Art3_County_FY00_BikePed_SantaAnaRiverTrail_Com re Schedule_250512 Main Office-825 East Third Street, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0835 I Phone: 909.387.7910 Fax:909.387.7911
www.SB(oufity.gov
Department of Public Works Noel Castillo, P.E.
SAN BERNARDINO Dire• Flood Control • Special Districts
COUNTY • Operations • Surveyor Byanka Velasco, P.E.
• Solid Waste Management • Transportation Assistant Director
David Doublet, M.S., P.E.
Assistant Director
May 12, 2025
San Bernardino County Transportation Authority
1170 W. Third Street
2nd Floor
San Bernardino, CA 92410
Attention: Ginger Koblasz
RE: SANTA ANA RIVER TRAIL-PHASE III PROJECT HABITAT RESTORATION PLAN
Dear Ms. Koblasz:
On October 26, 2021, San Bernardino County (County) requested a deadline extension from the
San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) Board of Directors for the use of the
Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 funds in the amount of $306,639 for the Santa
Ana River Trail Phase III Project (Project). The TDA Article 3 funding could only be used to cover
a small portion of approximately $1,400,000 environmental mitigation related costs and at the
time, the County was pursuing additional funding through the ATP Cycle 5 grant program. The
County ATP application was selected for funding and an additional amount of$1,105,000 in ATP
funding was awarded and allocated by the California Transportation Commission at its October
2021 meeting. ATP grant guidelines stipulate all projects must be completed within 36 months
after contract award. This limited the County from applying the recently awarded ATP funding
toward the 60-month plant establishment period required under the environmental permit. The
other available funding source for the Project, the Coastal Conservancy funds, also could not be
utilized as this funding could not be applied toward environmental mitigation. Requesting a time
extension from SBCTA would provide the County with the flexibility needed to meet the
environmental mitigation deadline requirements of the Project.
On March 9, 2022, SBCTA granted the County an extension for expenditure of the Transportation
Development Act Article 3 funds awarded for the Project. The extension established a new and
final expenditure deadline of December 31, 2028.
The County is entering into a cooperative agreement with the Inland Empire Resource
Conservation District (IERCD) for implementation of the habitat restoration plan as part of the
mitigation requirements for the construction of the SART Phase III project. The mitigation and
reporting requirements span a five-year time period, which will extend beyond the December 31,
2028, TDA Article 3 grant funding expiration date. The IERCD proposal to implement the habitat
will cost $274,838. The proposal will pay for IERCD's services in two installments — an initial
payment of 50% ($137,419) before, or shortly after they begin work (fall of 2025) and the
remaining 50% ($137,419) just before the December expenditure deadline. The County will
conduct bi-monthly coordination meetings with IERCD to ensure compliance with TDA Article III
BOARD OF SUPERVISORSAIA
Luther Snoke
(:hie(Fxecutivc of iccr
project mitigation milestone and reporting requirements. IERCD will then be responsible for
completing the annual reporting. SBCTA will continue to provide guidance and technical
assistance to the County to ensure the project is following and supports regional mobility goals.
If you need additional information, you may contact me at 1-909-387-8167 or by email at
Jeremy.johnson@dpw.sbcounty.gov.
Sincerel
Jeremy Johnson, P.E.
Engineering Manager
Transportation Planning Division