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SR-01-13-2015-3B - 1000-01-01ID City of City Council Santa ®iouica° City Council Meeting: January 13, 2015 Agenda Item: a® To: Mayor and City Council From: Martin Pastucha, Director of Public Works Subject: Applications for 2015 Metro Call for Projects Grant Funds Recommended Action Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Adopt the attached resolution authorizing submittal of five applications for the below referenced projects, seeking grant funds in the total maximum amount of $17,022,074 from Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) 2015 Call for Projects. 2. Authorize the City Manager to implement all actions necessary to apply for and accept the grant funds, if awarded, including the commitment to expend local match obligations in the total maximum amount of $4,426,501, and to include such grant funds and local match obligations in the City's future fiscal year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budgets. Executive Summary Historically, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Call for Projects grant funding has provided the City with one of the best opportunities to compete for Federal, State, and County transportation funding. Grant applications for the 2015 Call for Projects Grant applications are due on January 16, 2015. The attached resolution would authorize five applications for 2015 Call for Projects funds in the total maximum amount of $17,022,074 with funding available in FY 2020 -21 or earlier depending on MTA funding availability. Any awarded grants and the respective local match obligations, totaling a maximum of $4,426,501 from various funding sources, would be included in the City's future fiscal year CIP budgets and subject to Council budget approval. Background Biennially, MTA provides public agencies with the opportunity to apply for funding in several different modal categories related to transportation facilities or services within Los Angeles County. For the 2015 Call for Projects, staff proposes to submit applications in five of the modal categories, including: 1 1. Regional Surface Transportation Improvements 2. Pedestrian Improvements 3. Transportation Demand Management 4. Bicycle Improvements 5. Transit Capital Each modal category utilizes various federal, state, and local funding sources and has unique requirements regarding eligible project categories. Each modal category has specific questions with points assigned to that category. Each application will be evaluated on regional significance, project need, local match, cost effectiveness, and land use and sustainability. A local cash match is required for all applications. Although match amounts vary by modal category, most require a minimum of a 20 percent match. Applications can earn additional points by "overmatching," or offering cash in excess of the required match amount. One significant change made by MTA to the 2013 Call for Projects application process is a decreased emphasis placed on overmatching; points awarded for overmatching have been cut in half from the 2011 Call for Projects process. Based on the decreased benefit of overmatching and the loss of Redevelopment Agency funds to provide cash matches, staff recommends overmatching only the "Bus Replacement" application. The overmatch will garner an additional point and will utilize an additional $136,786 of Big Blue Bus's Prop 1B capital funds. This year's Call for Projects does allow in -kind "overmatching." Staff time will be used to develop in -kind match commitments above 20 percent. Discussion Funding for Metro Call for Projects is primarily available for FY 2020 -21. However, MTA has noted that it will try to accommodate requests for funding in earlier years if any de- obligated funding becomes available. Project details outlined below indicate the earliest fiscal year that projects would be ready to implement and that local match funding is available; these dates will be listed in the grant applications. The timing availability of funds will not be communicated to staff until after the MTA Board selects the winning Call for Projects Grant applications and awards grants in September 2015. The grant 2 application amounts outlined below are in 2014 dollars per the grant application, and are escalated at 3 percent annually for six years, assuming the funding is not awarded until FY 2020 -21. If funding is available earlier for awarded grant applications, escalation amounts will be deducted accordingly and both grant amounts and required local match amounts would be slightly lower than the numbers outlined here. It is also possible for Metro to award a portion of grant funds sought for any given project. Therefore, staff recommends that Council authorize the proposed grant application amounts as maximum amounts to ensure conservative budgeting and planning for potential local match requirements. A subgroup of the CIP Committee, comprised of Department Heads