Title
RESOLUTION Urging the State of California to Provide New Sustainable Funding for State and Local Transportation Infrastructure
Body
WHEREAS, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. has called an extraordinary session to address the immense underfunding of California’s transportation infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, cities and counties own and operate more than 81 percent of streets and roads in California, and from the moment we open our front door to drive to work, bike to school, or walk to the bus station, people are dependent upon a safe, reliable local transportation network; and
WHEREAS, the City of San Leandro has participated in efforts with the California State Association of Counties, League of California Cities, and California’s Regional Transportation Planning Agencies to study unmet funding needs for local roads and bridges, including sidewalks and other essential components; and
WHEREAS, the resulting 2014 California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment, which provides critical analysis and information on the local transportation network’s condition and funding needs, indicates that the condition of the local transportation network is deteriorating as predicted in the initial 2008 study; and
WHEREAS, the results show that California’s local streets and roads are on a path of significant decline. On a scale of zero (failed) to 100 (excellent), the statewide average pavement condition index (PCI) is 66, placing it in the “at risk” category where pavements will begin to deteriorate much more rapidly and require rehabilitation or rebuilding rather than more cost-effective preventative maintenance if funding is not increased; and
WHEREAS, the results show that the City of San Leandro’s local streets have a statewide average pavement index of 54, placing them in the “At Risk” category; and
WHEREAS, if funding remains at the current levels, in 10 years, 25 percent of local streets and roads in California will be in “failed” condition; and
WHEREAS, cities and counties need an additional $1.7 billion just to maintain a status quo pavement condition of 66, and much more revenue to operate the system with Best Management Practices, which would reduce the total amount of funding needed for maintenance in the future; and
WHEREAS, models show that an additional $3 billion annual investment in the local streets and roads system is expected to improve pavement conditions statewide from an average “at risk” condition to an average “good” condition; and
WHEREAS, if additional funding isn’t secured now, it will cost taxpayers twice as much to fix the local system in the future, as failure to act this year will increase unmet funding needs for local transportation facilities by $11 billion in five years and $21 billion in ten years; and
WHEREAS, modernizing the local street and road system provides well-paying construction jobs and boosts local economies; and
WHEREAS, the local street and road system is also critical for farm to market needs, interconnectivity, multimodal needs, and commerce; and
WHEREAS, police, fire, and emergency medical services all need safe reliable roads to react quickly to emergency calls and a few minutes of delay can be a matter of life and death; and
WHEREAS, maintaining and preserving the local street and road system in good condition will reduce drive times and traffic congestion, improve bicycle safety, and make the pedestrian experience safer and more appealing, which leads to reduced vehicle emissions helping the State achieve its air quality and greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals; and
WHEREAS, restoring roads before they fail also reduces construction time which results in less air pollution from heavy equipment and less water pollution from site run-off; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the local system, the state highway system needs an additional $5.7 billion annually to address the state’s deferred maintenance; and
WHEREAS, in order to bring the local system back into a cost-effective condition, at least $7.3 billion annually in new money going directly to cities and counties is necessary.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LEANDRO urges the Governor and Legislature to identity a sufficient and stable funding source for local streets and roads and state highway maintenance and rehabilitation to ensure the safe and efficient mobility of the traveling public and the economic vitality of California.