City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: NOVEMBER 7, 2023 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: ACCEPTANCE OF THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRANT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023/24 SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROGRAM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIVIDUALIZED SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PLANS CITYWIDE FOR A GRANT FUNDED AMOUNT OF $700,000 WITH A $90,692 LOCAL MATCH FOR A TOTAL FUNDING PACKAGE OF $790,692 – RESOLUTION ADOPTION AND SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUES:
Accept a grant award in the amount of $700,000 from the California Department of Transportation’s FY 2023/24 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program to develop individualized pedestrian and bicycle circulation plans (Safe Routes to School Plans) for all fifty (50) elementary and middle schools citywide and approve a supplemental appropriation in the amount of $90,692, for a total funding package amount of $790,692; and adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute all necessary grant agreements with Caltrans to utilize the above funding.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Accept a California Department of Transportation FY 2023/24 Sustainable Transportation Planning Program Grant award in the amount of $700,000 with a 11.47% local match in the amount of $90,692 to develop individualized pedestrian and bicycle circulation plans (Safe Routes to School Plan) for fifty (50) elementary and middle schools, Citywide; Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager, or designee, to execute all the California Department of Transportation FY 2023/24 Sustainable Communities Program Grant Agreements, and any related grant documents, including making minor and non-substantive changes; and With five affirmative votes, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record an increase in revenue and appropriate expenditures in the amount of $700,000 in the Capital Outlay-Grants Fund, Caltrans STP Grant Project revenue and expenditure accounts; and record a supplemental appropriation in the amount of $90,692 in Measure A Funds, Caltrans STP Grant Project account, for the City match portion of the grant award.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
On March 7, 2023, the City Council authorized the submittal of a grant application in the amount of $700,000 to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to develop individualized pedestrian and bicycle circulation plans (Safe Routes to School Plans) for fifty (50) elementary and middle schools citywide.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Riverside has participated in several Caltrans grant programs, seeking funding for important active transportation planning documents and capital projects through the submission of multiple grant applications. To date, the city has been successful in securing millions of dollars in federal and state grants through these efforts.
On June 7, 2022, the City Council authorized that staff prepare and submit five (5) Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle VI grant applications reflective of the community’s needs and supportive of the Active Transportation Program initiatives. Of the five projects submitted, one of the applications was the Safe Routes to School Project.
The initial results of the ATP Cycle VI review show that the Safe Routes to School grant application was not selected for funding. However, the City participated in a debrief meeting to receive helpful feedback to strengthen applications for other funding programs (such as the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant).
On January 18, 2023, Caltrans announced the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Call for Projects. The Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant is expected to include approximately $29.5 million in State grant funds. In response to the call for projects, the City of Riverside submitted its application, requesting a total of $700,000 in state grant funds.
On August 31, 2023, Caltrans notified the Public Works Department that the City’s grant application requesting Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant funding had been successfully awarded.
DISCUSSION:
In prior meetings with the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD), Alvord Unified School District (AUSD), and individual elementary and middles schools, there has been a longstanding vision to establish and develop pedestrian and bicycle safety circulation plans to encourage both active transportation modes to school as well as increase the safety of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure paths to school via operational, physical and program improvements. Using feedback from the Caltrans debrief meeting of the initial ATP Cycle 6 Grant application, the City submitted a Sustainable Communities Competitive Planning Grant application and has been selected to receive $700,000 to bring that vision to life with the development of the Riverside Safe Routes To School Plan.
The City of Riverside Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Project will result in fifty (50) individualized SRTS studies and fifty (50) pedestrian and bicycle safety circulation plans for each public K-8 school within the City. Each plan will be tailored for each individual school with detailed operational and physical improvements intended to promote walking, biking, and safety. These improvements align with programmatic recommendations for each school for safer, more convenient walking and bicycling options for Riverside’s more than 32,500 K-8 students, their families, and residents.
Project tasks include:
Contract professional consultant services to evaluate each participating elementary and middle school within the City and develop a comprehensive Safe Routes to School Plan for each individual site.
Extensive public outreach efforts for the SRTS plans including distribution via newsletters, websites, surveys, etc. and encourage non-vehicular transportation to school.
Evaluate pedestrian, bicycle, vehicular, collision data, and crossing guard data as well as coordination with the schools, school districts, and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) for each school.
Prepare the City for future SRTS Infrastructure Improvement Grant Applications built upon recommendations from individualized SRTS Studies.
The City coordinated with Alvord Unified School District (AUSD), Riverside Unified School District (RUSD), and Riverside Unified Health Systems (RUHS) to garner letters of support from each school that wishes to be included in the plan. Completion of the SRTS plan will realize Goal 4.1.5 within the Riverside P.A.C.T. Plan, which is to “Coordinate the implementation of the Active Transportation Plan with implementation and creation of a SRTS Plan so that children are encouraged to bike and walk to school.” The proposed projects will benefit citywide school communities by encouraging walking and biking to school, promoting a sustainable active lifestyle, increase vulnerable road user safety, advance social equity, protect the environment by reducing harmful air pollutants from vehicles and identify future infrastructure needs for each school.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item supports Strategic Priority 1 – Arts, Culture and Recreation and Goal 1.5 – Support programs and amenities to further develop literacy, health, and education of children, youth and seniors throughout the community and Strategic Priority 2 – Community Well-Being and Goal 2.4 – Support programs and innovations that enhance community safety, encourage neighborhood engagement, and build public trust. As well as Strategic Priority 6 – Infrastructure, Mobility & Connectivity Goals 6.1, 6.2, and 6.4.
This item aligns with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust –The project is consistent with the priority objectives of the Riverside P.A.C.T. Plan and in coordination with RUSD, AUSD, and RUHS. The City will develop individualized Safe Routes To School Plans with the goal of serving public interest, benefiting the City’s diverse populations, and meeting the needs of the school community based on their feedback.
Equity –. Public Works strives to improve the City’s roadway network to provide safe and reliable multi-modal transportation in all areas of the City. The proposed plan will serve pedestrians and bicyclists across the City including the targeted school communities.
Fiscal Responsibility – Riverside is a prudent steward of public funds and ensures responsible management of the City’s financial resources by awarding consultant services contracts to the lowest responsive bidders and utilizing available grant funding from the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program.
Innovation –The City will partner with several entities to develop comprehensive plans, and policies for each school to deliver a successful safe routes to school program.
Sustainability & Resiliency – The proposed plans aim to increase the proportion of biking and walking to connect residents to educational opportunities, improve community resilience, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The SRTS program will also promote a sustainable and healthy lifestyle by encouraging active non-vehicular transportation.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is $790,692 (Table 1), which includes $700,000 for the grant award and $90,692 for the City match. Upon Council approval, supplemental appropriations will be recorded in the funds and projects in Table 2 including the $90,692.00 required for the local City match. The City match will be funded by the Measure A fund.
Table 1 – Project Costs
Project Name
Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program Funds Requested Match Funds (11.47%) / Non-Participating Funds
Total Project Cost
Riverside Safe Routes to School Plan
$700,000
$90,692
$790,692
Table 2 – Project Funding Sources
Fund
Project
Account
Amount
Revenue
Capital Outlay-Grants
Caltrans STP Grant Project
9410600-335450
$700,000
Expenditures
Capital Outlay-Grants
Caltrans STP Grant Project
9410600-440236
$700,000
Measure A
9410630-440313
$90,692*
Total Expenditures
$790,692
*Denotes City match
Prepared by: Gilbert Hernandez, Public Works Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
Award Letter
Resolution
FY 2023/24 Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Award – Individualized Safe Routes to School Plans Citywide ● Page 2