Fremont City Council Meeting: 10/17/23 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Public Works
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Grants
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5016) DOC ID: 5016
Updated: 10/12/2023 9:04 PM by Susan Gauthier Page 1
WALNUT AVENUE PHASE 2 BIKEWAY GRANT FUNDING - Accept and Appropriate Grant from the Safe Routes to BART Program in the Amount of $1,500,000 for the Walnut Avenue Phase 2 Bikeway Project (PWC9110) and Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Grant Agreement and Associated Documents
Contact Persons:
Name: Lilian Ayala Hans Larsen
Title: Senior Transportation Engineer Public Works Director Div/Dept: Public Works Public Works
Phone: (510) 494-4766 510-494-4722
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: The purpose of this item is to facilitate the receipt of grant funding from the Safe Routes to BART (SR2B) program that will enable the City to design and construct the Walnut Avenue Phase 2 Bikeway Project (“Project”). The Project will extend the existing Walnut Avenue Bikeway and seeks to improve bicycle and pedestrian connectivity, safety, and comfort around the Fremont BART Station area and the City’s Downtown/City Center Priority Development Area (PDA).
BACKGROUND: The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) administers the voter approved 2016 Measure RR bonds of $3.5 billion to rebuild and upgrade the aging BART system. The overall goal of the Measure RR funds is to make the BART system safer, more reliable and to reduce regional traffic congestion. BART has set aside a portion of Measure RR funds for a Safe Routes to BART (SR2B) grant program to fund projects in local jurisdictions that improve station access for current and potential BART riders.
In January 2023, BART released a call for projects for “Cycle 2” of the SR2B grant program.
The City of Fremont applied for and was awarded a grant in the amount of $1,500,000 for the Project.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: The Walnut Avenue Bikeway Phase 1 Project was proclaimed by the national People for Bikes organization as one of America’s 10 Best New Bikeways of 2020 and Streetsblog SF named the project the best bikeway in the Bay Area. The Walnut Avenue Bikeway Project is part of the City’s overall effort to implement a continuous all ages and ability bikeway network through Fremont Downtown and City Center, ultimately connecting to the adjacent Centerville and Irvington districts. Located along Walnut Avenue between Paseo Padre Parkway and Fremont Boulevard, the Phase 2 Project will install a grade-separated (sidewalk level) bikeway along both sides of Walnut Avenue, which will expand upon the existing grade-separated bikeway along Walnut Avenue between Mission Boulevard and Paseo Padre Parkway that was completed in 2020. Other Project elements include the installation of a flashing pedestrian crossing beacon at the California Street/Walnut Avenue intersection, pavement resurfacing, new striping, and storm drain modification to accommodate the new bikeway.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5016) Meeting of October 17, 2023 Updated: 10/12/2023 9:04 PM by Susan Gauthier Page 2
The Project will improve active transportation safety, access, and comfort by providing bicyclists with a facility separated from vehicles and pedestrians and by providing pedestrians with additional physical separation from vehicle traffic on the roadway. The improvements also enhance transit access by eliminating mixing zones between pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders waiting at the various bus stops. The Project strongly supports the region’s equity goal by improving last-mile connections within the Fremont Downtown and City Center areas, which include a large number of medical, government, human, and family service destinations for disadvantaged residents in the southern Alameda County region.
The Project is currently under design, with Project construction tentatively scheduled for Spring 2025. The awarded SR2B grant will be utilized to fund the project construction phase.
FISCAL IMPACT: The City is required to contribute a minimum of $974,120 as a local match to the SR2B grant. Since the SR2B grant will be utilized for the Project construction phase, staff plans to bring the Project back to City Council for local matching fund reallocation at same time as the Project’s construction contract is being awarded.
It is noted that the City receives approximately $2.5 million annually from Alameda County Transportation Commission (Measure BB) and State (Transportation Development Act) sources that are dedicated toward improving bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. A portion of these funds would be used as the local match for the SR2B grant.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Acceptance of the SR2B grant is not a project subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378. Consistent with CEQA requirements, appropriate environmental review will occur during the design phase of the project.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval of the following actions related to the Walnut Avenue Phase 2 Bikeway Project (PWC9110):
1. Authorize the City Manager or designee to accept the SR2B grant and to execute any associated grant agreements or documents.
2. Appropriate $1,500,000 in SR2B grant funds to PWC9110-571.
3. Find the action is exempt from CEQA review per CEQA Guidelines, section 15378.