TITLE
Recommendation to approve submittal of the recommended list of grant applications to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority; and
Authorize City Manager to administer and execute all necessary documents to accept and expend all Metropolitan Transportation Authority grant funds in connection therewith, and to take all other actions necessary to implement the use of such funds. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has initiated the 2007 Transportation Improvement Program Call for Projects. The Call for Projects is the primary mechanism through which discretionary federal, state, and county transportation funds are allocated to local agencies and Caltrans for specific major capital improvement projects. Previously, Metro sponsored this competitive grant process every two years, however, due to State and Federal fiscal constraints, it has not been offered since 2001.
The deadline for submission of applications in the Call for Projects is January 26, 2007.
The Call for Projects allocates discretionary funding for the upcoming five to six years to regionally significant projects in several categories, ranging from freeways to pedestrian improvements. Projects are eligible for funding within the following categories:
Freeways, Regional Surface Transportation Improvements, Signal Synchronization & Bus Speed Improvements, Transportation Demand Management, Bikeway Improvements, Pedestrian Improvements, Transit Capital and Transportation Enhancement Activities.
Within each category, Metro will rank project applications using several criteria, with major emphasis on regional significance and mobility improvement. Metro has also specified that all applicants must:
1. Fund a minimum of 20 percent of the total project costs for each project, referred to as local match. The local match proposed for all of the City's project applications are non-general fund dollars that are restricted in use by eligibility requirements, e.g., Traffic Mitigation Program funds, Proposition C funds, Redevelopment funds and Transportation Development Act funds.
2. Prepare Project Study Reports (PSR) or Equivalent (PSRE) for all applications. This is documentation of project scope and detailed cost breakdown and is typically a minimum 6- to 12- month process.
3. Establish a priority list if submitting more than one application within a category. A number of City departments have identified potential projects and have ranked the projects within each modal category based on an assessment of each project's competitiveness under Metro's selection criteria, including benefit to the transportation system, regional significance and inter-modal integration. Metro retains the prerogative to vary from the priorities of the submitting agency.
The schedule for the 2007 Call for Projects is as follows:
January 26, 2007 Applications due
May 2007 Metro staff completes preliminary project and funding
recommendations
May - June 2007 Public review and appeals of Metro staff rankings
July 2007 Metro Board makes final funding decisions for the Call for
Projects
City departments have developed a list of projects for submission for funding consideration. The projects selected had some completed preliminary work that would satisfy Metro's PSR/PSRE requirements. Most of these projects were submitted in Metro's 2003 Call for Projects which was subsequently canceled due to a shortage of state and federal transportation funding. The projects in the Pedestrian Improvements category were among those submitted in 2003, and were developed in response to a priority list of major corridors citywide that was approved by the City Council in 2001.
Subsequently, staff worked with various businesses and business associations to develop designs to meet the PSRE requirements for these corridors. The projects in the Bicycle Improvements category were developed from the recommended short-term bikeway improvement projects identified within the Bicycle Master Plan. Projects within the Transit Capital category were submitted in the 2003 Call for Projects by Community Development to improve parking and circulation downtown. The Ocean Blvd. project in the Signal Signalization and Bus Speed Improvements category was also submitted in 2003 to improve east-west traffic flow, and the Atlantic Blvd. project was added this year to improve north-south traffic flow in advance of anticipated impacts that will result from future improvements to the 1-710 Freeway. In the Transportation Enhancement Activities (TEA) category, the Atherton project was submitted in 2003 and received a federal earmark in the SAFETEA-LU bill, however rising construction costs require additional funding to complete the project. Parks, Recreation & Marine is expanding Orizaba Park at Orizaba and Spaulding, a neighborhood that is deficient in open space.
This grant would relocate the Red Car Depot from storage and restore it for use as a community center. The local neighborhood desires to honor the heritage of the park and promote a transportation/train theme at the park to honor the PE ROW. This narrowly defined funding category allows for its use for historical transportation restoration projects. The plan to install landscaped medians on Broadway was developed several years ago as a safety measure to calm traffic in that impacted area.
For your information, also attached are projects that other agencies are planning to submit that would benefit Long Beach (Attachment 1).
This letter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Lori A. Conway on January 2, 2007 and Budget Management Officer David Wodynski on December 29, 2006.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on January 16, 2007 to submit grant applications to Metro by the submittal deadline of January 26, 2007.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City will be required to provide a minimum 20 percent match for any project awarded funding. Match amounts for each project indicated on the attachment would be included in future capital budgets subject to funds awarded. The local match proposed for all project applications are non-general fund dollars, and are restricted in use by eligibility requirements, e.g., Redevelopment funds and Transportation funds.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
CHRISTINE F. ANDERSEN
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
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APPROVED: |
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GERALD R. MILLER |
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CITY MANAGER |