For City Council Meeting [July 13, 2021]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Marcus Fuller, City Manager
FROM: Michael Tahan, Interim Public Works Director
Title
Request City Council to Authorize the Submission of Grant Applications to the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority for the Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 Funds.
(ACTION)
Body
BACKGROUND
On June 02, 2021, the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) Board authorized the release of the Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 Call for Projects for Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities projects and Transit Access Improvement Projects. Local jurisdictions and transit agencies were notified of this opportunity through the SBCTA’s website and Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) email list. The amount of Article 3 funds anticipated to be available for award was $3,119,595 and $779,899, respectively, for a total of $3,899,494 funding available. The closing date for the Call for Projects is August 4, 2021.
Examples of eligible projects under the Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities & Transit Stop Access Projects include:
Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects ($3,119,595 total available)
• Construction or reconstruction of bicycle facilities, tracks and/or sidewalks.
• Retrofitting of existing facilities for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.
• Purchase and installation of bicycle facilities such as securing bicycle parking, lockers, and racks, benches, drinking fountains, changing rooms, restrooms and showers adjacent to or at major employment centers, park-and-ride lots and transit terminals.
• Maintenance of existing Class I facilities (no more than 10% of the available funds for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Call for Projects can be allocated to maintenance of existing facilities).
• Route improvements such as signal controls for cyclists, bicycle loop detectors, rubberized trail crossings, and bicycle-friendly drainage grates.
Transit Access Improvement Projects ($779,899 total available)
• Web based mapping, photography, or other visual imagery to provide information on stop accessibility to users of a transit system.
• Retrofitting sidewalks with accessibility ramps to improve access to existing bus stops.
• Construction of bus stop pads, including pads for bus shelters, and installation of bus shelters, benches, trash receptacles and solar lighting at existing or new bus stop locations.
• Construction of new sidewalks to serve existing or new bus stop locations.
• Purchase of bus shelters, benches, trash receptacles and solar lighting at new/existing bus stop locations.
In July 2019, SBCTA Board of Directors approved funding to the City of Rialto from the TDA Article 3 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities program, for the Easton Sidewalk Improvements in the amount of $226,000. The application requested funding for construction of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant sidewalk and curb ramps along the north and south sides of Easton Street.
The City will utilize the experience learned with its last successful grant application for Easton Street, and will continue to work with SBCTA to analyze best option for submission based on the grant guidelines.
The TDA provides that two percent of the State of California Local Transportation Funds (LTF) be made available to counties and cities for facilities for the exclusive use of bicyclists and pedestrians, known as the TDA Article 3 Program. In August 1999, the SBCTA Board (Board) approved a policy that 80 percent of TDA Article 3 funds would be made available for projects that implement or improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
The remaining 20 percent of the TDA Article 3 program would be made available for projects that improve access to transit stops for pedestrians and persons with disabilities.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
On June 23, 2021, Staff presented the Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 Call for Projects for Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities projects and Transit Access Improvement Projects to the Economic Development Committee (EDC). During this meeting, staff was directed to refer to the adopted Safe Routes to School Plan to determine project eligibility. Based on this recommendation, staff will pursue funding based on the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Plan. Staff is using the SRTS Plan which identifies issues and opportunities related to suggested routes for walking and bicycling.
Based on the prioritization in the SRTS Plan, the two following locations are recommended by Staff to submit as applications for funding pursuant to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Projects:
• Sycamore Avenue Safe Routes to School Improvements - S. Sycamore Avenue from Walnut Avenue to Victoria Street and Walnut Avenue from Sycamore Avenue to Chestnut Avenue. Refer to Exhibit A excerpt from the SRTS Plan.
• Merrill Avenue Safe Routes to School Improvements - E Merrill Avenue from S. Althea to S. Eucalyptus Avenue and N. Sycamore Avenue from E. Wilson Avene to E. Carter Street. Refer to Exhibit B excerpt from the SRTS Plan.
Staff will coordinate with Omnitrans to explore and pursue funding through the Transit Access Improvement Projects for the accessibility improvement construction projects.
This grant program requires a minimum local match of 10%. However, overmatching is encouraged and provides additional application points. The maximum number of points in the evaluation criteria is 25 Points, which can be obtained through a Local Match amount of 75% or higher.
Staff recommends the use Measure I Funds as the Local Match. If the City is successful, staff will return to City Council for authorization to accept the grant, approval of appropriations and to include the selected project in the Measure I CIP 5-Year Expenditure Strategy in the corresponding year.
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 also complies with the City of Rialto General Plan Goal and Policies:
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.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed and supports this staff report and Resolution.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
This action has no impact to the Operating Budget.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
This grant program requires a minimum local match of 10%. However, overmatching is encouraged and provides additional application points. The maximum number of points in the evaluation criteria is 25 Points, which can be obtained through a Local Match amount of 75% or higher.
Staff recommends proposing 25% local match through the use Measure I Funds. If the City is successful with the proposed grant applications, staff will return to City Council for authorization to accept the grant, approval of appropriations and to amend as necessary to include the selected project in the Measure I CIP 5-Year Expenditure Strategy for the corresponding year.
RECOMMENDATION
Request City Council to Authorize the Submission of Grant Applications to the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority for the Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 funds.