All items on the consent agenda are considered to be routine and non-controversial by COG staff and will be approved by one motion if no member of the Committee or public wishes to comment or ask questions.  If comment or discussion is desired by anyone, the item will be removed from the consent agenda and will be considered in the listed sequence with an opportunity for any member of the public to address the Committee concerning the item before action is taken.

Summary: Below is an update on each of active circuit planning and engineering projects.  Please note that activities that are completed, considered inactive, currently on the wait list, or placed on hold by their respective agency, are not included below.

Planning-related projects include:

1.  City of Fowler – Golden State Realignment Study Phase 2. Identifying potential funding sources and other resources for longer term actions needed in the Phase 2 Golden State Boulevard Realignment and Design Study. A draft funding matrix has been sent to the City for review and comment.

2.  City of Orange Cove – Identifying potential funding sources for bicycle and pedestrian projects. A draft funding matrix has been sent to the City for review and comment.

3.  City of Huron – Identifying potential funding sources for bicycle and pedestrian projects. Coordinating a kick-off meeting.

4.  City of Reedley – Updating the Bicycle Master Plan based on the Regional Active Transportation Plan. Coordinating a kick-off meeting.

Engineering-related projects include:

1.  City of Sanger – Perform traffic safety analysis for the Bethel Avenue and 5^th Street intersection. The Circuit Engineer is drafting the findings report for the City's review and comment during the second week of March.

2.  City of Firebaugh – Identifying potential funding sources for sidewalk projects after a kick-off meeting. The Circuit Engineer is developing the scope and a draft funding matrix.

Staff can detail the status of individual projects, as requested.  Please contact Meg Prince at (559) 233-4148 Ext. 203 or via email at mprince@fresnocog.org with any questions, comments or concerns.

Action: Information only. The Committee may provide additional direction at its discretion.

Summary:  A just-released study on the economic impacts of California's Senate Bill 1 identifies a minimum of $182.6 billion in potential increased economic activity over the next decade.

The study, underwritten by the California Alliance for Jobs, California Transit Association and Transportation California, also finds a potential for 68,203 new jobs each year, owing to the legislation's revenue infusion. Produced by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, the report finds that user benefits alone -- from decreased congestion, less money spent on vehicle repairs and safer infrastructure -- will save Californians $38.2 billion over 10 years. The full study can be accessed at https://www.artba.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/ARTBA_California_Report_Feb_2018.pdf.

Action:  Information only.  The Committee may provide additional direction at its discretion.

Summary:  Fresno COG received four responses to its request for outreach proposals to promote Measure C's Ag Worker Vanpool Program by the Feburary 5 deadline. Staff recommends funding three of the four at $25,000 each.

Staff released its request for proposals (RFP) from community-based organizations and others to implement diverse and extensive grassroots outreach to people who may qualify for subsidies under Measure C's Ag Worker Vanpool (AVP) program. The goal is to double annual participation and ridership from an average of 50 vanpools to more than 100.

Approximately 0.6 percent of Measure C funds are applied to AVP (formerly known as the Farmworker Vanpool Program), as subsidies to help farm laborers pay for their transportation to job sites when they ride in an approved vanpool. Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis until exhausted. All participating groups are required to use an authorized vanpool provider or form an employer-sponsored vanpool. Owner-operator vanpools are not eligible.

Measure “C” funds subsidize ag worker vanpools that originate within Fresno County. These funds are designed to spark new vanpools. A weekly lease subsidy pays $30 for each day of operation (not to exceed $150 in one week) for up to one year. This subsidy may be renewed on an annual basis.

The scoring committee unanimously agreed to award the following agencies $25,000 each. Participation goals were set by applicants:

• Binational Center for the Development of Oxacan Indigenous Communities (CBDIO) - Proposed reaching 1,400 individuals to form 10 new qualified vanpools. CBDIO will conduct a combination of community events and workshops in addition to a door to door community outreach to promote the Measure C AgWorker Vanpool program.  Radio spots will also be aired with Univision and Radio Bilingue's La Hora Mixteca program.  CBDIO's outreach is unique, focusing on indiginous Oaxacan agriculture communities.

