The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About38-Council Office CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO. REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION From: Councilmember Susan Lien Subject: Monthly Legislative Update Dept: Council Office Oh:~"",,-}L Date: May 1, 2001 Synopsis of Previous Council action: Recommended motion: Discuss an.d take possible action regarding the Monthly Legislative Update. -Ld.. Signature Contact person: Susan Lien Phone: 5188 Supporting data attached: Ward: All FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount: Source: (Acct. No.) (Acct. Description) Pin.n.... Council Notes: Agenda Item NO~ 5J1 Jf) I STAFF REPORT Earlier this year, the League of California Cities' Inland Empire Division approved a new "Governmental Partnership Program" that is designed to increase the effectiveness of each City's legislative efforts. As part of this program, each city was asked to appoint a Council Member as its Legislative Liaison. Each Legislative Liaison will be responsible for attending monthly meetings of the Inland Empire Division's Legislative Task Force, and keeping their fellow Councilmembers and the public informed regarding key legislative issues. Since Councilmember Lien serves as the Chair of the Legislative Review Committee, the Mayor requested that she serve as the City's Legislative Liaison. Councilmember Lien will be providing routine legislative updates to the Council at the first meeting of every month. . < . . . . LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE UPDATE April, 2001 Leaaue of California Cities Leaislative Action Davs The State League will hold its annual Legislative Action Days conference May 23 and 24 in Sacramento. This two-day meeting of city officials in the state capitol will consist of a series of briefing sessions to provide you with tools to improve your advocacy for city issues. Additionally, you will have the opportunity during this time to meet with your Legislators to discuss your own city's legislative agenda. Mav 23 Dinner Honorina State Leaislators In conjunction with these meetings, the Legislative Task Force has arranged a dinner to honor our legislators on May 23 at 6:00 p.m. in Old Sacramento. We encourage all who are attending the conference to be there. Please RSVP by May 16 to Debbie Adams in the city of Rancho Cucamonga at ((909) 477-2700, ex!. 2005. The cost is $50 per person. Leaislative Action Alerts The Legislative Task Force has adopted positions on three bills. Please encourage your city to send letters relative to the Division's positions immediately. The positions taken are as follows: . Support AB 227 (Longville) Transportation Funding Action Taken: Letter to Appropriations Committee Action Reauested: Send letters of SUPPORT to the Assembly Appropriations Committee . Oppose SB 910 (Dunn) Housing Elements Action Taken: Letter to Senator Dunn Action Reauested: Send letters of OPPOSITION to the Senate Transportation Committee . Support AB 745 (Cox) State-Mandated Local Programs Action Taken: None at this time. Action Reauested: None at this time. Fiscal Reform Initiative Based on extensive voter research, the League Fiscal Reform Initiative Steering Committee recommended to the Board that an initiative for fiscal reform focus on: reform of the unfunded mandate reimbursement process, protection of existing local revenue sources and accountability by local governments for expenditure of public funds. The Committee also recommended working with legislators to develop a legislative proposal that will accomplish the same objective. Enerav Task Force The Energy Task Force made several recommendations to the Board, including: retaid a special consultant to monitor the activities of the PUC, retain a special consultant to analyst the energy crisis and proposed legislative and regulatory alternatives, take a position on energy rate issues. Next Meetina The Task Force will meet again on June 28, 2001. If you require additional information, would like to include any items on the next agenda, or have questions about legislation, please contact Lee Ann Garcia, Chairperson, at (909) 783-0922 or Binti Harvey, League Staff, at (626) 305- 1315. ~3<D J.~=--- Why is Addressing Traffic Congestion Important to Our Quality of Life? What is the Two- County Corridor Transportation Study? Transportation agencies in Riverside and San Bernardino counties launched a study to address traffic problems. Specifically the study will focus on improving mobility between Highway 60 and Interstate 10. So far, the study has: · Defined the issues to be addressed . Developed transportation improvement options . Identified possible benefits and impacts on people and surrounding communities According to recent estimates, the Inland Empire's population is expected to reach nearly 3 million by 2020. This means people are moving to the region at a phenomenal rate. With this growth comes increased traffic congestion, and that's a problem for all of us. Why is This a Problem? Our current transpor- tation system is over- loaded. There aren't enough roads and freeways to handle more traffic in the / future, and transit options (bus & rail) don't serve the entire region. If we don't take action now, additional traffic will result in more congestion, longer commutes, higher stress, additional safety risks and less time at home. Predicting the Future Traffic congestion means lost time, missed opportunities and enormous frustration. Let's assume that in 20 years, traffic congestion in our region more than doubles. Our research shows how bad traffic will be under these conditions. The results are alarming: . Highway 60/1-215 in Box Springs-a 60% increase to about 300,000 cars per day . I-lOin the Loma Linda area-a 50-60% increase to about 260,000 cars per day · Highway 60 in Moreno Va I ley-a 60% increase to about 180,000 cars per day 1 o p ........AW. t The Options Both highway and transit options are being considered. The map above shows the alternatives numbered and colored to correspond to the chart on the right. Roadways are called either "arterial" or "limited access parkway." An arterial means that other roadways would intersect it, often with a traffic signaL To the extent possible, private driveways