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 additional Grant Applications to the California Department of Transportation’s Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 7 Regional Call for Projects totaling up to $3 million in requests for funding; and Authorizing the Execution of Grant Applications and Grant Agreement documents by the Public Works Director or Designee. (Council District 2)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff is requesting to apply for additional grant funds from the California Department of Transportation’s ATP Cycle 7 Regional Call for Projects totaling up to $3 million in requests for funding; and authorize the execution of all grant application and grant agreement documents by the Public Works Director or designee.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The ATP Grant Cycle 7 call for projects was released in March 2024. 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. Traditional applications for the Statewide call were due on June 17, 2024, and applications to the Regional call are due on November 20, 2024. Projects not funded at the State level 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.
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 7 call for projects was projected to have an estimated $568 million dollars available to be awarded. Of that total, the City of Fresno was eligible to compete for approximately $284 million in funding at the State level and approximately $6.3 million at the Regional level. The program is administered by the California Transportation Commission (CTC), Caltrans, and Fresno Council of Governments. Project funding can be programmed for use in Fiscal Years 2025/26, 2026/27, 2027/28, and 2028/29. The minimum project size at the State application level was $250,000. There is no minimum at the Regional level, but applicants are encouraged to request less than $3.5 million per project.
Since the March 2024 call for projects release, funding for the ATP program at the regional level was reduced from the approximately $6.3 million to approximately $1,877,000. Due to this reduction in funding, Fresno Council of Governments (COG) worked with the CTC to identify and augment the ATP program with approximately $4,449,000 of Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funding, a program with similar principles, to restore the level of available funding to the original $6.3 million.
For the Statewide call for projects, the Public Works Department submitted two grant proposals: one medium infrastructure application (between $3.5 million and $10 million) and one large infrastructure application ($10 million or more). Both application packets included non-infrastructure educational and encouragement activity elements which will be implemented in partnership with the Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services (PARCS) Department. Proposed programming will occur at City of Fresno community centers located at various parks near the proposed infrastructure projects and at Fresno Unified School District schools immediately enhanced by the proposed improvements.
Application 1 - Stride and Ride for Future Fresno High Schoolers was submitted to the medium project category with a cost of approximately $8.8 million. The West Avenue bicycle lane enhancements and five intersection improvements are located in Council District 1. Notification of grant awards for the State application are expected by November 1, 2025.
Application 2 - Midtown Trail Tunnel and Regional Connectivity Project was submitted to the large project category. This approximately $12 million project would construct a pedestrian and bicycle undercrossing (tunnel) along Clovis Avenue at Dayton Avenue, design and construct of a 0.25-mile gap in trail improvements on Shields Avenue between Manchester Center and Fresno Street and install up to 85 wayfinding signs throughout the Midtown Trail. These projects are located in Council Districts 1, 4 and 7. This project application was withdrawn after submittal due to right-of-way conflicts with the railroad on the east side of Clovis Avenue and with the Air National Guard on the west side of Clovis Avenue.
After the State call for projects closed, the Public Works Department has identified an additional ATP project for submittal to Regional Program.
Application 3 -Elementary Schools Enhanced Crossings will be submitted to the Regional ATP Call for Projects. This project will enhance the existing uncontrolled school crosswalks at the intersections of Sierra and Colonial Avenues and Barstow and Thorne Avenues. These enhancements include the installation of traffic signals and pedestrian and bicycle enhancements to the intersections serving Kratt Elementary and Gibson Elementary schools in District 2.
Notification for the Regional application is expected in February 2025.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Adoption of a resolution of support for a grant application is not committing to a project at this stage and is not subject to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
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
Vicinity Map