• Office of Community and Economic Development- Fresno State (OCED) - Proposed reaching 20,000 individuals to form 25 new, qualified vanpools. OCED will conduct a combination of community events and workshops in addition to door-to-door community outreach. OCED will also use radio, television and social media. Ag labor communities, contractors and worksites will be contacted to promote the program.  

• California Vanpool Authority (CalVans) - Proposed reaching 2,000 individuals to form 75-100 new qualified vanpools. Calvans will conduct a combination of community events and workshops. Calvans operates 66 ag worker vanpools in Fresno County, regularly holds events and conducts activities to encourage workers already using the program and to engage others who may be interested. 

Outreach will begin April 2018 and run through the end of the year.

Action:  Fresno COG staff requests the PAC recommend that the Board of Directors authorize the Executive Director  to sign $25,000 contracts for the three community-based organizations above for public outreach services promoting Measure C's Agricultural Vanpool program.

Summary:  Plans are being prepared to rehabilitate portions of the Golden State Boulevard Corridor. The project limits span from the intersection of Mission and Simpson Street in the City of Kingsburg to 500 feet south of the intersection of American Avenue and Golden State Boulevard in the City of Fowler.  

Proposed improvements will be constructed within the City of Kingsburg, City of Selma, City of Fowler and County of Fresno.  The proposed scope of work includes pavement rehabilitation, striping improvements, intersection signalization at certain intersections, signal modifications for existing signalized intersections and roadway realignment of Stroud Avenue in the City of Kingsburg.  

Mark Thomas Engineering has completed the 30 percent design specifications for Golden State and is proceeding with the 60 percent design.  Because the Golden State Corridor runs parallel to the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), all intersections associated with the project cross the railroad. Accordingly, UPRR must approve the specifications at all intersections in the design, right of way and construction to coordinate signalization and ensure railroad safety features.  

Mark Thomas Engineering is working to schedule a field review with the railroad, however, UPRR is unwilling to participate until it has assurances it will be reimbursed for any cost incurred for collaborating in the project’s preliminary engineering and other activities. The initial request was for $650,000; however, Mark Thomas has negotiated the initial commitment down to $350,000. After the scoping meeting and UPRR has reviewed the 30 percent design specification, it will provide a more refined estimate for preliminary engineering costs. The railroad will require Fresno COG or Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) to enter into separate license, right-of-entry, construction and maintenance agreements associated with the project as it is approved and proceeds toward construction. Fresno COG and FCTA will amend the cooperative agreement when appropriate to cover these costs and make appropriate changes to the Expenditure Plan.

Action:  Staff requests the TTC/PAC recommend that the Board authorize the Executive Director to sign a Letter of Commitment to UPRR for preliminary engineering.

Summary:  Over the last several years, Fresno COG and the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) in consultation with Caltrans and member agencies, have been examining different short- and long-term strategies to clean up litter found along the region’s freeways, highways and major arterials. To that end, a draft Measure C-funded Litter Abatement Program (see attached memo) has been developed for consideration by both boards. At a February 14, 2018 meeting, FCTA Executive Director Mike Leonardo presented to the Board the conceptual framework (see attached memo) for consideration and direction. The FCTA Board supported the litter cleanup strategies identified and authorized Mr. Leonardo to begin working with Fresno COG to develop a Measure C Litter Abatement Program that could ultimately be adopted and implemented by Fresno COG and FCTA.

Given that the Measure C Expenditure Plan approved by voters in 2006 did not include funding for a regional Litter Abatement Program (LAP) , the first step in that process is to formally amend the 2006 Measure C Extension Expenditure Plan to set aside funding from the Regional Program. In addition, the LAP would also include a modification to the eligibility criteria for the Measure's Local Transportation Flexible Program that flows directly to local jurisdictions to include litter abatement as an allowable use.  This would make Local Flexible funding eligible to meet the “local match” requirement of the newly created LAP.

