Inyo County California

On July 1st, 2007, Inyo Mono Transit officially became the Eastern Sierra Transit Authority (ESTA). ESTA offers affordable transportation throughout Inyo and Mono Counties. ESTA operates door-to-door bus service in the communities of Bishop, Mammoth Lakes, Lone Pine, and Walker, as well as operating the Eastern Sierra’s only interregional routes between Reno and Lancaster. The northbound 395 Route service accesses the Reno-Tahoe International Airport and the Centennial Transit Center in Sparks, NV which connects to Greyhound and Nevada RTC buses. The southbound 395 Route service accesses the MetroLink and Greyhound stations in Lancaster. ESTA offers service between Lone Pine and Bishop and between Bishop and Mammoth Lakes. The ESTA website can be viewed online by the link above. Their Annual Report can be viewed on their website. You can also view the most recent Triennial Performance Audit of ESTA and a study exploring the relationship between the Inyo and Mono LTCs and ESTA by following the highlighted links. The Transit Authority Joint Powers Agreement that created ESTA can be viewed by following the highlighted links.

As the administrator of Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds for Inyo County, the Inyo County Local Transportation Commission (LTC) is charged with performing the annual Unmet Transit Needs process. The purpose of this process is to ensure that all unmet transit needs that are reasonable to meet are met before funds are expended for non-transit uses, such as streets and roads. The Social Services Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC) kicked off the annual Unmet Transit Needs process at an on-line meeting on February 9, 2022. The SSTAC meeting is the first step in deciding disbursement of the Transportation Development Act funds. Additional public input is sought at the Unmet Transit Needs hearings. Results and ideas from the SSTAC meeting and hearings will presented to the Inyo County LTC.

The Inyo County LTC has not allocated TDA funds to the County and the City for local streets and roads for at least twelve years. TDA revenues have leveled out the past few years. ESTA has been able to fine tune their system to address some of the identified transit needs in the last several years. Additionally ESTA has been able to successfully apply for grants to supply transit service for needs raised at the unmet transit needs hearing process. The LTC still holds an unmet transit needs workshops and a hearing to gauge the health of the transit system and to further refine the use of transit funds. Public input from transit users and the transit-dependent is an effective way to identify changing transit needs.

It is helpful to review the definitions of “Unmet Transit Need” and “Reasonable to Meet”. These definitions serve as barometers of the need for new or changed transit services.

An Unmet Transit Need exists if an individual or individuals of any age or physical condition are unable to transport themselves from one location to another. An Unmet Transit Need is, at a minimum, those public transportation or specialized transportation services that are identified in the Regional Transportation Plan and that have not been implemented or funded.

A documented Unmet Transit Need is reasonable to meet if:

A service can be provided which meets a minimum farebox ratio of 10% of operating costs; and      

a)      It is transit service for essential intra-county purposes which are defined as medical or dental services, shopping, employment, personal business, or social service appointments; or,

b)      It is a transit service for essential inter-county purposes which are defined as medical or dental services or social service appointments not available in this county or the out-of-county destination is the closest location where the services are available to the origin of the trip; and, The origin and/or designation of the trip is within two miles of the established area of operation of cohesive community.

The Overall Work Program (OWP) serves as a roadmap or primary management tool for the Inyo County Local Transportation Commission. Each year the Inyo County Local Transportation Commission is required to adopt an OWP concurrent with the fiscal year. An OWP is described on page 2-1 of the California Department of Transportation Regional Planning Handbook as follows:

              The OWP introduces the agency and provides an overview of the region, with a focus on its transportation goals and objectives, and the actions to achieve those goals and objectives. The OWP is a scope of work for transportation planning activities, including estimated costs, funding sources, and completion schedules. 

The Regional Planning Agency 2017 Regional Transportation Planning Agency Handbook sets forth the criteria that the OWP must comply with. The Regional Planning Handbook serves as a guide to administering Overall Work Programs, Regional Transportation Plans and their funding sources. The Regional Planning Handbook characterizes the OWP as follows:
         The core regional transportation planning document is the Overall Work Program (OWP) and its core product is the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP).

The OWP and RTP are directly and inextricably interconnected. OWP activities support the RTP and development of the RTP is an OWP activity. The RTP is implemented through the Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) and the Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP). Development of the RTIP and FTIP are OWP activities.

All County maintained streets and roads (paved or dirt) are considered to be ‘highways’ under the California Vehicle Code. Currently, the combined-use of County maintained roads by OHV is only allowed on the seven approved combined-use routes described below. The project proponents who proposed these combined-use routes refer to the routes as "Adventure Trails."

Background: At a public hearing on January 22, 2015 the Board of Supervisors approved 7 combined-use routes. On July 14, 2015, the Independence No. 1 combined use route was opened for combined use by qualifying OHVs. On July 24, 2015, the Lone Pine No. 1 combined use route also opened for qualifying vehicles. Bishop Routes No. 5, 6, 7, 9 & 15 were opened for combined use between August 5, 2015 and September 5, 2017. Maps showing those routes can be viewed by following the corresponding links. Each map shows the conditions placed on each user of the combined-use routes.

