REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Accept the Highway Safety Improvement Program Grant of $844,800, and Approve Budget Modification No. 53 to Appropriate the Grants to Fund the Advance Dilemma Zone Detection Project.
Report
GRANT SUMMARY
On December 20, 2016, the City was awarded Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant funds in the amount of $844,800 for the implementation of Advance Dilemma Zone Detection at Various Locations.
The purpose of the HSIP is to achieve a reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. The City submitted an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) project application which will install Advanced Dilemma-Zone Detection System at eleven traffic signals throughout the City. This system enhances safety at signalized intersections by modifying traffic control signal timing to reduce driver difficulty when deciding to stop or proceed during a yellow phase. Physical improvements will also be implemented including lane markings and video detection for vehicles. This will help to reduce rear-end crashes associated with unsafe stopping and angle crashes due to illegally continuing into the intersection during the red phase. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) studies have found that the system reduced red-light violations and severe-crash frequency by 58 and 39 percent respectively. The City’s project was selected through a state wide competitive process and no local match was required.
The Division of Transportation and Traffic in the Department of Public Works will be responsible for the management of the grant.
Granting Agency
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) through the California Department of Transportation.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.1.5 Donations, Contributions and Sponsorships:
The City Manager may apply for grants of any dollar amount, but shall notify the Council when grants are being pursued. Council approval of a budget modification to appropriate grant monies is required before funds can be expended by staff. Such a budget modification shall include the use to which the grant would be placed; the objectives or goals of the City which will be achieved through use of the grant; the local match required, if any, plus the source of the local match; any increased cost to be locally funded upon termination of the grant; and the ability of the City to administer the grant. For grants under the amount of $5,000 that do not have any external reporting requirements or any local match requirement, Council approval of a budget modification is not required. The City Manager is authorized to accept and administratively appropriate the grant funds.
This grant does not meet all the criteria to be administratively appropriated by the City Manager; therefore, acceptance of the grant by City Council and a budget modification is required. Grant funds from FHWA have external reporting requirements and fall under the federal single audit guidelines.
Pursuant to Sunnyvale Charter Section 1305, at any meeting after the adoption of the budget, the City Council may amend or supplement the budget by motion adopted by affirmative votes of at least four members so as to authorize the transfer of unused balances appropriated for one purpose to another, or to appropriate available revenue not included in the budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This 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.
The construction of the project will require CEQA clearance prior to commencement; the level will be determined during the design process.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding Source
This project is funded from the FHWA-Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) administered by the California Department of Transportation.
Required Local Match
None
Increased Cost To City Upon Grant Termination
Minimum maintenance of the system will be required upon completion of the project. The life cycle of the equipment is projected to be up to twenty years, at the end of the lifecycle the replacement of the equipment will be included in the traffic signals upgrade capital project.
Budget Modification No. 53 has been prepared to appropriate Highway Safety Improvement Program funds in the amount of $844,800 for Design and Construction activities to a new project, Advance Dilemma Zone Detection at Various Locations.
Budget Modification No. 53
FY 2017/18
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Current |
Increase/ (Decrease) |
Revised |
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Capital Projects Fund-General Assets Sub-Fund |
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Revenue |
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Revenue from the Federal Government - Federal Highway Safety Improvement Grant - New Project - Advance Dilemma Zone Detection |
$0 |
$844,800 |
$844,800 |
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Expenditures |
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New Project - Advance Dilemma Zone Detection |
$0 |
$844,800 |
$844,800 |
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.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Accept the Highway Safety Improvement Program Grant of $844,800, and Approve Budget Modification No. 53 to Appropriate the Grant Funds to the Advance Dilemma Zone Detection Project.
Staff
Prepared by: Shahid Abbas, Traffic Manager
Reviewed by: Chip Taylor, Director of Public Works
Reviewed by: Timothy J. Kirby, Director of Finance
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager