Petitioning for Trasportation Funds Page 2

SAN JUAN ROAD / HWY 101 INTERCHANGE HEARING (Continued from page 1)

Safety on Highway 101 is the primary concern behind plans for a new interchange near the intersection of San Juan Road and Highway 101. With over 85 accidents occurring at this intersection over the past five years (one fatal) plans for this intersection will make entering and exiting the highway safer and congestion free. The project has progressed to the point that preliminary engineering is complete and the draft environmental document (Mitigated Negative Declaration / Environmental Assessment) was targeted for release for public review and comment on January 15, 2009.

TRANSIT FUNDING NEEDED

The Transportation Agency Board approved the allocation of $1,660,304 in State Transit Assistance funds for MST RIDES operations through June of 2009 in order to

In This Issue :

EPA Decision Breath of Fresh Air

Sex Discrimination in Health Insurance

Innovation! - Key to Economic Recovery

Saving School Lunch Programs

maintain existing services. The Agency also supported a Proposition 1b capital transit bond application by the City of Soledad for a bus replacement up to $100,000. Other Proposition 1b recommendations this year are $80,000 for a City of Greenfield replacement bus and $1.8 million for MST’s bus replacement loan payoff. The Agency will reserve State Transit Assistance funds equal to the Soledad and Greenfield bus costs until the applicants receive bond funds.

Also, due to the Governor’s proposal to permanently eliminate the State Transit Assistance program beginning in the 2009-10 fiscal year the Transportation Agency Board of Directors approved a short-term, zero-interest loan to Monterey-Salinas Transit to reduce their long term debt payment costs and preserve funding for public

transit operations. This action is part of a package of measures intended to mitigate the impact of the State Transit Assistance cuts.

MONTEREY-SALINAS TRANSIT TO RECEIVE LOCAL TRANSPORTION FUNDS

The Transportation Agency awarded Monterey Salinas Transit $74,387 in Local Transportation Funds to maintain operation of the Line 23 Express (Line 23x) service between King City and Salinas, which has been funded to date through private contributions and federal transit grants for rural intercity services. Beginning in February 2009, Monterey Salinas Transit will no longer receive the federal grant funds budgeted for this service due to recent changes to federal grant eligibility criteria.

TRANSPORTATION AGENCY AWARDS
TRANSPORTATION FUNDS TO CITY OF SEASIDE

The Transportation Agency awarded $284,487 in Regional Surface Transportation Program funds to the City of Seaside for Pavement Management System Implementation and to reallocate $60,000 of fair share funds to the Fremont/Trinity Lighted Crosswalk project.

The types of transportation projects that are eligible for Regional Surface Transportation Program funding include local street and roadway rehabilitation, local match for federal transportation funds, bike lanes, pedestrian facilities, public transit capital, and signal coordination. The Transportation Agency distributes the “fair share” component to the cities and County based on population and is available at the discretion of the local jurisdiction for transportation projects.

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