DATE: May 23, 2023
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Retroactive Approval of FY 2023 RAISE Discretionary Grant Application
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Retroactively approve and authorize Director of Public Works and Planning’s previous submittal of a grant application to the United States Department of Transportation’s FY 2023-24 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity Discretionary Grant Program ($4,189,000).
REPORT
To meet the grant application filing deadline, the Department of Public Works and Planning (Department) submitted the Grant Application on February 28, 2023 for the FY 2023-24 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant, contingent upon your Board’s approval. The application evaluation and approval by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) is scheduled between the spring and summer of 2023. Grant awards are scheduled to be announced by August 31, 2023. If the grant is awarded, the Department will return to your Board with the necessary agreement required for grant acceptance. This item pertains to a project in District 1.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended action is not approved, the Department will withdraw the grant application, and the project will no longer be considered for RAISE funding under the current FY 2023-24 cycle.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County cost associated with the recommended action. The $4,189,000 RAISE grant would reimburse 100% of the costs for much needed road repairs and sidewalk connectivity within the community of Tranquillity, which qualifies for these funds as it is in a rural area, a historically disadvantaged community, or an area of persistent poverty.
DISCUSSION:
The purpose of the RAISE discretionary grant is to provide funding for surface transportation infrastructure projects that will have a significant local or regional impact. The grant supports projects that improve safety, economic strength and global competitiveness, equity, and climate sustainability consistent with the USDOT’s strategic goals. USDOT seeks to fund projects that reduce greenhouse gas emission, promote energy efficiency, incorporate electrification or zero emission vehicle infrastructure, reduce pollution, and address environmental justice for low-income and disadvantaged communities.
The Department of Public Works and Planning has identified the disadvantaged community of Tranquillity as being in dire need of road repairs and lacking sidewalk connectivity. This adds to a higher pollution rate and creates safety hazards to the entire community. The funding for the RAISE grant, if awarded, will be used to repair the sidewalks, streets, add ADA improvements, and add four Electric Vehicle charging stations that may be used for Fresno County Regional Transit Authority rideshare program as well as the general public. These improvements will positively affect the air quality, improve the overall health of the community, and accomplish the goals of the grant. If awarded, construction of all the improvements would begin in 2026. The Department completed repairs on Daniels Avenue between Randolph and McKamey, funded through the County’s SB-1 allocation, in 2022.
The project was submitted for the RAISE FY 2022-23 cycle but was not awarded. Since then, the Department has secured federal funding for additional work in Tranquillity through the Congressional Designated Spending Community Facilities FY 2023 (USDA) in the amount of $1,000,000, state funding through the Active Transportation Program (ATP) in the amount of $458,000 for preliminary engineering, and a local commitment of $427,000. If the project is not awarded in the RAISE FY 2023-24 cycle, construction funding in the amount of $4,026,000 will be sought in ATP Cycle 7.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Location Map
On file with Clerk - RAISE Grant Application
CAO ANALYST:
Salvador Espino