City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: JULY 1, 2025 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: 1,2,3,4 & 5
SUBJECT: ACCEPTANCE OF TWO FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT ARTICLE 3, SENATE BILL 821 GRANTS FROM THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS FOR A COMBINED GRANT FUNDED AMOUNT OF $1,283,142 WITH A REQUIRED LOCAL MATCH 50% OF TOTAL PROJECT COST THE AMOUNT OF $1,283,142 FOR A TOTAL FUNDING PACKAGE OF $2,566,284 – SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUE:
Accept $1,283,142 in grant funding with a required local match of $1,283,142 from the Riverside County Transportation Commission’s FY 2025/26 TDA Article 3 (SB 821) Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Program to construct buffered bicycle lanes along Van Buren Boulevard and combined various improvements consisting of a bicycle lane along northbound Chicago Avenue along with new concrete sidewalks on Bandini, Pennsylvania, and Challen Avenues.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Authorize the acceptance of two (2) grant awards in the combined amount of $1,283,142, under the Fiscal Year 2025/26 Transportation Development Act Article 3 (Senate Bill 821) Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Program Grant as administered by the Riverside County Transportation Commission for the construction of buffered bike lanes on both sides of Van Buren Boulevard from Wood Road to Orange Terrace Parkway, a northbound bike lane on Chicago Avenue from Le Conte Drive to Martin Luther King Boulevard, and new concrete sidewalks on Bandini, Pennsylvania, and Challen Avenues; Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute all grant agreements and related grant documents with the Riverside County Transportation Commission, including making minor and non-substantive changes and executing agreement amendments and extensions, subject to the availability of budgeted funds; With at least five affirmative votes, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record an increase of $1,283,142 in revenue and appropriate an equal amount of expenditures in the Capital Outlay-Grants Fund, in various capital project revenue and expenditure accounts as outlined in the fiscal impact section of this report; and With at least five affirmative votes, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record a supplemental appropriation of $1,283,142 from available fund balance in the Measure A Fund, in various capital projects expenditure accounts as outlined in the fiscal impact section of this report, for the purposes of the City match portion of the grant.
BACKGROUND:
Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3, or Senate Bill (SB) 821, Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Program funding, is provided through a ¼ cent of the general sales tax collected statewide. The TDA provides two major sources of funding for public transportation: the Local Transportation Fund (LTF) and the State Transit Assistance (STA). The LTF provides funding for essential transit and commuter rail services, TDA Article 3/SB 821, and planning efforts. Each year, 2% of the LTF revenue is made available for use on bicycle and pedestrian facility projects through the TDA Article3/SB 821 program. TDA Article 3/SB 821 is a discretionary program administered by the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC).
The total amount available for programming in the 2025/26 TDA Article 3/SB 821 Call for Projects is an estimated $7,279,863. Each City/Agency is eligible to submit up to three applications. Each application is limited to a maximum request of $727,986, which is 10% of available grant funding. The total award to each City/Agency is limited to $1,455,973, or 20% of available funding.
On April 9, 2025, the City Council authorized the submittal of up to three (3) grant applications to the Riverside County Transportation Commission to construct new bike lanes on Van Buren Boulevard and Chicago Avenue and new concrete sidewalks on Bandini Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue, and Challen Avenue.
In response to the call for projects, the City of Riverside submitted two applications, requesting a total of $1,283,142 in grant funding.
DISCUSSION:
On May 19, 2025, the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) Technical Advisory Committee approved the funding recommendations for the City’s two grant applications requesting Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3/SB 821 grant funds. The approved grant applications and amounts are as follows:
A grant application of $720,684.50 with a City match from Measure A Available Funds of the same amount to construct Class II buffered bike lanes in both directions along Van Buren Boulevard between Wood Road and Orange Terrace Parkway (Attachment 3).; and A grant application of $562,457.50 with a City match from Measure A Available Funds of the same amount to install Class II bike lane along northbound Chicago Avenue between Le Conte Drive and Martin Luther King Boulevard, new concrete sidewalks on the east side of the intersection of Van Buren Boulevard and Challen Avenue, new concrete sidewalks on the south side of Bandini Avenue between Grand Avenue and Kendall Street, and new concrete sidewalks on the south side of Pennsylvania Avenue between Sedgwick Avenue to 2340 Pennsylvania Avenue.
The recommended streets are close to local schools, parks, employment centers, and commercial shopping areas, and staff received community requests to improve these facilities and locations. When implemented, the new bike lanes and new sidewalks are expected to improve multi-modal active transportation connectivity, enhance safety and mobility for residents, and improve public health by encouraging increased walking and biking. The combined benefits would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions as residents would be encouraged to walk and bike for shorter trips.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item supports Strategic Priority 6 – Infrastructure, Mobility, and Connectivity and aims to ensure safe, reliable infrastructure that benefits the community and facilitates connection between people, places, and information. The proposed TDA Article 3/SB 821 funded projects align with the goals below:
6.1 – Provide, expand and ensure equitable access to sustainable modes of transportation that connect people to opportunities such as employment, education, healthcare, and community amenities.
