City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MAY 19, 2026 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION OF A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL FUNDING FOR A TOTAL PROJECT COST OF $14,000,000 INCLUDING A 20% REQUIRED LOCAL MATCH OF $2,800,000 ISSUE:
Authorize the submittal of a grant application requesting up to $14 million in grant funding for a Fiscal Year 2026 Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program offered by the United States Department of Transportation to construct various traffic safety infrastructure improvements, supplemental planning safety action studies, and demonstration activities. The total project cost is estimated at $14 million with a grant funded component of $11.2 million and a required 20% City match of approximately $2.8 million.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Authorize the submittal of a Fiscal Year 2026 SS4A grant application to the United States Department of Transportation for a total estimated project cost of $14 million (includes approximately $2.8 million in required City match funds), to construct various traffic safety infrastructure improvements, supplemental planning safety action studies, and demonstration activities; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to sign any grant-related documents, including making minor and non-substantive changes as necessary.
BACKGROUND:
Section 24112 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also referred to as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law” or “BIL”) established the Fiscal Year 2026 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program with $5 billion dollars in advanced appropriations that are distributed over the five-year period of 2022 through 2026. One billion dollars in grant funding is authorized and appropriated for the current Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 which is the fifth year of the five-year grant program.
The purpose of SS4A grants is to improve roadway safety by significantly reducing or eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries through safety action plan development, refinement and implementation focused on all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, personal conveyance and micro mobility users, and commercial vehicle operators.
The SS4A grant program provides funding for two main types of grants: 1.) Planning and Demonstration Grants for comprehensive safety action plans, including supplemental safety planning, and/or safety demonstration activities; and 2.) Implementation Grants to implement strategies or projects that are consistent with an existing Action Plan.
The Federal share of a SS4A grant may not exceed 80% of total eligible activity costs. Recipients are required to contribute a local matching share of no less than 20% of eligible activity costs. Unless otherwise authorized by statute, all matching funds must be from non-Federal sources.
The City of Riverside has successfully pursued Safe Streets for All funding. In February 2026, the City accepted $11.1M in SS4A funds for the construction of the South Main Complete Streets project, along with the preparation of Citywide safety action plans. In February 2025, the City accepted $7.448M in SS4A funds for the construction of the Neighborhood Safety Investment Project, along with the preparation of Citywide safety action plans. The Public Works Department plans to implement a similar strategy with this round of funding.
The FY 2026 SS4A grant application submittal has a deadline of May 26, 2026 at 5:00 PM (Eastern Time).
DISCUSSION:
The Public Works Department requests authorization from the City Council to submit a grant application requesting a total of up to $14 million in USDOT FY 2026 SS4A grant funding. The project components are proposed to include both infrastructure improvements and three separate planning efforts, and demonstration activities, mirroring Riverside’s previously successful efforts with this grant program. Projects and programs included in the grant application align with the City’s Strategic Plan, the Riverside PACT, the Local Roadway Safety Plan, the General Plan Public Safety Element, and the draft Safe Routes To School Plans.
Infrastructure Component
The infrastructure portion of the proposed SS4A grant project aims to improve traffic safety for vulnerable road users, decrease traffic collisions, and encourage active transportation for residents and business patrons within the project area. For the purposes of the grant application, it is referred to as the Riverside Comprehensive Collision Reduction Project. The project will include bikeway enhancements, high visibility crosswalks, audible pedestrian push buttons, sidewalks, advanced video cameras and child-friendly elements. The projects are supported by the Riverside PACT, Riverside Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP), General Plan Public Safety Element, and the draft Safe Routes to School Plans.
The project area was carefully selected to maximize grant program eligibility, while also targeting areas of the City which will greatly benefit from traffic safety needs. Staff considered recent grant awards, application competitiveness, and geographic equity in selecting a citywide project area. The project components will boost connectivity to schools, shopping, employment, and recreation for residents, and help make all neighborhoods more inviting to visitors and future (unplanned) development. Widescale execution of the City’s infrastructure planning documents can serve as an engine for catalytic change.
A full list of improvements within the project location area is shown below:
Central Ave from Fremont to Wilderness – horizontal curve improvements including guardrail, high-friction surface treatment and raised curb median Tyler Street & Hemet Street - raised curb median extension Traffic signals systems (including Dauchy & Krameria and Market & 6th; BBS &EVP) Audible pedestrian push buttons and high visibility crosswalks AI-based traffic safety video cameras at high collision intersection locations Safe Routes to School recommended child friendly element improvements Riverside PACT recommended top tier improvements
Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) recommended improvements General Plan Public Safety Element recommended improvements Developing a Drone First Response / Real-Time Information Center (DFR / RTIC) for automatic collision detection, DFR drones/software for quick response to coordinate emergency services (requested by Police Services Department Traffic Bureau) At the time of drafting this report, staff are currently working with SS4A staff to determine the eligibility of the Drone First Responder and Real-Time Information Center projects under the grant program. If allowable, Public Works will collaborate with the Police Department to consider inclusion of these projects as part of the City’s grant application submittal.
The recommended components have been discussed with the community as part of the Riverside PACT, LRSP, General Plan Public Safety Element, and Safe Routes to School Study planning processes. Staff plans to engage the community further to discuss the project specifics if the grant application is successful.
The project locations are close to schools, parks, medical facilities, employment centers, and commercial retail shopping centers. The recommended improvements support community requests received from public outreach efforts to improve traffic safety and multi-modal connectivity.
