TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: April 8, 2024
Subject: Safe Streets and Roads for All 2024 Grant Applications, San Pablo Dam Road Diet Project
Submitted For: Warren Lai | PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
Department: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Referral No: 2
Referral Name: REVIEW application for TWIC grants to be prepared by the PUBLIC WORKS and CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT Departments
Presenter: Carl Roner | PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Contact: Carl Roner (925)313-2213
Referral History:
The County often seeks state and federal funding to augment local road funds, stretching local dollars to build improvements that would not be possible otherwise. The current opportunity is through the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This grant program is on its second of four annual cycles. Public Works submitted a SS4A application for the Vision Zero Tier One Projects during the last grant cycle; however, a grant from this previous cycle was not awarded to the County.
Referral Update:
On February 21, 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the SS4A grant program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also referred to as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law” or “BIL”). In the notice, the DOT solicited applications for transportation projects and activities to support planning, infrastructure, behavioral, and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets. These initiatives are to involve all roadway users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation, personal conveyance and micromobility devices, motorists, and commercial vehicle operators. Grant applications must be submitted by 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on May 16, 2024.
The DOT has authorized and appropriated $1.2 billion to be awarded as part of the 2024 SS4A program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The SS4A grant categorizes applications as either: (a) Planning and demonstration grants, or (b) Implementation grants. Planning and demonstration grants are intended to fund the development or enhancement of a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, which the County has already developed in the form of the Vision Zero Action Plan, which was adopted by the County in March 2022. Public Works is preparing to apply for an implementation grant to fund design and construction of the San Pablo Dam Road Diet Project, as previously identified in the Vision Zero Action Plan.
The federal cost share for the construction of capital projects is 80% with a local match requirement of 20%. The minimum award amount for an implementation grant is $2.5 million.
SS4A implementation grants must identify safety concerns to be addressed, and the projects and strategies that the County plans to implement based on the Vision Zero Action Plan. According to the NOFO, successful grant applications will:
(1) Promote safety to prevent death and serious injuries on public roadways;
(2) Employ low-cost, high-impact strategies that can improve safety over a wide geographic area;
(3) Ensure equitable investment in the safety needs of underserved communities, which includes both underserved urban and rural communities;
(4) Incorporate evidence-based projects and strategies and adopt innovative technologies and strategies;
(5) Demonstrate engagement with a variety of public and private stakeholders; and
(6) Align with the DOT’s mission and strategic goals, such as safety; climate change and sustainability; equity and justice; and workforce development, job quality, and wealth creation.
The DOT will evaluate applications based on primary selection criteria, or merit criteria, listed in the following order of importance: (1) safety impact; (2) equity, engagement, and collaboration; and (3) effective practices and strategies. The DOT also evaluates projects in relation to other DOT strategic goals, such as climate and sustainability, economic competitiveness, and workforce development.
Recommended Candidate Project:
Public Works staff recommends submitting the San Pablo Dam Road Diet Project. This project will implement a road diet on San Pablo Dam Road by installing one travel lane in each direction, a center two-way left turn lane, and bike lanes between Appian Way and Castro Ranch Road in the unincorporated El Sobrante area. This project aims to reduce vehicle speeds by reducing lane widths and improving bicycle safety by installing buffered bike lanes.
Next Steps:
If authorized to proceed, staff will prepare the grant application package for the candidate project. If during project research staff discovers a critical constraint that would result in the project being cost prohibitive or will not meet the eligibility requirements of the funding program, staff will hold the application for further study to increase project readiness for the following grant cycle.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
RECEIVE staff report and RECOMMEND that the Board of Supervisors approve the submission of the grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
Given the current fiscal constraints to gas tax revenue, which is the primary source of local match funding, Public Works staff will submit the San Pablo Dam Road Diet Project application “at risk.” If awarded, Public Works staff will need to seek other funding revenue to serve as the local match. This funding revenue has yet to be identified.