Title
Adopt a Resolution to Approve the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account Project Description for Fiscal Year 2025 Funded By SB1 (the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017)
Staffreport
COUNCIL PRIORITY
• Infrastructure
SUMMARY
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a resolution approving the 2025 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account Project Description containing a list of streets to receive pavement maintenance in Fiscal Year 2025 funded by Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account revenue.
BACKGROUND
Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), signed by then-Governor Brown in April 2017, created the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) and allocated gas taxes to this fund to address deferred maintenance on the state highway and local streets and roads systems. The bill requires that the County Transportation Commission (CTC) adopt performance criteria, consistent with a specified asset management plan, to ensure efficient use of certain funds available for the program. Prior to receiving funds, local agencies must annually submit a list of projects proposed to be funded with RMRA funds to the CTC. Although the CTC is not an “approving” body, project lists will be reviewed to ensure that they include statutorily required information to establish eligibility for funding. Failure to submit a project list to the CTC and establish annual eligibility will result in forfeiture of monthly apportionments. Currently, there is no process to recoup lost apportionments, which would be distributed to eligible agencies.
SB 1 requires that the project list include four components:
• Project Description
• The location of each proposed project
• Schedule for completion
• Estimated useful life of improvement
California Streets and Highways Code §2034(a)(1) stipulates that the list must be pursuant to an adopted budget (or budget amendment), approved at a public meeting, and that all projects proposed to receive funding shall be included in the City’s budget.
Analysis
RMRA funds may be used for a variety of work that improves our transportation system. Staff proposes using the funds for roadway pavement maintenance and replacement because public input collected each of the last 5 budget cycles has consistently ranked roadway pavement as the highest capital need.
The City uses Street Saver, a database and analysis tool, to track the condition of our streets, predict the funding required to maintain the pavement, and to analyze the most efficient use of funds. For the upcoming year the software recommends a mixture of crack seals, slurry seals, rubberized cape seals, and repaving via mill and fill. Staff proposes using SB 1 funds for a portion of the recommended repaving work because limiting the funds to one segment of work will simplify reporting.
Attachment B contains a description of the 2025 RMRA project including a list of proposed streets to receive pavement maintenance paid for by RMRA funds. Paving maintenance work will be performed by in-house Public Works Maintenance Division street services. This street list project is in addition to the Public Works Engineering Division annual pavement maintenance program typically funded by other fund sources (Measure B, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Gas Tax, General Funds).
Environmental Review
Repair and maintenance of existing highways and streets with no expansion of capacity is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act per §15301 class 1(c).
Financial Impacts
Sufficient funds are included in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Gas Tax Fund budget for this project.
• SB 1 Fund, Account 152-31-057: $1,700,000
• SB 1 Fund, Account 152-38-522: $1,000,000
Total $2,700,000
Staff estimates that $2,300,000 in RMRA gas tax funding will be received in Fiscal Year 2025. The budgeted amount exceeds the anticipated revenue because there is a fund balance consisting of unspent funds from previous years.
This Council action will not impact fund balance because there are funds available in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 adopted budget.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Resolution RMRA Project 2025
Attachment B: Description RMRA Project 2025
PREPARED BY: Nick Thom, Assistant Public Works Director