would be directed to side streets, rather than directly onto the arterial itself. A limited access parkway means that roadways would have freeway-type interchanges at the major crossings. In some cases, an arterial and a parkway might be combined. Both the arterial and parkway options would be designed to blend into the rural environment. Results of the Initial Evaluation of Options An initial evaluation has been conducted of the possible options. The results are summarized in the chart, so that you can compare one option to another. Each person will have slightly different views on what aspects are most important: mobility, environmental impacts, or community impacts. The chart provides a sense of the pros and cons of the various options. This information, in combination with your input, is being used to guide decisions on which solutions should be studied more and which options should be eliminated. You can use this information to help form your own opinions. Improves safety on limited impact Reche Canyon Rd. and reduces congestion at Washington St. . Provides limited relief to 1-21 S. Would reduce , traffic on Reche Cyn. Rd. and provide direct connection to ~~:n~~~a~~;~:S~ ~~~.', ~:h~~~t~~~i~.~ ~:;f!igh;i~r:~il":~if~~i~~lct;; con.nee!. Vi!t1t;new ah~mef1t\O.;,,;V ; :. and pro~ldes dlr ", .. ~.pf ',',"';' ,Ca~Yon..l{~.~, " ~~~~~~t'~~~~a~~t6i_I~rn; . . connection to 1-10. :Ra, .~~:n " 'C~hf:ma$;: to six-lane parkway"., ",' , " . . . OJ', Expand Omnitrans and RTA service Makes north-south No impact in No impact in addition between Moreno Valley and San transit travel easier, addition to the to the roadway impacts Bernardino Co. via one or more of the but dependent on roadway impacts defined above. new roadways. improved roadways. defined above. Expand existing express bus service Makes north-south No impact in between Riverside and San Bernardino transit travel easier, addition to the to include additional origins and but dependent on roadway impacts destinations. improved roadways. defined above. 8. Expand Expand Metrolink service from San Unlikely to serve No impact _ Metrolink service Bernardino to Moreno Valley and/or many short distance service added to Redlands. trips. on existing rail facilities. Alternative Number and Name 1.1-215 to California 5t. 2. Pigeon Pass Rd. to Reche Canyon Rd. 3. Reche Canyon Rd. 4. Pigeon Pass Rd. to California SI. 5. Moreno Beach Dr. io Rechf - Canyon Rd. to'. California 51. 6. Expand local bus service on new roadways 7. Expand express bus service Description Construct a new limited access parkway from 1-215/SR-60 junction northward along Morton Rd. and under Box Springs Mountain via a tunnel. Connect across Reche Canyon Rd. to California 5t. at 1-10. Extend Pigeon Pass Rd. as a four-lane arterial to the east of the Riverside County landfill and connect on a new alignment to Reche Canyon Rd. Widen Reche Canyon Rd. to a four- lane arterial and connect opposite Hunts lane in Colton. Widen Reche Vista Dr. and Reche Canyon Rd. to a four-lane arterial, and connect opposite Hunts lane in Colton. Extend Pigeon Pass Rd: as a four-lane arterial to Reche Canyon Rd. and' continue as a four-lane to six-lane parkway to California Street. Transportation Benefits or Issues Impact on Environment Greatest traffic relief to 1-215. Reduces traffic on Reche Canyon Rd. High imFact on potentia reserve area east of Reche Canyon Rd. Improves safety on Reche Canyon Rd. and reduces congestion at Washington St. Limited impact o High impact on , potential reserve , area east of . Reche Canyon Rd. Community Impact (impact on homes and businesses) Concerns over additional traffic in Reche Canyon. Impacts to some of the businesses along California St. Community concerns that widening will bri ng increased traffic through area. Community concerns that widening will bring increased traffic through area. Concerns alpng Pigeon Pass over ;ldditional. . ,traffic. Impatllo 'some . of the businessentong California Street. , . Engineering Feasibility Most difficult option from an engineering perspective. It will have high construction and operating cost. Difficult engineering on connection from Pigeon Pass to Reche Canyon Rd. Need to accommooate private driveway. access along Reche Canyon Rd. Difficult to widen Reche Vista at top of hill. Need to accommooate private driveway access along Reche Canyon Rd. Difficult. ~ngln,eeri,~g9'1'./ connectlljO frOm,.f1jgeon": Pass to R~ Canyo~.~(!;, and from ~eche (;an Y . Rd. to Californiian 1-10. ,.,;X;~:tj!i/ No impact in addition to the roadway impacts defined above. Little impact. Only slight increase in noise. Roadway upgrades would need to be adequate for buses to climb hills. Roadway upgrades would need to be adequate for buses to climb hills. No issues. Who's Behind the Two-County Corridor Study? This effort is being sponsored by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, the Riverside County Transportation Commission, Southern California Association of Governments and San Bernardino Associated Governments. You can get more information by calling San Bernardino Associated Governments at 909-884-8276 or the Riverside County Transportation Commission at 909-787-7141. You can also obtain additional information by visiting the Riverside County Integrated Project web site at www.rcip.orgorcalling RClP staff at 1-800-735-RCIP (7247). ~~V> ~~o. 2001 ~ February G':I tne sW !S notle l,!UCtiOn ,'\,\anne fo! COnS afet':l. "",i\\ a\~O""'it\W!O'ie ~ eS anG tnat ""'\\\ wwute t\~ "",ni\e teGuce CO n"estion :" nwent . "eco '" :<I\tO .<" . te\ie'. tne en lS':i \\,e. Otect\ng . "coun nt ~,\n", ranG tltese' ' Give Us Your Thoughts Several highway and transit options are being con-, sidered to solve the region's traffic problems, and we want to make sure you are involved in the process. Because you live in the region and drive these roads everyday, we want you to help us choose trans- portation options that make the most sense. Your comments now will help narrow the options for further review in June 2001. These options will be presented to the public in spring 2002, and your input then will help guide final decisions. 4,~ ..11 iversldeCo"nty ransportation Commtsstoll Governments SAN BAG Working Together Together W., .c.n Find Solutions That Work