DATE: October 18, 2016
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Public Discussion Regarding the Adoption of California Department of Transportation Standards for the Use of Recycled Materials in Accordance with Assembly Bill 2355.
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Conduct Public Meeting required by Assembly Bill 2355 to discuss why the County of Fresno does not intend to adopt the most current standards developed by the Department of Transportation pursuant to Section 42700 of the Public Resources Code for recycled paving materials and for recycled base, subbase, and pervious backfill materials.
REPORT
Assembly Bill 2355 (Chapter 609, 2013-2014) (AB 2355) requires that local agencies with jurisdiction over streets or highways adopt certain standards developed by the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) with respect to the use of recycled materials for transportation projects. If such standards are not adopted, AB 2355 requires that the reasons for not adopting the standards be discussed in a regularly scheduled public hearing.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board may elect not to conduct the recommended public discussion in which case the Department of Public Works and Planning (Department) would be required to return to your Board with an item to adopt certain Caltrans recycled material specifications.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Sufficient appropriations for planned transportation projects which may be impacted by the recommended action are included in the FY 2016-17 Public Works and Planning - Roads Org 4510 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
There are several types of materials used in the construction of transportation facilities which may be composed, in part, of recycled or reclaimed materials. Assembly Bill 2355 requires that, by January 1, 2017 a local agency that has jurisdiction over a street or highway shall do either of the following:
• Adopt the standards developed by Caltrans pursuant to Section 42700 of the Public Resources Code (PRC § 42700) for recycled paving materials and for recycled base, subbase, and pervious backfill materials.
• Discuss at a regularly scheduled public hearing of the local agency’s legislative or other governing body why the standards are not being adopted.
Historically, the Department has employed Caltrans specifications allowing the utilization of recycled materials for pavement and base materials; however, it is important that the Department continue to be afforded the flexibility to deviate from Caltrans recycling specifications on a case-by-case basis. Considering the extensive list of recycled materials included in PRC § 42700, substantial revisions to the Caltrans specifications may be expected. The full extent and nature of future Caltrans recycling specifications is unknown, and it is possible that recycling protocols could be implemented which may not be cost effective, especially for smaller projects.
Typically, Caltrans’ issuance of new specifications is followed by the issuance of revisions to the specifications over time to account for lessons learned during initial implementation. For significant specifications changes, it may be prudent to defer implementation by the County until Caltrans has had the opportunity to utilize the new specification and identify and correct any problems.
It should also be noted that typical pavement design lifecycles are 20 years, and that any deficiencies associated with new specifications regarding the incorporation of recycled materials may not be apparent until well into the pavement lifecycle. New recycling technologies may be implemented by Caltrans before long-term performance has been fully evaluated. It is not suggested that the implementation by the Department of new recycling specifications necessarily be deferred until long term performance data is available. It is recommended that the Director of the Department be afforded the discretion to consider new recycling specifications on a case by case basis. Upon issuance of a new recycling specification, the Department would review pertinent research and would consider lifecycle cost effectiveness, durability, and the ability of the local aggregate and paving industry to produce materials meeting the requirements of the specifications.
In summary, the Department favors the incorporation of recycled and reclaimed products in materials for the construction of transportation projects provided that doing so is cost-effective and is based on proven technology that can reasonably be expected to yield satisfactory results. Adopting all Caltrans recycling specifications en masse, including future specifications which do not yet exist, is not advised. The nature and extent of the revisions to the recycling specifications which may be issued is unknown, and new specifications may not be cost effective. In addition, Caltrans typically issues a succession of revisions to any new specification to reflect lessons learned during its implementation. Consequently, the Department often defers the implementation of a new specification until it has been used in the field by Caltrans. Finally, recycling specifications may be issued before the long term performance of the product is known.
A summary of materials and methods which employ recycled materials in County transportation projects is attached hereto as “Exhibit A.”
CAO ANALYST:
John Hays
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Exhibit A