CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: October 03, 2022
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
SUBJECT: ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. ___- 22 AUTHORIZING THE CITY ENGINEER TO REQUEST THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION FOR AN ALLOCATION OF 2022
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES PILOT DISCRETIONARY
PROGRAM GRANT FUNDS AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO
PARTNER WITH CONTRA COSTA COUNTY ON A JOINT-AGENCY
GRANT PROPOSAL
SYNOPSIS
The purpose of this item is to consider adopting a resolution to authorize the City Engineer to request the allocation of Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Discretionary Grant Program funds from the U.S Department of Transportation, and to authorize the City to partner with Contra Costa County on a joint-agency grant proposal. The City is submitting a planning grant proposal to prepare a feasibility study for multi-modal transportation safety improvements on Coggins Drive. Coggins Drive is located partly in the City and partly in the County unincorporated area. The total grant amount is $300,000, and requires a 20% local match.
DISCUSSION
Background
The Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Discretionary Grant is a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) federal-aid program. The purpose of RCP is to reconnect communities by removing and retrofitting transportation facilities to enhance mobility, access, and economic development. The City is eligible to request an allocation of RCP planning grant funds to prepare a planning study of Coggins Drive. Currently, Coggins Drive is identified as an unfunded project in the FY 2022-2027 Capital Improvement Program Budget.
Analysis
The Coggins Drive corridor is a 0.5-mile long collector street located partly in the City and partly in County within an unincorporated area near the Pleasant Hill BART Station. The Coggins Drive project limits are Buskirk Avenue (in the City of Pleasant Hill) and Las Juntas Way (in the unincorporated County). Coggins Drive has two travel lanes each way in the City. In the County, Coggins Drive transitions to one travel lane each way. In order to evaluate improvement options holistically for the entire Coggins Drive corridor, staff recommends that the Coggins Drive feasibility study include both the city and county portions of the roadway. The Coggins Road study will address feasibility, safety, connectivity, improvement options, and public engagement.
The City of Pleasant Hill is the sponsoring and lead agency. Contra Costa County has agreed to partner with the City on a joint-agency planning grant proposal. Cost sharing is determined based on the length of the roadway. Coggins Drive is 2,500 feet long with approximately half of its length in the City and the remaining portion in the County.
The City of Pleasant Hill will request an allocation of RCP grant funds for both the City and its partnering agency, Contra Costa County. The total RCP planning grant budget is $300,000, which includes costs of $156,000 and $144,000 for the City and County, respectively. The required local match is 20% or $60,000, including a contribution of $31,200 from the City and $28,800 from the County, respectively.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City of Pleasant Hill’s portion of the RCP planning grant allocation request is $156,000, 20 percent of which ($31,200) is the City’s required local match. There are adequate funds in the Traffic Mitigation Fund (Fund 06) to cover this cost.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the City Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center and at the Pleasant Hill Police Department. The agenda and staff report are posted on the City’s web page.
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION
Staff recommends adopting the proposed resolution to authorize staff to pursue grant funding to prepare a planning study of Coggins Drive.
ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDED ACTION
If the City Council chooses not to adopt the proposed resolution, the City will miss a grant opportunity to pay for a planning study. The absence of the study will diminish the City’s competitive edge when pursuing future grant opportunities to fund construction.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Proposed Resolution
Prepared by: Philip Ho, Senior Civil Engineer
Reviewed by: Ananthan Kanagasundaram, City Engineer
Approved by: June Catalano, City Manager