City of Sacramento
City Council - 5PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2025-00756 4/22/2025 Item 7.
Reconnecting Old North Sacramento (T15255400): Establish Capital Improvement Project and Make Budgetary Adjustments
File ID: 2025-00756
Location: Old North Sacramento between the American River, Business 80, Frienza Avenue, and Northgate Boulevard; District 2; District 3
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution: 1) establishing Reconnecting Old North Sacramento (T15255400) as a new Capital Improvement Project; 2) authorizing the Interim City Manager or designee to establish the revenue and expenditure budgets in the Reconnecting Old North Sacramento Project (T15255400) with $1,000,000 (Federal Capital Grant, Fund 3703); and 3) authorizing the Interim City Manager or designee to transfer $200,000 (New Measure A Safety, Fund 2038) from the Vision Zero Safety Program (S15184100) to the Reconnecting Old North Sacramento Project (T15255400).
Contact: Jennifer Donlon Wyant, Mobility and Sustainability Division Manager, (916) 808-5913, [email protected]
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
3-Subrecipient Agreement
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: On August 29, 2023, City Council authorized the submission of the Old North Sacramento grant application to the federal Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant program
The Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Program (RCP Program), part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provides technical assistance and grant funding for planning and capital construction to address infrastructure barriers and restore community connectivity. The RCP program provides funding for two types of grants: Community Planning Grants and Capital Construction. Community Planning Grants fund the study of removing,
File ID: 2025-00756 4/22/2025 Item 7.
retrofitting, or mitigating an eligible transportation facility to restore community connectivity; to conduct public engagement; and other transportation planning activities.
Highway 160 presents a barrier to community connectivity, mobility, access, and economic development for residents, visitors, and businesses in and around Old North Sacramento. Old North Sacramento’s central corridor, Del Paso Boulevard, was a thriving neighborhood commercial corridor, one of the most travelled corridors in Northern California surrounded by middle to upper class neighborhoods in the mid-twentieth century.
In 1955, construction of Highway 160 diverted traffic from Del Paso Boulevard onto the highway, creating a physical and economic barrier between Old North Sacramento and the City of Sacramento (a different city at the time). Research has shown when Highway 160 was constructed, businesses located in and around Del Paso Boulevard were negatively financially impacted. The businesses along the boulevard continue to struggle to this day, unable to capture walking, bicycling, or driving traffic.
In addition to the negative impacts to what was a thriving commercial corridor, Highway 160 presents a barrier for people walking and bicycling from Old North Sacramento to the American River Parkway, regional retail, and the Central City.
The application for Old North Sacramento community planning was included as part of a successful Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) regional grant application. On April 14, 2025, the City entered into a subrecipient agreement with SACOG to implement the Old North Sacramento community planning portion of the grant. The establishment of a Capital Improvement Project (CIP) and related budgetary adjustments are necessary to begin work on the project.
Policy Considerations: This planning effort is consistent with the goals and policies from the Sacramento 2040 General Plan, including:
M-1: An equitable, sustainable multimodal system that provides a range of viable and healthy travel choices for users of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
M-1.16 Barrier Removal. The City shall remove barriers to walking, where feasible, and work with utility companies to remove barriers to allow people of all abilities to move with comfort and convenience throughout the city, including through the following:
· Provision of curb ramps, crosswalks, and overpasses;
· Relocation of infrastructure or street furniture that impedes travel pathways; · Reducing or consolidating driveways and curb cuts;
· Providing long and short-term bicycle and scooter parking to minimize sidewalk obstructions; and
· Creation of additional walking entrances to important destinations like schools, parks, and commercial areas.
File ID: 2025-00756 4/22/2025 Item 7.
M-3: Streets designed and maintained as places that contribute to quality of life.
M-5: Connections to the regional transportation network that facilitates the movement of people and goods.
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations: The establishment of a CIP and appropriation and transfer of funds are not subject to the provisions of the CEQA. Under CEQA general rule 15061(B)(3), CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. These actions will have no effect on the environment, thus are not subject to CEQA. Appropriate CEQA and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews will take place as part of project development.
