but just don’t feel comfortable on the road with other vehicles.  Participants will learn to make decisions in traffic while riding legally and confidently as well as changing a flat tire and performing other simple on-road repairs.  They will also practice bike handling skills and emergency avoidance maneuvers such as quick turns and stops.  The class will also discuss women-specific bikes and clothing and will take students out for a road ride with women League Cycling Instructors (LCIs).

WHO: Anyone 16 years of age or older.  Bring a teen who is 14 years or older, with your supervision.

WHEN: Day 1: Saturday, January 21, 9:00 AM-1:00 PM for Basic Street Skills class (no bicycle is required for this part). Day 2: Saturday, January 28, 10:00 AM-4:00 PM for basic bicycle mechanics (we’ll help check over your bike), commuting tips and on-road riding instruction and practice. 

WHERE: Santa Barbara County Association of Governments building:   260 North San Antonio Road, Santa Barbara.  Meet outside the building.

COST: $30, payable to LCI Erika Lindemann.  You can pay at the class or by mail to 260 N. San Antonio Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93110, attn: Erika Lindemann. Don’t have $30?  That’s okay, we want you to join us regardless!  Some scholarships are available by calling or emailing Erika (contact info below).

TO REGISTER: Simply call or email Erika Lindemann at 961-8919 (We appreciate an RSVP so we know to expect you).

Work Downtown?

Commute Free For A Whole Month On The

Together with Traffic Solutions, the City of Santa Barbara began a promotion in December offering a free monthly Clean Air Express pass to anyone working downtown who is new to the express bus service.  The Clean Air Express serves Lompoc and Santa Maria with direct service to downtown Santa Barbara on two morning and two afternoon trips for each city.  Commuters on the Clean Air Express not only save hundreds of dollars every month in gas and car maintenance, but even more importantly reclaim the two hours a day other commuters spend staring at the road with their hands gripped to the wheel of their car.  "I love it--I'm never going back to driving" said one of the new riders.  "I save a ton of money and I don't have the stress I did when I was in my car.  I should have been doing this for years." Anyone working in downtown Santa Barbara who hasn't commuted on the Clean Air Express is eligible for a free monthly pass and a second monthly pass at half price.  Call 963-SAVE or visit CleanAirExpress.com for more information.

 What would you do with an extra $500 every month?

COUNTYWIDE BIKE MAP NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

Getting your copy of the very popular Santa Barbara County Bike Map is now easier than ever.  The newly updated map features new bike routes in several regions as well as updated contact information for bicycling organizations throughout the county.  You may access the bike map online at TrafficSolutions.info and print high resolution copies of every region in Santa Barbara County.  Now you can print as many copies of a specific area as much as you need. 

Traffic Solutions will also have printed copies of the bike map by January 15.  To reserve your order of bike maps, call 963-SAVE and a we will deliver or mail them to you directly.  If you have questions or need help with accessing the online map, contact Jonathan Whitt for assistance. Then new Online Bike Map is just one of several new products and programs offered by Traffic Solutions.  Call us today for more information about our other programs.