City of Sacramento
City Council - 5PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2023-01531 12/5/2023 Consent Item 4.
Fiscal Year (FY) 2024/25 Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Applications File ID: 2023-01531
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee to: 1) submit the following projects to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Fiscal Year (FY) 2024/25 Sustainable Communities - Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program: a) Arden Way-Auburn Boulevard Vision Zero and Mobility Plan, b) Fruitridge Road Safety and Mobility Plan, c) Elder Creek Road Safety and Mobility Plan, and d) the Walking and Bicycling Wayfinding Project; 2) submit any related documents necessary to support the grant application; and 3) execute the grant agreements and any related grant documents upon award.
Contact: Jennifer Donlon Wyant, Transportation Planning Manager, (916) 808-5913, [email protected]; David Edrosolan, Transportation Division Manager (916) 808- 5974, [email protected], Department of Public Works Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
Additional Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: Caltrans has issued a call for projects for the FY2024/25 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program. Applications are due on January 18, 2024. Individual projects have a maximum request of $700,000.
City staff reviewed the 2035 General Plan, Draft 2040 General Plan, Transportation Priorities Plan priority projects, the Vision Zero Top 10 corridors, and selected those projects that best meet the goals and purpose of these grant programs, City priorities, and are most likely to be successful based on prior experience. Staff recommends submittal of the following, not in priority order, as the most competitive candidates for funding:
File ID: 2023-01531 12/5/2023 Consent Item 4.
1) Arden Way-Auburn Boulevard Vision Zero and Mobility Plan: Arden Way (Del Paso Boulevard to Ethan Way) and Auburn Boulevard (Arden Way to Marconi Avenue) Arden Way is a critical east-west corridor in North Sacramento containing a mix of commercial, residential, and industrial uses and a diverse population. It has between 5 and 10 vehicle lanes, some standard bike lanes, attached sidewalks, and no tree canopy. The average daily traffic or car volume per day (ADT) ranges from 23-54,000 vehicles and the posted speed limit is 40 miles per hour. Much of this corridor is a Vision Zero Top 10 corridor, representing one of the 10 locations in the city with the most severe and fatal crashes.
Auburn Boulevard is a commercial corridor on the Vision Zero High Injury Network serving the Ben Ali neighborhood and a high priority project in the Transportation Priorities Plan. It has between 2 and 5 vehicle lanes, some standard bike lanes, attached sidewalks, and no tree canopy. The ADT is approximately 20,000 vehicles and the posted speed limit is 40 miles per hour.
This area experienced approximately 520 injury crashes in the last 10 years, including 23 severe injuries and 7 fatalities.
The Plan will present the opportunity to enhance safety, mobility, and access to transit, including light rail, jobs, retail, and community services for all residents, including those living in low-income housing.
2) Fruitridge Road Safety and Mobility Plan: Fruitridge Road (I-5 to Stockton Boulevard) Fruitridge Road is a critical east-west corridor that travels through the Land Park (Seamas Ave), South Sacramento and the Broadway-Fruitridge areas of the city. It has a mix of commercial and residential uses and a diverse population. It has five vehicle lanes, standard bike lanes, attached sidewalks, and no tree canopy. The ADT ranges from 11,000-31,000 vehicles and the posted speed limit is 40 miles per hour. It is on the Vision Zero High Injury Network and a high priority project in the Transportation Priorities Plan.
This area experienced approximately 464 injury crashes in the last 10 years, including 18 severe injuries and 10 fatalities.
The Plan will present the opportunity to enhance safety, mobility, and transit, including services for many residents and businesses.
3) Elder Creek Road Safety and Mobility Plan: Stockton Blvd to South Watt Avenue Elder Creek Road is a critical east-west corridor that travels through the South East Village, Glen Elder, Elder Creek, and Morrison Creek neighborhoods as well as industrial areas further east. It has five vehicle lanes, standard bike lanes, attached sidewalks, and no tree canopy. The ADT ranges from 20,000-27,000 vehicles and the posted speed limit ranges between 40 and 45 miles per hour. It
File ID: 2023-01531 12/5/2023 Consent Item 4.
is on the Vision Zero High Injury Network and a high priority project in the Transportation Priorities Plan.
