For City Council Meeting [July 23, 2019]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Rod Foster, City Administrator
FROM: Sean Grayson, Acting Public Works Director
Title
Request City Council to Adopt Resolution No. 7549 Accepting the California Department of Transportation - Division of Transportation Planning Award of SB-1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account - Active Transportation Program Cycle 4 Grant and Authorize the Release of a Request for Proposals for Related Professional Consultant Services for Rialto’s Safe Routes for Active Play, Work, and Live Rialto! for $549,000, and Terra Vista Drive Neighborhood SRTS Infrastructure for $663,000; and Authorize staff to Release a Request for Proposals for Related Professional Consultant Services.
(ACTION)
Body
BACKGROUND:
The Active Transportation Program (ATP) was created by Senate Bill 99 (Chapter 359, Statutes of 2013) and Assembly Bill 101 (Chapter 354, Statutes of 2013) to encourage increased use of active modes of transportation, such as biking and walking. Senate Bill 1 (SB-1) stipulates that $100,000,000 of revenues from the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account will be available annually to the ATP.
The Cycle 4 Call for Projects includes approximately $440 million in ATP funding made up of Federal funding and State SB1 and SHA funding. The funding/programming years are expected to include 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 funding years.
Pursuant to statute, the purpose of the program is to encourage increased use of active modes of transportation, such as biking and walking with the goals of:
• Increasing the proportion of trips accomplished by biking and walking
• Increasing the safety and mobility of non-motorized users
• Advancing the active transportation efforts of regional agencies to achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals as established pursuant to Senate Bill 375 (Chapter 728, Statutes of 2008) and Senate Bill 391 (Chapter 585, Statutes of 2009)
• Enhancing public health, including reduction of childhood obesity with programs including, but not limited to, projects eligible for Safe Routes to School Program funding
• Ensuring that disadvantaged communities fully share in the benefits of the program
• Providing a broad spectrum of projects to benefit many types of active transportation users
On May 8, 2018, City Council authorized grant-writing services with KOA Consultants and with Alta Planning + Design for Grant Writer Services specific to the State of California Department of Transportation, Active Transportation Plan - Cycle 4 Grants. Rialto submitted non-infrastructure and infrastructure grant applications.
Rialto’s Safe Route to School Plan
On August 25, 2015, the City Council accepted the Active Transportation Program grant funds for $1,450,000. On February 23, 2016, City Council awarded a Professional Service Agreement (PSA) with Alta Planning + Design (Alta) for $1,121,420 for the development of the Active Transportation Program, SRTS Program Plan. Alta and project sub-consultants have completed three (3) years of SRTS education, encouragement, enforcement, evaluation, and engineering tasks at the 29 project schools throughout the City of Rialto. Alta has issued various reports detailing assessments, findings, recommendations, and prioritization of improvements and activities relating to the SRTS Plan. City Council approved the infrastructure prioritization report issued by Alta on April 10, 2018. On June 11, 2019, the City Council approved the SRTS Plan.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
On July 31, 2018, Rialto submitted one (1) non-infrastructure (NI) and two (2) infrastructure grant applications for Active Transportation Plan - Cycle 4 Grants solicitations:
• Safe Routes for Active Play, Work, and Live Rialto! for $549,000 (awarded)
• Terra Vista Drive Neighborhood SRTS Infrastructure for $663,000 (awarded)
• Pepper Avenue SRTS Infrastructure for $5,775,000
Copies of the grant applications are included as Attachment 1. On May 21, 2019, the Public Works Department received award letters from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) announcing that the City of Rialto received a grant award of $549,000 for the Safe Routes for Active Play, Work, and Live Rialto!, and $663,000 for the Terra Vista Drive Neighborhood SRTS Infrastructure for $663,000, for a total amount of $1,212,000. Copies of the award letters are included as Attachment 2.
Safe Routes for Active Play, Work, and Live Rialto! is a non-infrastructure grant of $549,000 to implement the programs identified in the Rialto SRTS Plan to establish active modes of transportation in everyday life for Rialto students, families, residents, and businesses. It will serve Rialto Unified School District students, their families, and other residents through a variety of programs designed to engage students and community members in increasing the use of active transportation in a safe and fun manner.
The project will include all six (6) E’s of SRTS (Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Engineering, Evaluation, and Equity), but will go beyond the school community to include Citywide initiatives, such as a new bicycle diversion program. School-focused elements include a district-wide video contest for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) classrooms, educational activities, and workshops. A SRTS Task Force established during the SRTS Plan will continue to guide efforts and additional outreach on low-income and other disadvantaged communities addressing equity. Citywide efforts include educational workshops for adults, outreach and bike rodeos at Citywide events, and public promotional activities through established channels, especially in tandem with proposed infrastructure improvements.
The project will be led by a dedicated SRTS Coordinator housed at Rialto under the umbrella of Healthy Rialto, an initiative program with the goal of creating and maintaining a healthier community, by and for the community. Having a dedicated staff to coordinate and lead City-Wide SRTS project activities is best practice, and has proved successful in other communities in creating behavior change and providing sustainability after grant funding goes away. Partnership will include the Rialto Unified School District, Rialto Police Department, and Public Works staff.
