REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 10, 2021
FROM
BEAHTA R. DAVIS, Director, Regional Parks Department
SUBJECT
Title
Active Transportation Program 2020 Grant Funding for the Santa Ana River Trail Phase III Project in the Cities of San Bernardino and Redlands
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept 2020 Active Transportation Program Cycle 5 Metropolitan Planning Organization component grant funds awarded by the California Transportation Commission in the amount of $1,105,000 for the Santa Ana River Trail Phase III project located adjacent to the Santa Ana River, between Waterman Avenue and California Street, in the cities of San Bernardino and Redlands.
2. Authorize the Director of Regional Parks to submit a funding allocation request to the State of California Department of Transportation.
(Presenter: Beahta R. Davis, Director, 387-2340)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
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 additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Regional Parks Department (Department) is funded by General Fund revenues, fees and other funding. This item will allow San Bernardino County (County) to receive reimbursement of $1,105,000 from the 2020 federally funded Active Transportation Program (ATP) Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) component grant to construct a Class I Bike path, which includes concrete/asphalt paving, retaining walls, access ramps, slope protection, fencing, signing, striping, culverts, and a steel bridge. The estimated total cost for the Santa Ana River Trail Phase III Project (Project) is $6,880,000, with $5,775,000 in funding secured prior to the ATP MPO grant award. The Project is funded from the following sources:
|
Funding |
Source |
Amount |
|
Discretionary General Funding |
County of San Bernardino |
$ 300,000 |
|
Proposition 84 Grant |
State Coastal Conservancy |
$ 3,681,000 |
|
Transportation Development Act Article 3 |
San Bernardino County Transportation Authority |
$ 307,000 |
|
TEA-21/Transportation Enhancement Activities |
State of California Department of Transportation |
$ 1,040,000 |
|
Wildlife Conservancy Grant |
Wildlife Conservancy |
$ 447,000 |
|
Active Transportation Program Cycle 5 Grant |
California Transportation Commission |
$ 1,105,000 |
|
Total: |
$ 6,880,000 |
This existing funding covers planning, design and construction costs, as well as a portion of environmental mitigation costs. The ATP MPO grant award of $1,105,000 will be used to fund the remaining costs for environmental mitigation. Sufficient revenue and appropriation has been included in the Parks 2021-22 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On March 25, 2020, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) announced the ATP Cycle 5 call for projects. The ATP allocates grant funds under two separate components, a statewide competition funded with 60% of available ATP funds, and an MPO component, funded with 40% of the ATP funds, to fund projects at their discretion. The MPO’s in turn, allocate funds to each of the regional transportation planning agencies like San Bernardino County Transit Authority (SBCTA) to fund projects at their discretion. The statewide competition ATP grant awards were approved in March 2021 and the ATP MPO grant awards were approved in June 2021.
On August 25, 2020 (Item No. 57), the Board of Supervisors (Board) authorized submission of a grant application to Caltrans under the ATP Cycle 5, however, the Project did not score high enough for an award under the statewide competitive grant funding. The Project was then evaluated under the MPO component of the ATP. SBCTA staff reviewed the Project application and determined that the Project was consistent with Southern California Association of Government’s Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS), SBCTA’s ATP and local jurisdiction plans, which is a requirement under the MPO component of the grant. The Project was awarded grant funding under the MPO component, at SBCTA’s recommendation, at the CTC’s June 24, 2021 meeting.
The County will use the grant funding for the remaining environmental mitigation required to complete the proposed route joining previously completed sections of the Santa Ana River Trail and continuing the development of the east-west corridor. When the Class I bike path is constructed, a new non-motorized route will be created dedicated to cyclists and pedestrians, providing a safe path of travel to local schools, hospitals and businesses. Acceptance of the grant award will allow the Department to submit invoices to Caltrans for Project mitigation cost reimbursements up to a total of $1,105,000.
On April 21, 2020 (Item No. 66), the Board approved the Project’s plans and specifications for construction and authorized the Director and/or Interim Director of the Department of Public Works (DPW) to advertise the Project for bids. Upon approval of the recommended action, DPW will move forward with the bid solicitation process.
This action meets the Chief Executive Officer and Board of Supervisors Goals and Objectives of operating in a fiscally-responsible and business-like manner, ensuring the development of a well-planned, balanced and sustainable community, providing for the safety, health and social service needs of County residents by securing grant funding for projects encouraging walking, biking and providing opportunities for healthy activities.
Construction of the Project is expected to commence in the fall of 2021.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on June 18, 2021; Finance (Amanda Trussell, Administrative Analyst, 387-4773) on June 28, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on June 28, 2021.