REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 13, 2023
FROM
BRENDON BIGGS, Director, Department of Public Works - Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
Acceptance of Highway Safety Improvement Program Grant Funds for Construction of Safety Improvements
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept Highway Safety Improvement Program grant funds, in the amount of $4,994,830, from the California Department of Transportation for Rural Road Systemic Safety Improvements at various locations throughout San Bernardino County.
2. Accept Highway Safety Improvement Program grant funds, in the amount of $1,252,800, from the California Department of Transportation for Rural Intersection Systemic Safety Improvements at various locations throughout San Bernardino County.
3. Accept Highway Safety Improvement Program grant funds, in the amount of $1,183,050, from the California Department of Transportation for Cajon Pass Safety Improvements on Cajon Boulevard, in the Devore area.
4. Accept Highway Safety Improvement Program grant funds, in the amount of $2,569,320, from the California Department of Transportation for Curved Mountain Roads Systemic Safety Improvements at various locations throughout San Bernardino County.
(Presenter: Brendon Biggs, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Department of Public Works (Department) is funded by gas tax revenue, fee revenue, and other state and local funding. The total estimated cost for all four projects is $11,544,600, which will be funded by the grant award from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) of $10,000,000, and gas tax revenue of $1,544,600 for the required local match. The maximum reimbursement ratio for a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) project may be 100%, 90% or 50% depending on safety countermeasure(s) contained in the project. The actual project reimbursement ratio will be established when the “Authorization to Proceed” is approved by the Federal Highway Administration. Sufficient appropriation and revenue will be included in the Department’s 2023-24 Road Operations Recommended Budget (6650002000).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The HSIP is a federal competitive grant program administered by Caltrans, which provides funding for the installation of safety improvements to reduce road collisions. HSIP grant applications require the applicant agency to provide collision data, identify the types of collisions, and identify the appropriate countermeasures that would reduce road collisions in those areas with significant collision histories. The HSIP is highly competitive, and submission of a grant application is not a guarantee of funding.
Beginning with the 2022 HSIP call for projects, applicant agencies were required to have a Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) in place in order to submit a grant application and receive an HSIP grant award. An LRSP is a data-driven safety plan that identifies, analyzes, and prioritizes roadway safety improvements on local roads, resulting in a prioritized list of improvements that can be used to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on the local agency’s road network. The County’s LRSP was accepted and approved by the Board of Supervisors (Board) on December 7, 2021 (Item No.44).
HSIP grant funding may be used to address the prioritized collisions through the construction of infrastructure improvements including intersection redesign, pedestrian crossings, traffic signals and signs, road striping and shoulder widening. On August 23, 2022 (Item No. 40), the Board approved submission of six Cycle 11 HSIP grant applications that most strongly met the HSIP grant criteria and provided the highest benefit/cost ratio. Of the six submitted projects, four applications were selected to receive HSIP grant funding totaling $10,000,000 towards the $11,544,600 total cost of the projects. The remaining $1,544,600 required as the local match will be funded from the Department’s gas tax revenue. The HSIP projects successful in receiving grant funding are outlined in the table below, and Exhibit A includes location descriptions.
|
Project Name |
Project Description |
Project Amount |
HSIP Funds |
Local Funds |
|
Rural Road Systemic Safety Improvements |
Install centerline and edge line rumble strips with raised pavement markers along nine various roadways countywide. |
$5,983,300 |
$4,994,830 |
$988,470 |
|
Rural Intersection Systemic Safety Improvements |
Install Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices-compliant LED back-lit flashing stop signs, “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop” signs, and traverse rumble strips on 50 various minor stop-controlled approaches. |
$1,392,000 |
$1,252,800 |
$139,200 |
|
Cajon Pass Safety Improvements |
Install centerline edge line rumble strips with raised pavement markers and two-foot painted median with flexible delineators, where passing is not permitted, along Cajon Boulevard between Cleghorn Road and Kenwood Avenue. Install flashing beacon on “Stop Ahead” sign prior to Kenwood Avenue. |
$1,314,500 |
$1,183,050 |
$131,450 |
|
Curved Mountain Roads Systemic Safety Improvements |
Install centerline and edge line rumble strips with raised pavement markers and chevron signs on curved roadway segments along three mountain roadways countywide. |
$2,854,800 |
$2,569,320 |
$285,480 |
|
|
TOTALS |
$11,544,600 |
$10,000,000 |
$1,544,600 |
The recommended action meets the County’s and the County Executive Officer’s goals and objectives of operating in a fiscally-responsible and business-like manner by seeking grant funding for activities to improve safety on the County’s road network.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 1, 2023; Finance (Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5404) on May 24, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on May 26, 2023.