Proposition 42: Traffic Congestion Relief Program
The Traffic Congestion Relief Program was signed into law by then-Governor Gray Davis in July 2000 under Assembly Bill 2928. This program authorized $4.9 billion through 2006 for complete or partial funding of 141 projects statewide that were intended to relieve congestion, provide safe and efficient movement of goods and provide connections between various modes of travel.
The TCRP also authorized $5 million for a high-speed rail design study and $400 million for local deferred maintenance programs, which was to be distributed to local agencies based on population.
San Bernardino County was allocated $169.2 million for the following projects:
- Grade separations associated with the Alameda Corridor East, $95 million
- Metrolink San Bernardino Line track and signal improvements, $15 million
- Interstate 215 carpool lanes from Interstate 10 to State Route 210 in San Bernardino, $25 million
- Interstate 10 widening from Orange Street to Ford Street in Redlands, $10 million
- Live Oak Canyon Road interchange with Interstate 10 in Yucaipa, $11 million
- Interstate 15 southbound truck-climbing lanes at two locations, $10 million
- Utility under-grounding and road improvements to Route 62 in Yucca Valley, $3.2 million
In March 2002, California voters adopted Proposition 42, which took effect in July 2003. This proposition designated state sales tax on gasoline to transportation, rather than the state general fund. Proposition 42 honored the TCRP projects by giving them “first call” on the funds through 2008. After 2008, a funding formula of 40% to the State Transportation Improvement Program, 40% to cities and counties for local transportation projects, and 20% to transit was approved to take effect. The revenue from this redesignation of state sales tax to transportation is estimated to be between $1.1 billion and $1.5 billion per year statewide.
Proposition 42 contained a “loophole” that allows for its suspension during times of a state fiscal emergency. This loophole redirects the state sales tax on gasoline back to the general fund, rather than to transportation, pending a two-thirds vote of the state legislature. Since December 2002, Proposition 42 funds have been suspended each year. Because of this suspension, work was halted on some TCRP/Proposition 42 projects.
Throughout the first half of 2005, transportation, labor and business groups lobbied the legislature for a return of Proposition 42 funding for transportation to the 2005-06 budget. This effort was successful; the new budget includes $1.3 billion in Proposition 42 funds for transportation. The California Transportation Commission is working to prioritize projects statewide for the available funds. The CTC is reviewing a lengthy backlog of projects across the state to determine how the funds should be allocated. SANBAG hopes to receive funding for a number of projects that were placed on hold, due to the uncertainty of this funding source.
Unfortunately, the restoration of the $1.3 billion in Proposition 42 funds to the state budget is only guaranteed for the 2005-06 fiscal year. SANBAG and other groups will continue to lobby the legislature to stabilize Proposition 42 funding and to eliminate the loophole that allows for its suspension during difficult budget times.
