HomeMy Public PortalAboutResolution 69-970RESOLUTION NO. 69 -970
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF TEMPLE CITY RECOMMENDING A REDUCTION IN THE
SYSTEM OF PROCEDURES FOR CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC
ROADS AND HIGHWAYS.
WHEREAS, the Congress of the United States in the 1968 Session
added a new Section 135, "Urban Area Traffic Operation Improvement
Programs," amending Chapter I of Title 23, United States Code of
the Federal -aid Highway Act; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Temple City, Califor-
nia, believes that the TOPICS Program, under the intent of Congress,
can greatly improve the capacity and safety of urban streets; and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Transportation, Federal
Highway Administration, Bureau of Public Roads under their various
Policy and Procedure Memorandums are complicating the use of the
funds authorized by Congress with the numerous reports and controls
placed upon these funds; and
WHEREAS, many of the Counties and Cities of California have
competent traffic engineering and highway design staffs which have
for many years conducted a comprehensive program of volume and
capacity studies, speed and delay research and accident analysis in
order to identify and improve problem locations; and
WHEREAS, such a continuous program of safer, more expeditious
traffic flow and street capacity through spot improvements, major
and minor construction projects has been a prime technique in the
continuous attack upon unsafe and inefficient city streets and
county roads by local traffic engineers; and
WHEREAS, the major obstacle confronting these counties and cities
is not one of identifying problems or determining solutions but one
of financing their accomplishment.
IT IS, THEREFORE, a recommendation of the City Council of the
City of Temple City that every effort be made to reduce the compli-
cated system of procedures in order to make a maximum of these
funds available for the actual construction of improvements to
reduce traffic congestion in order to increase the capacity and
safety on urban streets; and
IT IS, SPECIFICALLY, recommended that such procedures as hold-
ing public hearings for a minor right -of -way, and the numerous
programming controls be eliminated from the Policy and Procedure
Memorandums for contracts under $25,000; and
IT IS FURTHER recommended that most of the controls under the
jurisdiction of the Bureau of Public Roads be passed on to the
various County and City Engineering Departments who are able to
demonstrate competence in the fields of traffic engineering and
highway design and, if such competence is not demonstrable by cer-
tain jurisdictions, that the controls in those instances rest with
the State Highway Departments under appropriate guidelines estab-
lished by the Bureau of Public Roads in order to expedite construc-
tion and reduce the administrative costs and red tape of the TOPICS
Program.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Department of Transporta-
tion of the Federal Government take whatever action is necessary
to reduce the complicated system of procedures or that Congress
pass the necessary legislation to bring such procedures within a
reasonable area of control.
APPROVED and ADOPTED this 4th day of November, 1969.
L-6,2:46(. fir' ay v_
Mayor of the
ATTES : City of Temple City, California
Ar
Chie Deputy City Clerk