CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: MAY 12, 2026 CONSENT CALENDAR
SUBJECT: APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY
ADMINISTRATION (FHWA) FOR FUNDING UNDER THE SAFE
STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL (SS4A) PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF
PALM SPRINGS COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY ACTION PLAN
FROM: Scott C. Stiles, City Manager
BY: Engineering Services Department
SUMMARY:
This action requests the City Council approve an agreement with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for funding under the Fiscal Year 2024 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program for preparation of the City of Palm Springs Comprehensive Safety Action Plan.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve Agreement (Federal Award No. 693JJ32640492) with the Federal Highway Administration for Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program funding in an amount not to exceed $776,000 for the preparation of the City of Palm Springs Comprehensive Safety Action Plan; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents.
BACKGROUND:
The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program was established under Section 24112 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and is administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The SS4A Program provides funding to support regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to improve roadway safety and reduce traffic related fatalities and serious injuries.
The SS4A Program includes both Planning and Demonstration Grants, which fund the development, completion, or supplementation of Comprehensive Safety Action Plans, and Implementation Grants, which fund projects and strategies identified in an adopted Action Plan.
City Council Staff Report
May 12, 2026 -- Page 2
Approve Agreement with FHWA for SS4A Funds for Comprehensive Safety Action Plan A Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (“Action Plan”) is a strategic planning document intended to identify roadway safety issues, prioritize projects and strategies, and establish a framework for reducing fatalities and serious injuries for all roadway users, including motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
The City of Palm Springs currently maintains several planning documents related to transportation and safety, including its 2022 Local Road Safety Plan, 2021 Pedestrian Master Plan, and Traffic Calming Manual. While these documents provide guidance in specific areas, they have not been consolidated into a unified comprehensive safety document that meets current federal SS4A Action Plan requirements.
On May 15, 2024, the City submitted an application to the Federal Highway Administration for SS4A Planning and Demonstration Grant funding to prepare a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan.
The City was subsequently awarded $776,000 in federal grant funding under the FY 2024 SS4A Program. The grant requires a local funding match of $194,000, representing twenty percent (20%) of total eligible project costs. Total project funding is $970,000.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
The proposed Action Plan will allow the City to update and consolidate its existing transportation and safety planning documents, including the Local Road Safety Plan, Pedestrian Master Plan, and Traffic Calming Manual, into a single comprehensive document that complies with federal SS4A Action Plan requirements.
The Action Plan will identify and prioritize projects, policies, and strategies most likely to reduce or eliminate roadway fatalities and serious injuries throughout the City. The plan is intended to utilize a data-driven approach incorporating collision analysis, roadway safety assessments, public outreach, and stakeholder coordination to identify high injury networks and prioritize safety improvements. Preparation of the Action Plan will position the City to pursue future SS4A Implementation Grants and other competitive state and federal transportation funding opportunities for construction of safety improvement projects.
The grant agreement provides a thirty-six (36) month performance period from the effective date of award to complete the Action Plan and satisfy all associated grant requirements. Staff recommends approval of this agreement so the City may proceed with consultant procurement and initiation of the Action Plan development process.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
The requested City Council action is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in City Council Staff Report
May 12, 2026 -- Page 3
Approve Agreement with FHWA for SS4A Funds for Comprehensive Safety Action Plan the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Any future capital improvement projects identified within the Action Plan will undergo separate environmental review, as required, prior to implementation.
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING:
This item aligns with the following City Council Strategic Plan Broad Goal: Public Safety and Community Services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total estimated budget for preparation of the Action Plan is $970,000, consisting of $776,000 in federal grant funding through the SS4A Program and a required 20 percent local match of $194,000. The local match will be funded through Measure “A” and Capital Funds allocated for this purpose.
REVIEWED BY:
City Engineer: Joel Montalvo
Assistant City Manager: Flinn Fagg
Director of Finance and Treasurer: Kristopher J. Mooney City Manager: Scott Stiles
ATTACHMENTS:
A. FHWA Agreement No. 693JJ32640492