HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/05/1999, C10 - TRANSPORTATION GRANT APPLICATIONS council 1.05- 9
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CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
FROM: Michael McCluskey,Director of Public Works
Prepared By: Terry Sanville,Principal Transportation Planner
SUBJECT: TRANSPORTATION GRANT APPLICATIONS
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution:
1. Approving the submittal of three Transportation Enhancement Activity (TEA), one
Regional State Highway Account (RSHA), and two State Transportation Improvement
Program (STIP) Grant applications to the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments
(SLOCOG); and
2. Authorizing the CAO to execute an cooperative funding agreement with SLOCOG for these
grant-funded projects.
REPORT-IN-BRIEF
SLOCOG has invited agencies in San Luis Obispo County to submit transportation grant
applications by October 15, 1999. There is $1.46 million in federal TEA funding, between $1.4
and $1..9 million in STIP funding, and $300,000 of RSHA funding that agencies can compete for.
City staff recommends that the City submit applications to use:
• Federal TEA grant funding for three projects: Morganti Property Open Space acquisition; South
Higuera Street Sidewalks; and the Railroad Walk of History Property Acquisition.
• RSHA funds to install video detection equipment at two intersections on Higuera Street and to
prepare a plan that establish priorities for improving signalized intersections.
• STIP funds to reconstruct portions of Osos Street and all of Santa Barbara Street and to pay for
a Project Report(PR) and environmental documents for the Prado Road Interchange project.
DISCUSSION
1. Grant Funds Available
In 1998, the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) approved TEA Grant
applications totaling $2.57 million. The City of San Luis Obispo was awarded $440,000 for the
rehabilitation of the historic Southern Pacific Freight Warehouse. SLOCOG has determined that
there is now a fund balance of$1.46 million that is available for programming and has invited local
agencies to submit TEA Grant applications by October 15, 1999. TEA Grants require that local
agencies provide a 11.5% non-federal funding match. While there is no limit on the number A
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applications that an agency may submit, SLOCOG has stipulated that the maximum project size is
$250,000.
SLOCOG is also inviting the submittal of grant applications for $300,000 of Regional State
Highway Account (RSHA) funds. In 1998, San Luis Obispo was awarded $500,000 to help
support the Mid-Higuera Street widening project. RSHA grant applications are also due on
October 15, 1999. RSHA Grants require no local funding match.
Finally, there is between $1.4 and $1.9 million of STIP dollars that are coming to the region that
have not been programmed for specific projects. SLOCOG staff have indicated that this residual
STIP funding should be earmarked for projects that increase the transportation capacity along a
route of regional significance or will pay for the reconstruction of segments of a route of regional
significance. STIP Grants require no local funding match.
2. Intent of Each Grant Program
TEA Grant.funds must be used for "Capital Improvements" and cannot be used for planning,
maintenance, equipment or operations. There are twelve eligible project categories:
• Provision of facilities for • Provision of safety and • Acquisition of scenic
pedestrians and bicycles educational activities for easements and scenic or
pedestrians and bicyclists historic sites
• Scenic or historic highway • Landscaping and other • Historic preservation
programs scenic beautification
• Rehabilitation of historic • Preservation of abandoned • Control and removal of
transportation buildings, railroad corridors outdoor advertising
structures,or facilities
• Archaeological planning • Environmental mitigation • Establishment of
and research to address water pollution transportation museums
due to highway runoff or
reduce vehicle-caused
wildlife mortality while
maintaining habitat
connectivity
In general, projects funded with TEA Grants should provide benefits that are over and above what
"normal"transportation projects provide. SLOCOG has suggested that a minimum project size for
a TEA Grant be $100,000, although smaller projects in the $50,000 to $100,000 range will also be
considered.
