HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/15/2011, C3 - 2011-12 CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY (OTS) GRANT APPLICATION counat M bmMw 3/15/11
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CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
FROM: Deborah Linden,Chief of Police
Prepared By: Tom De Priest, Operations Captain
SUBJECT: 2011-12 CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY
(OTS) GRANT APPLICATION
RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize staff to submit a grant application to the California Office of Traffic Safety
(OTS) for FY 2011-12, for$ 55,776.
2. If a grant is awarded, authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary grant documents.
DISCUSSION
Background
The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) offers grant. funds to local law enforcement
agencies to mitigate traffic safety program deficiencies, expand ongoing activities, or develop
new programs. Funds may be used for overtime and/or certain equipment. Grant funds cannot
replace or supplant existing program expenditures. OTS grants are based on the Federal fiscal
year, which begins on October 1, 2011 and ends on September 30, 2012.
Traffic safety in the City is one of the primary responsibilities of the Police Department and is
accomplished through the education, enforcement and investigation of traffic collisions, in
partnership with City traffic engineers. The Police Department Traffic Unit (motorcycle officers)
conducts the majority of these tasks; however patrol officers are also responsible for enforcement
and collision investigation.
The most recent Traffic Safety Report for 2009 indicated that total collisions, including those that
result in injury, continue to decline citywide. In fact, the number of injury collisions is at the
lowest level since 1999. However bicycle collisions, a subset of total collisions, have not
followed this trend. In 2009 bicycle collisions increased 22% from the prior year, with 72% of
collisions caused by the bicyclists. During the past 5 years, San Luis Obispo has ranked in the top
two for the number of injury or fatal bicycle collisions for cities its size. The increase in
collisions could be attributed to the fact that the volume of cyclists has increased by 8%-10%
annually.
Pedestrian-involved collisions have also not been decreasing at the same rate as collisions that
only involve vehicles. Although pedestrian collisions have declined since 2002, they tend to
fluctuate each year and have increased since reaching the lowest point in 2007. In 2009, 75% of
pedestrian-involved collisions were the fault of the motorist involved.
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2011-12 OTS Grant Application Page 2
Grant Application
Staff is seeking Council authorization to apply for OTS grant funding for education and
enforcement activities to address the fluctuations and rise in bicycle and pedestrian collisions
described above. The grant, if awarded, would fund overtime for officers to conduct increased
enforcement and education-related activities. Additionally the grant would fund part-time
temporary Public Works staffing to assist with the grant's implementation. Grant-funded
activities would include:
• Purchase and distribution of 150 bicycle safety helmets for children in need.
• Bicycle/pedestrian educational workshops and events, including a bicycle rodeo for
children, to promote bicycle and pedestrian safety.
• On-bike street skills classes.
• Classroom bicycle/pedestrian safety classes.
• League of American Bicyclist training to certify a Spanish speaking instructor.
• Development and distribution of educational materials.
• Enforcement operations targeting bicycle and pedestrian right-of-way violations and other
violations that contribute to bicycle and pedestrian collisions.
Staff will design and conduct these activities in collaboration with Public Works (Traffic
Engineering) and community bicycle coalitions and groups. The activities would be conducted
using existing officers; staff is not requesting the addition of any new employees to conduct these
activities. If approved, the grant funding would begin on October 1, 2011.
The deadline to submit the grant application was February 28, 2011, and staff was unable to
obtain Council approval prior to submitting the application by the due date. The City Manager
approved the submission of the application. Should the Council decide not to authorize this
application, staff will rescind the application already submitted.
CONCURRENCES
The Director of Public Works concurs with this recommendation.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the City's General Fund associated with this action. City matching funds are
not required for this grant and all grant-related activities will be conducted using existing personnel
on overtime. Grant management and accounting will be done by existing staff in the Police and
Finance/IT Departments.
ALTERNATIVES
Council may direct staff to withdraw the application from OTS and cancel the request for funding.
Staff does not recommend this alternative as funding will enhance the department's current efforts
in addressing bicycle and pedestrian safety in the City.
T:\Council Agenda ReportsTolice CAR\201 MOTS 2011-12 Grant App.doc
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