Agenda Item Wording:
title
Appropriation of Awarded Grant Funds - Accept and authorize the appropriation of funds awarded from the State of California, Active Transportation Program (ATP) of 1) $2,385,000 for the Houston Community Connectivity Project; and 2) $795,000 for the Goshen-Visalia Corridor - Phase 1 Project.
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Deadline for Action: None
Submitting Department: Engineering & Building
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Dolores Verduzco, Financial Analyst, Dolores.Verduzco@visalia.city, (559) 713-4540
Diego Corvera, 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 that the City Council accept and authorize the appropriation of a total of $3,180,000 of funds awarded from the Active Transportation Program (ATP) to the following projects:
1) $2,385,000 Houston Community Connectivity Project
2) $795,000 Goshen-Visalia Corridor - Phase 1 between Giddings Street to Mooney Boulevard
Background Discussion:
The Houston Community Connectivity Project will benefit the students at the Houston Elementary School along with the neighboring residents by improving the safety and accessibility of non-motorized modes of transportation to the school and key neighborhood destinations.
Funds need to be appropriated for staff to begin project design for the Houston Project and to then deliver to construction; construction anticipated Summer of 2026
The Goshen-Visalia Corridor - Phase 1 Project between Giddings St. to Mooney Blvd. Project will benefit a broad range of users as the Goshen Trail provides a connection for residents to access important destinations including shopping centers, employment, transit, and several public schools.
Funds need to be appropriated to prepare project for construction; construction is anticipated to begin Summer of 2026.
Active Transportation Program (ATP)
The ATP is a competitive statewide grant program. This grant program provides funding for projects that encourage the increased use of active modes of transportation such as walking and biking while enhancing public health. This grant program is highly competitive with over 400 funding applications submitted during the last funding cycle in 2022, Cycle 6, and of those 93 projects received an award of funds at the state level. The score cutoff for award in the statewide component was 89. Staff submitted a total of three funding applications to the ATP during Cycle 6. Projects not awarded at the state level were eligible to be resubmitted to the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) in the countywide competitive component of the program. Below is a summary list of the projects submitted in the last funding cycle.
• Houston Community Connectivity Project - Funds awarded at the state level
• Goshen Visalia Corridor Project - Funds awarded in the countywide component
• Santa Fe Cycle Track Class IV Bike Route - Funds not awarded
Houston Community Connectivity Project
Cost estimate $2,385,000. ATP funds awarded for this project will fully fund the project from design to construction. The Houston Community Connectivity Project achieved a score of 98 out of 100. Proposed improvements to the neighborhoods are listed below. Please note, project scope is subject to refinement based on budget and design details.
Proposed Improvements:
• Crosswalk enhancements including but not limited to installation of ADA curb ramps, curb extensions, striping, and signage.
• Closing gaps in sidewalks near the Houston Elementary School and surrounding neighborhoods to include installation of ADA curb ramps, striping, and signage for safer street crossings.
• On street bike facility improvements to provide safer bike lanes for residents and to include traffic calming measures to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
Goshen-Visalia Corridor - Phase 1, between Giddings St. to Mooney Blvd.
Cost estimate $3,536,000 (construction). ATP funds were awarded from the MPO/countywide component for improvements to the Goshen Trail segment from Giddings Street to Mooney Boulevard. The initial application submitted to the state encompassed improvements to the Goshen Trail from Giddings St. spanning to Miller Park Court and extending the trail to Camp Drive. The initial ATP funding request for the original scope of improvements to the Goshen Trail was $18M. This project received a score of 87 out of 100 in the statewide component and did not receive an award of funds at the state level.
The project was eligible to be resubmitted in the MPO component. As there is less funding available in the MPO component of the ATP grant program, the Goshen-Visalia Corridor Improvement Project was reduced in scope when submitted in the MPO component. In the MPO component of the ATP grant program, the Goshen Trail project was phased and staff submitted a funding request to TCAG for the segment from Giddings St. to Mooney Blvd., referred to as Goshen-Visalia Corridor Phase 1.
Design for improvements of the full extent of the trail (Giddings St to Camp Dr) is currently underway and funded with Measure R Trail Funds (132). Construction for phase 1 is estimated to cost $3,536,000. ATP funds of $3M were requested for construction of phase 1 with $536,000 proposed as matching funds from the Measure R Trail Fund (132). A total of $795,000 of ATP grant funds were awarded from the MPO component.
Staff is currently working with TCAG to identify other funding sources to fully fund Phase 1 of the project. Staff will return to Council at a future date to identify the other funding sources needed and to request an appropriation of funds. In addition, staff plans to submit a funding application to the ATP in the upcoming funding cycle 7, application period to open in March 2024, to request funding to complete improvements to the remaining section of the trail project from Mooney Blvd. to Camp Dr.
Proposed improvements to the Goshen-Visalia Corridor - Phase 1 project - are listed below.
Proposed Improvements:
• Reconstruction of the 0.5 mile Class 1 multi use trail, from Giddings St. to Mooney Blvd.
• Installation of trail amenities such as trash receptacles, benches, and lighting
• Safety enhancements at intersections
• Railroad crossing improvements at intersection crossings
Fiscal Impact:
Staff recommends ATP grant funds awarded be appropriated to the projects listed below. For the Houston Community Connectivity project, local matching funds are not required. For the Goshen-Visalia Corridor Phase 1, from Giddings St. and Mooney Blvd, staff will return to Council at a later date to request an appropriation of additional funds needed to fully fund phase 1 of the project.
|
Project Name |
Appropriation Request (ATP Grant Funds) |
|
1. Houston Community Connectivity Project |
$2,385,000 |
|
2. Goshen-Visalia Corridor Phase 1, between Giddings St. to Mooney Blvd. |
$795,000 |
|
Total Appropriation Request: |
$3,180,000 |
Prior Council Action:
May 16, 2022
Authorized submission of funding applications for the ATP funding (Cycle 6).
May 2, 2022
Authorized a contract with 4 Creeks for professional consulting services for the design of the Goshen Trail Reconstruction project in the amount no to exceed $1,269,309, and authorized an additional appropriation of $650,000 from the Measure R Trails (132) Fund. (Project Number 3010-72000/CP8130-999)
Alternatives:
Not accept grant funds.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize the appropriation of ATP grant funds of $2,385,000 for the Houston Community Connectivity Project and $795,000 for the Goshen-Visalia Corridor Phase 1 Project.
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Environmental Assessment Status:
To be completed prior to construction.
CEQA Review:
To be completed prior to construction.
Attachments:
1. Houston Community Connectivity Project Location Map
2. Goshen-Visalia Corridor Phase 1, Gidding St. to Mooney Blvd., Project Location Map