Public Comments: The concerned public can comment via e-mail on any issues surrounding the designated combined-use routes at ab628. Section 14(f) of the Inyo County Implementing Procedures state that:        

   The Public Works Department shall maintain a website that is a central hub for collecting public and public agency comments and complaints on the combined-use routes which shall include all correspondence from the public and public agencies regarding all combined use segments. 

This website serves this purpose and is a central hub for receiving comments. The public may make comments at the following address: ab628@inyocounty.us

Reporting: On December 8, 2015 the Inyo County Board of Supervisors provided initial feedback on a report to the Californa Legislature. The staff report includes a traffic count completed for two locations along each combined-use route. The Board approved submittal of the Legislative Report at a public hearing at December 15, 2015. There were minor changes made to the draft report in response to public comments at the meeting on December 8. The draft report to the Legislature can be viewed on pages 139-186 of the Board Agenda packet pdf document. The Final Report (4,765 KB) was forwarded to the California Legislature.

On December 11, 2018 the Inyo County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing and approved a Report to the Legislature, as required, on the status of the Adventure Trails Combined Use Program. The Final Status Report was submitted on December 20, 2018. The authorization of the program will sunset on January 1, 2025 unless the Legislature extends the program, or passes permanent legislation.

Comments received at the public hearing and e-mail comments can be viewed in the Final Report to the Legislature (see above).

Assembly Bill 628 and then Senate Bill 1345 made revisions to the California Vehicle Code establishing a pilot project allowing Inyo County to designate specific County highways (streets and roads) as combined-use routes. The future designation of combined use routes would allow the use of County streets and roads by Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV). On May 8, 2012, the Board of Supervisors adopted implementing procedures for the designation of combined-use routes. Follow the link to view a list of County maintained roads and the combined-use application.

Assembly Bill 628 and then Senate Bill 1345 authorizes the County of Inyo to establish a pilot project to designate combined-use highways on unincorporated county roads for no more than 10 miles. The combined-use highways can be used to link existing off-highway motor vehicle trails and trailheads on federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or United States Forest Service lands in order to provide a unified linkage of trail systems for off-highway motor vehicles. Other goals for the project are to preserve traffic safety, improve natural resource protection, reduce off-highway vehicle trespass on private land, and minimize impacts on county residents. The provisions of SB 1345 sunset January 1, 2025. The County is required to submit a report for SB 1345 to the Califoria Legislature before January 1, 2019, January 1, 2022, and January 1, 2024.

OHV users on all combined-use routes must:

• Drivers must have in possession a valid driver’s license of the appropriate class for the vehicle being operated.
• Ride during daylight hours only and not earlier that 7:00 am and no later than 8:00 pm.
• Have an operational stop light.
• Have insurance in accordance with the provisions of article 2 (commencing with Section 1160230) of Chapter 1 of Division 7 of the California Vehicle Code.
• Obey the posted speed limit for OHVs on combined-use roads and, in residential areas, drive no faster than 15 mph.
• Use a vehicle that has rubber tires.
• Pass at least three (3) feet away from bicyclists, horses, and pedestrians.
• Slow to 5 mph when passing horses or pedestrians.
• Ride only on existing trails.
• Not stop in flowing water.
• Drive in the middle of the vehicle lane.
• Not drive on the shoulder.
• Use existing trails when exiting a combined-use route.
• OHV operators must operate the OHV in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation for use of the vehicle

Environmental Review: Inyo County released a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the consideration of a proposed system of combined-use roads known collectively as the Adventure Trails System of the Eastern Sierra. Scoping meetings were held in late October 2013 in Independence and Bishop. The public comment period ran from July 17, 2014 to September 2, 2014. The Notice of Availability for public review can be viewed by following the corresponding link.

A Final Environmental Impact Report was released on October 29, 2014. The Inyo County Planning Commission made a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors 1) to certify the FEIR, 2) to provide direction to staff on which combined-use routes to recommend to the Board, and 3) to revise the Implementing Procedures at a special November 5, 2014 meeting at 5:00 p.m. in Independence. The Board of Supervisors considered the project at a special 10:00 a.m. January 22, 2015 meeting in Independence. At the January 22nd meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved 7 routes and deferred consideration of other routes. The Board also amended the Implementing Procedures.

FY 2016-2017 State Parks Grant: The Inyo County Board of Supervisors approved submittal of a grant to the California State Parks Off  Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division on February 21, 2017. The County requested funds for the completion of a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document evaluating potential environmental impacts resulting from jurisdictional agreement(s) between Inyo County and the Inyo National Forest for those County roads part of the Inyo County Maintained Mileage System that cross Inyo National Forest land and are proposed for combined use. The County was subsequently awarded the grant. The grant application can be viewed by clicking on the highlighted link or by visiting the State Parks website at http://ohv.parks.ca.gov. A background paper describing the grant application can be viewed by following the highlighted link. Public input is encouraged during the NEPA review. 

For any other questions regarding the combined-use routes in Inyo County, please e-mail Inyo County staff.