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January 11, 2000
SUBJECT: Adoption of Resolution to Authorize Filing of FY 2000/01 Transportation Development Act Article 3 Applications for Pedestrian and Bicycle Projects
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Transportation Development Act is a source of funds created by State legislation which annually returns to each region in the State 1/4 of 1% of sales tax revenues which are to be used for transportation projects. A portion of these funds are earmarked for bicycle and pedestrian projects. In order to receive funds in the 2000/01 funding cycle, the City of Sunnyvale must submit a list of potential projects to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). This year $78,161 is guaranteed to the City for eligible projects. The City can compete for an additional $ 432,355 in discretionary funding for projects of county-wide significance.
Staff and the Bicycle Advisory Committee concur on a recommendation to the City Council consisting of four candidate projects for guaranteed funding and three projects for discretionary funding. The Bicycle Advisory Committee reviewed an initial staff recommendation for candidate projects and suggested additional projects, which staff is recommending for submittal. Because several grant sources have called for projects at this time, the BAC suggested a number of projects and staff selected those projects that were most appropriate for consideration for TDA funding.
The BAC is recommending one additional project application that the Council has previously taken action to defer or drop as part of the Study Issue process, the Pedestrian Safety Campaign for Drivers. Staff therefore is not recommending submitting a TDA application for this project. The BAC also asked staff to investigate a Mathilda Avenue bike lane project, but this was found to be infeasible without removing travel lanes or major roadway and interchange reconstruction. It is also not included in the recommended projects.
Staff and the BAC recommend that the City Council adopt the resolution to authorize the filing of four candidate project applications for guaranteed funding for Caribbean Drive Bike Lanes, Arques Avenue Bike Lanes, Java Drive Sidewalks, and Bikeway Maintenance. Staff and the BAC also recommend filing three applications for discretionary funding for Moffett Park Drive Bike Lanes, Borregas Avenue Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge Preliminary Engineering, and a Sunnyvale East Channel Bike Path Preliminary Engineering.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the attached resolution and submittal of TDA Article 3 grant applications will potentially result in a positive fiscal impact to the City of a minimum of $ 78,161 in funds for bicycle and pedestrian projects. These funds will be added in the Budget under project 806651, Transportation Development Act Bicycle/Pedestrian Projects once project funding is approved. These funds will partially offset currently budgeted funds.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Publication and posting of the Council Agenda. Reports to Council are also available in the Sunnyvale Library and on the City’s Internet home page. This item was also heard by the Bicycle Advisory Committee at its December, 1999 meeting.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approval of the staff recommendation to submit four applications for TDA Article 3 guarantee funding and four applications for TDA Article 3 discretionary funding for the 2000/01 funding cycle.
ATTACHMENTS
BACKGROUND
The Transportation Development Act is a source of funds created by State legislation which annually returns to each region in the State 1/4 of 1% of sales tax revenues which are to be used for transportation projects. Article 3 funds are earmarked for bicycle and pedestrian projects. In order to receive funds in the 2000/01 funding cycle, the City of Sunnyvale must submit a list of potential projects to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
The TDA Article 3 application process involves submittal of the application to the VTA in January of each year. The VTA prioritizes the submitted projects and then submits their list of recommended projects to MTC for approval. Traditionally, MTC approves the projects with instruction to implement the projects within three years of the funding year. The City implements the approved projects and then submits paperwork to MTC to be refunded for the money expended.
Projects which have been funded from prior years include purchase and installation of bike racks and lockers, marking of bike symbols on loop detectors, upgrading of loop detectors, purchase of bike rodeo equipment, sidewalk installations around the City, handicap ramp construction, and a comprehensive bike facilities study.
The VTA apportionment formula gives 70% of the funds to cities and the County according to population, promising to the City of Sunnyvale $78,161 this year in TDA Article 3 funds. The remaining 30% funds, which are estimated at $432,355 for 2000/01, will be competitively distributed based on merit and county-wide significance.
The Bicycle Advisory Committee considered 2000 TDA candidate projects and projects for other sources of grant funding at its December 16, 1999 meeting. The BAC’s recommendation is discussed in more detail below.
EXISTING POLICY
The following documents contain policy direction on this issue.
Land Use and Transportation Element C3.5.4, Maximize the provision of bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
Bicycle Plan BP.B3, The City of Sunnyvale shall pursue all available funding options for bicycle facility construction and improvements.
Fiscal Sub-Element 7.1B.4d, Pursue and use intergovernmental assistance for projects in the Ten-Year Capital Improvement Plan.
DISCUSSION
City staff developed a list of possible projects for TDA funding for consideration by the BAC and City Council. Eligibility criteria for projects include elimination or improvement of an identified problem area for bicycling or walking; provision of continuous, reasonably direct access to activity centers; facilitation of bicycle or pedestrian trips; encouragement of safe cycling; planning for bikeways; or documented support from bicyclists, employers, employees or residents. Projects must also be consistent with a bicycle plan adopted by the local jurisdiction.
Staff reviewed the Resource Allocation Plan and considered other unbudgeted projects in developing an initial recommendation for candidate projects to the Bicycle Advisory Committee. The Resource Allocation Plan contains a capital project titled "Transportation Development Act" which serves as a placeholder for the annual revenues that are anticipated from this source. In the event that there are not any eligible, non-TDA funded capital projects programmed in the Resource Allocation Plan, staff considers other project ideas that are not currently specifically identified in the budget. The TDA capital project in this sense serves as a revolving account for low cost, easily implemented bicycle and pedestrian projects.
