To: Board of Supervisors
From: Warren Lai, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer
Report Title: Grant application for the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program for fiscal year 2024/2025, El Sobrante area.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Public Works Director, or designee, to submit one grant application to the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) for the fiscal year 2024/2025 cycle of the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program, for the San Pablo Dam Road Complete Streets Project, El Sobrante area. (District I)
FISCAL IMPACT:
80% Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity Funds and 20% Local Road Funds.
BACKGROUND:
On November 1, 2024, the DOT issued the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the RAISE grant program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also referred to as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law” or “BIL”). In the notice, the DOT solicits applications for surface transportation projects that will have a significant local or regional impact that advance safety, equity, climate and sustainability, workforce development, job quality, and wealth creation. Applications must be submitted by January 30, 2025.
The DOT has authorized and appropriated $1.5 billion to be awarded annually as part of the RAISE program. The grant program categorizes applications as either: (a) planning grants for pre-construction activities; or (b) capital grants for projects that include construction activities. The County intends to apply for one capital grant for this cycle of the RAISE program for the San Pablo Dam Road Complete Streets project.
The San Pablo Dam Road Complete Streets project intends to implement a road diet, converting the existing four-lane road into a three-lane roadway with one lane in each direction plus a center left turn lane, from Appian Way to St John Lane. The reduction from four to three travel lanes will allow reallocation of right-of-way to new continuous buffered bike lanes and bike boxes that will prioritize bicyclists, and sidewalk and crossing improvements to accommodate pedestrians.
The DOT will evaluate applications based on eight merit criteria: (1) safety; (2) environmental sustainability; (3) quality of life; (4) mobility and community connectivity; (5) economic competitiveness and opportunity; (6) state of good repair; (7) partnership and collaboration; and (8) innovation.
On February 12, 2024, and May 13, 2024, the Transportation, Water & Infrastructure Committee (TWIC) reviewed the San Pablo Dam Road Complete Streets project as a candidate project for two other grant programs and recommended that the Board of Supervisors approve the project for submission. The project has not substantially changed since the TWIC’s last review.
If authorized to proceed, staff will finalize and submit the grant application by January 30, 2025.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the Public Works Department is not authorized to submit the application, grant funding will not be available, which will delay the design and construction of this project.