RSHA Grant funds must be used for more traditional transportation improvements that benefit the
regional transportation system. In general, capital improvements constructed within public rights-
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of-way, including improvements for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists, are eligible for RSHA
funding. Competitive projects are typically located along major roads that have been designated by
SLOCOG as Routes of Regional Significance. In the San Luis Obispo area, these routes include
State highways, Higuera Street, Los Osos Valley Road, Foothill Boulevard, Osos and Santa
Barbara Streets, and Johnson Avenue,to name a few.
STIP funded projects typically involve major changes to state highways or other major routes.
Earlier this year SLOCOG programmed over$13 million STIP dollars for repair and reconstruction
projects to major regional routes throughout San Luis Obispo County. In San Luis Obispo, $1.175
was earmarked for the reconstruction of South Higuera Street. To be eligible for STIP funding, an
agency must have completed a Project Study Report (PSR) or an acceptable equivalent. For street
reconstruction projects, SLOCOG has accepted the completed STIP application as the equivalent
for a PSR. In San Luis Obispo, the only capacity increasing project for which a PSR has been
prepared and accepted by Caltrans is the Prado Road interchange project.
3. Evaluation of Projects
A. TEA Projects
Staffs initial work was to identify projects that would fit within one of the twelve TEA categories
identified above. A list of candidate projects was prepared and then each project reviewed to
determine its clarity of scope, relative ease of implementation, and existing policy support. Staff
recommends that the Council support the submittal of three TEA Grant applications for projects
that are integral parts of well-defined existing City programs. These projects are summarized
below. A location map is attached.
Recommended Projects Existing Project/Program
South Hignera Sidewalks The City has received approval to use $1.175 million of STIP fimds to
along the west side of South reconstruct South Higuera Street from Madonna Road to the southern
Higuera Street adjoining the city limits. This sidewalk project can be constructed at the same time
cemetery from Elks Lane south thatthe street is reconstructed and would help complete the
330 meters transportation improvements in this area. The configuration of the
Elks Lane - South Higuera intersection would also be changed to
improve pedestrian and bicycle crossings and to formalize the queuing
location for northbound vehicles on Elks Lane.
Morganti Property Open The City's Financial Plan includes a well established open space
Space Acquisition preservation program. This particular property is bordered by Los
Osos Valley Road on the west and Foothill Boulevard on the north
(both are Routes of Regional Significance), is within the immediate
foreground and viewshed of Laguna Lake and Cerro San Luis Obispo,
and is part of the entryway into San Luis Obispo. This property has
been identified as a high priority acquisition site by previous open
space studies. TEA grant funds would be combined with other grants
and City fimding to purchase the site.
Railroad Walk of History The purchase of a small parcel at the east end of High Street will help
Site Acquisition enable the creation of the Railroad Walk of History as envisionedybby3
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the adopted Railroad District Plan. The site adjoins the Railroad
Transportation Center site currently being developed. by the City.
Acquisition of.this small parcel will enable the High Street and Emily .
Street rights-of-way to be joined, thereby enabling improved public
access.:through the area and implementation of the District Plan.
B. RSHA Grant Projects
Given the limited amount of funding county=wide for this program, it was challenging to identify
well-defined projects that benefit the regional transportationsystem and can be accomplished for a
portion of the available=county.-wide funding($300;000). For San Luis Obispo,the scale of RSHA
grant funding lends itself to projects that improve intersections along routes,. of regional
.Significance. Staff is recommending the submittal of a RSHA Grant application that includes two
specific components:
o Hire a consultant to prepare a traffic signal master plan that establishes needs and sets priorities
for making improvements to the City's .signal .system and also make recommendations in
improving.coordination of regionaUlocal routes.
o Install video traffic signal detection equipment at the Marsh-Higuera and the Marsh-High-
Pismo intersections.
Recently staff has worked with a vendor to install video detection equipment at the Foothill-
California intersection. Video cameras that detect oncoming traffic and control the operation of
traffic signals are a superior alternative to in-pavement detection loops because loops are subject to
damage,.require periodic replacement, and are difficult to modify when the configuration of a street
is changed.
