County adjusts spending plans for 3 major road projects
This year’s annual amendments to the county’s TransNet local street and road program will adjust funding for three Ramona road projects.
A 5-0 San Diego County Board of Supervisors vote approved changes that include the Ramona Street extension, the Dye Road extension and the widening and realignment of San Vicente Road. Although the total amounts allocated for each of those projects are unchanged, the funding during specific fiscal years was adjusted.
The TransNet half-cent sales tax was approved by the county’s voters in November 1987, and a 40-year extension of the original 20-year program was approved in November 2004. The San Diego Association of Governments (Sandag) administers the TransNet program, and, while local jurisdictions have discretion over their share of the one-third of the revenue for local streets and roads, the jurisdictions submit a program of projects to SANDAG.
Periodic amendments cover changing requirements and increased construction and right-of-way acquisition costs. The money anticipated to be spent for fiscal years 2010-11 through 2012-13 is in future year dollars rather than in 2009 dollars.
The Ramona Street extension work will provide a paved road connection on Ramona Street between Warnock Drive and Boundary Avenue and will include two travel lanes, turn lanes, bike lanes and pathways. The previous funding plan for the $2.8 million designated $441,490 for the project in FY 2008-09 and nearly $2.4 million in 2009-10. The new plan acknowledges $253,568 in 2008-09 spending and programs $2.3 million in 2009-10 and $275,000 for 2010-11.
The $2.2 million budgeted for the Dye Road extension between Ramona Street and San Vicente Road had included $413,760 of 2008-09 spending, $962,000 during 2009-10, and $845,000 in 2010-11. The amendment leaves the 2010-11 amount unchanged while reflecting $397,372 in 2008-09 and anticipating $978,388 in 2009-10.
Phase I of the San Vicente Road work will widen the road and realign short horizontal curves from the intersection of San Vicente Road and Warnock Drive to one mile south of the intersection of San Vicente Road and Warnock Drive. Phase II of the San Vicente Road project covers 5,000 feet south of Warnock Drive to Wildcat Canyon Road.
Each phase of San Vicente Road widening will include intermittent turn lanes and bicycle lanes on each side. The $23.5 million budgeted includes a larger than normal contingency amount due to the rocky terrain. Prior to the changes, the spending plan called for $1 million in 2008-09, $660,000 in 2009-10, $1.36 million in 2010-11, $11.1 million in 2011-12, and $9.2 million for 2012-13. Actual 2008-09 expenditures were $567,754. The new plan anticipates spending of $1.1 million in 2009-10, $1.36 million 2010-11, $10 million in 2011-12, and $10.3 million in 2012-13.