The anticipated schedule for awards, execution and completion of the grant activities is as proposed below:
CTC Funding Allocation Request Non-Infrastructure August 14, 2019
Notice to Proceed with reimbursable ATP work October 2019
Release of Request for Proposal & Recruitment of Staff October 2019
Award of Professional Service Agreement December 2019
Before Counts December 2019
Complete all work August 11, 2023
After Counts April 1, 2024
Terra Vista Drive Neighborhood SRTS Infrastructure Improvements is a $663,000 grant award for design and construction of high visibility ladder crosswalks, ADA curb ramps, and sidewalk gap closure, installation of speed feedback signs, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB), and bicycle facilities near Fitzgerald Elementary School and Kucera Middle School located along Terra Vista Drive and peripheral neighborhood corridors. These improvements are located near Terra Vista Drive, a 35mph roadway that experiences high volumes of vehicular traffic as well as high volumes of walkers. Additionally, traffic-calming features are planned along Casa Grande Drive to decrease truck traffic speeds and the effects of industrial cut-through traffic that make for an undesirable walking and bicycling environment. The grant focused on these SRTS improvements as Terra Vista Drive is indicated as a high priority segment in the SRTS plan and due to frequent community concerns voiced about the level of traffic on the corridor. Improvements will help to provide connectivity between the neighborhoods where students live and where their respective schools are located and help mitigate pedestrian and bicyclist exposure to vehicles. The addition of Class II bike lanes will help to close gaps in bike lanes that will make biking to school safer and more practical. With the construction of these proposed improvements, the City can expect to see increases in the number of students walking and biking to school and improved safety for all walkers and bikers within the community.
The anticipated schedule for awards and execution of the grants is as proposed below:
CTC Funding Allocation Request Project Approval and Environmental Document (PA&ED) August 14, 2019
Fully Executed Contract October 2019
Release of Request for Proposal for PA&ED and Plans, Specifications and Estimates (PS&E) November 2019
Award of Professional Service Agreement January 2019
CTC Funding Allocation Request PS&E August 2020
CTC Funding Allocation Request Construction April 2021
Award Construction Contract August 2021
Complete all work March 2022
Final Reimbursements and Final products submission to Caltrans May 2022
It will take approximately three (3) months from grant approval by the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to process and execute the agreements with the CTC to allocate the funds. Until that time, the City cannot commence reimbursable work on the planning project. Staff will rely on the assistance of a Consultant to complete the project scope of work. The consultant procurement will follow adopted Caltrans Local Assistance procedures and City procurement policies. Staff will retain a consultant for engineering services once Caltrans has issued a fully executed contract and formally notifies the City authorizing the start of work, expected by October 2019.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The proposed request is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
Approval of this action complies with the following City of Rialto General Plan Goals and Policies:
Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent, and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.
Approval of this action complies with the City of Rialto General Plan Goals and Policy:
Goal 3-11: Provide community facilities that adequately support established programs, can accommodate future needs, and are accessible to all members of the community.
Goal 3-11.1: Allocate resources for the maintenance and operations of City facilities; explore alternative funding options for maintenance and operational costs of new facilities.
Goal 4-8: Establish and maintain a comprehensive system of pedestrian trails and bicycle routes that provide viable connections throughout the City.
Goal 4-9: Promote Walking.
Policy 4-9.3: Provide pedestrian-friendly and safety improvements, such as crosswalks and pedestrian signals, in all pedestrian activity areas.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the staff report and Resolution.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Operating Budget Impact
The Safe Routes for Active Play, Work, and Live Rialto! is a non-infrastructure grant of $549,000 providing over four-years funding taking the program beyond the school community to include Citywide initiatives, such as a new bicycle diversion program. The project will fund a dedicated Administrative Analyst to coordinate and lead City-Wide SRTS project activities. The new Administrative Analyst full time position was proposed in the FY2019-2020. The addition and recruitment of the Administrative Analyst position is subject to future Council consideration and approval.
The grant is budgeted in the FY2019-2020 in SB-1 Fund Account No. 203-400-4427-7536-200812-22 for increased revenues of $549,000; and Account No. 203-500-4427-3001-200812-01 for appropriations of $549,000.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
The Terra Vista Drive Neighborhood SRTS Infrastructure Improvements is a $663,000 grant award and is budgeted in the FY2019-2020 in SB-1 Fund Account No. 203-400-7308-7536-200813-22 for increased revenues of $663,000; and Account No. 203-500-7308-3001-200813-01 for appropriations of $663,000.
Licensing
The proposed action will not require any licensing.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council:
• Adopt Resolution No. _____ Accepting the California Department of Transportation - Division of Transportation Planning Award of SB-1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account - Active Transportation Program Cycle 4 Grant.
• Authorize the Release of a Request for Proposals for Related Professional Consultant Services for Rialto’s Safe Routes for Active Play, Work, and Live Rialto! for $549,000, and Terra Vista Drive Neighborhood SRTS Infrastructure for $663,000.