City of Sacramento
City Council - 2PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2024-01140 6/25/2024 Consent Item 14.
2024 Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) Grant Application for Truxel Bridge Engineering Design and Environmental Documentation
File ID: 2024-01140
Location: American River from Sequoia Pacific Boulevard at Richards Boulevard, District 4, Represented by Mayor Steinberg; Truxel Road at Garden Highway, District 3, Represented by Mayor Pro Tem Talamantes
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution: 1) directing staff to submit a joint application for the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) with an appropriate transportation authority or other public agency for a total grant request of up to $12 million; and 2) authorizing the City Manager or City Manager’s designee to execute the grant agreement and any related documents.
Contact: Fedolia “Sparky” Harris, Principal Planner, (916) 808-2996, [email protected]; Lucinda Willcox, Assistant Director, (916) 808-5052, [email protected], Department of Public Works
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description
2-Resolution
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The State of California, California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) issued a Request for Proposals for the 7th round of the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) on April 23, 2024. Project applications are due July 23, 2024. In order to advance the Truxel Bridge project so it will be better positioned for state and federal grant funding for construction, the next necessary steps are to complete engineering design and environmental documentation for the Truxel Bridge following the completion of the Concept and Feasibility Study that is currently underway.
The Truxel Bridge over the American River at Truxel Road is a critical multi-mode mobility link to improve regional connections and has been part of City and regional plans for many years. It is a vital first step to support transit service to South and North Natomas, provide pedestrian and bicycle
File ID: 2024-01140 6/25/2024 Consent Item 14.
connections, and improve evacuation and emergency response routes.
Staff recommends submitting the application for the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) for a total grant request of up to $12 million for the Truxel Bridge with an eligible transportation authority or other similar public entity created by statute. The City of Sacramento is not eligible to submit TIRCP applications unless partnered with an eligible transit or rail agency. Staff is discussing potential partnerships with various entities in the region; however, each application has to meet specific criteria and whether the City can be included as a partner is dependent on other projects that are being pursued by that entity.
Policy Considerations: The Truxel Bridge is included in the 2040 General Plan and the regional Metropolitan Transportation Plan. The Truxel Bridge Concept and Feasibility Study will help advance City General Plan goals and key policies of promoting safety and enhancing livability, sustainability, and economic vitality. The recommendation supports a plan to make investments to foster a transportation system that improves the health of Sacramento residents through actions that make active transportation, non-motorized modes, high-occupancy, and zero-emission vehicles viable, attractive alternatives to automobiles that use internal combustion engines (2040 General Plan Policy M-1.3). The recommendation supports the City’s efforts to increase bicycling and walking citywide so that it can meet its equity, reduced vehicle miles traveled, and sustainability goals (2040 General Plan Policy M-1.11). The recommendation supports the City’s work to increase transit ridership citywide (2040 General Plan Policy M-1.22). The recommendation supports the City’s efforts to maintain existing bridges and plan and seek funding for new bridges, when appropriate, to improve multimodal connectivity and provide for emergency evacuation routes (2040 General Plan Policy M-
5.3).
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines, continuing administrative activities such as grant applications do not constitute a project and are therefore exempt from review. This report is requesting a grant application to support funding to conduct environmental review.
Sustainability: Transportation is responsible for 57% of Sacramento’s local greenhouse gas emissions, the single largest sector. Providing safe multi-modal transportation alternatives helps to reduce single-occupant vehicle use and contributes towards Sacramento’s climate change goals.
Funding for engineering and environmental documentation will further the City’s commitment to sustainability by laying the groundwork to significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels, encourage less driving, reduce dependence on private automobiles, and support expansion of bicycle, pedestrian, and public transit access.
File ID: 2024-01140 6/25/2024 Consent Item 14.
Commission/Committee Action: None.
Rationale for Recommendation: The Climate Action and Adaptation Plan identifies strategic recommendations around active transportation, transit, and transportation demand management as important components to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create healthier communities.
