RECEIVE update on the status of regional Measure X projects, including the current and planned usage of SB 1 gas tax and vehicle fee revenues as matching funds for these projects.

The Measure X Transportation Safety and Investment Plan was approved by over 2/3rds of the voters in November 2016. The 3/8% increase in sales tax devoted entirely to transportation in Monterey County was levied starting in April 2017. The first payments of funding were distributed in July 2017. This report looks back at the first year of Measure X regional projects, and plans for the coming year.

Measure X was estimated to raise $20 million annually:  40% for regional projects and programs and 60% million for local projects. Revenues in the first year were above projections, with the first 12 months of receipts totaling $26,569,249.54, or over $6.5 million in extra funding. The newly-approved SB 1 gas taxes and vehicle fees are anticipated to provide matching funds for most of the projects, as detailed below. The planned construction schedule for the projects listed below is at risk, if a proposed repeal measure is approved by over 50% of the voters. 

The following regional Measure X projects are moving forward towards project delivery, leveraging matching funds from state gas taxes, vehicle fees, and other sources:

IMJIN PARKWAY SAFETY & TRAFFIC FLOW PROJECT has received $19 million in SB 1 gas taxes from the competitive Local Partnership Program, in addition to $16 million Measure X funds and $3 million in local developer fees, allowing the City of Marina to start construction next spring, following design approval and the bidding process.

FORT ORD TRAIL AND GREENWAY (FORTAG) PROJECT received $500,000 in SB 1 gas taxes from the formula Local Partnership Program, to be combined with the $500,000 in state transportation development act bicycle/pedestrian funds, to execute the preliminary engineering and environmental review phase of the project. This environmental work will start within a couple of months; the consultant selection is nearly complete. The next project phase, final engineering, is fully funded with $600,000 in Measure X funds and $600,000 in SB 1 gax taxes from the Local Partnership Program. Future Measure X funding will be leveraged to capture grant funds from various sources to construct portions of the 26-mile trail in phases. The Transportation Agency is currently preparing an Active Transportation Program grant application (also part of the new SB 1 vehicle fees) to fund construction of a segment along Highway 218. 

SCENIC STATE ROUTE (SR) 68 SAFETY & TRAFFIC FLOW PROJECT is moving into the preliminary engineering and environmental review phase with Caltrans District 5 as the lead agency. This phase is funded with $3.4 million in State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) funds, which are composed of state and federal gas taxes. The environmental review phase is expected to begin in August 2018 and extend through summer 2020. Twenty-five million in Measure X funds has been programmed towards construction, and a $25 million match will be sought from the SB 1 gas tax-funded Solutions Congested Corridors program.

SR156 / CASTROVILLE BLVD INTERCHANGE PROJECT currently has $2.15 million in Measure X funds and $19.8 million of State Transportation Improvement Program gas tax revenues programmed to it.  The project will compete for a $16 million SB 1 gas tax Trade Corridor grant, which, along with existing state funds, will cover the total cost of design, right-of-way, and construction, estimated at $43 million. The environmental review for this project was already approved as part of the larger SR 156 widening/ US 101 interchange improvements project. A minor refreshing of the environmental documents and final engineering for this project has been initiated. The related extension of Blackie Road to the interchange is a separate County road project that needs its own environmental review, which will be started in fiscal year 2018/19.

HOLMAN HIGHWAY SR 68 - PACIFIC GROVE PROJECT is building on the recently-completed corridor study. The City of Pacific Grove will be submitting an Active Transportation Program application seeking SB 1 gas taxes to match a portion of the $10 million in Measure X funding allocated to  the entire Holman Highway SR 68 corridor.

HIGHWAY 1 RAPID BUS CORRIDOR PROJECT has received $500,000  in SB 1 gas taxes from the Local Partnership Program to start preliminary engineering and environmental work in fiscal year 2018/19.  This project will create a new rapid bus corridor along Highway 1 between Marina and Monterey partly using the Monterey Branch Line rail right-of-way.  

HABITAT PRESERVATION - ADVANCED MITIGATION planning will be starting, utilizing a $375,810 grant from SB 1 gas taxes and vehicle license fees out of the Adaptation Planning program and matched with $48,690 in Measure X funds.  These monies will be used to draft a Regional Conservation Investment Strategy for Monterey County, to form the basis for creating a more meaningful, yet streamlined, habitat acquisition program to protect plant and animal species affected by Measure X transportation projects. 

As noted above, each of these projects are seeking matching funds from the new gas tax and vehicle license fees enacted by SB 1. These projects are now at risk, if the gas tax repeal measure is approved by the voters. Signatures have been submitted well in excess of the required number and are currently being verified by the Secretary of State, but all indications are that the gas tax/vehicle fee repeal measure will be on the November 2018 ballot. 

Polls are showing that initially that half of the voters support and half oppose the repeal, but as they receive more information about the projects funded by the taxes, a clear majority of voters oppose the repeal. Many voters appreciate the fact that SB 1 gas taxes and fee revenues help support lifeline transit service in Monterey County, and provide the matching funds needed to construct Measure X priority projects. TAMC has taken an "oppose" position on the gas tax repeal initiative.