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

Staff reviewed the Resource Allocation Plan and considered other unbudgeted projects in developing a recommendation for candidate projects to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

Candidate TDA Article 3 projects for FY 2006/07 were based on review of budgeted projects in the Resource Allocation Plan, review of TDA eligibility requirements, consideration of the Bicycle Capital Improvement Program, and Committee members' and staff's knowledge of bicycle and pedestrian facility needs in the City. This report requests that the TDA funds be used to supplement the Evelyn Avenue Bike Lane Project and the Java Drive Sidewalk project which are both currently in the Resource Allocation Plan and require additional funds for completion. The report also requests that TDA Article 3 funds from the Countywide Bicycle Expenditure Program (BEP) be allocated to the Borregas Avenue Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridges Project.

The Evelyn Avenue Bike Lane Project is a project that will construct bike lanes on Evelyn Avenue from Bernardo Avenue to Reed Avenue. Currently the project is funded in two phases, from Bernardo Ave to Sunnyvale Ave, and from Sunnyvale Ave to Reed Ave. However, the City is planning on constructing both phases of the project at the same time. Preliminary cost estimates have shown that the City may need additional funding to cover the construction costs. For that reason, this report requests that the City Council adopt the resolution to authorize filing for FY 2006/07 TDA Article 3 funding for the Evelyn Avenue Bike Lane Project ($42,053). This will bring the total project cost for the Bernardo to Sunnyvale portion to $212,053.  The balance of funding for this project segment is from Federal and State grants.  The Sunnyvale to Reed portion of the project is funded through a State Bicycle Transportation Account grant and a Bay Area Air Quality Management District Transportation Fund for Clean Air grant.

The Java Drive Sidewalk project provides for the installation of sidewalks near the Tasman Light Rail line in the north part of the City. Many industrial properties in this area were built without sidewalks, and this project provides for improved pedestrian access via sidewalks. An initial phase of the project is complete, but construction of a bridge over the West Channel exceeded the amount of originally available funds. Staff subsequently sought to use federal funds from the Sidewalk Near Tasman Light Rail Project, but the bridge was deemed ineligible for grant funding. For that reason, this report requests that the City Council adopt the resolution to authorize filing for FY 2006/07 TDA Article 3 funding for the Java Drive Sidewalk project ($63,000) to fund the construction of the sidewalk across the Sunnyvale West Channel.

The Borregas Avenue Bicycle and Pedestrian Over-crossing project will provide a more safe and convenient bicycle and pedestrian access between central Sunnyvale (residential areas and Caltrain) and north Sunnyvale (major employment area and light rail), along the north-south Borregas corridor. The project accomplishes this by constructing two bicycle and pedestrian overcrossings of Highway 101 and State Route 237. The over-crossings are included in the Tier 1 priority list of projects in the Santa Clara Countywide Bicycle Expenditure Program. It is located on County Bicycle Corridor #14 as designated in the Valley Transportation Plan 2030. Currently the total project cost is $6.5 million, 80% of which is funded through the BEP ($5,040,000). A 20% minimum local match is required which is funded through $1,324,200 City funds and $150,000 of federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Funding (CMAQ). The Countywide BEP funding package includes a number of funding sources including, Transportation Funds for Clean Air ($400,000), Measure B ($500,000), Federal Transportation Enhancements funding ($3.7 million), and TDA Article 3 ($440,000). This report requests that the City Council adopt the resolution to authorize filing for TDA Article 3 funding for the Borregas Avenue Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridges project ($440,000) that is included in the Countywide BEP funding package. The allocation will not alter the total project cost.  Project funding is previously approved as project 821870 in the Resource Allocation Plan.

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 funds in the amount of $105,053 from the City apportionment and $440,000 from the Countywide BEP apportionment. Once the project costs have been incurred, the City of Sunnyvale submits the information to MTC for appropriate reimbursement.

CONCLUSION

Council is being asked to adopt the attached resolution authorizing the Filing of Fiscal Year 2006/07 Transportation Development Act Article 3 Applications for Pedestrian and Bicycle Projects. Staff and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee have considered potentially eligible projects for TDA funding, and found that the following projects meet the funding criteria:

1. Evelyn Avenue Bike Lane Project - $42,053

2. Java Drive Sidewalk Project - $63,000