On August 8, 2013, City Council approved Resolution No. 2013-0267, which accepted the American River Crossing Alternatives Study Report as the guide for future crossings of the Lower American River and directed staff to seek funding to implement the study recommendations including the Truxel Bridge alternative. This bridge would provide a needed multimodal connection across the American River providing for improved transit by supporting the Greenline to the Natomas area and ultimately to the Airport, as well as providing for walking and bicycling access across the American River.
The Truxel Bridge Concept and Feasibility Study (T15235000) is scheduled to be completed in early 2025. Upon completion, City Council will be presented with quantitative and qualitative analysis of three alternatives and will be asked to select a preferred cross-section. This preferred alternative will become the basis for the engineering design and environmental documentation to be completed with the TIRCP Grant funding if approved. This bridge meets the goals of the TIRCP program, and under leadership of the City and collaboration with Sacramento Regional Transit, construction of the bridge is a key step in extending transit and mobility options to the Natomas area.
Financial Considerations: Projects applying for the TIRCP do not require a minimum match but may benefit from local funding to cover ineligible costs or to make them more competitive. Costs can be addressed for this phase through funding from the I-5 Subregional Corridor Mitigation Fee Program (Fund 2033), for which Truxel Bridge is an eligible capital project.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
Background: In 2013, the City of Sacramento completed the American River Crossing Alternatives Study (T15125300) and adopted an all-modes (pedestrian, bicycle, auto, and light rail) Truxel alignment as one of the crossings to pursue for funding consideration. This work was funded through a Caltrans Partnership Planning Grant in cooperation with SACOG.
The multi-modal crossing at Truxel adopted by City Council for implementation in 2013 was based on its ability to address the following needs:
1. Limited connectivity across the American River creates a barrier to economic activity, land use development, social exchanges, and access to jobs within the Central City and South Natomas. The barrier causes longer trip lengths between origins and destinations that are physically close, which discourages walking and bicycling, reduces public health, creates
File ID: 2024-01140 6/25/2024 Consent Item 14.
inefficient transit routing, consumes more fuel, and generates higher levels of air pollutants and Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to the reliance on automobiles.
2. Limited connectivity across the American River contributes to peak period travel delays on I-5.
3. Limited connectivity across the American River contributes to longer emergency response times and limits evacuation alternatives.
4. Limited connectivity across the American River creates a barrier to recreational opportunities within the American River Parkway.
The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) provides grants from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) to fund transformative capital improvements that modernize California’s intercity rail, ferry, and rail transit systems (collectively referred to as transit services or systems inclusive of all aforementioned modes unless otherwise specified) to achieve all of the following policy objectives, as established in Section 75220(a) of the PRC:
· Reduce emissions of greenhouse gases
· Expand and improve transit service to increase ridership · Integrate the rail service of the state’s various rail operations, including integration with the high
‐
speed rail system
· Improve transit safety
Additionally, Section 75221(c) of the PRC establishes a programmatic goal to provide at least 25 percent of available funding to projects that provide a direct, meaningful, and assured benefit to disadvantaged communities.
RESOLUTION NO.
Adopted by the Sacramento City Council
2024 Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) Grant Application for Truxel Bridge Engineering Design and Environmental Documentation
BACKGROUND
A. The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) has issued a call for projects for the FY 2024 Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program grants.
B. Applications for the FY 2024 Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program grants are due July 23, 2024.
C. The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) was created by Senate Bill (SB) 862 (Chapter 36, Statutes of 2014) and modified by SB 9 (Chapter 710, Statutes of 2015), to provide grants from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) to fund transformative capital improvements that will modernize California’s intercity, commuter, and urban rail systems, and bus and ferry transit systems, to significantly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, vehicle miles traveled, and congestion.
D. The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program objectives are stated as:
• Reduce emissions of greenhouse gases;
• Expand and improve transit service to increase ridership; • Integrate the rail service of the state’s various rail operations, including integration with the high-speed rail system; and
• Improve transit safety
E. The Truxel bridge over the American River at Truxel Road is a critical multi-mode mobility link to improve regional connections and has been part of City and regional plans for many years.
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: City staff is directed to submit a joint application for the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) with an appropriate transportation authority or other public agency for a total grant request of up to $12 million.
Section 2: Upon award of the FY 2024 Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program grant, the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee is authorized to execute the grant agreement and any related grant documents.