REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Adopt a Resolution to Authorize the Filing of Fiscal Year 2018/19 Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 Application for the Installation of Green Bicycle Pavement Markings
Report
BACKGROUND
TDA Article 3 is a source of funds created by State legislation and processed through the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) that annually returns sales tax revenues to local agencies earmarked for bicycle and pedestrian projects. The eligibility requirements to receive funds in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018/19 funding cycle are: 1) submit potential projects that have been reviewed by the City's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC); 2) be in an approved bicycle, pedestrian, transit, multimodal, complete streets, or other relevant plan; 3) have environmental clearance prior to expenditure (for construction projects only); 4) have an authorizing resolution (Attachment 1); and, 5) be able to begin construction within one year. In FY 2018/19, $120,887 is guaranteed to the City for eligible projects.
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC) considered FY 2018/19 TDA candidate projects at its February 15, 2018 meeting. The BPAC voted 5-0 with one commissioner abstaining and one commissioner absent in favor of staff’s recommended project for Installation of Green Bicycle Pavement Markings, (Attachment 2 - Excerpt from February 15, 2018 BPAC meeting minutes).
EXISTING POLICY
General Plan, Chapter 3, Land Use and Transportation Element:
• Goal A: Coordinated Regional and Local Planning - Protect the quality of life, the natural environment, and property investment, preserve home rule, secure fair share funding, and provide leadership in the region.
• Goal B: Environmentally Sustainable Land Use and Transportation Planning and Development - Support the sustainable vision by incorporating sustainable features into land use and transportation decisions and practices.
• Goal C: An Effective Multimodal Transportation System - Offer the community a variety of transportation modes for local travel that are also integrated with the regional transportation system and land use pattern. Favor accommodation of alternative modes to the automobile as a means to enhance efficient transit use, bicycling, and walking and corresponding benefits to the environment, person-throughput, and qualitative improvements to the transportation system environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
DISCUSSION
The determination of candidate TDA Article 3 projects for FY 2018/19 was based on the review of budgeted and unbudgeted projects in the Resource Allocation Plan, TDA eligibility requirements, consideration of the Pedestrian Safety and Opportunities Study, Bicycle Capital Improvement Program and Bicycle Plan, Comprehensive School Traffic Study, resident requests, as well as, Commission members' and staff's knowledge of bicycle and pedestrian facility safety priority needs in the City. Staff identified four candidate projects for BPAC’s consideration listed below in no specific order:
1. Green Bicycle Pavement Markings
Description: Installation of green bicycle pavement markings at up to five (5) intersections at the following locations:
• Fair Oaks Avenue & E Evelyn Avenue
• Remington Drive & Tilton Drive
• Wolfe Road & E Evelyn Avenue
• Bernardo Avenue & Remington Drive
• Bernardo Avenue & Fremont Avenue
Approximate Cost: $120,000
2. Curb Ramp Installations
Description: Installation of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps at the following intersections based on public request:
• Syracuse Drive and Kelsey Drive (two ramps)
• Leota Avenue and Noriega Avenue (two ramps)
• Clarence Avenue and Sara Avenue (four ramps)
• Bayview Avenue and McKinley Avenue (two ramps)
• Peach Avenue/ Heatherstone Avenue and Hanover Avenue (two ramps)
Approximate Cost: $104,400
3. Java Drive “Road Diet” (Lane Removal)- Matching Grant Funds
Description: Required matching funds for One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) program. Includes installation of 5,000 linear feet of Class II bicycle lanes (each side of the road) via a road diet on Java Drive (removal of one lane). The project will also include bicycle detection at five (5) signalized intersections and pavement color treatments.
Approximate Cost: $132,911
4. Bicycle Master Plan Project Contingencies
Description: Additional funding to be used for project contingencies that includes additional analysis of existing community conditions like bicycle level of service on the City’s roadway network, additional data collection for identifying key bicycle and pedestrian activity centers, and development of density maps for safe routes to school plan.
Approximate Cost: $100,000
Staff’s top priority and preference for use of the funds is to install green bicycle pavement markings at the five intersections listed above. Colored pavement within a bicycle lane increases the visibility of the facility, identifies potential areas of conflict, and reinforces priority to bicyclists in conflict areas. The project will deploy colored bike lanes at selected vehicular and bicycle conflict zones to increase visibility of bike lanes, and encourage increased ridership throughout the City.
Staff and the BPAC both agree, and recommend the guaranteed TDA FY 2018/19 funds be used for the installation of green bicycle pavement markings for up to five (5) intersections at the locations listed in No. 1 above.
FISCAL IMPACT
TDA Article 3 is a program that reimburses cities for the incurred costs of selected projects. No local matching funds are required for guaranteed funding projects. The VTA estimates the City will receive funds in the amount of $120,887 from the City’s guaranteed fund apportionment. New revenue constitutes a positive fiscal impact.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
The BPAC also held a public hearing on this item at its February 15, 2018 meeting and voted in favor to use FY 2018/19 TDA grant funds for the Green Bicycle Pavement Markings project.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt the resolution requesting an allocation from Metropolitan Transportation Commission of $120,887 of Transportation Development Act funds to the City for FY 2018/19 to be used for the installation of green bicycle pavement markings at up to five (5) intersections at the following locations:
• Fair Oaks Avenue & E Evelyn Avenue
• Remington Drive & Tilton Drive
• Wolfe Road & E Evelyn Avenue
• Bernardo Avenue & Remington Drive
• Bernardo Avenue & Fremont Avenue
The BPAC voted in favor of the recommendation 5-0, with one commissioner abstaining and one commissioner absent.
Staff
Prepared by: Ralph Garcia, Senior Transportation Engineer
Reviewed by: Shahid Abbas, Transportation and Traffic Manager
Reviewed by: Charles Taylor, Director, Public Works
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution
2. Excerpt from the February 15, 2018 BPAC Meeting Minutes