C. STEP Grant Projects
Given the prerequisites for STIP funding (a completed PSR or an acceptable equivalent);there are
only a limited number of candidate City projects that:could be found eligible for these funds. Staff
recommends that STIP Grant applications be submitted for two projects:
e The reconstruction of Os_os Street and Santa Barbara Streets from Broad Street to Pacific
Street; and
a Preparation of a Project Report (PR) and requisite environmental documents for the Prado
Road interchange.
The first project is identified as part of the City's pavement management program. Grant funding
of that project would free up earmarked city General Funds for other purposes and would
accelerated the implementation of this project. If the City is.successful in receiving STIP funding
for the Prado Road interchange Project Report and environmental documents, the funding
arrangements that are being established by the City and the Marketplace developers could be .
Council Agenda Report:Transportation Grant Applications
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enhanced to benefit the City (less cost eligible for sales tax reimbursement = more sales tax to
City).
4. Regional Funding Considerations for TEA Projects
SLOCOG staff has evaluated the status of previously-approved grant funded projects. There are
two projects sponsored by north coastal agencies that have previously received TEA Grants totaling
$300,000, but are seriously behind schedule. On October 6', the SLOCOG Board will be asked to
authorize the reprogramming of this $300,000 to projects that can be immediately implemented. To
date, SLOCOG staff has identified the City's Morganti Property acquisition and an acquisition
project in Pismo Beach as candidates for the use of these previously-programmed but unused funds.
If the SLOCOG Board supports this reprogramming strategy and the Morganti Property acquisition
proves more competitive than the project in Pismo Beach (staff believes it will), the City's project
could be implemented by Spring,2000.
The north coastal agencies would not lose their funding for their two projects, however. SLOCOG
staff will recommend that $300,000 be reserved from the latest round of TEA funds to support
these projects. This action would give the north coastal agencies more time to complete their
complicated projects, but would also reduce the amount of TEA funding available to all other
agencies from $1.46 to $1.16 million.
When funding projects, SLOCOG has generally tried to distribute grant dollars throughout the
region on an equitable basis — e.g. roughly equal amounts to the four sub-regions within San Luis
Obispo County. If the City's Morganti Property received TEA funding from the previously-
programming cycle, it is likely that it would be counted as the City's sub-regional equitable share
of the$1.46 million. Therefore,the other two TEA Grant projects(South Higuera Street Sidewalks
and Railroad Walk of History Acquisition) may be'less competitive for the latest round of TEA
funding.
However, if the $1.45 million is divided into four and 25% comes to San Luis Obispo, the City
could receive up to $360,000. Therefore, the City might also receive partial funding of one or both
of the other two City TEA applications. Given its cost, the likely second project to be seriously
considered for partial TEA funding is the Railroad Walk of History Property Acquisition. Given the
level of uncertainty concerning regional funding strategies and issues, City staff recommends that
San Luis Obispo submit three TEA Grant applications as identified herein.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City will be responsible for providing an 11.5% funding match for any TEA grant funds
approved by SLOCOG. RSHA Grants and STIP funded projects do not require a local funding
match. The following table presents project cost and City match requirements.
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Project Total Cost Grant City Match Match Source(s)
Funds
South Higuera $158,000 $137,000 $21,000 Unappropriated General Fund
Street Sidewalks Balance,or
City Sidewalk Construction
Funds, or
USHA Funds for Bike&
Pedestrian Projects,or
Combination of above
Railroad Walk of $95,500 $84,517 $10,983 Unappropriated General Fund
History Property Balance
Acquisition
Morganti Property $250,000 $221,250 $28,750 General Fund: Open Space
Open Space Preservation Program
Preservation(1)
Totals $503,500.00 $442,767.00 $60,733.00
Traffic Signal $57,000 $57,000 $0.0
Improvement
Program(RSHA)
Reconstruct Osos $300,000 $300,000 $0.0
Street from Leff to
Pacific Streets
(STIP)
Project Report and $475,000 $475,000 $0.0
Environmental
Documents for
Prado Road
Interchange
(1) If SLOCOG approves the use of previously-programmed TEA funding for this project, the
to project cost would be $338,983, with TEA funds contributing $300,000 and the City
Match being$38,983.
