DATE: March 1, 2016
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Bernard Jimenez, Interim Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality and Regional Surface Transportation Program Applications
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
TITLE
1. Accept the recommended projects list for the Fresno Council of Governments as candidate projects for Regional Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality and Regional Surface Transportation Program Applications for program funding.
2. Adopt a Resolution regarding project delivery schedules utilizing Federal funding.
REPORT
The recommended action item 1 will authorize the Director of the Department of Public Works and Planning to apply to the Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG) for Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) and Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) funding Both of these programs had a deadline for project submittals that were met. A recommended list of projects is shown on Attachment A.
The recommended action item 2 will approve a resolution directing County staff to ensure the timely completion of projects and use of Federal funds, as required by Fresno COG.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
If the recommended actions are not approved, Federal funding will not be granted for the projects submitted to Fresno COG.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no net County cost associated with the recommended action. If grants are awarded from these applications, there may be a local match requirement. If the project requires a local match, it will be paid out of appropriations requested in future fiscal years for Public Works and Planning - Roads Org 4510.
DISCUSSION:
The CMAQ program was created under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991. Congress has reaffirmed its commitment to air quality/transportation funding in each Surface Transportation Act reauthorization since 1991, and the program is currently authorized in Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21). Funding may be expended on projects to reduce ozone precursor emissions (including nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds), carbon monoxide, and particulate matter (PM) emissions from transportation.
RSTP includes both ‘lifeline” and “regional bid” funding approaches. The fundamental difference between lifeline funding and regional bid funding is that lifeline funding is based on a quantitative formula (110% of previous Federal Aid Urban and Federal Aid Secondary programs) and is the member agency’s money in perpetuity. This level of lifeline funding was established under Senate Bill 1435. Regional bid funding, on the other hand, is tied to a project rather than to a member agency. Acquisition of regional bid funds is based on a project’s ability to compete against other projects submitted for programming within the region.
The Fresno COG announced the CMAQ 2015-16 Call for Projects on December 17, 2015 and acting in its role as a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), is in the process of programming the future federal transportation revenues that will come to the Fresno Region. Approximately $26.4 million in CMAQ funding is available for the 2015-16 Call for Projects.
It is the practice of the Department of Public Works and Planning to inform the Board of various funding grants that the Department is actively pursuing to maximize the use of Road Funds. It is also the practice of the Department to submit a preliminary list of projects for Board approval.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Vicinity Map
Attachment A
On file with Clerk - Resolution
CAO ANALYST:
John Hays