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Transportation Funding Crisis Continues Santa Maria Freeway Widening Waits on Congress & State Elections State and Federal transportation funding uncertainties threaten to delay the recently approved Santa Maria six-lane freeway widening project. In August, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) approved a $5.4 billion five-year State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) that included $17 million to widen the 101 freeway in Santa Maria from four to six lanes from Santa Maria Way to Broadway in the 04-05 fiscal year. Unfortunately, the CTC also determined that virtually no funding for State financed transportation projects will be released until December 2004 at the earliest and might not be available this fiscal year at all due to inadequate funding and diversion of state transportation revenues to other purposes. More than 30 local agency and state highway improvement projects throughout the county totaling almost $135 million could be delayed by the funding shortfall. Transportation funds have been used by the Governor and legislature to prop up the sagging state budget. Stephen VanDenburgh, SBCAG Deputy Director lamented, “The latest State Budget continues the past two years’ practice of raiding transportation funds to balance the State’s General fund”. Over $5 billion in transportation funds have been lost due to loans, diversions and lower than expected federal revenues. Proposition 42, overwhelmingly passed by the voters in 2002 was intended to dedicate gasoline sales tax revenue exclusively to transportation projects. “Since its passage, none of Proposition 42’s revenue has gone to transportation projects because the Governor and Legislature have borrowed the money to balance the General Fund”, concluded VanDenburgh. Congress’ failure to renew TEA-21, the 6-year federal transportation funding legislation that expired last October, is also part of the problem. The White House, Senate and House of Representatives are battling over the total funding level in the new TEA-21 legislation and have been unable to come to agreement for nearly a year. Few believe that legislation will pass before the November elections. A bill larger than what the House and President currently support are key to keeping projects in California from being delayed even more. Meanwhile, federal transportation funding has been trickling out of Washington at reduced levels through a series of short term congressional authorizations. Another complicating factor is the presence of Propositions 68 & 70 on the ballot in California this November. The recently adopted State Budget pledges $1.2 billion in new tribal gaming compact funds negotiated by the Governor to repay transportation funds borrowed to address the State’s General Fund deficit. These funds will not materialize if either of the two gambling related initiatives is successful because their passage nullifies the negotiated tribal gaming compacts. The California Transportation Commission estimated in 1999 that the State had $117 billion in unfunded transportation needs. If the underfunding of transportation investments continues at the current pace, the shortfall is estimated to balloon to $160 billion by 2009. For additional news on the fiscal crisis challenging California transportation visit the California Transportation Commission website. |
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Forecast Predicts Double Digit Traffic Growth Congestion worsens and spreads |
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Traffic congestion will grow dramatically countywide over the next twenty-five years according to a new travel forecast model prepared by the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments. Traffic delays on Highway 101 will spread to areas that currently experience little or no congestion and increase in duration and severity. The forecast reveals that in 25 years people will be spending more time on the road due to traffic congestion and longer trips. The number of vehicle trips taken within the county is expected to increase by about 35% by 2030 roughly matching the county’s expected population growth of 31%. The number of miles and hours that drivers spend on the road, however is expected to swell by 59% and 72% respectively as traffic delays and longer commutes begin to take their toll. The new SBCAG projections include a forecast for what regional traffic conditions will be like in 2030 and an interim forecast for what they will be in 2010. The 2030 forecast is based on the assumption that all the currently planned and funded highway capital improvement projects will be completed, but not the addition of new freeway lanes on Highway 101 in the south coast. The forecast also assumes continuation of current travel trends and population and economic growth consistent with existing local land use plans. Traffic on Highway 101 at the Ventura County line is forecast to increase from 60,000 daily vehicle trips in 2000 to 96,700 vehicle trips (or ADT, average daily traffic) in 2030. This represents an increase of approximately 61%, or 1.6% growth per year. At the San Luis Obispo County line, traffic is forecast to grow from 55,800 in 2000 to 92,800 ADT representing an increase of approximately 66%, or 1.7% growth per year. According to Deputy Director Michael Powers, “Our region’s worsening traffic congestion is caused by number of factors including the ongoing reliance on traditional single occupant vehicle travel for commute trips, longer trip lengths necessitated by high housing costs, the jobs-housing imbalance, and overall statewide growth.” Highway 101 – South Coast (2000 - 2030 PM Peak Hour) Currently, northbound traffic on Highway 101 between Padaro Lane and Turnpike Road approaches capacity on weekday afternoons. In the southbound direction between Milpas and Padaro Lane drivers are already experiencing severe congestion with frequent delays in the PM peak, the most heavily traveled time of the day. By 2030, the entire 101 Freeway from Carpinteria to Goleta is projected to experience severe congestion in both directions. This forecast assumes implementation of the programmed operational improvements but does not assume a widening of the freeway from four to six lanes. Highway 101 – North County (2000-2030 PM Peak Hour) In the Santa Maria area, weekday traffic conditions are generally good with only periodic slowdowns in the afternoon. By 2030, traffic on Highway 101 segments between Clark Ave and SLO County line is forecast to deteriorate from free flow to “moderate and even serious” . In particular during the PM peak, traffic on 101 northbound is forecast to approach capacity, even though the freeway will be widened from four to six lanes between Santa Maria Way and the county line. The baseline travel forecast will be used by the 101 In Motion project to identify the trip reductions or capacity increases necessary to achieve reasonable traffic flow on the 101 freeway through the south coast of Santa Barbara County.
