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Commission reviews Proposition 1B quarterly reports; urges bridge owners to explain design delays
Summary
Caltrans presented Proposition 1B program quarterly reports, highlighting Route 99 investments, local bridge seismic retrofits and intercity rail procurement delays. Commissioners voted to invite five bridge owners who have not started design to explain delays.
Caltrans briefed the California Transportation Commission on Proposition 1B quarterly reports, focusing on the Route 99 corridor investment, the local bridge seismic retrofit program and intercity rail projects.
Bruce Datero of Caltrans programming said the Route 99 program totals about $967 million in program funds plus local investments that raise the total to roughly $1.3 billion; 10 of about 27 Route 99 projects are complete and many more are expected to finish over the next two years. Datero said about $716 million has already been expended within the bond program and that roughly 109 miles in the corridor remain four-lane sections, with planning-level estimates around $1.8 billion to complete the San Joaquin Valley portion to six lanes.
On local bridge seismic retrofit work, Caltrans said 385 bridges were included in the program: 247 complete, 67 in construction and 71 evaluated and moving through design or environmental review. Commissioners and staff identified a small subset of five bridge projects that have not started design. Commissioner Gilmetti moved — and Commissioner Cardino seconded — a motion to invite the five bridge owners (two in Barstow, one in Oakland, one in Riverside County and one in Sonoma County) to the next quarterly meeting to explain why design has not started and what actions they will take. The motion carried.
Caltrans Division Chief Bruce Roberts and staff also discussed Proposition 1B’s intercity rail element, a $400 million program with a statutory set‑aside for rolling stock. Roberts said $25 million remained unallocated for a project the department expects to reprogram to leverage STIP and cap-and-trade funds; he also said ongoing legal issues have delayed a contract for a $100 million rail car procurement and that he would seek a time extension if an award is not finalized by August. Roberts described planning for an expanded Oakland maintenance facility and a Central Valley layover facility to accommodate new vehicles scheduled to arrive in 2016–2018.
Commissioners asked staff to prepare clearer program summaries for other Proposition 1B components and to consider inviting local bridge owners to report progress in a future quarter. No formal dissent to the invitation motion was recorded in the transcript.
