DATE: June 18, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Retroactive Approval of FY 2024-25 Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Retroactively approve and authorize Director of Public Works and Planning’s previous submittal of two applications to the California Department of Transportation for the FY 2024-25 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant for the Western Fresno County Climate Adaptation Plan to study west of Highways 99 and 41 to the County line to plan for the resilience of transportation infrastructure due to flooding, drought, subsidence, and other climate-related causes ($1,500,000), and for the Fresno County Safe Routes to School Action Plan to conduct a school assessment study to evaluate the most critical transportation issues students face at 20 selected schools located in or adjacent to unincorporated areas of Fresno County ($400,000).
REPORT
To meet the grant filing deadline, the Department of Public Works and Planning (Department) submitted the Grant Applications on January 18, 2024 for the FY 2024-25 Sustainable Transportation Planning competitive grant, contingent upon your Board’s approval. Grant announcements are scheduled to begin by late spring of 2024. The impact of this item is Countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended action is not approved, the Department will withdraw one or both of the grant applications, as applicable, and the relevant proposed projects will no longer be considered for State funding under the current FY 2024-25 cycle.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County cost associated with the recommended action. The Climate Adaptation Plan is estimated to cost $1,694,341. If awarded, the County would receive $1,500,000 with the required 11.47% local match of $194,341 paid out of the County’s Measure C allocation. The Safe Routes to School Action is estimated to cost $451,824. If awarded. the County would receive $400,000 with the required 11.47% local match of $51,824 paid out of the County’s Measure C allocation.
DISCUSSION:
The purpose of the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant (STPG) is to provide much needed funding to support regional sustainable communities’ strategies and ultimately achieve the State's greenhouse gas reductions targets of 40 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 2050, respectively. The STPG is available on an annual basis and through a competitive application process. Grants are for transportation planning activities such as planning for active transportation, safe routes to schools, transit services, vision zero, complete streets, freight corridors, social equity, integrated land use and transportation planning.
The Department submitted two applications to the STPG program’s FY 2024-25 funding cycle. Both applications propose studies that will result in action plans which will address important issues facing County residents; climate change and school traffic safety. Below are brief descriptions of the subject matter in each application and the funding requested:
Western Fresno County Climate Adaptation Plan - The Department is proposing a study of the western unincorporated communities and overlapping cities (west of Highways 99 and 41 to the County line) to plan for the resilience of transportation infrastructure due to flooding, drought, subsidence, and other climate-related causes. When storm events occur, the roads can flood and impact thousands of residents trying to get to school, work, and access to other vital resources. This area of study was chosen due to its high flood risk and high concentration of underserved communities. Deliverables include a report with scoping, cost estimates, and a list of priority projects with feasibility of recommended actions, identified through a scientific and public process that considers cost, equity, long-term resiliency, and potential environmental impact.
Fresno County Safe Routes to School Action Plan - The Department is proposing a Safe Routes to School Assessment Study that will result in Action Plan, to carefully evaluate the most critical transportation issues students face at 20 selected schools located in or adjacent to unincorporated Fresno County. The selection of schools was based on outreach conducted by the Fresno Council of Governments (FCOG) to schools and districts. The Action Plan will develop feasible solutions that have immediate and positive impacts on the safety and comfort of children traveling to school. This study will result in a Safety Action Plan providing crash analysis, a toolbox of proven safety countermeasures, pathways to implementation, and a robust transportation safety education program, including engaging students, staff, parents, community members, and relevant authorities in the assessment and planning process.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Location Maps
On file with Clerk - Western Fresno County Climate Adaptation Plan
On file with Clerk - Fresno County Safe Routes to School Action Plan
CAO ANALYST:
Salvador Espino