REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 13, 2022
FROM
BRENDON BIGGS, Director, Department of Public Works - Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
Grant Application to the United States Department of Transportation for the Safe Streets and Roads for All Call-For-Projects to Construct Pedestrian Safety Improvements and Infrastructure
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve and authorize the electronic submission of a grant application to the United States Department of Transportation in the amount of $4,720,000 for the Safe Streets and Roads for All discretionary grant program call-for-projects to implement pedestrian infrastructure in the Trona, San Bernardino, and Muscoy areas.
2. Direct the Director of the Department of Public Works to transmit all documents in relation to the grant applications to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of submission.
(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 state and local funding. Pursuant to the terms of the grant, the County is required to provide a local match of 20%. The total estimated project cost to implement the proposed safety improvements and infrastructure around the three locations included in the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant application for the County is $5,900,000. The United States Department of Transportation (US DOT) will fund $4,720,000 of the project cost while the 20% local match requirement of $1,180,000 will be funded with Gas Tax revenue. Sufficient appropriation and revenue are included in the Department’s 2022-23 Road Operations budget (6650002000).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
SS4A is a discretionary grant program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and administered by US DOT, with $5 billion in appropriated funds over the next five years. Funding from this pilot program is provided to encourage and support planning, infrastructure, behavioral, and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users.
The SS4A program provides funding for two types of grants: 1) Action Plan Grants for the initial development of a comprehensive safety action plan, and 2) Implementation Grants for the development, completion or supplementing of an existing safety action plan. Implementation Grants are intended to implement safety strategies that are consistent with an agency’s existing Action Plan. Approval of this item will authorize the electronic submission of one Implementation Grant application encompassing three project locations to the SS4A program.
In 2021, the County received a $180,000 grant, funded by the California Transportation Commission, to develop the County’s Local Roads Safety Plan (LRSP), which identifies and analyzes locations in need of safety improvements and provides recommended improvements to address safety concerns. The LRSP was approved by the Board of Supervisors (Board) on August 23, 2022 (Item No. 40). Three County school locations and areas adjacent to the schools were identified as priorities in the LRSP.
The proposed school project sites provide the eligibility and basis for grant funding under the Implementation Grant criteria for implementation of the County’s LRSP. The proposed safety improvements will be constructed at the following unincorporated County locations:
1. Sidewalk installation on Trona Road from 1st Street to Verbena Avenue, in the Trona area;
2. Sidewalk installation on 5th Street between Waterman and Tippecanoe Avenue in the San Bernardino area; and
3. Sidewalk installation on Nolan Street, between California Street and State Street in the Muscoy area.
The grant application is a request to fund the recommended safety improvements identified in the LRSP for the proposed County sites and will support the grant program initiatives to prevent collisions on roads and streets involving all roadway users.
On May 16, 2022, the US DOT announced the call-for-projects. Because the SS4A is a competitive grant program, submission of an application is not a guarantee of funding. The terms included in the grant application require a local match; therefore, pursuant to County Policy 5-13, Board approval is required. The application is due September 15, 2022 and will be submitted electronically upon Board approval. If the application is successful, the Department will present an agenda item to the Board to accept the grant funds. The Department will then be required to complete the project in five years or return the awarded funds if the project is not constructed.
This action meets the County’s and the Chief Executive Officer’s goals and objectives of operating in a fiscally responsible and business-like manner by seeking grant funding for projects. Additionally, should grant funds be awarded, the action helps ensure the development of a well-planned, balanced, and sustainable county by constructing facilities that encourage walking, as well as constructing facilities that promote health and social activities.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 22, 2022; Finance (Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5404) on August 26, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on August 29, 2022.