Agenda Item #14.7
For Council Meeting of: April 15, 2025
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: ROB SPRINKLE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR-TRAFFIC ENGINEERING,
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT ARTICLE 3 GRANT APPLICATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025/2026 AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Transportation and Public Works Department that the Council, by resolution: 1) request that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission allocate $251,120 from Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Transportation Development Act Article 3 funds for the installation of various school active transportation improvements that will improve walking and bicycling conditions at select schools that are likely to see an increase in student population due to recent school closures in the Santa Rosa City Schools District; and 2) authorize the Director of Transportation and Public Works to file the application and other required documents to install the improvements, as directed by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Santa Rosa (City) gets Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 money allocated annually by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). The City is required by MTC to have the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board (BPAB) choose where the money goes by making a recommendation to City Council. The BPAB directed staff to identify safety improvements near schools.
BACKGROUND
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), as the regional transportation planning agency for the San Francisco Bay Region, has adopted MTC Resolution Number 4108, which delineates procedures and criteria for submissions of projects for Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds. TDA funds are generated from a statewide 1/4 cent sales tax. Article 3 of the TDA sets aside approximately 2% of those monies for bicycle and pedestrian planning and projects. 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 estimated balance for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/2026 is $251,120. The Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA) issued a call for projects in February 2025. TDA 3 project applications were due to the SCTA on March 11, 2025.
MTC requires a local resolution authorizing the request for allocation of FY 2025/2026 TDA Article 3 funds for eligible projects.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
Not applicable.
ANALYSIS
The City of Santa Rosa has made many upgrades to the City’s active transportation network in the past decade to increase safety for those most vulnerable on our roadways. These upgrades help the City meet climate action, Vision Zero, and community resiliency goals adopted by the Council and supported by the public.
Some upgrades, such as those at schools, often occur through examination of existing infrastructure and examination of projects that could enhance bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and comfort on the active transportation system. Projects include, but are not limited to, installation of Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs), High Intensity Activated Crosswalks (HAWKs), new crossing locations, high visibility crossing treatments, curb extensions, road diets, or speed cushions. Such improvements are often identified through various processes, such as school walking audits in partnership with the Safe Routes to School team from the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, or through internal City tracking of proposed crossings enhancements.
At the direction of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, staff will use TDA Article 3 funds to install various school safety improvements that will increase safety for those walking and bicycling to school, specifically at schools that are likely to see an increase in student population due to the upcoming school closures in the Santa Rosa City Schools District.
At direction of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, City staff examined the current school closure proposals and its associated schedule. While the school(s) that displaced students will transfer to is unknown, the City is able to use reasonable information to make assumptions about which schools will likely absorb students. In addition, City staff was able to review existing project lists from school walking audits to determine where the limited TDA Article 3 funding could be used for improvements. These projects and their benefiting school are listed below. Completion of these projects are contingent on design review by the Santa Rosa Fire Department to ensure adequate emergency access and response times.
Project
Benefiting School
RRFB at Hahman Drive and Matanzas Way, as well as treatments to shorten the pedestrian crossing distance Montgomery High School
RRFB at Hahman Drive and Rock Creek Drive, as well as treatments to shorten the pedestrian crossing distance Montgomery High School
RRFB at Hahman Drive and Patio Court
Montgomery High School
RRFB at West Ninth Street and Rockwell Place
Lincoln Elementary School
RRFB at West Ninth Street and Simpson Place
Lincoln Elementary School
RRFB at West Third Street and Brittain Lane
JX Wilson Elementary School
2 RRFBs at the two crosswalks on Mayette Avenue in front of the school Spring Lake Middle School
HAWK conversion at West Third Street and Harvest Lane
JX Wilson Elementary School
Install double sided school crossing signage to both the north and the south side of the east Cypress Way & Hoen Avenue crossing, to improve the visibility of that crossing for drivers Montgomery High School
Install a median to provide a refuge for pedestrians crossing Hoen Avenue at east Cypress Way, or alternatively median/delineator bollards to protect pedestrians/cyclists by helping slow down traffic and creating a visual obstacle in the road* Montgomery High School
Speed cushions on either side of the crosswalks at Hahman Drive/Matanzas Way* Montgomery High School
Speed cushions on Hoen Drive near the student parking lot entrance/exit* Montgomery High School
Curb ramp addition to the crosswalk at Jennings Avenue/Lance Drive (north side of crosswalk) Helen Lehman Elementary School
Paving of the alleyway between Slater Street and Mendocino Avenue** Santa Rosa High School
*Subject to Santa Rosa Fire Department review and approval ** This project is included in the list but may not be constructed as part of the TDA Article 3 funds. If enough funds are left over from the projects listed above it, this project will be completed.
Exhibit B contains MTC’s required findings for Allocation of TDA Article 3 funds. Staff confirmed that the City is in compliance with, or will comply with, all required findings detailed in Exhibit B.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund and no matching funds are required with these projects. The requested funds will be placed into JL Key 17057. The funds are formula funds distributed by MTC through SCTA.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, the proposed action is not a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not have a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. In the alternative, the proposed action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment. Allocating funding for this project does not require environmental clearance. Additionally, pedestrian and bicycle enhancement projects of this scale would be exempt because they will occur on existing City roadways.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
On February 26, 2024, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board (BPAB) passed a motion to allocate $251,210 of FY 2025/2026 TDA 3 funds for the installation of various school active transportation improvements that will improve walking and bicycling conditions at select schools that may see an increase in student population due to upcoming school closures in the Santa Rosa City Schools District.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution
Exhibit A – Required Findings
Exhibit B – School Safety Improvements Project Application to SCTA Exhibit C – Maps of School Safety Improvement Locations
PRESENTER
Torina Wilson, Transportation Planner
TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT ARTICLE 3 GRANT APPLICATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025/2026 PAGE 2 OF 3