The annual Transportation Agency Overall Work Program describes the activities to be accomplished during the fiscal year beginning July 1 and ending June 30. Adopting an annual work program is mandatory to utilize Rural Planning Assistance funds and discretionary planning grants that the Transportation Agency receives from Caltrans. Carry-forward amounts and new funding awards need to be amended into the Overall Work Program and Budget before associated tasks can be initiated.
The Transportation Agency receives an annual allocation of Rural Planning Assistance funds and has the flexibility to program these funds to eligible activities as it deems appropriate. Carry-over funds from the prior fiscal year can likewise be allocated as needed and approved by Caltrans. Rural Planning Assistance carry-over funds totaling $3,368 is available to be programmed into fiscal year 2018/19.
Staff recommends the carry-over Rural Planning Assistance funds be used to pay for staff activities in Work Element 6410, Transportation Improvement Programs. Typical work conducted under this work element includes developing the Regional Transportation Improvement Program and similar activities required to manage state and federal funds programmed to our local projects.
The Transportation Agency recently received a $500,000 Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program grant to conduct the Monterey Bay Area Network Integration Study. This study will lay to groundwork for implementing the State Rail Plan in the Monterey Bay area. Newly created Work Element 6809 incorporates this study into the Agency's Overall Work Program.
Work Element 7600, reflecting the Monterey County Regional Conservation Investment Strategy study, is being renumbered Work Element 6740. No other changes have been made to this work element. This change is being made to ease management of funds in the Agency's accounting program.
The ATTACHED revised Work Program pages reflect the above recommendations.