This area experienced approximately 327 injury crashes in the last 10 years, including 28 severe injuries and 8 fatalities.
The Plan will present the opportunity to enhance safety, mobility, and transit access. 4) Walking and Bicycling Wayfinding Project
The Walking and Bicycling Wayfinding Project will promote walking and bicycling in Sacramento to neighborhood destinations, transit, retail districts and other key community destinations. The Draft Climate Action and Adaption Plan has a goal to achieve 6% active transportation mode share by 2030 and 12% by 2045. To do that, educational and encouragement tools must be used. Wayfinding can encourage people to walk and bicycle by not only directing people to route with infrastructure but can direct people on routes that are lower stress.
Typically, Caltrans will fund a maximum of one to two of the City’s applications.
Policy Considerations: The submission of the projects is consistent with the City General Plan goals of promoting safety and enhancing livability, sustainability, and economic vitality. The recommendations in this report are in accordance with the following specific policies from the Sacramento 2035 General Plan:
M 1.2.1 Multimodal Choices - The City shall develop an integrated, multimodal transportation system that improves the attractiveness of walking, bicycling, and riding transit over time to increase travel choices and aid in achieving a more balanced transportation system and reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
M 1.2.4 Multimodal Access - The City shall facilitate the provision of multimodal access to activity centers such as commercial centers and corridors, employment centers, transit stops/stations, airports, schools, parks, recreation areas, medical centers, and tourist attractions.
M 1.3.2 Eliminate Gaps - The City shall eliminate “gaps” in roadways, bikeways, and pedestrian networks.
M 1.3.4 Barrier Removal for Accessibility - The City shall remove barriers, where feasible, to allow people of all abilities to move freely and efficiently throughout the city.
M 4.1.2 Balancing Community, Social, Environmental, and Economic Goals. The City shall evaluate and strive to address community, environmental, and citywide economic
File ID: 2023-01531 12/5/2023 Consent Item 4.
development goals when adding or modifying streets, roads, bridges, and other public rights- of-way.
M 4.2.2 Pedestrian and Bicycle-Friendly Streets - In areas with high levels of pedestrian activity (e.g., employment centers, residential areas, mixed-use areas, schools), the City shall ensure that all street projects support pedestrian and bicycle travel. Improvements may include narrow lanes, target speeds less than 35 miles per hour, sidewalk widths consistent with the Pedestrian Master Plan, street trees, high-visibility pedestrian crossings, and bikeways (e.g., Class II and Class III bike lanes, bicycle boulevards, separated bicycle lanes and/or parallel multi- use pathways).
M 4.2.5 Multi-Modal Corridors - Consistent with the Roadway Network and Street Typologies established in this General Plan, the City shall designate multi- modal corridors in the Central City, within and between urban centers, along major transit lines, and/or along commercial corridors appropriate for comprehensive multimodal corridor planning and targeted investment in transit, bikeway, and pedestrian path improvements if discretionary funds become available.
M 4.2.6 Identify and Fill Gaps in Complete Streets - The City shall identify streets that can be made “complete” either through a reduction in the number or width of travel lanes or through two-way conversions, with consideration for emergency vehicle operations. The City shall consider including new bikeways, sidewalks, on-street parking, and exclusive transit lanes on these streets by re-arranging and/or re-allocating how the available space within the public right of way issued.
M 5.1.5 Motorists, Bicyclists, and Pedestrian Conflicts - The City shall develop safe and convenient bikeways, streets, roadways, and intersections that reduce conflicts between bicyclists and motor vehicles on streets, between bicyclists and pedestrians on multi-use trails and sidewalks, and between all users at intersections.
On March 3, 2015, City Council adopted Climate Action Plan strategies within the 2035 General Plan, which include transportation mode shifts to more sustainable modes such as walking, bicycling, and transit (Resolution No. 2015-0060).
