REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Agreements with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority for 2016 Measure B Funding of the De La Cruz Boulevard Class IV Bikeway Study, Monroe Street Class II Buffered Bicycle Lane Study, Walsh Avenue Class IV Bikeway Study, and Related Budget Amendments
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure
BACKGROUND
In 2016, Santa Clara County voters approved “Measure B,” a 30-year half-cent county-wide sales tax to fund improvements for nine transportation related program categories. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) administers these funds and the program categories are defined as: BART Silicon Valley Phase II, Caltrain Corridor Capacity Improvements, County of Santa Clara Expressways, Local Streets and Roads, Transit Operations, Bicycle/Pedestrian, Caltrain Grade Separations, Highway Interchanges and State Route 85 Corridor.
VTA requires a local agency to adopt a Complete Streets Resolution in order to receive Measure B funds. The City has met this requirement by adopting a Resolution establishing a Complete Streets Policy at the August 21, 2018 City Council meeting (Attachment 1). This resolution ensures that the City is committed to building streets that are designed for the safe travel of all roadway users including motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Projects using Measure B Local Streets and Roads funding must also individually comply with VTA’s Complete Streets Policy prior to receiving funds.
In 2019, the Council adopted the Bicycle Plan Update 2018. This plan included new Class II buffered bicycle lanes and Class IV bikeways to create a comprehensive bicycling network and encourage bicycling as a safe and healthy alternative to driving. A Class II buffered bicycle lane is a striped bicycle lane with a buffer area between bicyclists and vehicles and a Class IV bicycle facility is a protected bicycle lane with a buffer area and vertical features (i.e. reflectorized channelizers, barriers, or curbs) between bicyclists and vehicles. The plan also identified specific corridors that require further study to determine alternate roadway configuration options to accommodate the installation of the recommended bicycle facilities for each corridor (Attachment 2). Inclusion of the recommended bicycle facilities along these corridors may include options to reduce travel lanes or remove on-street parking.
DISCUSSION
The Bicycle/Pedestrian program category of Measure B includes funding for education programs, planning studies, and capital projects. In February 2021, the VTA released a call for projects to award funding for the FY 2020/21 cycle of planning studies.
The VTA received 11 project applications, three of which were submitted by the City. These applications consist of three corridors identified in the Bicycle Plan Update 2018 as requiring further study: (1) De La Cruz Boulevard between Central Expressway and Reed Street; and Coleman Avenue between Reed Street and the City Limit, (2) Monroe Street between Lawrence Expressway and San Tomas Expressway, and (3) Walsh Avenue between the City Limits and Lafayette Street (Attachments 3, 4, and 5, respectively).
The City’s applications were ranked 3, 4, and 5 and the VTA Board of Directors awarded of a total of $455,000 in grant funds to support these three corridors. The planning studies will complete public outreach, analyze traffic and parking conditions, and create conceptual designs to determine final options for the bicycle facility recommendations within the Bicycle Plan Update 2018.
The VTA requires a separate funding agreement for each bicycle corridor receiving grant funding (Attachments 6, 7, and 8). These three agreements total $650,000 ($455,000 in grant funds and $195,000 in local match) and are broken down as follows: 1) $250,000 for the De La Cruz Boulevard (includes Coleman Avenue) Class IV Bikeway Study, 2) $200,000 for the Monroe Street Class II Buffered Bicycle Lane Study, and 3) $200,000 for the Walsh Avenue Class IV Bikeway Study. After approval of the funding agreements, staff will release a Request for Proposal to procure consultants to study these corridors. Upon completion of the studies staff will present recommendations to Council for future consideration.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)( 4), government fiscal activities that do not involve any commitment to any specific project that may result in a potentially significant impact on the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
The De La Cruz Boulevard Class IV Bikeway Study has a total project cost estimate of $250,000. The VTA has awarded $175,000 of funds and the City must contribute $75,000 (30 percent) as a local match requirement.
