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
SUBJECT
Title
RESOLUTION - Authorizing the Submission of a Grant Application for Competitive Grant Funds to the California Transportation Commission’s Local Partnership Competitive Program for the BNSF Blackstone McKinley Grade Separation Project Totaling up to $25 Million in Request for Funding; and Authorizing the Execution of Grant Application and Grant Agreement documents by the Public Works Director or Designee. (Council Districts 1 and 7)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the submission of a competitive grant application to the California Transportation Commission’s (CTC) Local Partnership Competitive Program (LPCP) for the construction phase of the BNSF Blackstone McKinley Grade Separation Project totaling up to $25 million in request for funding; and authorize the execution of all grant applications and grant agreement documents by the Public Works Director or designee.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The LPCP Guidelines and Call For Projects was released on August 15, 2024. The purpose of the LPCP is to provide funding to counties, cities, districts, and regional transportation agencies in which voters have approved fees or taxes dedicated solely to transportation improvements or that have imposed fees, including uniform developer fees, dedicated solely to transportation improvements (as defined by Government Code Section 8879.67[b]). Staff is requesting authorization to submit a grant application requesting up to $25 million in funding for the construction phase of the BNSF Blackstone McKinley Grade Separation Project.
BACKGROUND
The Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Blackstone McKinley Grade Separation Project, which will eliminate the existing at-grade crossing of the BNSF tracks at North Blackstone and East McKinley Avenues by separating train traffic from vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists by depressing the roadways beneath the BNSF track as a grade separation. By moving vehicle traffic to an underpass below the BNSF track, several roadway improvement objectives are accomplished including decreasing traffic flow interruptions, increasing travel time reliability, improving safety and roadway operations, eliminating pedestrian-train conflicts, and eliminating vehicle-train conflicts and delays. The average delay will also be reduced at the Blackstone/McKinley intersection by improving traffic operations, reducing traffic congestion, and lowering motor vehicle emissions. The Project will improve emergency service response times, eliminate train horns, and increase railroad operational efficiency.
The CTC’s LPCP funding is intended to improve the state highway system, transit facilities, including guideways; provide for the acquisition of zero-emission buses, and the cleanest available rail cars, locomotives, vans, or other rolling stock; implement capital projects that employ advanced and innovative technology; improve local road systems; improve bicycle and pedestrian safety or mobility; improvements to mitigate environmental impacts of new transportation infrastructure; conduct road maintenance and rehabilitation; and other transportation improvement projects.
A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) was published on August 15, 2024, with up to $200 million available in funding for Fiscal Years (FY) 2025-26 and 2026-27. The CTC’s Local Partnership Program (LPP) provides funding for two types of grants: Formulaic and Competitive. The Formulaic Incentive Funding of $25 million will be set-aside each fiscal year from the Local Partnership Program leaving $180 million to be distributed annually, 60 percent via Formulaic and 40 percent via Competitive. The 40 percent allotted to the Competitive Program is $72 million annually, or $144 million every two years. The total funding capacity for the 2024 LPCP will be $195,670,000 for Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27.
An $80 million portion of the construction funding for the BNSF Blackstone McKinley Grade Separation Project has been secured through Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) Cycle 6 and $20 million has been committed by the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) through the Measure C Grade Separation Program (GSB). There is an additional $5 million that the City is eligible for from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Rail Crossings and Engineering Branch 190 Grade Separation Program, the City is priority ranked Number five (5); however, funding is dependent upon higher priority project schedules. Additionally, BNSF is required to contribute 10% of the project cost for the CPUC funding allocation to be eligible.
Due to the structure of the grant program, the City will partner with the FCTA to apply for this LPCP funding totaling up to $25 million for the construction phase of BNSF Blackstone McKinley Grade Separation Project. FCTA is the eligible applicant and the taxing authority for a majority of the matching dollars available, and therefore a co-applicant in the application with the City serving as the implementing agency.
The grant application is due on November 20, 2024.
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 considered a project pursuant to Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
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 immediate impact on the General Fund. Should the grant be awarded, local matching funds will be identified through future fiscal year capital budgets. Matching funds will come from the Measure C Grade Separation Program.
Attachments:
Resolution
Vicinity Map