On January 19, 2017, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2017-0032 with the following Vision Zero goal: The City of Sacramento will work collaboratively in a data driven effort to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2027.
On March 15, 2022, City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-0079 transportation prioritization criteria, metrics and points for transportation investments and funding opportunities.
File ID: 2023-01531 12/5/2023 Consent Item 4.
On November 15, 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution 2022-0361 adopting the Transportation Plan Prioritization for Transportation Investments and Funding Opportunities.
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The pursuit of grant funds is not subject to the provisions of the CEQA. Under Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Applying for funding is an administrative action which will have no effect on the environment and is therefore not subject to CEQA review. Appropriate CEQA review for individual projects will take place as part of project development.] Sustainability: The projects are consistent with sustainability goals of promoting walking by developing a universally accessible, safe, convenient, integrated, and well-connected transportation system. Transportation is also responsible for 57% of Sacramento’s local greenhouse gas emissions, the single largest sector. Providing safe, walkable, and bikeable transportation alternatives helps to reduce single-occupant vehicle use and contribute towards Sacramento’s climate change goals.
Commission/Committee Action: The City’s Active Transportation Commission reviewed staff recommendations for these grant programs at its November 16, 2023, meeting and the Commission forwarded a recommendation to City Council to submit the Arden Way-Auburn Boulevard Vision Zero and Mobility Plan, Fruitridge Road Safety and Mobility Plan, Elder Creek Road Safety and Mobility Plan, and the Walking and Bicycling Wayfinding Project grant applications.
Rationale for Recommendation: With limited available sources of local funding to meet the City’s goals to advance transportation safety and mobility options, grant funding is essential to deliver projects. The granting agency requires that the City Council authorize the list of projects and that the City Manager or his designee sign the applications. After City staff review, the proposed projects best meet the grant program criteria, City policy and programming documents, and project delivery readiness.
Financial Considerations: Federal and State funding are the primary sources of funding for transportation projects in the City of Sacramento. Limited local funding is required to provide the required match to leverage state and federally funded projects and cover costs not eligible with grant funding. Local transportation funding has been identified for local contribution requirements. Staff will return to City Council for any necessary budget adjustments as necessary if grants are awarded.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
RESOLUTION NO.
Adopted by the Sacramento City Council
Date
Application for Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Funds
BACKGROUND
A. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has issued a call for projects for the FY2024/25 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program.
Applications are due on January 18, 2024. Individual projects have a maximum request of $700,000.
B. On March 3, 2015, City Council adopted Climate Action Plan strategies within the 2035 General Plan, which include transportation mode shifts to more sustainable modes such as walking, bicycling, and transit (Resolution No. 2025-0060).
C. On January 19, 2017, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2017-0032 with the following Vision Zero goal: The City of Sacramento will work collaboratively in a data driven effort to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2027.
D. On March 15, 2022, City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-0079 transportation prioritization criteria, metrics and points for transportation investments and funding opportunities.
E. On November 15, 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution 2022-0361 adopting the Transportation Plan Prioritization for Transportation Investments and Funding Opportunities.
F. Staff reviewed the guidelines for the grant program, reviewed the Transportation Priorities Plan; considered necessary steps to achieve the transportation mode shift to more sustainable modes such was walking, bicycling, and transit; to achieve the City’s Climate Action Goals; and to achieve transportation safety.
Based on this analysis, four recommended projects would be most competitive for the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program were identified.
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Arden Way-Auburn Boulevard Vision Zero and Mobility Plan, Fruitridge Road Safety and Mobility Plan, Elder Creek Road Safety and Mobility Plan, and the Walking and Bicycling Wayfinding Project are approved for submission to the Caltrans FY2024/25 Sustainable Transportation Planning Program within the Sustainable Communities Grant up to $700,000 each.
Section 2. The City Manager or the City Manager’s designee is authorized to submit any related documents necessary to support the grant applications.
Section 3. The City Manager or the City Manager’s designee is authorized to execute the grant agreements, amendments, and any related grant documents upon award of the Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Fund within the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program.