REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on an Agreement with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Congestion Management Program Transportation Fund for Clean Air Grants for Fiscal Year 2018/19 and Related Budget Amendments
Report
BACKGROUND
On December 15, 2017, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) announced a Call-For-Projects for the FY 2018/19 Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) Program Manager funding cycle. This County of Santa Clara Program Manager Fund, administered by the VTA, is part of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s TFCA grant program, which is funded by a $4 surcharge on motor vehicles registered in the Bay Area. Public and private entities can apply for TFCA grant funding, but are required to demonstrate that their projects meet program requirements such as reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, improving transportation options, or reducing traffic congestion. On March 9, 2018, staff submitted grant applications for two projects under the TFCA Program Manager Fund.
The first project is the Scott Boulevard Signal Timing Project which will upgrade existing traffic signal controllers/controller cabinets and install communications infrastructure for multiple intersections on Scott Boulevard between Garret Drive and Central Expressway. When complete, this project will improve signal management and coordination between signals along Scott Boulevard to reduce traffic congestion. The second project is the Benton Street Bicycle Lanes project which will install Class II bicycle lanes on Benton Street between Monroe Street and El Camino Real. Consistent with the City’s Bicycle Master Plan, this project will provide a needed bicycle connection between existing bicycle lanes on Monroe Street and the Santa Clara Caltrain Station thereby improving multimodal transportation options.
In anticipation of the December 2017 Call-For-Projects at the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) October 18, 2017 meeting, staff presented the Benton Street Bicycle Lanes Project and the BPAC recommended that staff apply for TFCA grant funding. Both projects are shown in the Location Map (Attachment 2).
DISCUSSION
On September 6, 2018, the VTA approved the programming of $277,000 in FY 2018/19 TFCA Program Manager Funds towards both projects. Specifically, $200,000 was allocated towards the Scott Boulevard Signal Timing project and $77,000 for the Benton Street Bicycle Lanes project. To receive the TFCA funds, the City is required to enter into the attached agreement (Attachment 1) which requires that FY 2018/19 TFCA Funds be expended prior to June 30, 2020 and that the City provide matching funds in the amount of $310,000 and $73,000 respectively for both projects. As these are new CIP projects, staff requests that both projects be established in the City’s FY2018/19 CIP budget to receive the grant revenue and appropriate funding for the expenditures. Therefore, budget amendments totaling $383,000, as listed below, are necessary to reallocate funding from existing CIP projects.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The TCFA Program is a transportation control measure established by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) in furtherance of the BAAQMD Clean Air Plan. BAAQMD certified an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Clean Air Plan (SCH# 2009082059), which included an analysis of the environmental impacts of the TCFA Program. In addition, the Benton Bike Lane Project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15304(h), Class 4 - “Minor Alterations to Land,” in that the activity consists of the creation of bicycle lanes on existing rights-of-way.
FISCAL IMPACT
Staff is requesting appropriations totaling $277,000 for the two new CIP projects in the Streets and Highways Fund to be funded by the VTA’s FY 2018/2019 TFCA Grant fund. The City will provide $383,000 of required local matching funds by reallocating funding from two existing CIP projects: $310,000 from the Traffic Signal Controller Upgrade Project and $73,000 from the Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancement Facilities Project. Both of these existing CIP projects have adequate funding to support the new TFCA projects. The new TFCA projects will support and implement the improvements generally described in the Traffic Signal Controller Upgrade Project and the Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancement Facilities Project, so there is no impact to these funds. The description of the Pedestrian/Bicycle Enhancement Facilities project also identifies it as a funding source for the local match related to grant funds.
Budget Amendment
FY 2018/19
|
|
Current |
Increase/ (Decrease) |
Revised |
|
Fund 533 - Streets and Highways Fund |
|
|
|
|
Revenues |
|
|
|
|
Grant Funding - Scott Boulevard Signal Timing (New Project) |
$0 |
$200,000 |
$200,000 |
|
Grant Funding - Benton Bicycle Lanes (New Project) |
$0 |
$77,000 |
$77,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenditures |
|
|
|
|
Scott Boulevard Signal Timing (New Project) |
$0 |
$510,000 |
$510,000 |
|
Benton Bicycle Lanes (New Project) |
$0 |
$150,000 |
$150,000 |
|
Traffic Signal Controller Upgrade (Project 1357) |
$650,872 |
($310,000) |
$340,872 |
|
Pedestrian & Bicycle Enhancement Facilities (Project 1220) |
$242,079 |
($73,000) |
$169,079 |
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the Finance Department and the City Attorney’s Office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov>or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
On October 18, 2017, the City’s BPAC considered the Benton Street Bicycle Lanes Project and recommended that staff apply for FY 2018/19 TFCA Grant funding for this project.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Congestion Management Program Transportation Fund for Clean Air Agreement FY2018/19 to receive $277,000 from the TFCA Program Manager Funds;
2. Approve appropriations in the new CIP Project - Scott Boulevard Signal Timing Project and estimated revenue in the amount of $200,000 from TFCA Program Manager Funds; the transfer for the required local match from Traffic Signal Controller Upgrade Project to the Scott Boulevard Signal Timing Project in the amount of $310,000; appropriations in the new CIP project - Benton Street Bicycle Lanes Project and estimated revenue in the amount of $77,000 from TFCA Program Manager Funds; and the transfer for the required local match from the Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancement Facilities Project to the Benton Street Bicycle Lanes Project in the amount of $73,000.
Staff
Reviewed by: Craig Mobeck, Director of Public Works
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Agreement
2. Location Map