City reallocates $422K to Holland Road overpass fund

Crews continued work this week on the construction of a new Scott Road bridge over the 215 Freeway. Menifee 24/7 photo: Doug Spoon

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Payments for infrastructure improvements by developers related to the Scott Road freeway interchange have generated revenue that will ultimately benefit the Holland Road overpass project as well, according to city officials.

An item on the consent item agenda unanimously approved by the Menifee City Council on Wednesday reallocates $422,000 to help reduce the funding gap on the Holland Road project. The Holland Road overpass, considered to be a critical traffic improvement to facilitate east-west flow in the city, is next in the priority of major road projects behind the Scott Road bridge.

City officials say the renovation of the Scott Road bridge is taking place before construction of the Holland Road overpass because of funding added to the project by Riverside County and Caltrans. The $57.8 million project is underway and is expected to be completed about a year from now.

According to a city document for the reallocation approved by the council on Wednesday, a number of payments to the city have recently been made by developers of projects that will benefit from the Scott Road project. These developers include the developer of Commerce Pointe -- a commercial center planned for the northwest corner of Haun Road and Scott Road -- and Lennar Homes, William Lyon Homes and MBK, developers of housing projects planned for the immediate area.

The total of those "fair share" costs paid by the developers to the city total $422,794.20, according to the city document.

"The transfer of these funds will reduce the impact on the city’s budgetary responsibility for the Scott Road Interchange project by $422,974.20 and allow this same amount to be freed up for use for another critical city CIP project," the document states. "In this case, staff recommends reallocating the $422,974.20 to the Holland Road/I-215 Overpass to help reduce the funding gap on this project."

The Holland Road overpass project is in the final design phase. The original cost projection was $23 million. It is unclear how much of the funding still needs to be obtained, or when the project might start.

Plans show the extension of Holland Road over the freeway, adding a bridge between Newport Road and Scott Road.