Agenda Item #12.1
For Council Meeting of: April 26, 2022
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: NANCY ADAMS, TRANSPORTATION PLANNER
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS
SUBJECT: TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT (TDA) ARTICLE 3 GRANT APPLICATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022/2023 AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Transportation and Public Works Department that Council, by resolution: 1) request that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) allocate $600,000 from Fiscal Year (FY) 2022/2023 Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 funds; 2) authorize the Director of Transportation and Public Works to file the application and other required documents to construct Highway 101 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing; and 3) increase appropriations by $600,000 of TDA Article 3 funds.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Enhancing our transportation system to reduce vehicle miles and promote multi modal transportation supports City Council priority to implement Climate Action Plan. This project establishes links in the bicycle and pedestrian network to serve the Community’s residents who choose to bike and walk as a form of transportation. In addition, the project supports one of the Bicycle Friendly Community’s recommendations to further improve our community for bicyclists.
BACKGROUND
TDA funds are generated from a statewide 1/4 cent sales tax. Article 3 of TDA sets aside approximately 2% of those monies for bicycle and pedestrian planning and projects. The MTC administers TDA Article 3, which is distributed based on population.
The City annually receives TDA Article 3 funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects. The City annually receives TDA funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects. The estimated balance for FY 2021/2022 is $335,501. The preliminary fund estimate for FY 2022/2023 is $218,051. The City would have an estimated $553,552 available to program. In order to program the $600,000 in FY 2022/2023 for the project, we are able to borrow ahead an estimated $46,448.
The Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA) issued a call for projects on February 17, 2022. TDA 3 project applications are due to the SCTA on March 14, 2022.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
On May 12, 2008, the City Council, by Resolution No. 27078, approved Cooperative Funding Agreement No. M71406 with SCTA to provide $50,000.00 in funding to the City for the feasibility study of the Santa Rosa Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing at Highway 101.
On November 30, 2010, the City Council, by Resolution No. 27774, accepted the Santa Rosa Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge Feasibility Study prepared by Steven Grover & Associates.
On November 15, 2011, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 28013, approving the Cooperative Agreement between Caltrans and the City of Santa Rosa for completion of the Project Initiation Document for the Santa Rosa Junior College Pedestrian and Bicycle Overcrossing on US Highway 101.
On September 1, 2015, the City Council, by Resolution No. 28681, approved the first amendment to Cooperative Agreement M71406 between SCTA and the City of Santa Rosa, making available a total of $250,000.00 of Measure M funding for the proposed Bike-Pedestrian Access across Highway 101 project.
On June 15, 2016, the City Council, by Resolution No. 28801, approved the Budget for the City of Santa Rosa for Fiscal Year 2016-17, which included $500,000.00 for the preparation of US Highway 101 – Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge Project Approval and Environmental Documentation (PA&ED) phase.
On September 13, 2016, the City Council, by Resolution No. 28859, approved Cooperative Agreement No.04-2617 between the State of California and the City of Santa Rosa authorizing Caltrans to provide Independent Quality Assurance for the Project Approval and Environmental Document (PA&ED) phase for the US Highway 101 – Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing.
On October 11, 2016, the City Council by motion authorized the Director of Transportation and Public Works to submit grant applications for the pavement rehabilitation project and the Highway 101 bicycle and pedestrian bridge design phase to the SCTA for consideration in the One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) 2 program.
On June 20, 2017, the City Council, by motion, approved Project Work Order A010019-2016-01 in the not-to-exceed amount of $907,559.00 with BKF Engineers for the PA&ED phase for the US Highway 101 – Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing.
On July 18, 2017, the City Council, by Resolution No. 2017-137, approved 1) the filing of applications for federal Surface Transportation Program (STP)/Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grants through the MTC OBAG 2 program for the pavement rehabilitation of various streets and the design for the Highway 101 bicycle and pedestrian bridge; and 2) authorized the use of non-general funds (local utility impact fees, Capital Facilities Fees, Measure M funds, gas tax, and Transportation Development Act Article III funds) to match the federal funds being requested; and 3) provide assurances that the City will complete the projects and appropriate federal funds into the projects.
