REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
August 30, 2018
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, P.E., Director
Public Works Department
BY: RANDALL W. MORRISON, P.E., Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Engineering Division
SHELBY MACNAB, MPA, Grants Administrator
Public Works Department, Administration
SUBJECT
Title
RESOLUTION - Approving the Application for Formulaic Grant Funds from the California Transportation Commission’s Local Partnership Program for the Veterans Boulevard Interchange and Extension Project and Authorizing the Execution of Documents by the Public Works Director or Designee (Council District 2)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the submission of an application for formulaic grant funds to the Local Partnership Program for Phase 4a of the Veterans Boulevard Interchange and Extension Project and authorize the execution of all application related documents by the Public Works Director or designee.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff is requesting authorization to submit an application to the Local Partnership Program for formulaic grant funds totaling $2,173,000 to fund phase 4a of the Veterans Boulevard Project. In the interest of maximizing available matching funds and beginning construction, Phase 4 was split into standalone projects ‘4a’ and ‘4b’. Phase 4a will extend Veterans Boulevard from Shaw to Barstow.
BACKGROUND
Veterans Boulevard, originally referred to as the Herndon-Grantland Diagonal, was part of the 1984 General Plan and is a planned six-lane super arterial in the 2035 General Plan. The interchange concept was refined in 1986 with a feasibility study conducted to analyze potential interchange/grade separation configurations. In 1991, a Project Initiation Document was completed, and in 1996, the Official Plan Line for Veterans Boulevard was adopted by the Council. Veterans Boulevard and the proposed interchange with State Route 99 were identified as part of the Circulation Element in both the City and County General Plans. In recent years, staff has completed the Project Study Report (PSR), Project Report, Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and all right of way acquisition. Construction plans are also nearing completion. Veterans Boulevard is considered shovel-ready.
The new interchange will be a partial cloverleaf connecting State Route 99 and Veterans Boulevard. The new overcrossing will have three northbound and three southbound lanes, a Class I bicycle lane pedestrian trail on the west side of the structure and Class II bicycle lanes on both sides of the structure. The project will also include two bridge structures, one to cross over State Route 99 and one to cross over the existing Union Pacific Railroad tracks, Golden State Boulevard, and the future High Speed Rail tracks. Phase 4a includes the south leg of the Veterans Boulevard roadway extension running from Shaw to Barstow. The total cost for Phase 4a is $6,737,063. Formulaic grant funding from LPP will cover 32.25 percent of that cost. Measure C and City of Fresno Impact Fees will be used for the remaining 67.75 percent as discussed in the financial impact section of this report.
On June 27, 2018, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) adopted the 2019 Local Partnership Formulaic Program Funding Share Distribution for Fiscal Year 2019-20 and an amended set of Guidelines for the Local Partnership Program (LPP). The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (or SB1) created the LPP and continuously appropriates two hundred million dollars ($200,000,000) annually to be allocated by the CTC to local or regional transportation agencies that have sought and received voter approval of taxes (such as Fresno County’s Measure C), or that have imposed fees which are dedicated solely for transportation improvements. Half of the funding is allocated through formula while the remaining $100 million is distributed via a competitive program. The formulaic program has allocated $2,173,000 to the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) in Fiscal Years 2019-20.
The first call for projects under the LPP Competitive Program occurred earlier this year. The Measure C funded City of Fresno Veterans Boulevard project was submitted as the Region's Competitive LPP candidate. While the project ranked well, there was not sufficient funding in the first round of LPP to fund the $23 million request. CTC staff did indicate it would be very competitive in the next Competitive Program Call for Projects. However, funding is not guaranteed under that program, and it is possible SB1 might be repealed in this November's election. FCTA staff considered eligible projects that could potentially utilize the LPP funding within the timeline required in the guidelines. Veterans Phase 4a was selected to proceed to application due to its shovel-ready status.
Due to the structure of the grant program, the City will partner with the FCTA to apply for formulaic LPP funding totaling $2,173,000 million for Phase 4a of Veterans Boulevard. FCTA is the taxing authority for a 15 percent share of matching dollars available to fund Veterans Boulevard Phase 4a.
The City Attorney’s office has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
A resolution applying for grant funding is not a project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not implicated 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 formulaic grant be awarded, local matching funds will be identified through future fiscal year capital budgets. Matching funds for Phase 4a will come from Measure C ($1,016,999), City of Fresno Regional Street Impact Fees ($3,047,064), and City of Fresno Traffic Signal Impact Fees ($500,000). If SB1 does not remain in place, formulaic funding may be impacted.
Attachments:
Resolution
Formulaic Shares List