Agenda Item Wording:
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ATP Grant Applications - Authorize the City Manager to submit funding applications for the Active Transportation Program Cycle 7 to the California Transportation Commission for multiple proposed capital improvement projects.
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Deadline for Action: 6/17/2024 - Application Submission Deadline
Submitting Department: Community Development
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Dolores Verduzco, Financial Analyst, Dolores.Verduzco@visalia.city, (559) 713-4540
Diego Corvera, Senior Civil Engineer, Diego.Corvera@visalia.city , (559) 713-4209
Jason Huckleberry, Engineering & Building Director, Jason.Huckleberry@visalia.city, (559) 713-4495
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends City Council authorize the City Manager to submit four (4) funding applications for the Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 7. The following projects to improve safety and promote active modes of transportation will be submitted for funding to the California Transportation Commission (CTC), for a statewide selection.
1. Goshen-Visalia Corridor Connection Project (estimated cost $35M)
2. Beyond Bike Lanes - Elevating Santa Fe Street with Traffic Calming and Urban Beautification (estimated cost $9M)
3. Washington Elementary Community Connectivity Project (estimated cost $6.5M)
4. Highland Elementary Community Connectivity Project (estimated cost $6.5M)
Background Discussion:
The ATP is a state grant program created to encourage increased use of active modes of transportation. The purpose of and goals of the ATP include the following:
• Increase the proportion of trips accomplished by biking and walking.
• Increase the safety and mobility of nonmotorized users.
• Advance the active transportation efforts of regional agencies to achieve greenhouse gas reduction.
• Enhance public health, including reduction of childhood obesity.
• Ensure that disadvantaged communities fully share in the benefits of the program.
• Provide a broad spectrum of projects to benefit many types of active transportation users.
Cycle 7 of the ATP is funded from various federal and state funding sources to include funds from the federal Transportation Alternative Program, the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program and state funds from the State Highway Account and the SB 1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account. Approximately $569 million will be available for award to active transportation projects during this funding cycle. The ATP is a competitive statewide program with a funding application deadline of June 17th to the CTC for funding consideration in the statewide component of the program.
ATP funds will be distributed for award into three components: fifty percent (50%) to projects awarded by the Commission on a statewide basis, forty percent (40%) to Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) in urban areas with populations greater than 200,000 (projects awarded by the MPO’s), and ten percent (10%) to small urban rural areas with populations of 200,000 or less awarded by the Commission. Project scores for the statewide component will be announced on November 1, 2024.
The City of Visalia along with the City of Tulare, Farmersville, Exeter, and several adjacent unincorporated communities in Tulare County were previously grouped into an urbanized area resulting in a combined population amount exceeding the threshold of 200,000. This meant in the previous ATP cycle, the city was able to resubmit ATP applications for funding consideration to the MPO for Tulare County. However, some projects had to be reduced in scope as there was less funding available; approximately $5 million in previous cycles, in the MPO component. A recent change redesignated the Tulare County MPO to the Small, Urban and Rural category of the ATP. This is a positive change as local agencies within Tulare County, including the City of Visalia, will qualify under the Small, Urban and Rural Category potentially gaining access to ten percent (10%) of ATP funds. Projects not selected for award under the first round of the statewide component have a second opportunity of receiving an award of ATP funds under the MPO component or the Small, Urban and Rural Category.
In preparation to submit projects to the ATP Cycle 7, staff referenced the City’s Active Transportation Plan, a plan identifying projects to improve non-motorized forms of transportation, which was previously adopted by City Council on March 3, 2017. This plan identifies the Goshen Trail and Santa Fe project. Two safe routes to school projects were also developed to follow in the successful application of the Houston Community Connectivity Project which received a score of 98 during the last cycle. Highland elementary school was selected as it’s located within a severely disadvantaged part of Visalia with a high community need. Washington elementary was also selected as it, too, represents a disadvantage community with high need. Other elementary schools were evaluated, but based on the grant criterium, these two schools were the next most competitive schools with Houston Elementary being the most competitive (Awarded funding in Cycle 6).
Staff conducted an extensive public outreach campaign to gather input and feedback from the community which included outreach meetings for each project, the mailing of surveys to residents within the surrounding project areas, made available surveys on the City’s webpage, and engaged with the Washington and Highland elementary schools to include parents, students, and staff member feedback. Conducting public outreach and engaging with the community is required as part of developing the project to demonstrate the proposed project improvements meet the needs of the community based on the feedback received.
Staff is currently developing the applications to make them as competitive as possible and the cost for each project may be further refined. For projects with a total cost of $3.5 million or more, points will be awarded based on the percentage of funds being leveraged. Projects that provide a local match exceeding twenty percent (20%) of the total cost of the project will be awarded the maximum amount of points in the leveraging category. For projects successfully awarded for funding, staff will return to Council to request authorization to appropriate awarded ATP and appropriate local matching funds necessary to complete the project(s).
The following is a summary of the projects recommended by staff for submittal to the ATP.