and the Assistant City Manager, has reviewed project summaries and funding for local matches. Project descriptions were reviewed to ensure that the City's long -term capital goals were met. Local match sources, amounts, and cash flows were reviewed to ensure that local matching funds would be both eligible and available in the event of award and to eliminate any impact to the General Fund. The CIP Committee's recommendations were submitted to the City Manager for review and are contained in this report. The City's five applications are as follows: 1. Connections to Bergamot Expo Light Rail Station Modal Application: Regional Surface Transportation Improvements Project Total: $4,020,000 Grant Amount Requested: $3,216,000 Local Match Obligation: $804,000 Local Match Source: Prop C Local Return; possibly Transportation Impact Fee revenues for bike portion Proposed Funding Year- FY 2017 -18 Project Description: This project would design and construct the intersection of Stewart, Nebraska and Olympic to include a widened crosswalk for pedestrians and cyclists with clear driver visibility, and a signalized pedestrian crossing from the 3 east platform exit from the Expo Station across Olympic Blvd. It would also construct protected bike lanes in both directions on Stewart from Olympic Blvd. to Colorado Avenue to connect to the regional bike path and the Expo Station. 2. 17th Street Improvements for Pedestrian Access and Liqhtin Modal Application: Pedestrian Improvements Project Total: $2,200,000 Grant Amount Requested: $1,760,000 Local Match Obligation: $440,000 Local Match Source: Prop C Local Return Proposed Funding Year FY 2016 -17 Project Description: This project would install pedestrian lighting on the west side of 17th St. between Wilshire Boulevard and Pico Boulevard (except on the 1 -10 bridge) and up to 18 curb extensions at nine intersections for access and safety. 3. Santa Monica Localized Travel Assistance Modal Application: Transportation Demand Management Project Total: $450,000 Grant Amount Requested: $360,000 Local Match Obligation: $90,000 Local Match Source: Prop C Local Return Proposed Funding Year FY 2016 -17 Project Description: This project would fund targeted multi -modal travel planning assistance and incentives designed to reduce the need for single occupant vehicle (SOV) travel to and from Santa Monica. Trained travel advisors would provide in- person travel planning support at the Expo stations during peak periods and provide trial subsidies 4 through targeted outreach events for groups that are currently not regulated by the City's trip reduction ordinance (i.e. residents, seniors, tourists, and shoppers). Travel advisors would be trained on the myriad of new transportation options available in Santa Monica, including the growing variety of first and last mile connections, and would utilize the City's grant- funded web platforms, wayfinding, and kiosks that will be available to support multi -modal trip planning. 4. Beach Bike Path Connection to Santa Monica Pier Modal Application: Bicycle Improvements Project Total: $1,100,000 Grant Amount Requested: $880,000 Local Match Obligation: $220,000 Local Match Source: Prop C Local Return; possibly Transportation Impact Fee revenues for bike portion Proposed Funding Year.- FY 2020 -21 Project Description: This project would fund design and construction of a Beach Bike Path connection to the Santa Monica Pier. This would allow for continuity of bicycle traffic from the beach to Colorado and Ocean Avenues and would improve regional bicycle access to the Downtown Expo Station. Connectivity between the Beach Bike Path and the Downtown station is currently disjointed. 5. Bus Replacement Modal Application: Transit Capital Project Total: $13,678,575 Grant Amount Requested: $10,806,074 5 Local Match Obligation: $2,872,501 Local Match Source: Prop 1B Capital Proposed Funding Year: FY 2016 -17 Project Description: This project would replace twenty -five (25) 40 -foot LNG buses, purchased in 2004 and expected to exceed their useful life in 2016 with new CNG buses. Staff has recommended that an additional $136,786 of Big Blue Bus's Prop 1B capital funds be added to the required $2,735,715 cash match, for a total match of $2,872,501. This overmatch will score more award points during MTA's evaluation process and offer a more competitive application. Financial Impacts & Budget Actions There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the recommended action. For those applications that are awarded funding by MTA, budget changes for the awarded grant and required local match amounts will be included in subsequent years' budgets, contingent on Council budget adoption. Revenue budgets will be included in subsequent years' operating budgets. Prepared by: Sarah Johnson, Principal Administrative Analyst Approved: Forwarded to Council: Martin Pastucha Rod Gould Director of Public Works City Manager Attachments: Resolution Reference: Resolution No. 10853 (CCS)