City Council
MEETING DATE: 5/10/2017
TITLE:
Title
Discussion on the Proposed Formation of an Underground Utility District
End
FROM:
John A. Corella, P.E. - City Engineer
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Receive the Presentation on the status of the proposed Ramon Road Bridge Widening Project, the proposed Underground Utility District, SCE and Rule 20(A) Funding and provide direction to Staff.
Body
BACKGROUND:
In 2009, the City entered an agreement to partner with the City of Palm Springs to widen the Ramon Road corridor from San Luis Rey Drive east to Candlewood Drive. The proposed improvements include widening the corridor from four lanes to six lanes, including widening the bridge over the Whitewater River. In addition, this Project will enhance pedestrian safety with new sidewalks along the north side of the road and a new multipurpose trail along the south side of the road.
Along the north side of Ramon Road between Crossley Road and San Luis Rey Drive, Southern California Edison (SCE) owns and maintains an overhead electric distribution line. Secondary to SCE, Spectrum owns and maintains an overhead cable distribution line hung on the same poles.
As a result of the proposed Ramon Road and Bridge Widening Project these overhead lines and respective poles will need to be relocated or undergrounded. Staff reviewed the cost of undergrounding vs. relocating and determined that undergrounding these lines in conjunction with the Project work is the most cost effective for the results. This will greatly improve the safety and appearance of Ramon Road in this area. Thus, Staff is recommending undergrounding the existing overhead utilities and removing the associated poles.
DISCUSSION:
SCE has established the Rule 20(A) Tariff to provide funding to the City each year to pay for undergrounding existing overhead SCE utilities. The City has banked several years of allocations ($314,000) and, under the rules of the Tariff, can mortgage up to five years of future allocations (balance increases at approximately $88,000 per year). Thus, currently the City has approximately $750,000 of available Rule 20(A) allocations, including the addition of a five-year mortgage.
In January, 2017, City Staff met with SCE to discuss the potential for the formation of an Undergrounding District. It was determined that the City has enough allocations, with a mortgage, to underground five utility poles along Ramon Road from east of Crossley Road to the Centerline of Agua Caliente Trail.
Rule 20(A) work on Ramon Road from east of Crossley Road to the Centerline of Agua Caliente Trail would be scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2018, during the Project construction.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact at this time. If an Undergrounding District were to be formed in conjunction with the Rule 20(A) Tariff, there would be no direct City fiscal impact associated with this action. SCE would be able to use the Rule 20(A) allocations to offset their costs with the current Rule 20(A) balance and the addition of the 5 year Rule 20(A) mortgage. In addition, under the rules of the Tariff, Spectrum would be required to underground their facilities at their own cost.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Aerial Exhibit of UUD Boundary