The Bicycle Advisory Committee reviewed and augmented staff’s list resulting in a final list of candidate projects for the BAC to consider. Candidate TDA projects for 2000 were based on review of budgeted projects in the Resource Allocation Plan, review of TDA eligibility requirements, and Committee members' and staff's knowledge of bicycle and pedestrian facility needs in the City. Several grant programs are accepting applications at this time, so the BAC suggested a large number of projects. Staff has identified those projects most suitable for TDA funding out of the BAC suggestions. Other BAC-suggested projects will be submitted for other more appropriate sources of funding.
Recommendations for 70% Guarantee Funding Applications
The Resource Allocation Plan contains three bicycle and pedestrian projects that currently include City funds in the project budget. These projects are as follows:
Staff’s is recommending that 70% guarantee funds be used to supplant City funds for the currently funded projects.
The City has a project budgeted to construct sidewalks on Java Drive. This project was prompted by a VTA request, and the VTA provided $ 325,000 in funding for the project. Detailed cost estimating completed by the City subsequent to the VTA grant has discovered that the project is underfunded. Staff is recommending that 70% guarantee funds in the amount of $ 49,295 be budgeted for the Java Drive sidewalk project.
Additionally, this year a TDA rule change allows a portion of TDA funds to a County to be used for bikeway re-striping. The City budgets maintenance funds for bikeways under its general roadway sweeping, signing and striping operations budgets. Staff is recommending that 10% of this year’s TDA guarantee funds be allocated to bikeway maintenance to partially offset City budgeted funds for bikeway maintenance.
Recommendations for 30% Discretionary Funding Applications
Staff and the BAC also considered projects for 30% discretionary funding. These projects would compete against projects countywide. Projects with exceptional safety, utility and regional significance merits can receive funds. Staff and the BAC have the following recommendations for discretionary funding projects:
The Moffett Park project is identified in the Bicycle Opportunities Study, but is not currently budgeted in the Resource Allocation Plan. This roadway segment is identified in the Countywide Bicycle Plan as a priority regional bicycling corridor, and would therefore compete reasonably well for discretionary funding. This project would need to be amended into the budget should funding be granted.
Preliminary planning is underway for a Borregas Avenue bikeway corridor under capital project 819870. TDA funds would be used to complete detailed preliminary engineering for bike lanes and two bicycle/pedestrian bridges over Routes 101 and 237.
The East Channel Bike Path project is a BAC proposal to construct a new bike path connecting the Hetch Hetchy Greenway with Tasman Drive. In 1994, the City Council adopted criteria for consideration of paths in utility rights of way, and there was some study of the feasibility of a path in this particular corridor. At that time, a Calabazas Creek Trail was deemed to be the Council’s highest recreational trail priority. A Calabazas Creek Trail alignment has been selected, and federal funding for trail development is pending. After re-reviewing the 1994 trail criteria, staff believes that an East Channel trail could be a potential recreational and transportation asset. Additional detailed study, public outreach, and negotiation with the Santa Clara Valley Water District would be required, however, before a trail can be developed. Staff supports a TDA discretionary fund grant application for a study of a path at this time.
Projects Not Recommended for TDA Funding
The BAC also proposed two projects that staff does not support for funding. As part of the 2000 Study Issue process, the BAC recommended that the Council consider a pedestrian safety campaign to educate drivers of pedestrian safety and comfort issues. The City Council dropped this issue from further consideration at its Study Issues Workshop on December 9, 1999. The BAC, however, is recommending that this project be considered for TDA funding. Based on the Council’s action, staff is not recommending consideration of this project for TDA funding.
The Bicycle Advisory Committee also requested that staff investigate the feasibility of bike lanes on Mathilda Avenue from Moffett Park Drive to Almanor Avenue. Staff has found that implementing bike lanes in this area would require removal of travel lanes or major roadway and interchange reconstruction. This project is not considered feasible at this time.
FISCAL IMPACT
TDA Article 3 is a program that reimburses cities for the incurred costs of the selected projects. No local matching funds are required. The VTA estimates the City will receive guaranteed funds in the amount of $ 78,161. Once the project costs have been incurred, the City of Sunnyvale submits the information to MTC for appropriate reimbursement, and fund 18 is reimbursed. Over time, the effect on the budget is neutral.
CONCLUSION
A range of potentially eligible projects for TDA funding has been considered by staff and the Bicycle Advisory Committee. The City can apply for two different funding pots, guarantee funding and discretionary funding. Staff and the BAC recommend submitting four projects for guarantee funding and three projects for discretionary funding.
The BAC also recommends submitting two additional projects for funding, a pedestrian safety education campaign for drivers and bike lanes on Mathilda Avenue from Almanor to Moffett Park Drive. The City Council considered the pedestrian safety campaign project as part of the 2000 Study Issue process and dropped it from further consideration. Staff found the Mathilda Avenue project to be infeasible. Staff is not recommending consideration of this project for TDA funding.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Publication and posting of the Council Agenda. Reports to Council are also available in the Sunnyvale Library and on the City’s Internet home page.
This item was also heard by the Bicycle Advisory Committee at its December, 1999 meeting.ALTERNATIVES
1. Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the filing of candidate project applications with the VTA and MTC for allocation of Transportation Development Act funds for 2000 for pedestrian/bicycle projects. The resolution incorporates the staff's candidate project list in Attachment 1 of the resolution.
2. Add the additional BAC-recommended Pedestrian Safety Education Campaign for Drivers to the candidate project.
3. Adopt a candidate project list different than the staff-recommended or BAC-recommended lists.
4. Do not take action at this time and forfeit TDA funds for 2000.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Alternative #1.
Prepared by:
Jack Witthaus
Transportation Planner
Reviewed by:
Raymond C. Williamson
City Traffic Engineer
Marvin A. Rose
Director of Public Works
Approved by:
Robert S. LaSala
City Manager
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