To recap, Measure C Amendment No. 5 has two components:

1.  A modification to eligibility criteria for the Measure C Local Transportation Flexible Program to include litter abatement as an allowable use.

2.  Allows for formation of a two-year demonstration Measure C Litter Abatement Program that requires a partnership among Fresno County Transportation Authority, Caltrans District 06 and interested local member agencies. 

The two-year demonstration Measure C LAP is founded on the principle that litter is a “community problem,” and therefore a variety of funding sources (state/regional/local) should be applied to address the situation.  To maximize the Caltrans match, the LAP program would be limited to state highways only. With that in mind, the two-year LAP program would look as follows:  

LAP funding would be available to any eligible agency within Fresno County. If requests for LAP funding exceed the $125,000 annually, a competitive program could be established, or the available LAP funds could be distributed on a formula basis using similar population and road mileage percentages as used for distribution of the Measure “C” Local Transportation Program funds. Any unused LAP funds would roll forward to the next cycle of funding availability. The source of the LAP funding would come from the Measure C Regional Transportation Program, with the nexus for utilizing these funds based on the premise that the accumulation of litter is an additional maintenance by-product for our region’s freeway/expressway/highway system expansion that was funded primarily by Measure C revenues.   

As discussed in greater detail in the attached memo, the LAP is a short-term solution to the ongoing litter problem on our freeways and highways. With this in mind, Fresno COG and the FCTA are continuing to look for longer-term solutions. These include forming a state-authorized countywide Service Authority Freeways and Expressways (SAFE) that would be funded from an additional $1 vehicle registration fee on all registered vehicles in Fresno County or  pending state legislation (AB 1395) that requires Caltrans to develop a statewide litter clean-up program. Fresno COG and FCTA staff will keep both Boards informed of any developments that may occur with these two potential strategies as we move forward.

Action:  Fresno COG staff requests the TTC/PAC recommend that the Board approve Amendment No. 5 to the 2006 Measure C Extension Expenditure Plan, creating the Litter Abatement Program (LAP) by adopting Resolution No. 2018-06.

Summary: Due to the timing issues, the California Air Resources Board has decided that greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets of 5 percent by 2020 and 10 percent by 2035 will apply to the 2018 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)/Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS). The 5 and 10 percent targets were established in 2010 and applied in the 2014 RTP/SCS. ARB has proposed a 6 percent reduction for 2020 and 13 percent for 2035 as the Fresno region's new targets for the 2022 RTP/SCS, and will vote on that proposal March 22.

Because of the late target change, ARB has requested that the Valley MPOs apply an adjustment methodology in the 2018 RTP/SCS to account for the difference between the Emission Factors (EMFAC) model's two versions (2011 vs. 2014). The new methodology has led to a difference in the GHG reduction achievement for the scenarios proposed for the 2018 RTP/SCS from what was presented to the public and the COG Committees in October-November 2017.

The adjustment methodology has been applied proportionally across all scenarios. No changes have been made to the scenarios themselves. The following table shows the GHG-reduction performance for the four scenarios using the adjustment methodology and the GHG-reduction performance presented to the public and COG committees in October/November 2017. 

2035 GHG Reduction

Fresno COG's Policy Board selected Scenario D as the preferred SCS scenario in November 2017.

ARB is expected to provide a letter in mid-March to explain why the adjustment methodology is requested for the 2018 RTP/SCS. The letter can be made available by contacting COG staff.

Action: Information only. The Committee may provide additional direction at its discretion.

This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the Committee on items within its jurisdiction but not on this agenda.  Note:  Prior to action by the Committee on any item on this agenda, the public may comment on that item.  Unscheduled comments may be limited to 3 minutes.

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Caltrans Report (CALTRANS) [INFORMATION]