P
ublic Works & Transportation Committee
April 23, 2024
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: Megan Wier,
City Administrator Acting Director
Oakland Department of
Transportation
SUBJECT: Transportation Development Act
Fiscal Year 2024-25 Funds Approval
DATE: March 25, 2024
City Administrator Approval Date:
RE
COMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To Apply For, Accept, And Appropriate Up To One Million Five Hundred And Two Thousand Two Hundred Seventy-Four Dollars ($1,502,274) In Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 State Transportation Development Act Article 3 Funds To Fund East 23rd Street Stair Path #104 Rehabilitation And Rosemont Avenue to Longridge Avenue Stair Path #206 Rehabilitation; And Adopt Appropriate California Environmental Quality Act Findings.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Approval of this resolution will authorize the City Administrator to apply for, accept, and appropriate for the City of Oakland (City) up to $1,502,274 in State Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 funds for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25. The grant applications require that City Council approval be submitted before June 14, 2024. No matching funds are required to receive these funds, which must be expended within three (3) years of allocation. The grant funds will allow the City to implement the Bike and Pedestrian Plan Programs for the East 23rd Street Stair Path and Rosemont to Longridge Avenue Stair Path projects identified in the Citywide Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
Article 3 of the TDA has an annual formula funding program, derived from the State of California quarter-cent transportation sales tax, which is distributed on a per capita basis to jurisdictions statewide. Article 3 specifically reserves a portion of these funds for bicycle and pedestrian projects. The City has received over nine million dollars in TDA funding in the last 25 years.
The Oakland Department of Transportation (OakDOT) typically uses these funds to support small bicycle or pedestrian projects citywide.
Jestin Johnson (Apr 11, 2024 21:48 PDT)
Apr 11, 2024
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: TDA Article 3 FY24-25 Funds Approval
Date: March 25, 2024 Page 2
P
ublic Works & Transportation Committee
April 23, 2024
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) administers TDA fund distribution for the S
an Francisco Bay Area and imposes certain requirements on fund recipients. To accept TDA Article 3 funds, the City must propose projects and determine that: (a) there are no legal impediments or other factors that would affect the City’s ability to deliver the project(s); (b) sufficient staff resources and funding are available to complete the projects; and (c) there are no environmental or right-of-way issues that would jeopardize fund obligation deadlines. To claim TDA funds, these findings must be adopted by the City Council and are included as Exhitibt A to the resolution. An additional requirement is that projects must be reviewed by the City’s Bicyclist and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC). This cycle, the proposed projects in this report were shared and reviewed at the BPAC Committee meeting on March 21, 2024.
AN
ALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
A
doption of this resolution will allow the City to complete its applications for TDA Article 3 funding before the grant deadline of June 14, 2024. Construction of bicycle and pedestrian facilities is consistent with the goals of the City’s General Plan, Bicycle Plan, Pedestrian Plan and the Citywide Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The selection of projects is also consistent with the Council-adopted criteria set forth in the Resolution No. 87376 C.M.S., adopted September 20, 2018. This year, projects/programs were prioritized for funding based on OakDOT’s Geographic Equity Toolbox, readiness for implementation, funding needs, stair paths existing utilization, and staff’s ability to timely deliver.
The r
esult of this prioritization process is two new projects from the Pedestrian Stairs and Path Program. This program rehabilitates deteriorated stairs, paths, handrails, and landings across the City, maintaining important mid-block points of access and a diverse and unique pedestrian network citywide. There are approximately 210 public stairs citywide.
The FY 202
4-25 TDA funding would be used to complete the rehabilitation of two stair paths projects:
A. E
ast 23rd Street Stair Path #104 Rehabilitation: This project will rehabilitate the existing concrete steps and install Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant handrails along both sides of the path at East 23rd Street beginning at East 14th Avenue and ascending to East 17th Avenue. This project is located in a high equity priority neighborhood based on the OakDOT Geographic Equity Toolbox.
