REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Grant Acceptance and Budget Modification No. 52 to Appropriate $698,625 from the State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Railway-Highway Crossings (Section 130) for Grade Crossing Safety Improvements at Mary Avenue and Caltrain Track CPUC No. 105E-37.90, Federal DOT No. 755037V; and Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Grant Related Documents
Report
GRANT SUMMARY
In late 2017, a concern was received about the traffic signal timing for the railroad crossing on N. Mary Avenue. Staff calculated the railroad interconnect system’s preemption timings and identified potential improvements to the existing timings. Staff approached Caltrain with its findings; they performed a diagnostic and confirmed staff’s initial findings. Caltrain turned this into a priority safety improvement project and secured $3.8 million to upgrade the railroad interconnect system at the railroad crossing located at the intersection of Mary Avenue and West Evelyn Avenue. The project is now under deployment and funded in its entirety by Railway-Highway Crossings (Section 130) Program through the California Department of Transportation. City Council acceptance of the grant is included in this report.
As part of the improvements, Caltrain will implement advance railroad preemption which will increase the warning time to clear the tracks before the train gates go down; cost for these improvements is $3,125,000.
Additionally, the Railway-Highway Crossings grant includes funds for the City to implement various improvements within the City’s right-of-way at a cost of $698,625; The Railway-Highway Crossings grant was awarded to Caltrain, therefore a reimbursement agreement (Attachment 1) is required for the City to complete the work within its jurisdiction. A new project titled “Mary Avenue and Caltrain Track CPUC No. 105E-37.90, Federal DOT No. 755037B Safety Improvements” will be created. The scope of work for the City improvements include:
§ Reconstruct the sidewalk in the northwest quadrant for a distance of 100 feet.
§ Reconstruct the north median to:
o Widen by 6 inches on the west side
o Fill in the approximately 160-foot break in the raised concrete median on the north approach.
§ Relocate the crosswalk on the west leg of the West Evelyn Avenue and Mary Avenue intersection to be more perpendicular to West Evelyn Avenue.
§ Install four (4) new ADA compliant curb ramps in the southwest (2) and southeast (2) quadrants of the West Evelyn Avenue and Mary Avenue intersection.
§ Relocate the traffic signal in the southwest quadrant of the West Evelyn Avenue and Mary Avenue intersection to be adjacent to the new curb ramp.
§ Install additional street lighting to the newly relocated traffic signal pole.
§ Replace mixed street lighting to uniform Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights.
§ Install raised reflective pavement markers for West Evelyn Avenue eastbound left turn movement into northbound Mary Avenue.
§ Modify traffic signal phasing to utilize advanced pre-emption.
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 by the City Council and a budget modification is required. Grant funds from California Department of Transportation 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 activity does not require environmental review because it is categorically exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 because the project is a minor alteration to an existing facilities and streets involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that presently existing.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding Source
The total cost for projects associated with the Mary Avenue and Caltrain Tracks grant is $3,823,625. Of this amount, the total cost for the City right-of-way work is $698,625.
Receiving $698,625 in grant funds is a net positive effect on the overall City transportation Capital Improvement Program.
Required Local Match
None
Increased Cost To City Upon Grant Termination
There will be minor ongoing maintenance of the improvements that will be absorbed within the existing Transportation and Traffic budget.
Budget Modification No. 52 has been prepared to appropriate California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Railway-Highway Crossings (Section 130) Program funds in the amount of $698,625 for safety improvements to a new project, Grade Crossing at Mary Avenue and Caltrain Track CPUC No. 105E-37.90, Federal DOT No. 755037B Safety Improvements.
Budget Modification No. 52
FY 2017/18
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Current |
Increase/ (Decrease) |
Revised |
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Capital Projects Fund |
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|
|
Revenues |
|
|
|
|
Railroad/Highway At-Grade Crossing Program |
$0 |
$698,625 |
$698,625 |
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Expenditures |
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New Project - Grade Crossing at Mary Avenue and Caltrain Track CPUC No. 105E-37.90, Federal DOT No. 755037B Safety Improvements |
$0 |
$698,625 |
$698,625 |
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 Grant from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) in the amount of $698,625, approve Budget Modification No. 52 to appropriate Caltrans Railway-Highway Crossings (Section 130) Program funds in the amount of $698,625 to a new project, Grade Crossing at Mary Avenue and Caltrain Track CPUC No. 105E-37.90, Federal DOT No. 755037V Safety Improvements, and Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Grant Related Documents.
Staff
Prepared by: Carmen Talavera, Senior Traffic Engineer
Reviewed by: Shahid Abbas, Transportation and Traffic Manager
Reviewed by: Charles 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
ATTACHMENTS
1. Reimbursement Agreement