Breaking news: Yolo I-80 Widening Not Funded!

Advocates who steamrolled project scramble to save it

The June 28th California Transportation Commission meeting in Suisun gave out $3.3 billion with mantra “get it built”.  It was standing-room only, squeezing 15 commissioners on the dais, 20 staff and 60 local transportation agency officials from around the state in a room 2/3 the size of the Davis City Chambers. Activists should note that while the monthly meeting location moves from venue to venue around the state, the public can zoom call in. Photo by Alan Hirsch.

 By Alan Hirsch

The Yolo I-80 widening project was not given the missing 54% funds ($103 million) at the California Transportation Commission meeting (CTC) on Wednesday 6/28. This means the initial $87 million earmarked federal funds for the project will be lost as it will time out before it is spent. At least this was what was represented on 6/6 to Davis City Council.

At the June 6th meeting the Council wanted to delay the EIR to add transit options, but were told this was not possible, due to the fact the initial money would time out if EIR was completed and an alternative chosen by January 2025. What was not discussed with Council was the $87 million in earmarked Federal money could ONLY be used for widening, i.e. was a pre-wired choice from congress. So if an EIR instead choose a transit alternative that Davis want to add, it might have be a poison pill for the funding already lined up.

Was this knowledge behind what was going on that evening when Davis Council attempted to interrogate the EIR project alternatives, and add a new one, but was discouraged?  We may never know. But it’s a new process now.

CTC Meeting is the Major Leagues

I was the only “civilian” public commentator speaking on this or any projects at the CTC meeting though there were many letters from public opposing Yolo I-80 project were received. It notable no one showed up in favor of project– or submitted late letters of support (note: some Yolo Cities had quietly written letter for support in winter and spring 2023).  A  number of local agencies reps and elected official from elsewhere in the state comment uniformly support on their projects, which affirm CTC staff recommendation  to fund. I note even a state Assembly member called in a comment – he was monitoring the 4-hour meeting.

The CTC gave out $3.3 Billion, so funding the $103 million gap in the Yolo80 project was almost rounding error. The I-80 project itself got no CTC commissioner questions or discussion. Not surprising as it was one of 48 in the "Trade Corridor Enhancement" tranche – … item 17 on 18 item agendas just that afternoon. There were only funds for 25 of the 48 in that tranche so it was competitive, but rarely are CTC staff suggestions overruled.

The “No-fund” recommendation for Yolo I-80 was also unlikely to change, as Caltrans itself listed it last on its own internal prioritization list.

What Will Happen Next:

That the additional $103M funding was not approved makes it seem the $87M in federal "starter" money will time out before anything can be built – not an inevitable outcome but one setup, as the EIR did not consider low cost alternatives like bus queue jump lanes or dedicate bus priority on ramp, things that could have been done for $87 Million.

The YoloTD and Caltrans agencies will likely now try go back to Feds to "save" that money. Activists hope a new Federal earmark grant will be written this time so it is more flexible – so it can be used for transit, not hard wired in advance by Congress into freeway widening as the current $87 million grant was.

Draft EIR slips & activists ask for Alternative to be expanded

It is already clear the streamroller process seen at the June 6 council meeting is being slowed: Caltrans has informally indicated that the DEIR will slip at least 3 or 4 week to end of July… or maybe more. Having the short EIR review period during August when Davis Council commissions and staff are not meeting certainly compromises the quality of input on the DEIR… and legitimacy of the process.

And seeing as state match money via CTC won't be available for another 18 months, we have an opportunity to reopen the EIR to explore other alternatives. This would include low cost non-widening congestion pricing alternatives, as suggested by Professors Susan Handy and Steve Wheeler of UC Davis ITS.  And also consider transit upgrades for entire I-80 corridor, not just Davis to Sacramento. The transit in the current EIR is considered largely a mitigation, not an alternative to widening as it does not look at full corridor solutions.

I will post news of the project to Vanguard and Davisite as it evolves.

Other Articles on Yolo I-80 widening (links)

• I-80 Widening Rated Last for Funding by Caltrans (Vanguard)
• Council votes to back I-80 partnership (Enterprise)
• Council bamboozled at 6/6 meeting (Davisite)
• I-80 expansion undermines Davis’s climate future Enterprise
• Researchers, activists sound alarm on highway widening (Enterprise)
• Volunteers distracted from addressing climate change & I-80 impact (Woodland Democrat)
• Be Wary of Caltrans Pattern of Science Denial on GHG (Vanguard)
• 2019: The Proposed Fixes by Caltrans May Not Correct Traffic Problems in Davis  (Vanguard)
• Caltrans Yolo I80 Widening project home page (not up to date)
• Caltrans Full I-80 CMCP (3 county Comprehensive Multimodal Plan (issued 1/27/23, Made public 5-31-2023)
• Yolo Transportation District – Board of Directors (political oversite body)