Local impact of infrastructure bill

Dec. 1—The recent passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act means the Sacramento area region could be seeing funding come its way for projects in several jurisdictions including in Yuba-Sutter.

Approximately $550 billion in federal funding was approved for projects in the U.S. that include roads, rail, bridges and transit. James Corless, executive director of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), said the six-county Sacramento region is one of the fastest growing regions in the state meaning it needs strategic investment to keep pace with growth.

"We are a very attractive region for investments because we have worked hard to plan and prepare a broad range of infrastructure projects that are ready to go," Corless said in an email. "Indeed, more than 50 agencies in our region came together last year to identify roughly $11 billion in investments in anticipation of a new federal investment in infrastructure."

Regional infrastructure needs include highway bottlenecks and choke points; passenger rail expansion along Amtrak's Capitol Corridor to the Bay Area and the ACE/San Joaquin trains that could extend up to Sacramento, Marysville, and Chico; aging roads and bridges; public transportation and new forms of flexible point-to-point micro transit; safer bike paths and trails for walking; infrastructure for zero emission cars and trucks; and broadband upgrades across urban, suburban, and rural areas, according to Corless.

He said SACOG and other regional partners will be boosted by the bill and the agency will be working with federal agencies to obtain funding. According to a release, spending on transportation infrastructure in the region over the next 20 years will be about $35 million.

"The simple answer is it depends on how well we do competing for the funding," Corless said of reaching that goal. "But the other part of the answer is that while the infrastructure bill will help, it won't be enough by itself."

Yuba County

Supervisor Gary Bradford said infrastructure investment is critical to support economic prosperity and job growth in a county that is rural and has multiple disadvantaged communities.

Bradford said Yuba County has the following infrastructure needs: increased broadband coverage and speeds in the foothills and rural areas; transportation projects like the Plumas Lake Boulevard interchange extension, the South Beale interchange and connector road, east Wheatland expressway and Goldfields Parkway; water and wastewater expansion to the Highway 65 corridor, including Wheatland; atmospheric river control spillway at New Bullards Bar Reservoir to reduce regional flood risk and mitigate climate change; and sidewalk and drainage improvements in urban areas.

Much of the federal funding the county currently receives comes through the partnership with SACOG.

"I look forward to learning more about the specific allocations in the bill and how Yuba County residents can benefit from this increased funding in infrastructure," Bradford said in an email.

Marysville

Mayor Chris Branscum said the bill is expected to result in significant cash coming Marysville's way. He said Marysville roads are his top priority when it comes to potential capital projects. The federal funding does not however solve Marysville's issue of having limited space in its budget on a yearly basis to fund road projects on its own, according to Branscum. He said additional revenue sources will need to be found to address that issue but said the federal money will be more than welcomed in Marysville.

"It'll be a plus for the area," Branscum said.

Wheatland

Mayor Rick West said he is still in the process of understanding the impact of the bill but said Wheatland and South Yuba County have big infrastructure needs. Ongoing projects include a regional wastewater connection with Olivehurst Public Utility District, and South Yuba County Transportation Improvements. The South Yuba Transportation Improvement Authority was created to plan and construct major transportation projects.

"As Wheatland's SACOG representative I will advocate for Wheatland and Yuba County to help push our projects forward," West said in an email.

Sutter County

Development Services Director Neal Hay said a portion of the federal funding will be allocated through formula-based programs to rehabilitate and improve the county's road network, bridges and broadband systems. He said the bill may also provide funds to address known flood areas.

Sutter County currently has five federal-aid bridge replacement projects with two that are shovel ready. The remaining three will be ready for construction within one to two years and may benefit from funding. Approximately 24 percent of the county's 600 miles of paved two-lane roads are eligible for federal funds for rehabilitation projects, according to Hay.

"All supervisorial districts will benefit from the infrastructure funding since the county's road network services the agricultural regions, the various small rural developments, as well as the roads that border the sphere of Influence between the county and the city of Yuba City, where growth is occurring," Hay said in an email.

Yuba City

Councilman Shon Harris said the city has a significant need for infrastructure improvement and has demonstrated an ability to implement grant-funded projects in a timely manner. He said the biggest needs are water, wastewater, and roads. The city's water master plan in 2019 and 2020 identified that over the next 20 years, a total of $288 million is necessary to address improvements at the water and wastewater treatment facilities and in the distribution and collection systems. Harris said approximately $8 million per year is needed to roads in their current condition. About $1.5 million is budgeted each year for road rehabilitation projects.

"It is not expected that funding through this bill will be focused on road rehabilitation alone, so it will be important for the city to focus on a 'complete streets' approach to provide facilities for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists, with a focus on safety, carbon reduction, resiliency, equity, facilities for electric vehicle charging, etc., while also addressing the road condition," Harris said in an email.

Infrastructure improvements are primarily necessary for the older parts of the city, in under-developed areas, along major roadways, and in new development areas to the west and south of the city, according to Harris.

"As funding related to the bill is released, SACOG will play a big role in assisting member agencies to be in the best position to be able to obtain funding," Harris said.