DATE: August 5, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Development Services Department
TITLE: APPROVAL TO ACCEPT $4,293,705 IN GRANT FUNDS FROM FEDERAL AID PROGRAM
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the City Council accept and appropriate $4,293,705 in additional Federal-Aid funds for the Coast Highway bridge over San Luis Rey River (Coast Highway Bridge Replacement Project).
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), has authorized an additional $4,293,705 in federal funds for the Right of Way (ROW) phase under E-76 Sequence No. 9. These funds will support right-of-way acquisition activities necessary to advance the project toward construction.
The Coast Highway Bridge over the San Luis Rey River was constructed in 1929 and has been identified through Caltrans bridge inspections and evaluations as eligible for replacement under the Federal Highway Bridge Program.
The City previously completed multiple phases of preliminary engineering, environmental review, and design development for the bridge replacement project using a combination of local and federal transportation funds. In March of 2015, City Council approved a Professional Services Agreement with Moffatt & Nichol to provide engineering, environmental, and design services for the project.
The project is currently advancing into the Right-of-Way (“ROW”) phase, which includes property acquisition, easement coordination, utility coordination, and related activities necessary to prepare the project for future construction. On April 1, 2026, FHWA authorized E-76 Sequence No. 9, which provides an additional $4,293,705 in Federal Highway Bridge Program funding for the ROW phase of the project.
The project continues to be administered in accordance with Caltrans Local Assistance Procedures and FHWA requirements. Acceptance and appropriation of these additional federal funds will allow the City to continue eligible right-of-way activities and maintain project schedule progression toward construction readiness.
The previously cited E-76 authorization also extends the Project End Date (PED) to June 30, 2029, to reflect the estimated right-of-way acquisition and construction schedule associated with the project.
Construction phase funding has not yet been authorized and will be brought forward to City Council at a future date, when additional federal funding becomes available.
FISCAL IMPACT
|
Account |
Current Federal Share Project Total |
New Federal Share Project Appropriation |
Total Federal Share Project |
|
Coast Highway Bridge Replacement 817140900273.4382 |
$5,382,795 |
$4,293,705 |
$9,676,500 |
|
Coast Highway Bridge Replacement 817140900273.5703 |
$5,382,795 |
$4,293,705 |
$9,676,500 |
The California Department of Transportation has authorized an additional $4,293,705 in federal Highway Bridge Program funds for the Right of Way phase of the Coast Highway Bridge Replacement Project, for a total of $9,676,500 of Federal Share for this project. There is no General Fund impact is associated with this action. Federal Aid fund reimbursements will be deposited into account 817140900273.4382
The authorization increases the total ROW phase funding authorization to approximately $4.4 million and the total project federal funding authorization to approximately $9.6 million, including prior authorizations. ROW activities will be reimbursable by federal-aid funds up to 88.53% of the costs, with an 11.47% City local match being funded by the SANDAG TransNet program.
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
Not applicable.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
The City Attorney has reviewed the referenced documents and approved as to form.
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Prepared by: Gricel Beltran-Taj, Senior Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Brian Thomas, Acting Development Services Director
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. E-76 SEQUENCE 9