“The predicted growth in vehicle trips will strain the limits of our
transportation system and ultimately lead to reduced mobility”
explained SBCAG Executive Director Jim Kemp. “Improvements to the
system to accommodate increases in travel is only part of the
solution. Our region will also need to find smarter ways to travel
by providing alternatives to commuting in single occupant cars
during peak periods.”
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The popular Measure D funded Coastal Express bus service was expanded on August 16. The schedule now includes three new express commuter bus routes linking Ventura and Santa Barbara’s south coast. Coastal Express is a partnership of the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) and the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) The new routes include:
With this new express service, the Coastal Express now features three northbound and four southbound nonstop trips between Ventura and Santa Barbara, helping reduce traffic congestion on Highway 101. Fares are $2 per trip or $75 for an unlimited monthly pass, and schedule information is available at 800-438-1112 or by visiting the VCTC website. Operating seven days a week with more than a dozen round trips between Ventura, Santa Barbara and Goleta, the Coastal Express buses are an increasingly convenient commute alternative for drivers battling Highway 101 congestion. In its first full month of operation, the Coastal Express carried 3,097 weekday passengers, but ridership has grown dramatically as the service has expanded, and Coastal Express buses now carry nearly 8,000 weekday passengers every month. In an effort to combat 101 traffic congestion, the SBCAG board approved Measure D funds to support the Coastal Express service expansion last year. Guadalupe Culvert Repairs Funded by Measure D Facing a serious and potentially dangerous standing water situation in a number of roadside culverts, the City of Guadalupe took advantage of the flexibility and local control afforded by Measure D, the countywide, half cent transportation sales tax adopted by voters in Santa Barbara County in 1989. Over the past fifteen years, Measure D funds have paid for a wide variety of important local transportation improvements, from regional highway projects to transit services. The city used part of its annual apportionment of Measure D funds to react quickly to clear large quantities of brush, shrubs and accumulated trash that were clogging the culverts and eroding and flooding two of Guadalupe’s main streets. By cleaning the clogged culverts, public works crews eliminated the source of the standing water and erosion problems. Guadalupe Mayor Sam Arca expressed his pleasure at the results of the City’s efforts, “Measure D funds were essential to this undertaking. We protected two of our important streets from erosion damage and removed a huge trash dump from the environment – not bad for a day’s work”. |
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Traffic Congestion Solutions Packaged For Review The 101 in Motion project passed another major milestone in August. The Staff Technical Advisory Group and the Public Stakeholders Advisory Committee met separately to develop packages of 101 corridor congestion relief options for additional technical analysis by Parsons Brinkerhoff, an internationally recognized transportation consulting firm and a member of the 101 IM consulting team. Both advisory groups discussed the best ways to combine alternative solution packages using the ideas generated during the initial phase of community outreach. The packages of proposed congestion solutions cover a wide range of transportation options—from traditional freeway lane expansion to dedicated carpool/bus lanes to commuter rail options. The draft solution packages recommended by the advisory committees will be presented to the project Steering Committee comprised of SBCAG board members at their meeting on September 1. Over the next two months these congestion relief packages will be presented directly to the community to solicit public input on the proposed solutions. Presentations to a wide range of groups, including City Councils, local government advisory groups, homeowner and employer associations, and others will bring this dialogue directly to commuters and local residents. After the community has had ample opportunity to express their views on the packages of potential solutions, the Steering Committee will select a limited number for detailed technical review and cost analysis. Over the course of the next year these alternative congestion relief packages will be narrowed down to a final consensus solution for consideration by the full SBCAG Board. The goal of the 101 IM project is to develop a long term plan for relieving congestion in the corridor. |
