Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: Proposed Letter of Support for SCTA TRICP Grant Application Date: January 24, 2023
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council authorize by motion the Mayor to sign a letter of support for SCTA's Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Projects (TIRCP) application.
Background
Last February, the SCTA submitted a grant application to the State for Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Projects (TIRCP) funds. The City supported that effort and SCTA was successful in securing nearly $25M to buy zero emission buses, add a new SMART rail station in Petaluma, improve passenger amenities in Petaluma, and advance service integration.
The next cycle of TIRCP is now available and SCTA wants to build on their success of collaboration with SMART and the three local bus operators. SCTA has requested that the City consider sending a letter of support for this next round of funding.
For this grant cycle SCTA will be aiming high and will submit a request of $474.6M. The funds will do the following:
• $128.5M to extend SMART service from Windsor to Healdsburg • $308M to extend SMART Service from Healdsburg to Cloverdale • $9.4M for a bicycle and pedestrian overcrossing providing first/last mile connectivity over U.S. 101 between the Coddingtown Transit Hub and Santa Rosa Junior College • $11.8M for 13 zero-emission buses for Sonoma County Transit • $8M for six replacement zero-emission buses for Santa Rosa CityBus • $4.4M for charging infrastructure and battery backup for Santa Rosa CityBus. • $2.5M for Santa Rosa CityBus for a charging infrastructure roof structure and a solar canopy
• $1M for SCTA Network Integration
• $1M for passenger amenities at major transit stops for Santa Rosa City Bus This project will greatly extend the SMART service area, advance increased bus service, and reduce air pollution, GHG emissions, and VMT. This is essential if SCTA, on behalf of the entire county, is to meet the goals of SCTA’s 2050 Comprehensive Transportation Plan and our climate goal of carbon neutral by 2030.
By working together, SCTA will be submitting a single project for TIRCP. This will increase the grant competitiveness and enable the State to assess SCTA’s project as a whole and in parts.
Analysis/Discussion
The SCTA Board of Directors will be considering approval of the projects at their meeting on February 6, 2023 and SCTA requested letters of support from the cities prior to the meeting.
Financial Considerations
Not applicable.
Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.
Attachments:
Letter of Support for SCTA 2023 TIRCP Application (DOCX) [City Letterhead]
January 25, 2023
The Honorable Toks Omishakin
Secretary, California State Transportation Agency
915 Capitol Mall, Suite 350B
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: 2023 Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) Cycle 6 Application for the Sonoma Regional Transit Improvements Project
Dear Secretary Omishakin:
The City of Cotati is writing to express our strong support for the Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA) grant application requesting $474.6 million in funding for the Sonoma County Regional Bus and Rail Connectivity Improvements Project. This project is a collaborative partnership between SCTA, Santa Rosa CityBus, Sonoma County Transit, and Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART).
Improved bus transit and passenger rail is an essential component of the future of our transportation network, and this critical investment will benefit communities throughout Sonoma County. The proposed projects will enhance connections for residents and visitors traveling within Sonoma County and connecting to the rest of the Bay Area and to the North Coast.
The proposed projects will bring significant benefits for the Northern California Megaregion:
• Procurement of 19 zero-emission buses and associated charging infrastructure • Passenger amenities for Santa Rosa CityBus and improved first/last mile bicycle and pedestrian connections over U.S. Highway 101 between Santa Rosa Junior College and the Coddingtown Transit Hub
• Construction of the extensions of SMART to Healdsburg and Cloverdale • Network integration planning and implementation to build on existing integration efforts between Petaluma Transit, Santa Rosa CityBus, Sonoma County Transit, and to improve connections to SMART and other transit operators within Sonoma County • Reduced air pollution, GHG emissions, and VMT. Improving options for mode shift to bus transit and commuter rail will be essential to meet the goals of SCTA’s 2050 Comprehensive Transportation Plan.
The City of Cotati strongly supports this application for improved passenger rail and bus transit. This project is an important strategy to reduce congestion, improve quality of life, promote transit-oriented development, improve access to equity priority communities, and pursue a comprehensive and more sustainable transportation network for our future.
Thank you for considering the SCTA grant application.
Sincerely,
Susan Harvey
Mayor