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 2019/20 and Related Budget Amendments [Council Pillar: Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure]
Report
BACKGROUND
On December 12, 2018, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) announced a Call-For-Projects for the FY 2019/20 Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) Program Manager funding cycle. The 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 certain program requirements such as reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, improving transportation options, or reducing traffic congestion. On March 8, 2019, staff submitted grant applications for two projects under the TFCA Program Manager Fund.
The first project is the Scott Boulevard Signal Timing Phase II project, which will upgrade the existing traffic signal controls at Benton Street and install communications infrastructure to connect multiple intersections on Scott Boulevard between El Camino Real and Saratoga Avenue. These upgrades will improve signal management and coordination between signals along Scott Boulevard to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion. The second project is the Saratoga Avenue Bicycle Lanes project, which will install Class II bicycle lanes on Saratoga Avenue between San Tomas Expressway and Los Padres Boulevard. Consistent with the Santa Clara Bicycle Plan Update 2018, this project will provide a needed bicycle connection between Westwood Elementary School and existing bicycle lanes on Los Padres Boulevard, thereby improving multimodal transportation options.
At the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting on October 22, 2018, and in anticipation of the December 2018 Call-For-Projects, staff presented the Saratoga Avenue Bicycle Lanes project and the BPAC recommended that staff apply for TFCA grant funding. Both projects are shown in the Location Map (Attachment 1).
DISCUSSION
On October 3, 2019, the VTA approved the programming of $175,500 in FY 2019/20 TFCA Program Manager Funds towards both projects. Specifically, $137,000 was allocated to the Scott Boulevard Signal Timing Phase II project and $38,500 to the Saratoga Avenue Bicycle Lanes project. To receive the TFCA funds, the City is required to enter into the attached agreement (Attachment 2), which requires FY 2019/20 TFCA Funds be expended prior to June 30, 2021 and that the City provide matching funds in the amount of $28,500 and $32,500, respectively, for both projects. As these are new CIP projects, staff recommends that both projects be established as part of this memorandum to receive the grant revenue and appropriate the project funding. To cover the City’s share of the projects totaling $61,000, staff recommends reallocating funding from existing CIP projects as described in the Fiscal Impact section below.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The TFCA Program is a transportation control measure established by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) in order to further the BAAQMD Clean Air Plan. BAAQMD certified an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Clean Air Plan (SCH# 2009082059), which included an environmental impacts analysis of the TCFA Program. In addition, the Saratoga Avenue Bicycle Lanes 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 $236,500 for the two new CIP projects in the Streets and Highways Fund to be funded by the VTA’s FY 2019/20 TFCA Grant fund ($175,500) and by reallocating existing City funds ($61,000). The City will provide $61,000 of required local matching funds by reallocating funding from two CIP projects: $28,500 from the Traffic Signal Controller Upgrade Project and $32,500 from the Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancement Facilities Project. Both of these projects have adequate funding to support the new TFCA projects.
The new TFCA projects will support and implement improvements generally described in the Traffic Signal Controller Upgrade Project and the Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancement Facilities Project, so the use of the reallocated funds is in alignment with the original projects. 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 2019/20
|
|
Current |
Increase/ (Decrease) |
Revised |
|
Fund 533 - Streets and Highways Fund |
|
|
|
|
Revenues |
|
|
|
|
Grant Funding - Scott Boulevard Signal Timing Phase II (New Project) |
$0 |
$137,000 |
$137,000 |
|
Grant Funding - Saratoga Avenue Bicycle Lanes (New Project) |
$0 |
$38,500 |
$38,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenditures |
|
|
|
|
Scott Boulevard Signal Timing Phase II (New Project) |
$0 |
$165,500 |
$165,500 |
|
Saratoga Avenue Bicycle Lanes (New Project) |
$0 |
$71,000 |
$71,000 |
|
Traffic Signal Controller Upgrade (Project 1357) |
$480,872 |
($28,500) |
$452,372 |
|
Pedestrian & Bicycle Enhancement Facilities (Project 1220) |
$464,167 |
($32,500) |
$431,667 |
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 22, 2018, the City’s BPAC considered the Saratoga Avenue Bicycle Lanes project and recommended that staff apply for FY 2019/20 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 FY 2019/20 to receive $175,500 from the TFCA Program Manager Funds; and
2. Approve budget amendments in the Streets and Highways Fund to recognize grant funding in the amount of $175,500, establish a new project appropriation for the Scott Boulevard Signal Timing Phase II project in the amount of $165,500, establish a new project appropriation for the Saratoga Avenue Bicycle Lanes project in the amount of $71,000, reduce the Traffic Signal Controller Upgrade Project by $28,500, and reduce the Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancement Facilities Project by $32,500.
Staff
Reviewed by: Craig Mobeck, Director of Public Works, Department
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Location Map
2. Agreement