White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments (2020) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 19-48
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19 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments 2. Jurisdictional Transfer as Right-Sizing 2.1.
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20 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments Representing the Need for Right‐Sizing Background: Relinquishment from the State Highway System in California California's State Highway System (SHS) is defined by Section 300 of the California Streets and Highways Code.
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21 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments Identifying the Need to Right‐Size via Relinquishment From the perspective of matching state resources to statewide objectives, all forms of relinquishment can quality as right-sizing. However, from a broader societal perspective, relinquishment can do more than reduce the lifecycle cost burden carried by the state.
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22 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments In 2012, Caltrans undertook an overall program review effort aimed at being more strategic about how agency resources are used. The review was motivated by declining transportation funding, changes in the role of local transportation partners, and increasing expectations for efficiency and accountability.3 It also occurred within the context of new leadership in the governor's office and related organizational efforts within the agency.
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23 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments risk. If a larger program of funding becomes available, this process could be continued by taking the preliminary list out for vetting with local partners and further refining from there.
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24 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments discussions, comments, and issues. Document context-sensitive solutions efforts and what could and could not be resolved under state ownership of the route.
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25 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments Local development uses planned within the City of Lake Elsinore and its sphere-of influence (SOI) territory includes future business professional zones and additional commercial acreage.
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26 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments highway to a local agency by legislative enactment."8 Nevertheless, while this is the initial premise of any discussions with local partners, Caltrans does at times recognize the value of putting money toward the relinquishment and recognizes that facilities need to be safe and operable when they are turned over. The three options for a relinquishment by legislative enactment are a)
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27 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments preservation activities inside the State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP)
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28 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments between local preferences and development contexts and infrastructure design and operations. While data on traffic volumes, mixes, and origin-destination patterns can offer valuable insight into the appropriateness of relinquishment, qualitative data collection and collaborative discussion with local partners is key to determining the nature of the rightsizing need.
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29 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments programmatic perspective. At the same time, interest in jurisdictional realignment came from within MnDOTs more centralized planning process.
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30 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments Table 3 Key Issues with Misaligned Roads According to MnDOT Misaligned roads may not provide appropriate level of service for users in terms of both capacity and customer expectations, such as safety, ride quality and maintenance Misaligned roads may use the wrong source of funding, which may not contain required funds for improvements. This may result in a lower service level than if the road was properly aligned/owned by the appropriate jurisdiction Misaligned roads may lead to an "impaired" network of roads due to differing jurisdiction priorities (that is, the road conditions may change significantly while traveling and may not meet traveler's expectations)
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31 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments design aspects of the request. This will then trigger thinking at the local level along the lines of, "this would be much easier if this were a local road." In a more general context, there are obvious mismatches between road classification and agency ownership that accumulate on the system over time as the result of changes in the development context and/or network configuration.
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32 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments Figure 8 MnDOT Analysis Tiers for Identifying Probability of Misalignment Source: MnDOT. Minnesota Jurisdictional Realignment Project: Guide to Identifying Misaligned Segments. 2014. Figure 9 Identified Potentially Misaligned Mileage by Ownership Source: MnDOT. Minnesota Jurisdictional Realignment Project: Guide to Identifying Misaligned Segments. 2014 Based on this segmentation, the MnDOT project team then developed a "misalignment register" focused specifically on a subset of the network, with additional refinements and vetting of "Tier 1 segments that are either owned by MnDOT or functionally classified as principal arterials and Tier 2 segments that are owned by MnDOT."17 The total vetted mileage is equal to 6,746 centerline miles, of which 1,181 centerline miles (2,653 lane miles) were ultimately identified as misaligned at the end of the project review process.
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33 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments misaligned segments is finalized, next steps include further engagement regarding the likely benefits of addressing misalignment as well as potential timing and funding. Table 4 Parameters Defined by Mndot for Analyzing Potentially Misaligned Segments Road system continuity preferences: Road begins or ends with another jurisdiction, or the primary purpose is misaligned with the goals of the owning jurisdiction System spacing: The road network is relatively too dense or too sparse in the vicinity for the owning jurisdiction Location: The segment is located within/outside specific boundaries inconsistent with the owning jurisdiction Length of segment/road: Segment is short, with other jurisdiction owning most of the road from the start/end point or intersection Truck traffic volume: Higher truck traffic volume than surrounding roads Site of national, state, or local interest: Site of national, state, or local interest that requires being owned by a particular jurisdiction Road restrictions: Any restrictions for travel on the road that may guide jurisdictional responsibilities Traffic volume: Relative traffic volume is inconsistent with other roads owned by the jurisdiction in the vicinity Intermodal facilities: Segment serves an intermodal facility and is of statewide importance Source: MnDOT. Minnesota Jurisdictional Realignment Project: Guide to Identifying Misaligned Segments. 2014. Process for Establishing Misalignment Criteria and Buy‐in The overall jurisdictional realignment project (that resulted in the process outlined above)
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34 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments Figure 10 High-Level Approach: Minnesota Jurisdictional Realignment Project Source: MnDOT. Minnesota Jurisdictional Realignment Project: Final Report. 2014. http://www.dot.state.mn.us/stateaid/programlibrary/jrp‐final‐report.pdf Implementation Jurisdictional Realignment Funding Although some local agencies are willing to take on ownership of roads "as is," there is typically a cost to implement a jurisdictional realignment ‒ whether in the form of a project delivered by MnDOT or local government, or in the form of a transfer of funds along with road infrastructure to the receiving local government. Funding for these types of improvements is secured in several ways.
