REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
December 5, 2023
FROM
BRENDON BIGGS, Director, Department of Public Works - Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
Acceptance of Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending Funds for an Unincorporated Fontana Safe Routes to School Project
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Accept $1,500,000 in Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending funds awarded by the 117th Congress through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, with an initial allocation of $230,000 for the preliminary engineering phase to construct the Unincorporated Fontana Safe Routes to School Project for pedestrian improvements benefitting West Randall Elementary School and Beech Avenue Elementary School in the Fontana area.
(Presenter: Brendon Biggs, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending (CPFCDS) award of $1,500,000, was provided under the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (Public Law No. 117-328). An initial award of $230,000 will be used to fund the preliminary engineering phase of the Unincorporated Fontana Safe Routes to School Project (Project). The remaining $1,270,000 will be allocated for the right-of-way and construction phases once the preliminary engineering is completed. These funds will be administered by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) on a reimbursement basis through the regular federal aid process. No local match is required for this award. Sufficient appropriation and revenue for the Project are included in the Department of Public Works (Department) 2023-24 Road Operations budget (6650002000).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In November 2021, the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, was signed into law. With the passage of IIJA, the CPFCDS program was established to permit members of Congress to support specific community projects as part of the annual appropriations process. Once selected, the individual scope and funding amount for each selected CPFCDS project is then written into law via the annual federal appropriations bill.
On April 4, 2022, the County Director of Legislative Affairs solicited federal earmark requests from County Departments for Congressionally directed spending. The Department nominated the Project as a priority due to the need for sidewalk and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramps on Randall Avenue near the West Randall Elementary School and Beech Avenue Elementary School.
The County submitted the request to Congresswoman Norma Torres (Torres), representing California District 35 (District), for $1,500,000 in CPFCDS funds for pedestrian improvements near the two elementary schools. The schools are located in Torres’s District and the Project was selected for funding and included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. The funding award was conditionally approved, in the amount of $230,000, for use of the CPFCDS funding, which allows authorization of the preliminary engineering funds.
Caltrans grants a project conditional approval first, to allow local agencies to develop a project under the preliminary engineering phase using federal CPFCDS funds. Once the design plans are completed and submitted to Caltrans, Caltrans grants the project full approval, and the right-of-way acquisition and construction phase is granted once the design plans are submitted to Caltrans.
The Project consists of sidewalk improvements, sidewalk gap filling, ADA ramps, minor road widening, and ladder-style crosswalk markings on Randall Avenue between Beech Avenue and Poplar Avenue, in the Fontana area. The Project will provide safety improvements for students and residents in the community by improving safety on pedestrian travel ways, eliminating visual barriers for motorists, and making the schools more accessible.
The Project aligns with the County and the Chief Executive Officer’s goals and objectives to promote the Countywide Vision and to ensure the development of a well-planned, balanced, and sustainable County through the sidewalk and roadway improvements made around the two schools.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 14, 2023; Finance (Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5404) on November 14, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on November 16, 2023.