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TRANSIT AGENCY/TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION - Interim Public Works Director Tom Provine & Deputy Director Jessica Riske-Gomez
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Requested Action(s)
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a) AGREEMENT - Request approval and authorization for the Interim Public Works Director to sign the Intergovernmental Agreement between the County of Tehama and the City of Red Bluff, for the purpose of leasing the Rio & Walnut Red Bluff Transit Transfer Center, and further authorize the Interim Director of Public Works to sign any related documents for a maximum amount not to exceed $1.00 per fiscal year, effective 6/30/26 and shall terminate 12/31/30
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Financial Impact:
The nominal charge of $1.00 per fiscal year will be paid from account 527-3034-57500.
Background Information:
The Rio & Walnut Transit Center project is a reinvestment in the existing public transit facility located at 735 Rio Street in Red Bluff, adjacent to the southwest intersection of Rio and Walnut, near downtown Red Bluff and the historic Chinatown area. The facility is owned by the City of Red Bluff and is proposed to be leased to the County for continued transit use, operation, maintenance, and future transit-related improvements.
The lease includes the transit facility, grounds, buildings, parking areas, landscaping, and associated infrastructure. Under the Agreement, the County may make improvements reasonably necessary to support the established transit terminal, including improvements to restrooms, parking, sidewalks, landscaping, and related site features. The lease term commences on 6/30/26 and runs through December 31, 2030, at a nominal annual rent of $1.00.
This project is best understood as an improvement and modernization effort for an existing transit hub, rather than a new stand-alone development. The purpose is to maintain and enhance a facility that already serves transit riders and the broader public, while positioning it to better meet current and future transit needs. Historic records in the project files reflect that the original Bus & Ride facility was itself developed as a transportation improvement project and accepted by the City in 2003, demonstrating the long-standing transit purpose of the site.
Because of its location and function, the Rio & Walnut Transit Center serves as a logical intermodal transportation facility for Red Bluff and the surrounding region. The site is intended to accommodate and connect multiple transit services, including TRAX, Amtrak, RABA, and the new North State intercity bus route, providing a centralized point where local and regional services can meet and where passengers can transfer between modes. In that respect, the facility is more than a traditional bus stop or transfer point; it is intended to function as a coordinated mobility hub and regional gateway into the community.
The long-term vision for the site is to improve its usefulness not only for transit operations, but also as a visible and welcoming point of arrival into downtown Red Bluff. Planned improvements are intended to support the facility’s role as a public-facing gateway and to help attract travelers from the Interstate 5 corridor into downtown, where they can access local businesses, services, community destinations, and public amenities. The project is therefore both a transit investment and a downtown access strategy, designed to better connect regional movement with local economic activity.
The project is also being developed with future-oriented infrastructure in mind. Planned site improvements include the installation of charging infrastructure, which will help prepare the facility for evolving transit technology and support long-term transit modernization. That forward-looking approach is consistent with the project’s identified funding structure, which reflects a capital investment in transit infrastructure and site functionality.
Project funding is derived from dedicated transit and transportation sources, not from unrestricted local general-purpose revenues. The funding summary identifies a total programmed amount of $5,381,583, consisting of the following sources:
• State Transit Assistance (STA)
• State of Good Repair (SGR)
• Carbon Reduction Program (CRP)
• Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC)
• Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program / Zero Emission Transit Capital Program (TIRCP/ZETCP)
These funds are programmed specifically to Project Engineering (PE) and Construction (CON) phases of the transit center project, which shows they are restricted for eligible transportation and transit capital purposes. They are not general local discretionary funds. Facility upgrades are to be managed through the Transportation Commission using State of Good Repair and State Transit Assistance funding, consistent with the project’s transit-only purpose.
Because the facility improvements are tied to transit funding, the Agreement also includes state and federal transit-related compliance provisions, including Federal Transit Administration-related clauses, Caltrans-connected requirements, prevailing wage compliance language where applicable, and other transportation contract requirements. This further supports describing the project as a transit-funded capital effort rather than a locally funded general-purpose project.
The project also has an important community and cultural context. Because the transit center is located near Red Bluff’s historic Chinatown area, project development has included an emphasis on historic preservation, community outreach, and sensitivity to cultural resources and neighborhood impacts. Correspondence in the record reflects a commitment to engage community members and descendants, conduct environmental review, evaluate traffic, light, and noise impacts, and consider how the design may support important community events such as the annual Chinese New Year celebration. Project Outreach has also emphasized that the existing footprint of the hub is anticipated to remain the project site while design development continues.
This community context is significant because the project is not simply about moving buses; it is about improving a public transportation facility in a location with deep cultural and historical importance. As reflected in the correspondence, the project has been discussed as an opportunity to enhance transit service while also respecting and preserving the unique Chinese American history of the surrounding area, supporting multifunctional public space, and minimizing disruption to neighborhood character and community activities.
In summary, the proposed Lease Agreement supports continued public transit use of a City-owned facility and allows the County to maintain and improve the Rio & Walnut Transit Center using restricted transit funding sources. The project represents a transit-focused capital investment intended to improve rider amenities, access, safety, site functionality, and long-term multimodal connectivity, while also strengthening the facility’s role as an intermodal gateway to Red Bluff, preparing the site for future charging infrastructure, and helping draw activity from the regional transportation network into the downtown core. At the same time, project development has recognized the need to balance transportation improvements with historic preservation, community participation, and respect for the surrounding Chinatown setting.