DATE: September 22, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Retroactively Authorize Active Transportation Program Project Funding Application for the 2027 ATP Cycle 8 and Adopt Resolution required by Fresno Council of Governments
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Retroactively authorize the Department of Public Works and Planning’s submittal of one 2027 Active Transportation Program Cycle 8 Application to the California Department of Transportation for the Jefferson Avenue Sidewalk Project ($1,519,120); and
2. Adopt a Resolution required by Fresno Council of Governments regarding the County’s support of and commitment to the project application submitted to the 2027 Active Transportation Program Cycle 8.
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the first recommended action will retroactively authorize submittal of one funding application by the Director of the Department of Public Works and Planning (Department) to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for Active Transportation Program (ATP) funding to meet the program deadline of June 22, 2026. Approval of the second recommended action will adopt a resolution required by the Fresno Council of Governments (FCOG) for the receipt of the ATP project application for the regional bid. The regional bid funding application will be submitted to FCOG on a later date, to be announced. Should Caltrans not fund the project, FCOG will review the application and may fund the project at the regional level. This item pertains to a location in District 4.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended actions are not approved, the ATP application submitted to Caltrans will be withdrawn from funding consideration and will not be submitted to FCOG.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. If the application is approved for ATP funding, 100% of the funding for the approved project will be awarded to the Department. In the event a local match is required, the Department of Public Works and Planning - Road Org 4510 will cover those costs.
DISCUSSION:
The ATP was created in 2013 with Senate Bill 99, Chapter 359 and Assembly Bill 101, Chapter 354. The ATP consolidated several existing Federal and state transportation programs, including the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA), and State Safe Routes to School (SRTS), into a single program with a focus on making California a national leader in active transportation.
In 2017, the passage of Senate Bill 1 (SB-1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act, added additional funding to the program.
The purpose of the ATP is to encourage increased use of active modes of transportation by achieving the following goals:
• Increase the proportion of trips accomplished by biking and walking
• Increase safety and mobility for non-motorized users
• Advance the active transportation efforts of regional agencies to achieve Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction goals, pursuant to SB 375 (of 2008) and SB 341 (of 2009)
• Enhance public health
• Ensure that disadvantaged communities fully share in the benefits of the program
• Provide a broad spectrum of projects to benefit many types of active transportation users
In addition to the statewide ATP competition, FCOG holds a separate call for applications for the regional ATP and has a regional evaluation process. ATP applications may be submitted to either the state or regional programs or both.
On March 19, 2026, Caltrans issued the Cycle 8 call for projects for ATP funding. In order to meet the application deadline of June 22, 2026, the application was submitted for funding consideration prior to being brought before your Board for approval.
The project location and scope was prioritized because it is located in a disadvantaged community, has community support, and can be delivered within strict project timelines. Using the Healthy Places Index, CalEnviroScreen, and the Free or Reduced Priced Meals Plan, the community met the requirements that qualified it as a disadvantaged community. The identifying factors were characteristics such as clean environment, housing, education, social, and transportation conditions across the state. The residents of this community are generally low-income, identify as Hispanic or Latino, and have limited access to grocery stores and/or fresh food, medical care, and public transportation.
The submitted application was for the following project:
Jefferson Avenue Sidewalk Project ($1,519,120)
In the disadvantaged community of Del Rey, CA, the project would construct sidewalks, replace curb and gutter, and install Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramps along Jefferson Avenue and for a small section along Carmel Avenue. The intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Carmel Avenue would also be realigned to improve safety and visibility and reduce potential for pedestrian collisions. The total estimated cost of the project is $1,519,120 which includes the Design, Right-of-Way, and Construction phases. This funding would cover 100% of the project costs if funded. This project was previously included in an application for Measure C Safe Routes to School but was not selected. It is the ambition of the Department to seek every possible avenue available to fund the County’s underserved communities.
The ATP is an extremely competitive grant program, as reflected by the fact that, in the previous funding Cycle 7, 277 applications were submitted to Caltrans totaling $2.5 billion in requested funds and 13 projects (~4.7%) were selected in the statewide component. An additional 37 projects were selected in the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) component by the relevant MPOs, including funding for Fresno County’s Easton Sidewalk Project. The total resources available for the Cycle 7 ATP were approximately $568 million, a dramatic decline from the Cycle 6 fund totaling about $1.7 billion.
For the current Cycle 8, approximately $619 million was available in funding. The submitted applications totaled 318, requesting approximately $3 billion cumulatively. Applications will be reviewed and scored by the California Transportation Commission (CTC), and the best scoring candidate projects will receive funding, to be announced this fall. Any projects not approved for statewide funding will then be considered for roughly $6.9 million in funds allocated to the region. FCOG will review and score the projects, and the best candidates will receive funding at the regional level.
With your Board’s approval of the second recommended action, the Department will be able to provide FCOG with a resolution, as required by their guidelines, that expresses the Board’s commitment to, and support of, the ATP and the project the County submitted for ATP Cycle 8. The resolution confirms your Board’s approval of the underlying program of the project, as expressed in the ATP application the County submitted to the ATP Cycle 8.
Letters of support for the project were provided by Del Rey Elementary School and California Rural Legal Assistance. A letter of commitment to maintenance responsibility, if the project is funded, was also signed by Del Rey Community Service District. In addition, Department staff performed in-person community outreach in Del Rey, and through the use of online surveys of active transportation needs.
In previous cycles, ATP Project funds have previously been awarded to the County for projects in the communities of Biola, Dunlap, Lanare, Laton, Riverdale, Del Rey, Calwa, Tranquillity, Cantua Creek, and El Porvenir.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Location Map
On file with Clerk - ATP Application
On file with Clerk - Resolution
CAO ANALYST:
Maria Valencia