November 7, 2023
Public Works
DATE: November 7, 2023
TO: Mayor Eduardo Martinez and Members of the City Council FROM:
Daniel Chavarria, Director of Public Works
Robert Armijo, PE, Deputy Director of Public Works/City Engineer
Josef Munoz, Capital Projects Manager
Subject:
Transportation Development Act (TDA) Grant Contract
with SOS! Richmond for the Richmond Ferry to Bridge
Bicycle & Pedestrian Network Improvements Projects
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed grant funds of $30,000 were awarded from the TDA grant program. No matching funds are required
and there is no financial impact to the General Fund.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
June 7, 2022
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
Public Works is requesting City Council approval of the contract with SOS! Richmond to provide Richmond
Greenway maintenance as the previous contract was not
fully executed.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a contract with SOS! Richmond, in the
amount of $30,000, to provide maintenance for the
Richmond Greenway through June 30, 2024, and comply
with requirements under the Transportation Development
Act (TDA) Grant issued to the City of Richmond for
Bicycle & Pedestrian Improvements – Public Works
Department (Robert Armijo 510-620-5477/Josef Munoz
510-620-6671).
AGENDA
REPORT
November 7, 2023
DISCUSSION:
In November 2020, City staff collaborated with the Richmond Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee to submit a project application for the 2021-22 Transportation Development Act Article 3 (TDA 3) fund. The project includes a two-year bicycle safety education program with Bike East Bay and maintenance of the entire Richmond Greenway with Safe Organized Spaces Richmond (SOS! Richmond).
In February 2021, City Council adopted a resolution authorizing a request to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for the allocation of fiscal year 2021-22 TDA 3 pedestrian/bicycle project funding and accepted and appropriated the grant funds for the successful application.
On June 7, 2022, City Council approved two grant-funded Transportation Development Act (TDA) contracts. One contract was with Bike East Bay and provided two years of bicycle safety education in an amount not to exceed $25,000. Another contract was approved with SOS! Richmond and provided one-year of maintenance of the Richmond Greenway in an amount not to exceed $30,000. The SOS! Richmond original contract term was to commence on July 1, 2022, and end on June 30, 2023.
The contract with SOS! Richmond was never fully executed as it was not signed by the former mayor. Approval from City Council is necessary to create a new contract with SOS! Richmond with an updated term to comply with the requirements of the TDA grant and not lose funding. Failure to comply could result in the City of Richmond repaying $178,400 in grant funds.
The terms and conditions of the grant are still valid. Eligible costs must be incurred on or before June 30, 2024. Funds not drawn by September 30, 2024, revert to the fund.
No matching funds are required and there is no financial impact to the General Fund.
The Richmond Greenway is a treasured walking, biking, and recreational path running through the heart of Richmond, but the serious problems of illegal dumping and homelessness, and the lack of maintenance, especially litter removal, threaten the viability of this public space and active transit corridor. Volunteers and non-profit groups who try to activate the Greenway often spend more time picking up trash than running their engagement programs. SOS! Richmond is a community network that engages with, provides stipends to, and employs leaders of the unsheltered community to self- manage shared public spaces. Fiscally sponsored by Richmond Friends of Recreation, SOS! Richmond deploys its teams throughout Richmond. The Greenway is an excellent candidate for deepening its partnership with Friends of the Richmond Greenway and City of Richmond Parks & Landscaping Division. With this contract, the SOS! Richmond team will increase their presence at the Greenway between 2nd Street and San Pablo Avenue to provide regular trash clean-up, security, and community engagement to deter unsafe trail conditions.
November 7, 2023
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Contract SOS! Richmond
Attachment 2 – Council Minutes June 7, 2022
Attachment 3 – Minutes from February 16, 2021 Council Meeting Attachment 4 – Resolution 15-21 Authorizing Funding Request Attachment 5 – County Resolution