Jackson - The Amador County Transportation Commission on Tuesday discussed a “reprioritization” of Caltrans resources and the potential impact this will have on projects throughout the county. According to ACTC Director Charles Field, “Caltrans District 10 Environmental staff will need to limit its work on local grant projects while they work to environmentally clear higher priority (federal stimulus) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects.” In addition, Field advised that the new State budget may eliminate funds that allow Caltrans to work on locally sponsored State Highway projects. Field said local grant projects that could be harmed by the proposed reprioritization are the Amador City bridge replacement, Court Street and Highway 88 intersection improvements, the Prospect Drive realignment, turnouts on various county roads and the Highway 49/Main Street intersection in Plymouth. Commenting on the latter, Plymouth Mayor Jon Colburn told TSPN that Caltrans was supporting a proposed roundabout for the intersection that could potentially improve traffic safety. An ACTC traffic specialist has been showing scale models of the roundabout at the last two farmer’s markets in Plymouth. ACTC local project manager Matt Griggs of Dokken Engineering said the Plymouth intersection and Prospect Drive realignment should not be seriously impacted by the reprioritization. Field said Caltrans was also instructed they would have to reimburse the State for Caltrans work on all future Project Initiation Documents. “Many agencies throughout the State expressed immediate concern because this policy would be considered a step backward in the State’s efforts to partner with local agencies to fund highway projects,” said Field. This could have potentially serious impacts on the Prospect Drive project as well as other fair share funded projects. ACTC staff was advised in late July that the State did not include this funding cut in the adopted State budget and funding was included to allow Caltrans to “continue preparing Project Initiation Documents without requiring local governments to reimburse the cost for these services.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.