City of Lafayette Staff Report Circulation Commission Meeting Date: November 21, 2016 Staff: Subject: James Hinkamp, Transportation Planner Candidate Projects for 2017-18 Transportation Development Act Grant Application Summary Staff has recently received a call for projects for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017/2018 Transportation Development Act Article 3 grant funding. This particular call for projects is designated for pedestrian and bicycle projects. Details regarding this grant funding opportunity and staff s recommendations are discussed in this report. Background The Transportation Development Act (TDA) was established by Senate Bill (SB) 325 in 1971, with the goal of improving public transportation services and to encourage regional transportation coordination. By law, TDA funds shall be allocated to transit and non-transit purposes that also comport with regional transportation plans. Additionally, under the TDA, there are two distinct funding sources: 1. Local Transportation Fund (LTF) derived from ¼ cent of general statewide sales tax. 2. State Transit Assistance Fund (STA) derived from statewide sales tax on diesel fuel. Article 3 funds are allocated under the LTF portion of TDA. The precise allocation, or amount to be distributed to respective Bay Area counties, is yet to be determined by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). However, for reference, the amount allocated for Contra Costa County in the FY 2016/17 TDA Article 3 cycle was $805,000. It is anticipated this next cycle will be a similar amount. In recent years, Lafayette has been successful in obtaining funding for a walkway project on Quandt Road to serve Springhill School, a dynamic signage installation on St. Mary s Road at the trail crossing near Florence Drive and at the Community Center entrance, as well as a citywide ped/bike education program implemented by BPAC. The FY 2017/18 TDA grant application deadline is January 20, 2017. With joint support from the Circulation Commission and BPAC, staff will ask the City Council on December 12, 2016, for concurrence to proceed with a formal grant application. Page 1 of 2 Item 6A
Discussion Staff has identified a list of candidate projects, in priority order, in Attachment 1 to this cover memo. The priority ranking reflects consideration given by the Circulation Commission and BPAC during previous TDA funding cycles, as well as more recent feedback conveyed by the public and relevant stakeholders at numerous public meetings. It should also be noted that this list is not intended to be comprehensive, and staff are receptive to suggestions for other bicycle and pedestrian-related projects already identified in City plans. Next Steps Staff will forward Commission feedback on the attached Checklist to the City Council, for final review and approval prior to submittal to the CCTA. Fiscal Impact TDA funds do not require a local funding match. However, past application reviews have shown reviewers tend to favor projects that provide a local match. Staff recommends that the City Council authorize approximately 10 percent of estimated project cost as a local match. Recommendation Select a grant candidate project for TDA Article 3 funding and forward such recommendation of support to the City Council to direct staff to formally apply for said funding. Attachment 1. List of candidate grant projects recommended by staff Page 2 of 2
ATTACHMENT 1 Candidate Project List
TDA Article 3 Candidate Projects Recommended by Staff Priority Location Project Comment 1. Glenside Drive trail crossing between St. Mary s Road and Burton Drive 2. Pleasant Hill Rd. and SR-24 bike lanes 3. Springhill School Area Install rectangular rapid flash beacons to augment ped/bike crossing of Lafayette/ Moraga Trail across Glenside Drive. Rough Estimate: ~$40,000 Feasibility study for possible realignment of bike lanes along Pleasant Hill Rd., in vicinity of SR-24 on- and off-ramps, north of Mt. Diablo Blvd. Rough Estimate: ~ $20,000 Implement a series of recommendations in the City s right of way from the recent SRTS study. Install new signage and striping; Install green bike lane through conflict areas on southbound Pleasant Hill Road; Install flexible bollards on pedestrian refuge island; and Construct raised crosswalk at free-right turn at eastbound Springhill Road and Pleasant Hill Road Rough estimate: ~$15,000 Similar application as trail crossing on St. Mary s Road near Florence Drive and at Community Center entrance, which were successfully funded by TDA. Submitted for ATP Cycle 3 grant funding. Statewide award declined; MTC award announcements pending (Jan. 2017), though past applications declined under this program as well. Alternative funding/implementation possible. Project by itself unlikely to be competitive for TDA funding because the improvements are minor in nature, and project does not create a new ped/bike facility. 4. Second Street between Golden Gate Way and Moraga Blvd. 5. Moraga Road between Tanglewood & Old Mountain View Complete gap in sidewalk on the west side Rough Estimate: ~$50-75,000 Extend walkway on west side of street. Rough estimate: ~$250,000-$500,000 May not compete well due to low pedestrian volume in a residential area, and available sidewalk on opposite side Project cost is on the high end in terms of TDA competitiveness. No matching funds available.
TDA Article 3 Candidate Projects Recommended by Staff Priority Location Project Comment 6. Dewing Avenue between Walnut St. & Brook St. 7. Carol Lane between Moraga Blvd. & Church 8. Acalanes Road, Valente Drive to Mt. Diablo Boulevard 9. 1224 Upper Happy Valley 10. PHR over/ undercrossing Complete gap in sidewalk on the west side Rough Estimate: ~$30-50,000 Extend walkway on the west side of the street. Rough Estimate: ~above $250,000 Gap closure newly adopted into Master Walkway Plan. Rough Estimate: ~up to $250,000 Install berm to separate travel lane from walkway. Rough Estimate: ~$5,000 Feasibility study for possible over/undercrossing of Pleasant Hill Rd., at intersection with Springhill Rd./Quandt Rd. Rough Estimate: ~ $30,000 May not compete well due to very low pedestrian volume in a residential area, and available sidewalk on opposite side Similar application to #5 above. Similar application to #5 but may be at a lower cost range, which may help its competitiveness and ease finding of matching money. Similar to #3; the improvement would be minor in nature, and project does not create a new ped/bike facility.