The SBCAG Board will be adopting a resolution at its September 16 meeting commending Easy Lift for 25 years of service to the community. SBCAG provides about $65,000 in Measure D revenues to Easy Lift each year to fund its ongoing operations. Easy Lift provides paratransit services under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to those local residents who are not able to use regular fixed route (MTD) transportation due to their location or their travel needs. Most of Easy Lift’s approximately 1,150 clients rely on Easy Lift to maintain their independence. Through Easy Lift, often the only transportation option for mobility impaired individuals, eligible riders are able to access critical medical care and other social service programs and remain productive and contributing members of our community. The mission of Easy Lift is to support the needs and promote the independence of one of the most vulnerable and traditionally under-served populations of south Santa Barbara County. Easy Lift operates with a dedicated staff of 30 individuals and is overseen by a committed seven member board of directors. Easy Lift will commemorate its 25th anniversary of service during a public ceremony on Tuesday, September 21st, starting at 11:00 am in De La Guerra Plaza. Bob Westwick, Easy Lift’s Executive Director explained “Throughout its 25 years of service, Easy Lift has been the essential lifeline to the community for our thousands of riders. In addition to celebrating our 25 years of service we are very proud to recognize the 1 millionth Easy Lift ride, a milestone that very few paratransit providers in the country have ever reached.” |
MEETING SCHEDULE
| September 1 | South Coast Subregional Planning Committee |
2:00 PM MTD Conference Room 550 Olive St. Santa Barbara |
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| September 2 | Technical Transportation Advisory Committee |
TTAC |
9:00 AM Council Chambers 140 West Hwy 246 Buellton |
| September 16 | SBCAG Board |
SBCAG BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
8:30 AM |
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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According to the International Telecommuting Association, telecommuting in the U.S. removes an estimated 242.7 billion vehicle miles from our congested roadways, prevents 9.71 billion pounds of pollutants from polluting our air, and saves commuters 5.2 billion hours of wasted commute time. While these sound like great reasons for implementing telecommuting and flexible work schedule programs, many Santa Barbara County employers now realize FlexWork programs also give their organization a competitive advantage in the marketplace and yield a positive return on investment. Increased productivity, increased employee retention and recruitment, and improved employee morale are just a few of the benefits FlexWork can bring to an employer. In August, SBCAG Traffic Solutions launched the FlexWork Santa Barbara Program, prompting many of the County’s largest employers to consider implementing FlexWork programs for their employees. Representatives from Cottage Health Systems, UCSB, Veeco Instruments, Yardi Systems, the City of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, SBCAG and others attended the two FlexWork Fundamentals Workshops held in August. SBCAG Traffic Solutions is currently recruiting employers to participate in a 12 month FlexWork Santa Barbara pilot program to begin this Fall. Participants will receive FREE business consulting services to develop, implement and monitor FlexWork programs for their employees. SBCAG Traffic Solutions will use the successful pilot programs to encourage more widespread telecommuting and flextime commuting throughout the County. Kent Epperson, Director of Traffic Solutions hopes to recruit commuters that travel the Highway 101 corridor. “The most direct way to relief traffic congestion on Highway 101 is to eliminate peak period commute trips alltogether. By creating more telecommuters and shifting work hours, the highway commuters win, the businesses community profits, and the FlexWorkers improve their quality of life,” explains Mr. Epperson. If you would like to know how FlexWork can benefit your organization, visit www.FlexWorksb.com or call 805-962-FLEX (3539).
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INFORMATION REQUESTS FILLED
August 2004
| Countywide Bike Map | 936 |
| Clean Air Express Paid Subscriptions | 362 |
| Clean Air Express Ten Ride Pass Sales | 61 |
| Carpool Matchlist | 35 |
PROGRAM UPDATES
BICYCLE SAFETY TRAINING
Join our certified bicycle safety trainers and learn the basics of bicycling for transportation. Bicycle Safety Training classes are provided to the community free of charge. Contact Erika Lindemann for more information about how you can enroll: elindemann@sbcag.org
VANPOOL OPPORTUNITIES
A new van is starting in September for commuters between Santa Maria/Orcutt and downtown Santa Barbara, working a 7:30 am to 5:00 pm schedule. More information is available is available on the Traffic Solutions website vanpool page.
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.
GET A MAP
Send an
email with your name and address to
info@trafficsolutions.info
to get a Santa Barbara County Bike map or Transit map mailed to you,
please specify how many you would like.
FORMS