REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 4, 2021
FROM
BRENDON BIGGS, Director, Department of Public Works - Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
Active Transportation Program Cycle 5 Grant Funds for Pedestrian Improvements around Muscoy and Vermont Elementary Schools, Muscoy Area
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept 2020 Active Transportation Program Cycle 5 grant funds awarded by the California Transportation Commission, in the amount of $1,881,000, for pedestrian safety improvements around Muscoy and Vermont Elementary Schools in the Muscoy area.
2. Authorize the Director of the Department of Public Works to submit a funding allocation request to the State of California Department of Transportation.
(Presenter: Brendon Biggs, Director, 387-7906)
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 Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Department of Public Works (Department) is funded by Gas Tax revenue, fee revenue and other local, state and federal funding. This item will allow San Bernardino County (County) to receive reimbursement of $1,881,000 from the California Transportation Commission (CTC) and the State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) in 2020 Active Transportation Program (ATP) grant funds to construct pedestrian safety improvements around Muscoy and Vermont Elementary Schools in the Muscoy area (Project). No local match was required for the grant, however, the ATP awards extra points to those agencies providing matching funds. The Department provided a 20.1% local match of $474,000 in Gas Tax revenue to increase the application’s competitiveness. The program awarded a maximum five additional points towards the application’s score because the local match provided was greater than 20%. The total estimated cost for the Project is $2,355,000. Sufficient appropriation and revenue are included in the Department’s 2020-21 Road Operations budget (6650002000) and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On March 25, 2020, the CTC announced the ATP Cycle 5 call for projects. On August 25, 2020 (Item No. 40), the Board of Supervisors authorized submission of a grant application to Caltrans under the ATP Cycle 5 and was successful in securing competitive grant funding provided by the grant. The Department submitted the Muscoy area pedestrian safety improvements for funding consideration because the Project is listed as a priority project in the San Bernardino County Regional Safe Routes to School Plan administered by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority in consultation with and on behalf of the County and the 24 incorporated cities.
The County will use the funds to upgrade existing crosswalks to more visible ladder-style crosswalks at various locations in the vicinity of Vermont and Muscoy Elementary Schools, add rectangular rapid flashing beacons, install pedestrian warning signs, paint existing curb red, erect speed feedback signs and construct new sidewalk along the predominate walking routes. The proposed improvements will alert motorists to the presence of pedestrians, remove and eliminate visual barriers that otherwise would prevent motorists from seeing pedestrians, and calm traffic near the schools. In addition to the proposed safety infrastructure improvements, the Project includes a non-infrastructure component which will allow the County to collaborate with the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health to deliver a Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) Program to both of these public elementary schools. The SRTS Program will implement safety-related education, encouragement, and evaluation activities.
Acceptance of the grant award will allow the Department to submit invoices to Caltrans for project cost reimbursements up to a total of $1,881,000.
This project meets the County and Chief Executive Officer’s goals and objectives of operating in a fiscally-responsible and businesslike 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.
Per the project timeline provided in the grant application, construction of the Project is expected to commence in the Summer of 2025 because of the time needed to secure environmental approvals and obtain the necessary right-of-way for the sidewalk installation. However, Department has plans to have Road Operations staff install some of the easier project components this year and also seek approval from the CTC to install a portion of the construction components, such as pavement markings, crosswalks, and flashing beacons, earlier than the scheduled construction phase.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 30, 2021; Finance (Jessica Trillo, Administrative Analyst, 387-4222) on April 19, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on April 20, 2021.