County Press Releases

Placerville, CA - California road funding has been in the news lately with state funding for local roads (i.e. which is a dedicated allocation that funds El Dorado County roads) projected to be cut due to plummeting gasoline tax revenue. Per the Los Angeles Times:  

Due to the cuts, for the first time in a decade the state has been asking counties to terminate some of the 200-plus projects previously offered funding according to Susan Bransen, chief deputy director of the California Transportation Commission. ^[2]

El Dorado County has seen its gas tax dollars decrease, and the County will continue to see a decrease according to state projections. For example, in 2014, El Dorado County received $10.1 million and it is projected to receive just $6.5 million in 2017. It is difficult for the County to maintain current roads and plan for future road infrastructure when its state allocated road funds are continuing to decrease and there is no action at the state level to alleviate the problem. 

The following are facts about the funding, resources, and assets that maintain the roads that are overseen by the El Dorado County Community Development Agency: ^[3]

Funding

• A large majority of funding for El Dorado County roads comes from State allocated gas tax funds and local Road District Tax funds (a small portion of property taxes).
• At times in the past, the Board of Supervisors has allocated discretionary funds to roads. These funds are better known as “General Fund dollars.” General Fund dollars largely go to fund law and justice functions (e.g. Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney’s Office, etc.) while also funding some land use and development functions (e.g. planning and building development), and general government functions (e.g. Assessor’s Office, Veterans Department, Elections, etc.). When the Board of Supervisors has had savings, in the past, it has funded some transportation projects and road maintenance with General Fund dollars; approximately $6.6 million since 2010.
• The County has allocated $3.75 million in local tribal funds since 2014 for road work. These funds must be spent within a designated area per an agreement as mitigation funding for impacts associated with the casino. 

Staffing

• Due to uncertainties in state road funding with the current state budget, the County’s Community Development Agency is holding several road maintenance and operation staff positions open until adequate state funding has been identified. 

Quality of County Roads and Bridges

• The Pavement Condition Index, or PCI, is a national measurement standard for the quality of roads. The index is measured from 1 to 100, with 100 being the highest score. Since 2009, El Dorado County’s PCI has increased from 53 to the current 64. Below is a table which compares El Dorado County’s PCI to surrounding California counties from a 2014 report completed by the California State Association of Counties and the League of California Cities: ^[4]   

• The County’s average bridge sufficiency rating has improved from 65 in 2012 to 68.3 in 2016.  Bridge maintenance and construction funding is generally separate from funding utilized for road maintenance activities.
• Accidents in the County, recorded in the Annual Accident Location Study, decreased from 1,271 in 2004 to 919 in 2015. 

Examples of Major Road Maintenance Projects Completed (2011-2015)^[5]

• Surface Treatment (Crack seal, Grind/Pave, Chip Seal, Slurry Seal)
  • Ridgeview (2013, 2014), Park Village (2015), Crown Village (2011)  -  Subdivisions in El Dorado Hills 
  • Grizzly Flat Road (2013)
  • Deer Valley Road and Kanaka Valley Road in Rescue (2011)
  • Rattlesnake Bar Road in Pilot Hill (2011)
  • Cold Creek Subdivision in South Lake Tahoe (2013)
  • Green Valley Road (2013)
  • Old French Town Road and French Creek Road (2015)
• Brushing Projects
  • Omo Ranch Road in Mt. Aukum (2013)
  • Snows Road in Camino (2014)
  • Rock Creek Road in Placerville/Swansboro (2012)
• Ditching Projects 
  • Governor Drive in El Dorado Hills (2013)
  • Fairplay Road in Fairplay (2012)
  • North Canyon Road in Camino (2012)
  • Luneman Road in Lotus (2011) 
• Culvert Replacement Projects 
  • Deer Valley Road in Rescue (2015)
  • Cambridge Road in Cameron Park (2014)
  • Pioneer Trail in South Lake Tahoe (2014)
  • Newtown Road in Placerville (2011)
• Sign Retro Reflectivity Program throughout the County (2013-2015). 7,830 signs out of 15,172 signs have been updated (51.6 % complete).
• Annual Maintenance of Mosquito Bridge (2011-2014); major maintenance (2015)
• Curb, gutter and sidewalk repairs in El Dorado Hills (2011-2015)

Road Maintenance completed with Tribal Funding, 2014 – 2015

• Asphalt Overlay – Gold Hill Road
• Slurry Seal – Longview Subdivision and Emerald Meadows Subdivision
• Sign Retro-Reflectivity Program – signs completed throughout the tribal area
• Minor and Major Rehabilitation – in the tribal area
  • Salida Way
  • Wilkinson Drive
  • Estepa Drive
  • El Tejon Road
  • Granada Drive
  • Greenstone Road
  • Springvale Road
  • Forni Road
  • Meder Road
  • Sunset Lane
  • Gold Hill Road
  • Sections of French Creek Road
  • Sections of Old French Town Road
  • Sections of South Shingle Road
  • Mother Lode Drive
  • Life Way
  • Longview Subdivision
  • Emerald Meadows Subdivision
  • Highland Subdivision
  • Cameron Woods Subdivision

Examples of Transportation Related Assets that Need to Be Continually Maintained 

• 1,080 centerline miles of roadway
• 76 bridges
• 100+ box culverts
• 17,000 feet of guardrail
• 1,600 feet of timber wall
• 464 miles of double yellow centerline
• 302 miles of white edge line
• 14,822 warning, guide, regulatory and informational signs
• 137.6 miles of raised pavement markers (RPMs)
• 48 signalized intersections
• 131 pieces of heavy equipment

Summary

The County is dedicated to continuing to maintain its roads even with continued lowered funds from the state, as shown above with the increased PCI.  The state funding issues are ongoing and one-time state funding will not be a solution to this problem with the reoccurring maintenance needs that are required to maintain roadway infrastructure in the County. The County encourages the state to find a solution to the ongoing road funding issue, so El Dorado County can continue to provide a safe and effective road system for its citizens and visitors. To that end, the Board of Supervisors, through a resolution adopted at the April 5, 2016 Board meeting, urged the state to provide sustainable funding for local transportation infrastructure.

For additional information regarding roads in El Dorado County please contact the Community Development Agency Transportation Division at 530-642-4909. 

# # #

^[1]http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-adv-transportation-funding-20160203-story.html

^[2]http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-pol-sac-transportation-cuts-20160123-story.html

^[3] Not all roads are maintained by El Dorado County’s Community Development Agency in El Dorado County. Both the cities of Placerville and South Lake Tahoe maintain their own roads. Caltrans maintains the state highways in the County. Lastly, there are also many privately maintained roads throughout the County. 

^[4]http://www.counties.org/post/local-streets-and-roads-report-outlines-78-billion-need

^[5]These are a sample of projects that were completed from 2011-2015. By no means do these examples represent all projects completed during the timeframe.