6.2 – Maintain, protect, and improve assets and infrastructure within the City’s built environment to ensure and enhance reliability, resiliency, sustainability, and facilitate connectivity.
6.3 – Identify and pursue new and unique funding opportunities to develop, operate, maintain, and renew infrastructure and programs that meet the community’s needs.
Furthermore, this project aligns with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – The proposed improvements are part of a more significant endeavor to improve the City’s transportation network and quality of life for the residents and visitors. The proposed project improvements are primarily based on residential service requests received by The Public Works Department (Public Works) and are supported by the recommendations within the Riverside PACT and Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP).
Equity – Public Works strives to improve the City’s roadway network to provide safe and reliable transportation in all areas of the City. The proposed project includes locations in Wards 1-5, many located in disadvantaged communities that will benefit from improved active transportation connectivity.
Fiscal Responsibility – The proposed pedestrian improvement projects leverage $1,283,142 Measure A available funds to garner grant funding of an equal amount, doubling the budget for needed improvements to a total of $2,566,284.
Innovation – The proposed projects embrace a Complete Streets approach, designing streets to accommodate all users, including cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers. By integrating buffered bike lanes and concrete sidewalks, this improves connectivity, safety, and accessibility, creating a more efficient and inclusive transportation network.
Sustainability & Resiliency – The construction materials specified for the proposed projects meet or exceed industry standards and will enhance the safety and connectivity of walking paths and bikeways.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is an increase in revenue and expenditures of $1,283,142 plus an additional $1,283,142 in City match funds. Upon Council approval, an increase to revenue and expenditures will be recorded in the amount of $1,283,142 and the local match in the amount of $1,283,142 will be appropriated to the Van Buren Boulevard Class II Buffered Bike Lanes Project and Chicago Avenue + Sidewalks Project accounts as detailed in Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5. The supplemental appropriation will be utilizing Measure A fund balance. There are sufficient reserves to accommodate the supplemental appropriation in the Measure A Fund.
Based on the City’s policy (Attachment 4), a 10% indirect cost rate set-aside policy for all grants and earmarks. Indirect costs are agency-wide general management costs consisting of administrative activities necessary for the general operation of the city, such as accounting, budgeting, payroll preparation, personnel services, purchasing, and legal services.
Table 1. Project Costs
Project Name
TDA Article 3 SB 821
FY 25-26 Bicycle & Pedestrian Grant Program Funds Awarded Local Match Funds (50%)
Total Project Cost
Van Buren Boulevard Class II Buffered Bike Lane Improvements $720,684.50
$720,684.50
$1,441,369
Chicago Avenue Bike Lane + Sidewalks (Bandini, Challen, Pennsylvania) $562,457.50
$562,457.50
$1,124,915
Total:
$1,283,142
$1,283,142
$2,566,284
Table 2. Van Buren Blvd Class II Buffered Bike Lane Improvements (from Wood Rd to Orange Terrace Pkwy) Fund
Project
Account
Amount
Revenue
Capital Outlay-Grants
Van Buren Class II Bike Lanes
9930800-335450
$720,684.50
Expenditures
Capital Outlay-Grants
Van Buren Class II Bike Lanes
9930800-440236
$648,616.05
9930800-881300
**$72,068.45
Measure A
9930830-440313
*$720,684.50
Total Expenditures:
$1,441,369.00
*Denotes City Match **Denotes Indirect Cost
Table 3. Chicago Ave Bike Lanes & Sidewalks (Bandini, Challen, and Pennsylvania Avenues) Fund
Project
Account
Amount
Revenue
Capital Outlay-Grants
Chicago Bike Lanes & Sidewalks
9930900-335450
$562,457.50
Expenditures
Capital Outlay-Grants
Chicago Bike Lanes & Sidewalks
9930900-440236
$506,211.75
9930900-881300
**$56,245.75
Measure A
9930930-440313
*$562,457.50
Total Expenditures:
$1,124,915.00
*Denotes City Match **Denotes Indirect Cost
Prepared by: Philip Nitollama, City Traffic Engineer
Approved 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: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
RCTC Approved Funding Recommendations for Fiscal Year 2025/26 TDA 3 SB 821 Location Maps
Project Schedule
Indirect Cost Rate Memo
Presentation
FY 2025/26 TDA Article3/SB 821 Grant Application ● Page 2