B. R
osemont Avenue to Longridge Avenue Stair Path #206 Rehabilitation: This project will replace and rehabilitate the existing stairs and install ADA-compliant handrails along both sides of the path from Rosemont Avenue to Longridge Avenue i
n the Trestle Glen neighborhood. While this project location is in a low equity priority neighborhood per the OakDOT Geographic Equity Toolbox, this stair path was prioritized due to its high utilization, cost effectiveness, and project readiness Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: TDA Article 3 FY24-25 Funds Approval
Date: March 25, 2024 Page 3
P
ublic Works & Transportation Committee
April 23, 2024
FISCAL IMPACT
The C
ity has received over nine million dollars in TDA Article 3 funding for the last 25 years.
Without TDA Article 3 grant funding, completion of these projects would require the City to use other fund sources such as Measures KK, B or BB. Using grant funds to augment funding from the City’s CIP Program extends the City’s ability to finance needed improvements.
Implementation of these projects will have a net positive fiscal impact on the City by funding infrastructure upgrades and enabling the completion of these projects. TDA funds must be expended within three (3) years of allocation. There is no local match required for this fund source.
U
pon adoption of this resolution and award of the TDA grants, $1,502,274 in grant funds will be appropriated into Fund 2162, Project numbers to be determined.
P
UBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
E
ach year, the list of proposed projects undergoes public review by the City’s Bicyclist and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC) through regular meetings to receive input on the proposals and to meet the grant requirements. These meetings are noticed and open to the public. For FY 2024-25, the BPAC meeting for this item took place on March 21, 2024. In addition, the entire Stair/Path Program has gone through public outreach in the past.
CO
ORDINATION
The O
ffice of the City Attorney and the Budget Bureau were consulted in preparation of this report and resolution.
S
USTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
E
conomic: Pedestrian facilities encourage walking, one of the most cost-effective forms of transportation. Pedestrian trips tend to be local and thus are more likely to contribute to local economic activity.
E
nvironmental: Walking and biking are energy efficient forms of transportation that create zero emissions, contributing to the City’s efforts to reduce air pollution and address climate change.
R
ace & Equity: The projects improve accessibility and safety for people who depend on non- motorized transportation and public transit to access jobs, services and recreational facilities.
Walking and biking are inexpensive and broadly accessible forms of transportation. As described above, CIP projects/programs were prioritized for TDA funding based on OakDOT’s Geographic Equity Toolbox, readiness for implementation, funding needs, stair paths existing utilization, and staff’s ability to timely deliver. The results of this prioritization was two stair paths:
one of which is located in a high equity priority neighborhood and the other located in a low equity priority neighborhood.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: TDA Article 3 FY24-25 Funds Approval
Date: March 25, 2024 Page 4
P
ublic Works & Transportation Committee
April 23, 2024
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (C EQA)
The pr
ojects selected for TDA funding are exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060(c)(3) (not a project), 15061(b)(3) (no significant effect), and/or 15301(c) (existing facilities).
A
CTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
S
taff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To Apply For, Accept, And Appropriate Up To One Million Five Hundred And Two Thousand Two Hundred Seventy-Four Dollars ($1,502,274) In Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 State Transportation Development Act Article 3 Funds To Fund East 23rd Street Stair Path #104 Rehabilitation And Rosemont Avenue to Longridge Avenue Stair Path #206 Rehabilitation; And Adopt Appropriate California Environmental Quality Act Findings.
For
questions regarding this report, please contact Craig Raphael, Funding Program Manager, at (510) 238-7229.
R
espectfully submitted,
MEG
AN WIER
Acting Director, Department of Transportation
R
eviewed by:
Jamie Parks, Assistant Director
C
raig Raphael, Funding Program Manager
Y
vonne Chan, Acting Transportation Planner III
P
repared by:
Andre Soucy, Management Intern
Capital Finance
Oakland Department of Transportation
Jamie Parks for