On March 20, 2018, the City Council, by motion, approved Amendment No. 1 to Project Work Order with BKF Engineers to evaluate an additional project location, the Range Avenue-Bear Cub Way alignment, for the PA&ED phase for the US Highway 101 – Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing, increasing the contract amount by $379,344.00, for a total amount of $1,286,903.00.
On July 21, 2020, the City Council provided input on the draft environmental document for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing.
On September 15, 2020, the City Council, by Resolution No. 2020-151, approved a cooperative agreement between Caltrans and the City of Santa Rosa for independent quality management assessment during the preparation of the project plans, specification, and estimate for the improvements to the Highway 101 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing.
On August 17, 2021, the City Council, by Resolution No. 2021-146, authorized filing an application for Regional Discretionary grant funds through the MTC Active Transportation Program (ATP), the local match for the federally funded project and assured that the project will be delivered in accordance with MTC Resolution 3606 (regional project delivery milestones).
On September 14, 2021, the City Council, by Resolution No. 2021-158, approved the list of project priorities and authorized the Assistant City Manager to submit project applications consistent with that list, including all required documents and agreements (subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney), to the SCTA for consideration in the 2021 Funding Program Call for Projects (FY 23 through FY 27).
On October 26, 2021, the City Council, by Resolution No. 2021- 180, authorized the filing of an application for federal Regional Discretionary grant funds through the MTC State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for the Highway 101 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing project in the amount of $3.4 M; the use of non-general funds to match the federal funds being requested; and provided assurances that the City will complete the project and appropriate federal funds into the project.
ANALYSIS
With support from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, staff is considering the following project for the upcoming FY 2022/2023 TDA 3 funding:
The Highway 101 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing will construct a Class I ADA accessible and mode-separated bicycle and pedestrian overcrossing over US Highway 101, north of College Avenue near Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa High School and Coddingtown Mall including new crosswalk, curb ramps and pedestrian lighting and ADA compliant ramps and touchdown landings on Elliott Avenue and Edwards Avenue.
The overcrossing will provide a safe alternative for bicyclists and pedestrians crossing US 101 in the vicinity of schools and transit and provide a continuous and ADA-compliant pedestrian and bicycle path to improve east-west connectivity across US 101 in the northern half of the City. The overcrossing's mode-separated Class I pathway includes a dedicated 5-foot-wide walking lane and will include an 8-foot-wide two-way cycle track. Lack of bicycle and pedestrian connectivity in the northern half of the City of Santa Rosa between the residential and commercial areas west of US 101 and the academic, residential, commercial, and recreational areas east of US 101. US 101 creates a barrier between the existing and proposed bikeways on both sides of the freeway. Steele Lane and College Avenue are approximately one mile apart and provide the only crossings of US 101 for approximately two miles. This distance exceeds the comfortable range for pedestrians and many cyclists.
The Highway 101 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing is identified as First Phase Project in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Update 2018.
MTC requires a local resolution authorizing the request for allocation of FY 2022/2023 TDA Article 3 funds for eligible projects which are due to the SCTA on April 27, 2022.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund. ATP funds, STIP funds, SB1 funds, and gas taxes are being leveraged to construct the overcrossing.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The Highway 101 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing Project has been reviewed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) was prepared and distributed for the required 30-day public review period on June 22, 2020. The Project has also been reviewed pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and qualifies for a Categorical Exclusion. The Categorical Exclusion (CE) and the IS/MND for the project were certified in March 2021.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
On January 20, 2022, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board (BPAB) passed a motion to allocate $600,000 of FY 2022/2023 TDA 3 funds to construct the Highway 101 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution/Exhibit A (MTC Findings) - Exhibit B (Project Application Form)
CONTACT
Nancy Adams, Transportation Planner
[email protected], 707-543-3910
TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT (TDA) ARTICLE 3 GRANT APPLICATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022/2023 PAGE 2 OF 3