If the project is awarded, the safety countermeasures are expected to reduce the frequency and/or severity of traffic collisions as well as improve sidewalk connectivity, enhance safety and mobility for residents, and improve public health by encouraging increased walking, biking, and a more active lifestyle. The combined effects would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions as residents would be afforded amenities to walk or bike for the shorter trips.
Supplemental Safety Planning Component
The three proposed supplemental safety action planning components are consistent with the National Roadway Safety Strategies (NRSS) and align with the SS4A Grant Program Initiatives for Safer People, Safer Vehicles, Safer Speeds, Safer Roads and Post-Crash Care and are comparable to other projects awarded from the previous rounds of the SS4A Grant Program.
The proposed Citywide At-Grade Railway Crossing Pedestrian Gate Arm Master Plan is consistent with the city’s General Plan Circulation Element and aims to minimize adverse safety pedestrian concerns. The primary goal of pedestrian gate arms is to enhance safety at railroad crossings by preventing pedestrians from attempting to cross the tracks when a train is approaching, especially when gates are lowered or in motion. Funds would be used to conduct extensive existing conditions analysis, public outreach, and examine potential opportunities for infrastructure improvements and prioritize the City’s approach to implementation.
The proposed update to the Riverside PACT Plan will provide a comprehensive community engagement effort, incorporating new, best practices and standards for the active transportation and complete streets components, and conduct an industry standard update once every 5 years. The proposed update aligns with the Safer Roads initiatives of the SS4A Grant Program.
The proposed City of Riverside Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Project for all existing High Schools and the new Ofelia Valdez-Yeager Eastside Elementary School will result in individualized SRTS studies and pedestrian and bicycle safety circulation plans for each public high school (plus 1 new elementary school) citywide. Each plan will be tailored for the specific needs of each high school with detailed operational and physical improvements intended to promote walking, biking, rolling, and safety. These improvements align with programmatic recommendations for each school for safer, more convenient walking and bicycling options for Riverside’s more than 18,000 high-school students, their families, and residents and are consistent with the city’s original investment to develop individualized Safe Routes To School plans for fifty (50) public K-8 elementary and middle schools citywide.
Demonstration Activities Component
The proposed demonstration activities component is consistent with the Riverside PACT Plan, the Local Roadway Safety Plan, draft Safe Routes to School Plan and aligns with the SS4A Grant Program Initiatives for Safer People, Safer Vehicles, Safer Speeds, Safer Roads, and Post-Crash Care. The demonstration activities will include temporary pilot projects such as curb extensions, neighborhood traffic circles, roadway directional conversions (two-way to one-way and vice versa) and improvements to enhance safety for vulnerable road users at intersections. These pilot projects will test proposed strategies to evaluate their effectiveness, inform future project development and refine implementation approaches. All demonstration activities will include data collection and performance evaluation to measure potential benefits and support the development of an Action Plan, including the identification and prioritization of future projects and strategies.
Indirect Cost Rate
To be consistent with the City’s indirect cost rate set-aside policy for grants, an indirect cost rate of 10% will be added to this grant application, up to a maximum of $1.4 million. Indirect costs represent agency-wide administrative expenses, including accounting, budgeting, payroll preparation, personnel services, purchasing, and legal services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no immediate fiscal impact, however if the grant is approved, the total estimated fiscal impact of this recommendation is up to $14,000,000, which is comprised of $11,200,000 in USDOT grant funds, and an additional $2,800,000 in local matching funds to complete the SS4A infrastructure and planning improvements as listed in Table 1. If awarded, staff will return to the City Council to accept the award and appropriate funding and will make a recommendation for allocating the remaining funds in the amount up to $2,800,000, from potential funding sources that may include bond proceeds, Special Gas Tax, Measure A, TUMF, eligible state grant funds (i.e. ATP or HSIP programs) or other existing funding sources.
Table 1 – Project Costs:
Project Name
Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) (FY 2025) Grant Program Funds Requested (maximum) Local Match Funds (20%)
Total Project Cost
Implementation Grant:
Citywide (All Wards) Traffic Safety Improvements:
bike lane infrastructure
sidewalks & ADA ramps
traffic signal systems (new signals, battery back-up systems, emergency vehicle pre-emption systems) high visibility crosswalks
audible pedestrian push buttons
guardrail
high-friction surface treatment
raised curb median
advanced video cameras
Safe Routes To School improvements
Riverside PACT improvements
LRSP improvements
GP Public Safety Element
Developing Drone First Responder/ Real-Time Information Center (DFR / RTIC)(request from RPD) $10,280,000
$2,570,000
$12,850,000
Bundled Supplemental Safety Action Planning Component:
At-Grade Rail Crossing Pedestrian Gate Arm Plan
Riverside PACT Master Plan Update
Safe Routes To Schools individualized plans for all existing High Schools $800,000
$200,000
$1,000,000
Demonstration Activities:
Develop Citywide demonstration activities for temporary pilot projects such as curb extensions, neighborhood traffic circles, roadway directional conversions (2-way to 1-way), and vulnerable road user safety at intersections. $120,000
$30,000
$150,000
Estimated SS4A Grant Program (FY 2026) Total:
$14,000,000
Prepared by: Philip Nitollama, City Traffic Engineer
Approved by: Nathan Mustafa, Interim Public Works Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Interim Finance Director Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Presentation
United States Department of Transportation Fiscal Year 2026 Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Grant Application ● Page 6