Brad Sherman on the 405 I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project – Efforts to Secure Funding

The I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project will add an additional lane and improve supporting infrastructure such as ramps, bridges and sound walls on the San Diego Freeway (I-405), while widening lanes from the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10) to the Ventura Freeway (US-101). In addition to the I-405 project, state and local transportation agencies are constructing an additional lane in each direction on Interstate 5 through San Fernando Valley. Often these two Valley freeway projects were discussed together.

I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvement Project features: . Add a 10-mile HOV lane on the northbound I-405 between I-10 and US-101 . Remove and replace the Skirball Center Dr., Sunset Blvd., and Mulholland Dr. bridges . Realign 27 on and off-ramps . Widen 13 existing underpasses and structures . Construct approximately 18 miles of retaining wall and sound wall

Summary

The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.034 billion. The funding for this project includes a combination of federal, state and local funds.

Proposition 1B (state bond) $614 M (59.4%)

American Recovery and Reinvestment Program (federal formula) $189.9 M (18.3%)

SAFETEA-LU (federal earmark) $117 M (11.3%)

Additional State & Local Funds $113.1 M (11%)

Prop 1B State Bond Funding - $614 million

There were a few active officials that advocated for funding to construct an additional lane on Interstate 405 from US-101 to I-10. The most prominent advocates were Mayor Villaraigosa, Supervisor Gloria Molina (then Chair of the Metro Board) and Congressman Sherman.

On December 18, 2006, Congressman Sherman wrote to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) urging them to allocate funding from Proposition 1B to construct additional lanes on Interstate 5 in the San Fernando Valley and Interstate 405 through the Sepulveda Pass. Caltrans was preparing a list of project recommendations for the CTC to approve in the Corridor Mobility Improvement Account (CMIA) under Proposition 1B. The Caltrans list included funding for the additional lane on Interstate 405, but excluded funding for the new lanes on Interstate 5.

On February 19, 2007, Congressman Sherman wrote to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) urging them to direct funding from Proposition 1B to construct an additional lane on

Page 1 of 3 Interstate 405 from US-101 to I-10. In a reversal from the initial recommendation list, Caltrans included funding for the carpool lane on Interstate 5, but excluded funding for the Interstate 405 HOV lane.

On February 19, 2007, Congressman Sherman also wrote to Governor Schwarzenegger urging him to contact his appointed members on the California Transportation Commission to support funding for an additional lane on Interstate 405.

On February 19, 2007, Congressman Sherman joined Mayor Villaraigosa and other Los Angeles County and city officials at a press conference in front of the Federal Building on Wilshire Boulevard to demand Los Angeles’ fair share of traffic relief funding from Proposition 1B, including funding for the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project.

On February 20, 2007, Congressman Sherman traveled to Sacramento with Mayor Villaraigosa and Los Angeles County officials to press the California Transportation Commission at a hearing to provide funds for an additional lane on the 405 Freeway through the Sepulveda Pass. Congressman Sherman was the only member of Congress to testify at this critical hearing of the California Transportation Commission. Comments from congressmen are appreciated by the CTC because the CTC and related state transportation agencies receive approximately $4 billion each year in federal revenues.

From February 21-27, Congressman Sherman contacted and lobbied members of the California Transportation Commission on multiple occasions. He argued not only for the funding for the additional lane on the 405 Freeway through the Sepulveda Pass, but also to maintain funding for the additional lane in each direction of the 5 Freeway.

On February 28, 2007, the California Transportation Commission held a final hearing in Irvine to approve Caltrans’ list of recommendations for Prop 1B. In the days and hours leading to the Commission meeting, Congressman Sherman consulted with Governor Schwarzenegger in Washington, DC, Mayor Villaraigosa and members of the Commission to press for funding for carpool lanes on the 5 and 405 Freeways. The Commission voted to approve funding for additional lanes on Interstate 5 and $614 million for Interstate 405. Both are currently under construction.

Design-Build

Critical to accelerating the project was the passage of SB 1026, which allowed the use of the design-build contracting for the I-405 project. The unions representing state-employed engineers opposed this effort. Proponents of accelerating the project asserted that the passage of this bill cut 6 years off the time necessary to complete the project, while others say it saved only 3 or 4 years.

The bill was introduced in the State Senate by Sheila Kuehl, and managed in the Assembly by Fran Pavley. Sherman worked tirelessly to lobby members of the state legislature in favor the bill, and in favor of the compromise that was eventually worked out to allow the bill to pass. For this reason, Sherman was invited to the bill signing ceremony by Governor Schwarzenegger on January 13, 2006.

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American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Federal Stimulus Bill) - $189.9 million

The decision to build the additional lane on the 405 Freeway had been made, and virtually all necessary funds locked in, before the inauguration of President Obama. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, commonly referred to as the “Stimulus Bill,” was focused on providing federal funds to accelerate the construction of shovel-ready construction projects.

SAFETEA-LU (Federal Earmark) - $117 million

Senator Barbara Boxer, Congressman Howard Berman and Congressman Brad Sherman all worked together to secure a $117 million federal earmark to construct an additional lane on the 405 Freeway. Congressmen Sherman and Berman testified in favor of the I-405 project together on April 1, 2003, before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee and the picture of them testifying together was published in the Jewish Journal on August 17, 2011 and in multiple other articles published online. Thereafter, Sherman and Berman both had numerous conversations with their colleagues on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee supporting the earmark.

In the summer of 2005, Congressman Sherman made many calls to the House-Senate Conferees on the SAFETEA-LU Act, urging the earmark for the 405 Freeway. He also called and wrote Governor Schwarzenegger to enlist him in the federal push. The funds were included in the SAFETEA-LU Act, enacted August 10, 2005. This earmark would not have been achieved without the cooperative efforts of Boxer, Sherman and Berman.

Additional State and Local Funds - $113.1 million

Additional funds ($113 million) were provided by the State Traffic Congestion Relief Program, State Regional Surface Transportation Program and Prop C sales tax revenue approved by Los Angeles County voters.

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