The Monroe Street Class II Buffered Bicycle Lane Study has a total project cost estimate of $200,000. The VTA has awarded $140,000 of funds and the City must contribute $60,000 (30 percent) as a local match requirement.
The Walsh Avenue Class IV Bikeway Study has a total project cost estimate of $200,000. The VTA has awarded $140,000 of funds and the City must contribute $60,000 (30 percent) as a local match requirement.
The recommended budget actions recognize Measure B grant funding in the amount of $455,000 and allocates $175,000 of funds to a new De La Cruz Boulevard Class IV Bikeway Study project, $140,000 of funds to a new Monroe Street Class II Buffered Bicycle Lane Study project, and $140,000 of funds to a new Walsh Avenue Class IV Bikeway Study project in the Streets and Highways Capital Fund. In addition, the recommended actions reallocate $195,000 from the existing Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancement Facilities project in the same fund. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancement Facilities project supplements funding for the local match related to grant funds for pedestrian and bicycle projects.
Budget Amendment
FY 2021/22
|
|
Current |
Increase/ (Decrease) |
Revised |
|
Streets and Highways Capital Fund (533) |
|
|
|
|
Revenue |
|
|
|
|
Other Agencies Revenue (VTA Measure B Grant) |
$25,023,989 |
$455,000 |
$25,478,989 |
|
Expenditures |
|
|
|
|
De La Cruz Boulevard Class IV Bikeway Study (New Project) |
$0 |
$250,000 |
$250,000 |
|
Monroe Street Class II Buffered Bicycle Lane Study (New Project) |
$0 |
$200,000 |
$200,000 |
|
Walsh Avenue Class IV Bikeway Study (New Project) |
$0 |
$200,000 |
$200,000 |
|
Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancement Facilities Project (533-1220) |
$2,556,174 |
($195,000) |
$2,361,174 |
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.
At the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee’s (BPAC) March 22, 2021 meeting, the members discussed the De La Cruz Boulevard, Monroe Street, and Walsh Avenue projects for potential application for Measure B Funding.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute funding agreements between the City of Santa Clara and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority for the De La Cruz Boulevard Class IV Bikeway Study, Monroe Street Class II Buffered Bicycle Lane Study, and Walsh Avenue Class IV Bikeway Study;
2. Consistent with City Charter Section 1305, “At any meeting after the adoption of the budget, the City Council may amend or supplement the budget by motion adopted by the affirmative votes of at least five members so as to authorize the transfer of unused balances appropriated for one purpose to another purpose, or to appropriate available revenue not included in the budget,” approve the FY 2021/22 budget amendment in the Streets and Highways Capital Fund to increase the Other Agencies Revenue estimate by $455,000 to recognize grant funding for the VTA Measure B Bicycle/Pedestrian program category funds, establish an appropriation for the new Project - De La Cruz Boulevard Class IV Bikeway Study in the amount of $250,000, establish an appropriation for the new Project - Monroe Street Class II Buffered Bicycle Lane Study in the amount of $200,000, establish an appropriation for the new Project - Walsh Avenue Class IV Bikeway Study in the amount of $200,000 and decrease the Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancement Facilities Project by $195,000 (five affirmative Council votes required to appropriate additional revenue); and
3. Authorize the City Manager to make modifications to the Agreements, if needed, within the approved budget of the projects.
Staff
Reviewed by: Craig Mobeck, Director of Public Works
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution No. 18-8593, Complete Streets Policy
2. Bicycle Plan Update 2018, Figure D-1 Future Design Considerations
3. De La Cruz Boulevard Class IV Bikeway Study Project Map
4. Monroe Street Class II Buffered Bicycle Lane Study Project Map
5. Walsh Avenue Class IV Bikeway Study Project Map
6. De La Cruz Boulevard Class IV Bikeway Study Funding Agreement
7. Monroe Street Class II Buffered Bicycle Lane Study Funding Agreement
8. Walsh Avenue Class IV Bikeway Study Funding Agreement