At the Federal level, Congress finally negotiated a budget for Federal Fiscal Year 2019, that the President signed on February 15, 2019, to fund the government through September 30, 2019. The funding for transportation includes $49.3 billion for the Federal Highway Administration, $13.4 billion for the Federal Transit Administration, $2.9 billion for the Federal Railroad Administration, and $900 million for the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program. The budget also requires that the US Department of Transportation issue grant awards expeditiously.
Meanwhile, in his "State of the State" address, Governor Newsom announced his intention to complete the portion of the High Speed Rail project in the Central Valley (Bakersfield to Merced) and the sections at the "bookends" known as "blended services" (Caltrain in the San Francisco Bay Area and Metrolink in Southern California). He also committed to improving project controls and oversight and completing the environmental work now underway. Staff will stay tuned as to how any change of direction may affect the TAMC rail projects.
Attached are a report on state legislative activities (attachment 1) and an updated bill list (attachment 2). Staff will present a verbal update at the meeting.