Revenue Declining but Delivering Projects Continues to be Commission’s Priority

As part of the annual budget process, the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) released its revenue projections for FY 2009/10.  Revenue projections included Measure A, the half cent sales tax initiative; Local Transportation Funds (LTF) which consists of funding derived from a ¼ cent of the state’s general sales tax; State Transit Assistance (STA) revenues which are generated from the statewide sales tax on gasoline and diesel fuel as well as funding from Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fees (TUMF).  TUMF revenues consist of fees charged to new developments to ensure they pay for transportation facilities needed to accommodate growth.

For FY 2009/10, the Measure A revenue projection is $126 million and revenue for LTF is projected at $60 million; these sales tax revenue projections reflect the downturn in the local economy.  TUMF revenue is projected to be $5 million, which reflects the struggling housing market.  RCTC staff did not make a revenue projection for STA funds due to the uncertainty regarding the state budget.

Despite lower revenue projections, delivering projects continues to be RCTC’s priority.  Staff will continue to focus on engineering and environmental work on projects that will start construction within two years including the widening of SR-91 in downtown Riverside, the widening of I-215 in Murrieta, the improvement of freeway interchanges in the Coachella Valley and 12 railroad grade separations throughout the county.  Public transit is also seeing much needed investment with the development of a 24-mile Metrolink extension to Perris and the construction of a new parking structure at the North Main Corona station.

Irvine Corona Expressway Project Update

In 2006, the Commission executed a cooperative agreement with the Orange County Transportation Authority and the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency to develop and manage geotechnical feasibility studies for a potential transportation and utility corridor linking Riverside and Orange Counties.  The purpose of the study is to define and evaluate site conditions that affect the feasibility of transportation tunnel construction beneath the Cleveland National Forest and geotechnical and hydrogeological constraints affecting tunneling methods, groundwater controls, impacts to groundwater resources, and construction costs.

In 2008, the Commission received a Special Use Permit from the USDA Forest Service to conduct the field testing and drilling of five core holes in the Cleveland National Forest.  The drilling has been completed and work has commenced on the testing of the core and water resources monitoring.

The completion of the geotechnical analysis report is anticipated in late 2009.  A progress report on the Irvine Corona Expressway was presented at the January 14, 2009 Commission meeting.  The “next steps” will include seeking approval to conduct additional feasibility studies.