California State Rail Plan 2007-08 to 2017-18

Chapter II – Capital Programsupplement the existing Section 190 Grade Separation Program. However, adollar for dollar match will be required for these funds (unlike the existing Section190 Program). One hundred million dollars of the funds will be used for highprioritygrade crossings. The 2007-08 Budget Act includes $122.5 million for theHighway-Railroad Crossing Safety Account.FEDERAL SECTION 130 CROSSING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMSection 14036.4 of the Government Code requires the Department to report on theamount of funds available to the State under the Federal rail-highway crossingprogram (23 U.S.C. 130), including the cash balance, funds encumbered duringthe last year, and amounts anticipated to be received during the subsequent year.This information is included in Figure 2F.Prior to Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2005-06, the Federal Section 130 Programprovided about $10.2 million per year in Federal highway funds for grade crossingsafety projects. Beginning in FFY 2005-06 however, additional funds were madeavailable. Pursuant to the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient TransportationEquity Act: a Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), this amount increased to$16.2 million. The Department supplements this program each year with otherFederal funds to pay for grade crossing improvements on State routes. With thesupplemental Federal funds, the total statewide financial commitment to gradecrossing improvements will range from about $19 million to $21 million per year,with $16 million allocated to projects to eliminate hazards at rail crossings onlocal streets and roads and the balance ($3 to $5 million) allocated to projects onState routes. Improvements include any treatment contained in the CaliforniaManual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices as determined by an engineeringstudy at sites where data show a high hazard index.Figure 2FSection 130 Federal Crossing Improvement Program Funding StatusFederal Fiscal Year 2006-07 – 2007-08($ in thousands)Obligated/Encumbered2006-07 Entitlement Expected in 2007-08Cash Balance 10/1/07(Includes priorentitlements)$12,500 $16,000 $16,000 $29,128Based on available funds, the Department selects projects from the prioritiesidentified by the data for inclusion in the Section 130 Program Funding Planprogrammed in the Federal STIP. Under Federal law, the annual grade crossingimprovement program must be included in the Federal TransportationImprovement Programs (FTIPs) of the appropriate Metropolitan PlanningOrganizations and the statewide FSTIP prior to obligation of funding.35