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35 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments In addition, jurisdictional realignments can in certain cases be funded through MnDOT's "Investment Opportunity Plan." This plan includes projects that were not achievable through the standard programming process, but that can be opportunistically funded if/when MnDOT releases funding contingencies out of programs/projects at the end of a funding cycle. Finally, there have been cases where MnDOT has a specific project already programmed for a roadway and rather than delivering that project, agrees to transfer the associated funds to the receiving local government who takes over responsibility for improvements (see example below)
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36 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments TRANSFER OF A PORTION OF TH 5 FROM MNDOT TO WASHINGTON COUNTY, MN21 Background. This agreement covers an 8.3-mile section of TH 5, also called Stillwater Boulevard North, northeast of downtown St.
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37 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments recommending reconstruction for a road that does not meet standards, despite average conditions)
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38 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments decision to leave funding off the table until later in the process. This was to ensure a focus on defining shared objectives and criteria that are reflective of the realignment/right-sizing need.
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39 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments study also emerged within a broader context of increased attention paid to LVR because of funding limitations. The LVR study represents an instance of system-wide evaluation of jurisdictional transfer potential.
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40 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments Table 6 Reasons Defined by ADOT for Considering Transfer of a State Highway Segment to a Local or Tribal Government The roadway carries vehicle trips that are mostly local in nature-for shopping, local business, and recreation The roadway function has changed and no longer provides higher-capacity continuity in the State Highway System A new state highway bypasses a city, and the route through the city is no longer needed as part of the State Highway System Highway realignment leaves a remnant portion of a state highway that is useful primarily for local access purposes Having only one government making access management, maintenance, and operations decisions on a roadway might result in greater efficiency, support economic vitality, and improve community responsiveness The local or tribal government wants to have improvements, permit accesses, or maintain the state route in a way that is different from ADOT The highway no longer provides interstate, intrastate, or regional system connectivity Source: ADOT. Route Transfer Handbook. 2012. Table 7 Reasons Defined by ADOT for Considering Transfer of a Local or Tribal Road or Highway to the State Highway Segment Long-range planning indicates that the road will serve a regional or statewide function The road may connect to a planned state route The local road currently serves a statewide or regional function. Examples include a major urban arterial that serves mainly through traffic, or a rural route that has statewide economic importance The road is a connector between two interstates or state highways, or between a state highway and an interstate route Source: ADOT. Route Transfer Handbook. 2012. Identifying and Analyzing Right‐Sizing Options Transfer Process ADOT's Route Transfer Guidebook has a step-by-step process for both possible directions of route transfer (upwards and downwards)
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41 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments MPOs/COGs are also informed so as to facilitate their transportation planning responsibilities. The handbook provides a template MOU.
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42 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments Figure 12 Transfer from a Local or Tribal Government to State Highway System Source: ADOT. Route Transfer Handbook. 2012. Route Transfer Evaluation Criteria Applied on a Case‐By‐Case Basis PRE-PROCESS EVALUATION CHECKLIST For use before even entering the process, the Route Transfer Handbook provides a simple checklist with which to evaluate whether a route is a good candidate. Questions from the checklist address trip character (who uses a route, and for what types of travel)
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43 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments Table 8 Initial Checklist Questions for Jurisdictional Transfers Consideration State to Local (Seeking "Yes" answers) Local to State ("Seeking Yes" answers)
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44 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments Land use Access management (e.g., driveways/access points, access management features, intersection/interchange access, and frontage roads) Future needs Jurisdictional interest (expressed interest and desire for different standards of service by local governments)
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45 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments If the segment passes the feasibility evaluation, the findings are then documented in a route transfer report that then provides the basis for subsequent negotiation processes. Planning Study Criteria ‒ System‐Wide Assessment of LVR In the context of the 2017 planning study evaluation of LVR, ADOT evaluated 22 state routes for transfer potential by assessing the markets they serve and the types of access provided, as shown in Figure 14.
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46 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments Implementation Issues for Negotiation The Route Transfer Guidebook presents significant discussion of issues likely to come up in a transfer negotiation process. A summary of these considerations can be found in Table 9.
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47 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments Post Transfer Agency Responsibilities "The most critical post-transfer responsibilities are those associated with safety, such as signal operations, signing, striping, lighting, emergency response, and law enforcement. Other post-transfer responsibilities will include items such as roadway and landscape maintenance, utility payments, capital improvements, access permitting, and completing the legal and administrative aspects of the transfer.
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48 White Papers for Right-Sizing Transportation Investments because it incorporates consideration of transfer in the context of other cost-saving or right-sizing options. ADOT benefits from clear policy guidance from its State Transportation Board regarding the intended nature of the state highway system, as well as the need for continual evolution of the road network in response to changing usage patterns and development trends.
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