Sustainability: The proposed project supports the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan sustainability priorities. The transportation sector accounts for 57% of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions, the largest single sector in the community. The project would increase transit opportunities, active transportation, reduce vehicular trips, and help ensure more efficient vehicular flow. These actions will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help improve local air quality.
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: City Council approval is required to establish the Capital Improvement Project and to authorize the budgetary adjustments necessary to initiate work on the Reconnecting Old North Sacramento planning project.
Financial Considerations: The estimated cost to complete planning work for the for the Reconnecting Old North Sacramento planning project (T15255400) is approximately $1.2 million.
With approval of $1,000,000 (Federal Capital Grants, Fund 3703) in federal grant funding and the transfer of $200,000 (New Measure A Safety, Fund 2038) from the Vision Zero Safety Program (S15184100), there is sufficient funding to complete the project.
This U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) grant program was intended to address harms caused by past infrastructure decisions giving priority to disadvantaged communities such as Old North Sacramento. The President has a standing Executive Order pausing reimbursement under programs through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (like this program) and the Inflation Reduction Act, and has issued some grant termination notices. While SACOG has an executed grant agreement with USDOT, prior to committing any major expenditures under this grant, City staff will confirm with SACOG that they have assurance of grant reimbursements.
There are no General Funds currently planned or allocated for this project.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
Version Dated 2/6/2024.
RESOLUTION NO. 2024-
Adopted by the Sacramento City Council
DATE
RECONNECTING OLD NORTH SACRAMENTO (T15255400): ESTABLISH CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROJECTAND MAKE NECESSARY BUDGETARY ADJUSTMENTS
BACKGROUND
A. The federal Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Program (RCP Program) provides technical assistance and grant funding for planning and capital construction to address infrastructure barriers and restore community connectivity. The RCP program provides funding for two types of grants: Community Planning Grants and Capital Construction. Community Planning Grants fund the study of removing, retrofitting, or mitigating an eligible transportation facility to restore community connectivity; to conduct public engagement; and other transportation planning activities.
B. Highway 160 presents a barrier to community connectivity, mobility, access, and economic development for residents, visitors, and businesses in and around Old North Sacramento.
Old North Sacramento’s central corridor, Del Paso Boulevard, was a thriving neighborhood commercial corridor, one of the most travelled corridors in Northern California surrounded by middle to upper class neighborhoods in the mid-twentieth century.
C. In 1955, construction of Highway 160 diverted traffic from Del Paso Boulevard onto the highway, creating a physical and economic barrier between Old North Sacramento and the City of Sacramento (a different city at the time). Research has shown when Highway 160 was constructed, businesses located in and around Del Paso Boulevard were negatively financially impacted. The businesses along the boulevard continue to struggle to this day, unable to capture walking, bicycling, or driving traffic. Highway 160 also presents a barrier for people walking and bicycling from Old North Sacramento to the American River Parkway, regional retail, and the Central City.
D. The Sacramento Area Association of Governments (SACOG) submitted a successful grant application for community planning to the federal RCP program that included the Old North Sacramento planning. On April 14, 2025 the City entered into a subrecipient agreement with SACOG to implement the Old North Sacramento community planning portion of the grant.
Version Dated 2/6/2024.
E. The establishment of a Capital Improvement Project and approval of related budgetary adjustments for Reconnecting Old North Sacramento (T15255400) are necessary to begin work on the project.
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Reconnecting Old North Sacramento (T15255400) is established as a new Capital Improvement Project.
Section 2. The City Manager or the City Manager’s designee is authorized to increase the revenue and expenditure budget of the Reconnecting Old North Sacramento (T15255400) by $1,000,000 (Federal Capital Grants, Fund 3703).
Section 3. The City Manager or the City Manager’s designee is authorized to transfer $200,000 (New Measure A Safety, Fund 2038) from the Vision Zero Safety Program (S15184100) to the Reconnecting Old North Sacramento project (T15255400).