City of Sacramento
City Council - 5PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2022-02151 1/10/2023 Consent Item 12.
Discretionary Grant Application: U.S. Department of Transportation Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant
File ID: 2022-02151
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Pass a Motion : 1) authorizing the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee to submit a grant application not to exceed $2 million to the U.S. Department of Transportation SMART Grant Program; and 2) authorizing the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee to execute the grant agreement and any related grant documents upon award.
Contact: Evangeline Lucas Lee, Associate Engineer, (916) 808-7612, [email protected]; Ryan Billeci, Senior Engineer, (916) 808-6736, [email protected]; David Edrosolan, City Traffic Engineer, (916) 808-5974, [email protected]; Department of Public Works Presenter: None.
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
Additional Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) posted a Notice of Funding Opportunity for applications for Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grants. If successful, the SMART grant will help to conduct a demonstration project focused on advanced smart city technologies and systems to improve transportation efficiency and safety.
Policy Considerations: Funding the project is consistent with the City’s General Plan goal to promote and support economic vitality by investing in infrastructure development to support sustainable growth.
Economic Impacts: None.
File ID: 2022-02151 1/10/2023 Consent Item 12.
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): No environmental review is necessary because the recommendation in this report involves the administrative activity of applying for grant funding and is not considered to be a project in accordance with Section 15378(b)(2) of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines.
Sustainability: The project identified for the grant application will be consistent with the City’s General Plan and will be aimed at addressing the goals and targets set forth in the Mobility Element of the 2035 General Plan and Air Quality Focus Areas by improving transportation infrastructure and using of emerging technologies.
Commission/Committee Action: None.
Rationale for Recommendation: As the employment center and transportation hub for the region, the City of Sacramento bears a large burden of the area’s traffic congestion. An opportunity exists to receive funding to conduct a demonstration project focused on advanced smart city technologies to improve safety, efficiency, and system performance.
Financial Considerations: This staff report is requesting authorization to submit an application for grant funding in an amount up to $2 million for Stage 1 SMART grants from USDOT. There is no local match, however some indirect costs might not be reimbursable and can be covered through local funds. If the grant is awarded, staff will return to City Council to establish a Capital Improvement Project (CIP) and appropriate funding and transfer local funds to cover any ineligible costs.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
Background: The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has advertised a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grants. The purpose of the SMART Grants Program is to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart city or community technologies and systems in a variety of communities to improve transportation efficiency and safety. The program funds projects that are focused on using technology interventions to solve real-world challenges and build data and technology capacity and expertise in the public sector.
The SMART Grants Program includes two stages: Stage 1 Planning and Prototyping Grants (Stage 1 grants) and Stage 2 Implementation Grants (Stage 2 grants). The program structure is based on a belief that planning, prototyping, and partnership are critical to advancing the state of the practice for data and technology projects in the public sector. USDOT anticipates that only recipients of Stage 1 Planning and Prototyping Grants will be eligible for Stage 2 Implementation Grants and anticipates funding projects of up to $2,000,000 per project for Stage 1 and up to $15,000,000 per project for Stage 2.
File ID: 2022-02151 1/10/2023 Consent Item 12.
Eligible Projects: All U.S. State and local governments are encouraged to apply. Projects funded under this grant will deploy a wide range of technology inputs, data systems, and integrations with the transportation system including:
• Coordinated Auto mation― Use of automated transportation and autonomous vehicles while working to minimize the impact on the accessibility of any other user group or mode of travel. • Connected Vehicles― Vehicles that send and receive information regarding vehicle movements in the network and use vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-everything communications to provide advanced and reliable connectivity.
• Intelligent, Sensor-based Infrastructure― Deployment and use of a collective intelligent infrastructure that allows sensors to collect and report real-time data to inform everyday transportation-related operations and performance.
• Systems Integration― Integration of intelligent transportation systems with other existing systems and other advanced transportation technologies.
• Commerce Delivery and Logistics― Innovative data and technological solutions supporting efficient goods movement, such as connected vehicle probe data, road weather data, or global positioning data to improve on-time pickup and delivery, improved travel time reliability, reduced fuel consumption and emissions, and reduced labor and vehicle maintenance costs. • Leveraging Use of Innovative Aviation Technology― Leveraging the use of innovative aviation technologies, such as unmanned aircraft systems, to support transportation safety and efficiencies, including traffic monitoring and infrastructure inspection. • Smart Grid― Developing a programmable and efficient energy transmission and distribution system to support the adoption or expansion of energy capture, electric vehicle deployment, or freight or commercial fleet fuel efficiency.
• Smart Technology Traffic Signals― Improving the active management and functioning of traffic signals, including through:
• Use of automated traffic signal performance measures; • Implementing strategies, activities, and projects that support active management of traffic signal operations, including through optimization of corridor timing; improved vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle detection at traffic signals; or the use of connected vehicle technologies;
• Replacement of outdated traffic signals.
Selection Process: Teams comprising of USDOT staff, Federal inter-agency partner staff, and contractor staff review all eligible and complete applications received by the deadline for a Technical Merit and Project Readiness Review and assign rating categories of Highly Recommended, Recommended, Not Recommended or Ineligible and will not assign numerical scores. The Secretary will select the projects for award.
File ID: 2022-02151 1/10/2023 Consent Item 12.
Anticipated Federal Award Dates: Award announcements are expected to be made in early 2023.
RESOLUTION NO.
Adopted by the Sacramento City Council
AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR STRENGTHENING MOBILITY AND
REVOLUTIONIZING TRANSPORTATION (SMART) GRANT APPLICATION
BACKGROUND
A. The U.S. Department Transportation (USDOT) posted a Notice of Funding Opportunity for applications for Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grants.
B. The SMART grant program seeks conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart city or community technologies and systems in a variety of communities to improve transportation efficiency and safety.
C. The estimated cost of the proposed project is $2 million; the total cost may vary depending on the project award.
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Manager or his designee is authorized to submit an application for the SMART grant in an amount not to exceed $2 million.
Section 2. The City Manager or his designee is authorized to execute the grant agreement and any related grant documents upon award.