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Corridor Study and Gap Closure Project Update
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Corridor Study and Gap Closure Project Update
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Requested Action(s)
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Informational presentation regarding the Corridor Study and Gap Closure Project.
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Financial Impact:
Click here to enter Financial Impact.
Background Information:
The State Route 99W Corridor Planning and Preliminary Design Study is currently underway, with coordination through the Stakeholder Working Group (County of Tehama, TCTC, City of Corning, Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, and Caltrans District 2).
The study will comprehensively define multimodal needs across the corridor, including automobile, freight, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian travel. It will evaluate existing and future safety concerns, operational performance, and access to key community and tribal facilities. In addition, the study will determine whether the corridor qualifies as a 2R (resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation) or 3R (reconstruction) project under Caltrans standards, providing the technical foundation for environmental clearance, design, and future funding applications.
While it may seem expedient to move forward with the Gap Closure project alone, "pumping the brakes" and taking the time to scope the full State Route 99W Corridor ensures a more strategic outcome.
By completing the corridor study first, we can identify whether the roadway qualifies as a 2R or 3R facility, incorporate Complete Streets principles, and account for tribal access, local development, and goods movement needs. This broader approach positions the County and its partners to pursue larger-scale funding opportunities and deliver improvements that not only address safety and pavement condition but also advance the economic development goals of all stakeholders, including increased access to tribal facilities, support for local businesses in Corning, and improved freight reliability for the agricultural sector.
In short, scoping the full corridor now will allow us to maximize investment, avoid duplicative environmental processes, and deliver a coordinated set of improvements with long-term regional economic benefits.
Progress:
* The County and TCTC have confirmed that all environmental work will be deferred until after the corridor study is complete. This ensures a unified environmental clearance process and avoids conflicts with overlapping STIP project footprints.
* Interim maintenance measures are in development: pothole patching this FY, followed by a strategic overlay in the next FY.
* Staff and stakeholders are reviewing an alternative option to focus current STIP resources on the Liberal Avenue/99W intersection project in coordination with the Tribe, to allow progress while maintaining consistency with the study outcomes.
New Developments:
* Staff has identified an opportunity to seek additional funding under the FY 2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program for the second phase of corridor project funding.
* A meeting was held with the Economic Development Representative from the U.S. Department of Commerce - Economic Development Administration (EDA). The EDA Community Programs Director expressed strong support and has offered assistance in developing the application, noting that the project is a strong candidate.
* To ensure funding continuity, staff will also apply TCTC's additional Planning, Programming, and Monitoring (PPM) allocation to this project in this cycle. If the Disaster Supplemental Grant is successful, PPM funds will instead be used to support staff time for project oversight and grant administration.
Approximated budget for an unphased study:
* 2024 PPM: $310,000
* 2026 PPM: $405,700
* EDA Request: $500,000 (pending scope and cost estimate)
Approximately: $1,215,700
Next Steps:
1. Continue technical work on the corridor study and 2R/3R analysis with the Stakeholder Working Group.
2. Finalize the grant application with EDA support and submit by program deadline in December.
3. Apply TCTC's PPM allocation as a secondary funding strategy.
4. Coordinate with the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to formally pause the Gap Closure STIP project while the study and ENV are underway.
5. Provide an update to TAC following the September 9th Stakeholder Working Group meeting.