1. Goshen-Visalia Corridor Connection Project, Estimated Cost $35 million
The proposed project will reconstruct the existing Class 1 multi-use trail from Mooney Blvd. to Miller Park Ct. and extend the trail from Miller Park Ct. to Camp Drive. The existing trail from Giddings to Akers was constructed in 1996 and the segment from Akers St. to Miller Park Ct. in 1998. The existing 8’ wide deteriorated asphalt trail will be reconstructed and elevated from street grade to prevent future flooding and for additional safety. This project will include improvements to the intersection and railroad crossings, installation of curb and gutter where none exists, and additional landscaping and lighting to further improve the safety for users of this trail
The Goshen-Visalia Corridor Connection Project had been submitted in previous ATP cycles. During the last ATP cycle, Cycle 6, the City received an application score of 87 out of 100 with a successful application score cutoff at 89 points at the statewide selection component of the grant program. Staff resubmitted the funding application to the MPO/countywide component. As there is less funding available in the MPO component, the project was reduced in scope and funding was requested for the segment from Giddings St. to Mooney Blvd., project referred to as Goshen-Visalia Corridor Phase 1 Project. The estimated cost for this segment is $3,536,000 and a total of $795,000 of ATP grant funds were awarded from the MPO component. Staff is resubmitting the funding application to request ATP funding for the remaining portion of the project.
In addition, the City is partnering with the County of Tulare to include improvements within the Goshen Community as part of the proposed project scope to provide the residents of the Goshen Community safe access to the corridor. The estimated project cost of $35 million includes the cost of improvements within the Goshen Community. This project will provide a regional benefit to non-motorized users connecting residents to employment, transit, shopping centers, several public schools surrounding the project area, and to downtown Visalia.
2. Beyond Bike Lanes - Elevating Santa Fe Street with Traffic Calming and Urban Beautification, Estimated Cost $9 million
The proposed project will construct a class IV bike route spanning 1.5 mile long along the Santa Fe St. alignment from Tulare Ave. to Houston Ave. A Class IV bike route fully separates the bike route from vehicular traffic that combines the user experience of a separated path with the on-street infrastructure of a conventional bike lane. Improvements will include striping improvements, installation of concrete sidewalk to fill in missing gaps, asphalt improvements, curb & gutter installation to improve safety, landscaping, amenities and pedestrian sidewalk for complete corridor improvements to benefit all users.
3. Washington Elementary Community Connectivity Project, Estimated Cost $6.5 million
The proposed project will benefit not only the students that attend Washington Elementary but the neighboring residents as well by improving the safety and accessibility of non-motorized modes of transportation to the school and key neighborhood destinations. The project will consist of incorporating protected bike lanes where feasible and incorporating traffic calming measures to various intersections identified by the community.
4. Highland Elementary Community Connectivity Project, Estimated Cost $6.5 million
The proposed project will benefit not only the students that attend Highland Elementary but the neighboring residents as well by improving the safety and accessibility of non-motorized modes of transportation to the school and key neighborhood destinations. The project will consist of incorporating protected bike lanes where feasible and incorporating traffic calming measures to various intersections identified by the community.
Fiscal Impact:
The total project cost for the four proposed projects outlined in this report are more than $3.5 million, requiring a local match of more than twenty percent (20%) of the total project cost to achieve the maximum amount of points that may be awarded in the leveraging category. These grants are known for being very competitive and by leveraging funds towards each project, the City is eligible for increased scores.
Below is a summary of the amounts to be leveraged for each project based on the estimated total cost of the project.
|
Project Title |
Total Estimated Project Cost |
Local Match Amount (20.1%) |
Fund Source for Matching Amount |
|
Goshen - Visalia Corridor Connection Project |
$35M ($20M City Project & $15M County) |
$7.04M ($4.04M City Match & $3M County) |
Measure R Trailways (Fund 132) and County Matching Funds |
|
Beyond Bike Lanes -Santa Fe Street |
$9M |
$1.81M |
Measure R Trailways (Fund 132) |
|
Washington Elementary Community Connectivity Project |
$6.5M |
$1.307M |
Measure R Local (Fund 131) |
|
Highland Elementary Community Connectivity Project |
$6.5M |
$1.307M |
Measure R Local (Fund 131) |
The Goshen Trail and Santa Fe Trail are both approved projects identified in the Visalia Bike/Pedestrian projects list within the Measure R Expenditure Plan. Funds for design have been previously approved by City Council and will be utilized to contribute to the local match amounts listed in the table.
If awarded, staff will return to City Council to request authorization of final award amounts and City local funds necessary to complete the project(s). Amounts may still vary based on the final project estimate and funding levels offered by the awarding agencies.
In addition, if the Goshen-Visalia Corridor Connection project is awarded, staff will return to City Council for approval of an agreement between the City and the County detailing responsibilities for project implementation, financial commitments and the responsibility for the ongoing operations and maintenance of the facilities upon completion.
Prior Council Action:
June 21, 2021
Authorized the appropriation of $400,000 from the Measure R Trails (132) fund for the Santa Fe Class IV Bike Lane from Tulare Ave. to Houston Ave. Project.
May 2, 2022
Authorized a contract with 4 Creeks to prepare professional consulting services for the Goshen Trail Reconstruction Project in the amount not to exceed $1,269,306 and authorized a total of $1,661,630 of Measure R Trails (132) funds.
Alternatives:
Not submit application(s) to the Cycle 7 Active Transportation Program.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize the submission of funding applications for the four (4) projects outlined in this report to the ATP Cycle 7 to the CTC for statewide selection.
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Environmental Assessment Status:
To be completed prior to construction
CEQA Review:
To be completed prior to construction
Attachments:
1. Goshen - Visalia Corridor Connection, Project Location Map
2. Beyond Bike Lanes - Santa Fe St., Project Location Map
3. Washington Elementary Community Connectivity, Project Location Map
4. Highland Elementary Community Connectivity, Project Location Map