REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Scott MOzier, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: jill m. Gormley, TE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Traffic & Engineering Services Division
SUBJECT
Title
RESOLUTION - Authorizing the Submission of a Planning Grant Application to the Office of the Secretary (OST), US Department of Transportation (DOT) for the 2025 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Program for project planning, preparation, and/or design activities for the Shaw Avenue and State Route 99 Freeway Interchange Improvement project; and Authorizing the Execution of Grant Application and Grant Agreement Documents by the Public Works Director or Designee (Council Districts 1 and 2).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the submission of a grant application to the RAISE Grant Program for a Planning Project that aims for safety improvements; environmental sustainability; quality of life; mobility and community connectivity; economic competitiveness and opportunity including tourism; state of good repair; partnership and collaboration; and innovation for the Shaw Avenue and State Route 99 Interchange Improvement project; and authorize the execution of all grant application and grant agreement documents by the Public Works Director or designee.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff is requesting authorization to submit a grant application to the RAISE Grant Program for a planning project to improve the connectivity and cohesion for residences of the rural communities on the west side of State Route 99 by improving the Shaw Avenue and State Route 99 interchange. The planning grant seeks up to $5 million in funds allowing the City of Fresno to partner with Caltrans to prepare the Project Initiation Document (PID), California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and/or National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental documents, and the Project Report. Preparation of these documents is a needed phase in moving an improvement project at the interchange along to construction. Improvements to the Shaw Avenue and State Route 99 interchange should address safety concerns, geometric deficiencies, pedestrian and bicycle access, transit expansion, congestion, and future operational needs to accommodate the City’s planned growth.
The goal of the RAISE program is to fund eligible surface transportation projects that will have a significant local or regional impact that advance the Departmental priorities of safety, equity, climate and sustainability, and workforce development, job quality, and wealth creation, consistent with law, and as described in the Department’s Strategic Plan and in executive orders.
BACKGROUND
State Route 99 is one of the most significant regional and goods transportation corridors in California. It provides a north/south connection to cities and communities in the San Joaquin Valley and to the rest of the state. In the City of Fresno, the Shaw Avenue and State Route 99 interchange was constructed in 1960 when the population of the City of Fresno was approximately 133,000. The population grew four-fold to a census-estimated 2020 population of 546,000 therefore the intersection has since become an integral part of the transportation network with Shaw Avenue serving as a major east-west arterial in the city extending from the western end of Fresno to the neighboring City of Clovis to the east. In February 2012, State Route 99 was widened from a four-lane to a six-lane freeway with the construction of two additional lanes in the median. Traffic operational analysis conducted in 2021 shows that the Shaw Avenue and State Route 99 Interchange south and northbound ramp intersections will operate unacceptably at level of service E and F (control delays in excess of 55 seconds) by 2035 with long delays for both the AM and PM peak hours expected. The Fresno Council of Governments forecasts that the Fresno Sphere of Influence population will continue to grow to 904,000 in 2050. The City of Fresno’s population growth will increase the traffic demands on the interchange and further increase congestion within and nearby the interchange.
Economic benefits expected at project completion include travel time savings by removing the bottlenecks and improving interactions between roadway users with an increase in active modes of transportation (bike and pedestrian facilities) for residence will increase overall human productivity. Additional economic benefits include job creation, new business development in the area which will increase local sales tax revenues, increase property values with secondary benefits of new employees and residences spending at local businesses, buying local houses, and paying local taxes.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117-58, November 15, 2021, “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” or “BIL”) authorized and appropriated $1.5 billion annually to be awarded by the DOT 2022 - FY 2026 for Local and Regional Project Assistance Program Grants under National Infrastructure Investments. The program is codified at 49 U.S.C. 6702. The BIL requires the DOT to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) no later than 60 days after funds are made available for the program, which for FY 2025 is November 1, 2024. In order to comply with this requirement, this NOFO solicits applications for projects to be funded under the Local and Regional Project Assistance Program, known as the RAISE Grants program.
Applications are due on January 30, 2025. Projects selected for funding must be able to enter into an agreement with the OST, DOT by September 30, 2029, and expend the funds no later than September 30, 2034. The City Attorney’s office has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Adoption of a resolution of support for a grant application is not a project as defined by California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378.
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. If the grant is awarded, the required 20% local match will be identified for future fiscal year budgets.
Attachments:
Resolution
Vicinity Map