REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
January 28, 2021
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
THROUGH: ANDREW J. BENELLI, PE, City Engineer/Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Traffic Operations and Planning
BY: SHELBY D. MACNAB, MPA, Grants Administrator
Public Works Department, Public Works Administration
SUBJECT
Title
RESOLUTION - Authorizing the Public Works Director or Designee to Submit a Grant Application in an Amount not to Exceed $325,000 to the 2021-2022 California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant (STPG) Program to fund the City of Fresno Active Transportation Plan (ATP) Update, and Authorizing Execution of Restricted Grant Agreements and Amendments for the Project With Caltrans by the Public Works Director or Designee (Citywide)
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommend that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the submission of one grant application requesting up to $325,000 from the Caltrans STPG Program 2021-2022 Call for Projects to complete an update to the City of Fresno ATP, and authorize the execution of all agreements and amendments for the project by the Public Works Director or designee.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff is requesting authorization to submit a grant application to the Caltrans STPG grant program to fund a comprehensive update to the current ATP, originally adopted by Council in March 2017. As a planning and policy document, the ATP has an intended update cycle of five years to ensure eligibility for funding, responsiveness to community priorities, and the incorporation of innovative facilities for active travel. The current ATP will be brought before Council in 2021 for an amendment to incorporate awarded grant projects. In order to complete a more comprehensive update of the ATP, additional funding is sought from the STPG Program. Authorization is also requested to allow the Public Works Director or designee to execute restricted grant agreements for the project with Caltrans, should funding be awarded.
BACKGROUND
Staff is requesting authorization to submit a grant application to the Caltrans STPG grant program to fund a comprehensive update to the City of Fresno’s ATP under the Sustainable Communities funding category. There is a total of $17 million available statewide for Sustainable Communities planning efforts in the 2021-2022 Call for Projects. Funding for the program comes from the State Highways Account and the California Road Maintenance, Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, commonly referred to as Senate Bill 1 (SB1). The STPG program was developed to support implementation of Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS) in the Regional Transportation Plan that are intended to achieve the State’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets. Grant applications are due on February 12, 2021.
The purpose of the ATP is to establish a well-planned network of sidewalks, trails and bike lanes. Active transportation facilities provide essential connections for bicyclists and pedestrians to public transit, schools and other activity centers. The network planned in the ATP is amended into the General Plan and referenced to establish conditions of development, prioritize constrained formula and grant funding for capital improvements, and inform multimodal roadway improvements as part of maintenance projects. In addition to infrastructure, the ATP includes recommendations to guide safety education, encouragement and enforcement efforts to support active travel.
The current ATP was adopted by the City Council on March 2, 2017 and replaced the Bicycle, Pedestrian & Trails Master Plan (2010). Maintaining an up-to-date ATP is required by state and local legislation and policies that affect the award of formula and competitive grant funding. In 2013, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 99, Chapter 359, and Assembly Bill 101, Chapter 354, creating the Active Transportation Program (Program), which consolidated existing federal and state transportation funds into one program with the aim of making California a national leader in active transportation. The Active Transportation Program prioritizes funding projects that are included in an adopted ATP. The Fresno General Plan (2014) includes the Mobility and Transportation Element Policy MT-4-a Bicycle, Pedestrian, & Trails Master Plan, which calls for the periodic update of the ATP to meet state standards and requirements. Additionally, it is a requirement of the use of Measure "C" funding that the City adopt an ATP and update it every five years.
While implementing the ATP, staff have identified needed revisions to ensure continued alignment with competitive and formula funding requirements, innovative equipment, related planning documents, as well as community and Council priorities, such as Safe Routes to School (SRTS) improvements. SRTS refers to capital improvements to infrastructure for active travel, generally located within ½ mile of school attendance boundaries.
In addition to updating the ATP, funds for this project will also be used to update the Active Transportation Project Prioritization Tool (Priority Tool).The Priority Tool considers sixteen variables to objectively prioritize potential projects across three categories: 1) access and equity, 2) connectivity, and 3) traffic control, mode shift and user comfort. The comprehensive update of the ATP will include reevaluation of priority criteria, weighting and improvements to scoring sensitivity. Where feasible, GIS technology will be used to determine scores in place of the current project scoring process which is done manually. This will lead to greater automation in calculations, and seamless integration of Federal, state and local datasets for income, health indicators and other variables relevant to prioritization.
Community input is central to all revisions to the ATP and Priority Tool. The scope of work included in the grant application will provide multiple opportunities for participation and public comment. Staff will work closely with Council offices and community partners to maximize outreach efforts and ensure representative, meaningful and inclusive engagement. If awarded funding, notice to proceed with the project would be received in November 2021, with planning concluding on or before the program deadline of February 28, 2024.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved this resolution as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This item is not a project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act.
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, local matching funds for the project will be identified through the Annual Appropriations Resolution process, utilizing Measure “C” Bike and Trail funding as the grant match. A minimum of 11.47% in matching funds are required.
Attachment:
Resolution