Public Works Agency
www.santa-ana.org/pw
Item # 14
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
December 2, 2025
TOPIC: Safe Routes to Parks and Wheelchair Assessment Plan
AGENDA TITLE
Appropriation Adjustment and Agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway Administration for the Safe Routes to Parks and Wheelchair Assessment Plan (Non-General Fund) (Project No. 26-6100)
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
1. Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway Administration for the Safe Routes to Parks and Wheelchair Assessment plan, effective upon execution of the agreement through September 30, 2028 in an amount not to exceed $651,200 (Agreement No. A-2025-XXX).
2. Approve an appropriation adjustment accepting $651,200 in the Public Services – Street Safety Projects, Federal Grant-Indirect revenue account and appropriate the same amount into the Street Safety Projects, Improvements Other Than Building expenditure account. (Requires five affirmative votes) GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
DISCUSSION
On October 27, 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) notified the City of Santa Ana of their intent to award a Fiscal Year 2023 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Planning and Demonstration Grant to develop a citywide Safe Routes to Parks and Wheelchair Assessment Plan. Due to staffing shortages and a high volume of agreements, U.S. DOT has experienced significant processing delays for FY 2023 awards. Furthermore, the current U.S. DOT Administration required revisions to agreements to exclude language related to diversity, equity, or inclusion. U.S. DOT provided the City the most current agreement template with the updated language from Headquarters on November 3, 2025. To mitigate delays in processing, U.S. DOT is providing a five-year period of performance from the award date, which carries the grant funding expenditures deadline through September 30, 2028.
Safe Routes to Parks and Wheelchair Assessment Plan Grant Funds December 2, 2025
5 4
4 1
The grant provides up to $651,200, with the City contributing $162,800 in local matching funds, for a total project cost of $814,000. The grant performance period is 42 months from the award date, ending no later than September 30, 2028.
Santa Ana is a densely populated, walkable community where many residents rely on active transportation. Approximately 31% of residents are under 18, over 50% of students walk or bike to school, and 55% of households lack access to a car. Despite this, the City has limited pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. The 2022 Mobility Element Update identified the need for a comprehensive Safe Routes to Parks and Wheelchair Assessment Plan to improve safety and accessibility for all users.
The Plan will evaluate streets and neighborhoods surrounding the City’s 48 parks and recreation facilities, prioritizing improvements and programs based on criteria such as safety needs and disadvantaged community status. Community engagement will be a central component, with workshops and walking/biking audits conducted to identify key routes and safety concerns. Participants will include neighborhood associations, local schools, sports leagues, non-profits, the Orange County Health Care Agency, the Orange County Transportation Authority, and various City departments including Parks and Recreation, Traffic Engineering, Police, and Planning.
The engagement process will build upon the Santa Ana Vision Zero Plan adopted in April 2024. Community input will be integrated with Vision Zero safety data to identify and document recommended improvements based on proven crash reduction factors.
A second project component will include a citywide assessment of wheelchair ramps.
This assessment will document locations where ramps are existing, missing, or non- ADA compliant. Results will be incorporated into the City’s GIS and asset management systems to track and prioritize future accessibility improvements.
The Vision Zero Plan has identified 20 safety corridors citywide, many of which border or intersect routes leading to local parks. These high-volume, high-speed corridors present barriers to safe access. While Vision Zero focuses broadly on traffic safety, it does not specifically address routes to parks. The proposed Plan will fill this gap by identifying targeted improvements to make walking, biking, and wheelchair travel to parks safer and more accessible for all residents.
The City of Santa Ana Public Works Agency Traffic Engineering Division intends to advertise a Request for Proposals (RFP) in December 2025 to solicit qualified consultant firms who specialize in providing transportation planning and traffic engineering professional services related to safe routes to parks and ADA accessibility.
U.S. DOT requires that an RFP be released after the agreement is fully executed.
Once completed, the Safe Routes to Parks and Wheelchair Assessment Plan and its recommended improvements will be leveraged to seek additional grant funding to construct the recommended improvements.
Safe Routes to Parks and Wheelchair Assessment Plan Grant Funds December 2, 2025
5 4
4 1
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with this action.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the appropriation adjustment will recognize $651,200 in the Public Services- Street Safety Projects, Federal Grant-Indirect revenue account (No. 14717002-52001), and appropriate same in the Street Safety Projects, Improvements Other Than Buildings expenditure account (No. 14717611-66220) for projected expenditures as follows:
Fiscal
Year
Accounting
Unit -
Account No.
Fund
Description
Accounting Unit,
Account No.
Description
Amount
Appropriation Adjustment
2025-26
14717611-
66220
(26-6100)
Street Safety
Programs
Pub SVS-Street Safety
Projects, Improvements
Other Than Buildings
$651,200
Matching Funds/Reallocations
2025-26
03217662 –
66220
(From 24-
6905 to 26-
6100)
Measure M-
Street
Construction
Measure M2 Local
Fairshare St,
Improvements Other
Than Buildings
$50,000
2025-26
03217662 –
66220
(From 25-
6904 to 26-
6100)
Measure M-
Street
Construction
Measure M2 Local
Fairshare St,
Improvements Other
Than Buildings
$62,800
2025-26
03217662 –
66220
(From 25-
6906 to 26-
6100)
Measure M-
Street
Construction
Measure M2 Local
Fairshare St,
Improvements Other
Than Buildings
$50,000
TOTAL $814,000
Any remaining balances not expended at the end of the fiscal year will be presented to City Council for approval of carryovers to FY 2026-27.
EXHIBIT(S)
1. U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Agreement Submitted By: Rodolfo Rosas, P.E., Acting Executive Director – Public Works Agency Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager