As studies conclude toward the development of a draft environmental document for the I-10 and I-15 Corridor Projects, and a decision about a preferred alternative is being evaluated by the SANBAG Board of Directors, staff is looking for ways to find efficiencies in the delivery process and potential cost savings for the project.

For example, should Express Lanes be selected as the Preferred Alternative for the I-10 Corridor Project, a significant amount of project funding would be derived from toll revenue-backed funding sources. One of the major sources of toll revenue-backed funding identified in the I-10 and I-15 Financial Plan is a Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) secured loan. The TIFIA program provides Federal credit assistance to nationally or regionally significant surface transportation projects, including highway, transit, and rail. Benefits of TIFIA secured loans include low interest rates and flexible, long-term repayment terms. For the I-10 and I-15 Corridor Projects, funding is equivalent to 33 percent of the eligible project costs.

The TIFIA schedule originally built into the I-10 project delivery calendar assumed a traditional TIFIA process.  However, recent discussions with senior U.S. Department of Transportation staff have indicated that there may be an opportunity to accelerate the TIFIA process, which would enable the preliminary TIFIA agreements to be achieved and potentially securing lower interest rates. 

It should be noted that beginning the TIFIA loan process early does not commit the Board to a decision about their ultimate recommendation of an alternative.  The release of the Draft Environmental Document is expected this fall. 

To learn more about the I-10 and I-15 Corridor Projects, visit the web at www.1015projects.com.

SANBAG, acting as the County Transportation Authority, administers Measure I revenue and is responsible for determining which projects receive Measure I funding, and ensuring that transportation projects are implemented.  Measure I funds are allocated based on a strategic plan that defines the policy framework for delivery of the projects. 

As part of the 2010-2040 Measure I Strategic Plan, the SANBAG Board approved the creation of the Valley Arterial sub-program under the Major Street Program.  On July 1st, the Board of Directors approved the Measure I funding allocation and project list for the Valley Major Street Program/Arterial Sub-Program for fiscal year 2015/16.  Strategic Plan Policy 4006 requires each valley jurisdiction to execute a Jurisdiction Master Agreement with SANBAG to be eligible for reimbursements associated with their particular projects.

In addition, SANBAG annually allocates a variety of funds to the transit operators in San Bernardino County.  SANBAG's role in each of the fund sources varies as well as the parameters by which the operators can use the funds.  These funds include, but are not limited to, the Local Transportation Fund, State Transit Assistance funds, Prop 1B funds, Federal Transit Administration funds, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds, and a new source of State funding from the Low Carbon Transit Operation Program.  SANBAG staff worked with each of the transit operators to determine their funding needs for Fiscal Year 2015/16.  Transit operator funding allocations to the City of Needles, Morongo Basin Transit Authority, Mountain Area Regional Transit Authority, Omnitrans, Victor Valley Transit Authority and Valley Transportation Services were also approved by the Board on July 1st.

State law requires the adoption of a Fund Estimate (FE) prepared by Caltrans in the summer of each odd numbered year as a basis for preparation and adoption of the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) by the California Transportation Commission (CTC) in April of each even year.  Caltrans will present a draft FE at the June 2015 CTC meeting, and the final FE is scheduled for adoption by the CTC on August 26, 2015.

At this time there is estimated to be no new STIP programming capacity in either of the two years added to the five-year cycle of STIP programming (fiscal years 2019/2020 and 2020/2021).  Because of this, it is assumed that there will be constrained programming capacity and some current programming may be required to be pushed to later years.  In addition to the release of the draft FE, there are other discussions that will be occurring at the June CTC meeting that could affect the final STIP proposal.  

First, Caltrans and CTC staff have warned of a possible need for an allocation plan for Fiscal Year 2015/2016.  Allocation plans have been used in the past to set priorities for allocation in years where the amount of STIP programmed statewide exceeds the forecast allocation capacity.  The other discussion that will impact the final STIP proposal is the annual programming capacity and how that correlates to the project contract award schedules.  Therefore staff will be reviewing current project schedules and the availability of other fund sources to backfill the shortfall in STIP revenue to ensure that these projects are delivered on-time and with the least risk of loss of funding.

SANBAG's proposal for STIP programming is to be submitted to the CTC by December 15, 2015, and final CTC adoption of the 2016 STIP is scheduled for March 2016.  Staff is beginning development of programming and scheduling priorities for the 2016 STIP and will be presenting recommendations to the Committees in August for approval by the Board in September 2015.  A September Board approval is necessary so that Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) can complete the project performance analysis that must accompany the STIP submittal to the CTC.