CTC Refuses Tri-County’s Request For Funds To Cover Cost Overruns On Angels Camp Bypass

Tuesday, 27 February 2007 02:52

CTC Refuses Tri-County’s Request For Funds To Cover Cost Overruns On Angels Camp Bypass

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The California Transportation Commission announced yesterday that it will not fulfill Amador, Calaveras and Alpine Counties funding request from Corridor Mobility Improvement Account to help cover cost overruns on the Angels Camp Bypass, thus leaving the Tri-Counties Alliance on their own in finding a solution to cover the $12.8 million of cost overruns on the project. Amador County Transportation Commission Executive Director Charles Field said that the alliance had indications last week that that the request would be turned down by the California Transportation Commission. “We saw the writing on wall the week the before CTC meeting…(which was held) Tuesday February 20th,” said Field. The CTC’s recommendations, which were released yesterday, include projects already rejected by voters on a ballot, such as the Willet’s Bypass, Sonora Extension, and Brawley Bypass, all of which apparently were not what the voters requested, and yet they remain in the CTC’s recommendations. Field said the rural projects range in the 1,2,3, and 4 hundred million dollar cost range. For instance the Willets Bypass is a whopping 300 million dollars. Fortunately, Field revealed that the Tri-County’s have had a Plan B all along just in case their CMIA funding request was not granted by the California Transportation Commission. Field said the Tri-County’s have agreed to ask Cal-Trans to help fund the cost overruns.

He indicated that Alpine, Amador, and Calaveras’ cost will be similar to what was previously developed in the Cal Trans Cost sharing approach, however that approach did include the granting of the CMIA funding request of $4.4 million dollars, therefore, somebody has got to cover the cost gap. Field said they are proposing that the Tri-County’s pay $5.192 million and that Cal Trans pay $7.648 million adding up to a total of $12.84 million dollars. “So, we are roughly splitting it,” said Field. Additionally Cal Trans share would include another one million dollars to bring the old Hwy. 49 up to standard before it is turned over.

Again Sutter Ione Road is left out of the funding mix, as Supervisor Forster requested that the County pursue funding to repair the road which was badly damaged during the construction of the Hwy. 49 bypass. The County still has said that they might pursue a claim for damages against the state. In the meantime Field said that Cal Trans District 10 is supporting the proposal however that is only step two of Plan B. “We are half way there. Step one is by getting the County’s together, Cal Trans support is the second step, and the 3rd is getting approval from Cal Trans Head quarters, the 4th step is the CTC’s approval,” Field stated.

The Tri Counties intend to present the proposal to Cal Trans Headquarters “within the next few weeks” and if approval is given, they will appear before the California Transportation Commission on March 15 to get the final say as to whether the cost sharing approach with Cal Trans and the Tri-Counties is a go. Field indicated that if they get Cal Trans Headquarters approval then it is likely the CTC will also approve of the cost sharing approach. He said that normally they would present the proposal in April and the CTC would allocate those monies in June, but “we are going to plead with them because we need to start (the Angels Camp Bypass) this summer,” said Field.

The Tri-County’s hope to have the project out to bid in June, before the rest of the CTC approved projects such as the Willets and Brawley Bypass projects take all the available and qualified contractors. The big question now is: What happens if the California Transportation Commission does not approve the proposal? Charles Field says, “Good question. If they say no to the plan then the Angels Camp Bypass is at risk and we will have to try to find a Plan C; and right now we don’t know what that is.” Field did say however, that “Amador’s commitment to help Calaveras is very real. They helped us fund the Hwy. 49 bypass and now it’s about to open to traffic. Calaveras is worried Alpine and Amador (might) back out on helping them finish the Angels Camp Bypass. I don’t think that is going to happen.”