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ALTERNATIVES
The City Council may.
1. .Decide not to apply for grant funds.
2. Identify projects different then those recommended by staff and direct the submittal of TEA,
RSHA,or STIP grant applications for these alternative projects.
Attachments
Resolution.Approving the submittal of three(3)TEA Grant and one (1)RSHA Grant
application.
Location Map
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Council Agenda Report:Transportation Grant Applications
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RESOLUTIONNO. (1999 Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
APPROVING THE SUBMITTAL OF THREE GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR THE USE
OF FEDERAL TRANSPORTATIONENHANCEMENT ACTIVITY(TEA)FUNDS,ONE
GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE USE OF REGIONAL STATE HIGHWAY ACCOUNT
(RSHA)FUNDS,AND TWO GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR THE USE OF STATE
TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT FUNDS(STIP)
WHEREAS, in July 1999 the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG)
notified local agencies that $1.46 million of unprogrammed TEA funds, $300,000 of
unprogrammed RSHA funds, and $1.4 to $1.9 million of unprogrammed STIP funds are available
and invited grant applications to be submitted by October 15, 1999;and
WHEREAS, the City Council has identified three TEA-eligible projects and one RSHA-
eligible project and has directed its CAO to prepare and submit grant applications for these projects
to SLOCOG for consideration;and
WHEREAS, it is the intent of the City that if funding is provided,the projects summarized
on attached Exhibit"A"will be carried out consistent with the time frames for each grant program;
and
WHEREAS,the City Council has found that the proposed projects will provide significant
benefits to both local and regional travel and enjoyment of the circulation system within the San
Luis Obispo area.
NOW,THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of San Luis
Obispo hereby:
SECTION 1: Authorizes the CAO to submit three grant applications to SLOCOG for the
use of Federal TransportationEnhancement Activity(TEA)funds to:
(A) Purchase the Morganti Property for open space preservation($221,000
to$300,000 of TEA funds);
(s) Install sidewalks along the west side of South Higuera Street south of
Elks Lane($137,000 of TEA funds);and
(C) Purchase a 0.31-acre parcel at the east end of High Street to help
implement the Railroad District Plan($84,500 of TEA funds).
SECTION 2: Agrees to provide the 11.5% funding match required for any of the City's
TEA Grant-funded projects that are approved by SLOCOG.
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Resolution No. (1999 Series)
Page 2
SECTION 3: Authorizes the CAO to submit one grant application to SLOCOG for the use
of Regional State Highway Account(RSHA) funds to install video vehicle
detection equipment at the High-Higuera-Pismo and Higuera-Marsh
intersections and to prepare a plan for setting intersection improvement
priorities($57,000).
SECTION 4: Authorizes the CAO to submit two grant applications to SLOCOG for the
use of State Transportation Improvement Funds(STIP)to:
(A)Reconstruct Osos/Santa Barbara Street between Broad and Pacific
Streets($300,000 of STIP funds)
(B)Prepare a Project Report (PR) and requisite environmental documents
for the Prado Road Interchange project($475,000 of STIP funds).
SECTION 5: Authorizes the CAO to execute Cooperative Funding Agreements with the
San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) for approved grant-
funded projects.
Upon motion of ,seconded by
and on the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
the foregoing resolution was adopted this day of 1997.
Mayor Allen K. Settle
ATTEST: *APPROCity Clerk J ey orgensen
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Council Agenda Report: Transportation Grant Applications
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Location Map: Transportation Grant Project Sites
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roperty Osos/Santa Barbara
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