REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Scott L. MOzier, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: jill m. Gormley, TE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Traffic & Engineering Services Division
CHERYL L. BURNS, Grants Development Manager
Public Works Department, Traffic & Engineering Services Division
SUBJECT
Title
***RESOLUTION - Authorizing the Submission of Grant Applications to the California Department of Transportation’s Active Transportation Program Cycle 8 Call for Projects that Support Active Transportation and Authorizing the Execution of Grant Applications and Acceptance of Grant Funds, and Execution of Grant Agreement Documents by the Public Works Director or Designee (Citywide) (Subject to Mayor’s Veto)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the submission of grant applications to the California Department of Transportation’s Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 8 Call for Projects and authorize the execution of all grant applications and acceptance of grant funds and the execution of grant agreement documents by the Public Works Director or Designee.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The ATP Grant Cycle 8 call for projects was released in March 2026. The ATP encourages the use of active modes of transportation, such as biking and walking, by funding education and infrastructure projects which support active travel. The grant program is competitive, with a minimum requirement of 25 percent of funds distributed to disadvantaged communities. The call for projects occurs at both the state and regional (Fresno County) level. Applications for the statewide call are due on June 22, 2026, and applications to the regional call are due on November 18, 2026. Projects not funded at the state level and that can be scaled will be repackaged and submitted for regional consideration. All proposed projects have been evaluated using the Active Transportation Prioritization Tool and have been grouped to maximize the competitiveness of the grant proposals. The proposed project list (see attachment) covers all seven City Council districts and includes improvements to existing bikeways, safe routes to school neighborhood sidewalk projects, school area traffic signals, a proposed pedestrian bridge over State Route 99, a school safety education program, and implementation of trail identification and wayfinding.
BACKGROUND
The ATP is a competitive statewide program created to encourage increased use of active modes of transportation, such as biking and walking. Senate Bill 99 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 359, Statutes of 2013) and Assembly Bill 101 (Committee on Budget, Chapter 354, Statutes of 2013) created the ATP, and Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) (Beall, Chapter 5, Statutes of 2017) directs additional funding from the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account to the ATP. The Cycle 8 call for projects is projected to have an estimated $619 million dollars available to be awarded. Of that total, the City of Fresno is eligible to compete for approximately $309 million in funding at the state level and approximately $6.8 million at the regional level. Infrastructure projects with or without a non-infrastructure component can be submitted as small (less than $3.5 million), medium (between $3.5 million and $10 million), or large ($10 million or more). ATP also funds non-infrastructure projects, which include educational programs, and the development of active transportation plans. The program is administered by the California Transportation Commission, Caltrans, and Fresno Council of Governments. Project funding can be programmed for use in Fiscal Years 2027/28, 2028/29, 2029/30, and 2030/31. The minimum project size at the State application level is $250,000. There is no minimum at the regional level, but applicants are encouraged to request less than $3.5 million per project.
The Active Transportation Plan (the Plan) and the complementary Active Transportation Project Prioritization Tool (the Tool) both were adopted by the City Council in March 2017. An update of the Plan is in process with an expected adoption date in June 2026. The Draft Plan update was presented as a workshop to the City Council on April 23, 2026. The Draft Plan has been referenced to identify potential projects based on community requests and the Tool has been used to calculate each project’s priority score. Summaries of the proposed projects are included by attachment. None of the proposed projects include the reduction of travel lanes or on-street parking.
Notification of grant awards for state applications are expected by December 3-4, 2026, and notification for regional applications are expected in February 2027.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This action is not subject to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 (CEQA) at this time. This action involves an application for funding, and it is uncertain if funding will be awarded. If sufficient funds are awarded to complete a future project, the appropriate CEQA analysis will be prepared and brought to Council for approval along with formal project approval.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not included because this resolution does not include a bid or award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
This resolution will have no impact on the General Fund. No matching funds are required. Should the grant be awarded, ATP funds will be incorporated into the City of Fresno annual budget for the fiscal year(s) in which they will be available for reimbursement.
Attachments:
Resolution
Proposed Project Summary List