To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Grant Agreement #78-059 with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Health Services Director, or designee, execute on behalf of the County Grant Agreement #78-059 with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA), to pay County an amount not to exceed $1,502,640 for the County’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program, for the period February 21, 2024 through June 30, 2029.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Acceptance of this Agreement will result in a total of $1,502,640 from Metropolitan Transportation Commission. ($265,240 County match required to be paid by County General funds)
BACKGROUND:
This contract meets the social needs in the County by providing safe walking and biking education, engagement, and encouragement programming in local school communities. Local data show an increase of nearly 30% in fatal and serious injury crashes involving pedestrians over the past 10 years in Contra Costa County, and that pedestrians and bicyclists are 2.4 times more likely to be seriously injured or killed in a traffic crash compared to drivers. Youth and families traveling to and from school outside of motorized vehicles are particularly vulnerable. This Safe Routes to School Program will provide critical support to communities to improve road safety outcomes along routes to school. Caltrans is the grantor of OBAG3 funds and CCTA is the fund recipient and fund administrator.
The Safe Routes to School Program will provide services to over 90 schools in West Contra Costa County and all public high schools (grades 9-12) in Central and East Contra Costa, with priority for schools in which at least 50% of students are eligible for Free and Reduced Price Meals. This project will build upon similar yet distinct efforts of the Department’s Building Healthy Communities Program which provides road safety education and encouragement across the County. This program requires cooperative efforts with local school districts, school administrators, parent teacher organizations, and regional transportation planning committees. Other partners sponsored by CCTA include Street Smarts Diablo and Street Smarts San Ramon Valley which have distinct service areas and will coordinate to provide similar levels of service.
The goals of this project include: 1) Make it safer and easier for students, families, and school staff to walk, bike, and roll to school; 2) Reduce short car trips (and associated greenhouse gas emissions) to and from schools in the county; 3) Improve physical health of school community populations by increasing physical activity through active transportation; 4) Reduce traffic crashes that result in serious injuries and deaths in school zones.
Approval of the Grant Agreement #78-059 will allow the County to provide SRTS Program activities through June 30, 2029. This Agreement request that each party fully indemnify and hold harmless the other party against any damages or liability that occurs by any act or omission of the indemnifying party or in connection with any work, authority or jurisdiction of the party under the Agreement pursuant to Government Code Section 895.4.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this grant agreement is not accepted, the additional bicycle and pedestrian safety services will be delayed or not carried out.