TITLE
Recommendation to approve submittal of the recommended list of grant applications to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro); and
Authorize City Manager to administer and execute all necessary documents to accept and expend all Metro 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 2013 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 in the county. Generally, Metro sponsors this competitive grant process every two years, and the last Call for Projects was in 2011.
The 2013 Call for Projects will allocate discretionary funding for FY18 and FY19 to local projects in several categories, including: Regional Surface Transportation Improvements (RSTI), Goods Movement Improvements, Signal Synchronization and Bus Speed Improvements, Transit Capital and Transportation Enhancement Activities. The funding available for this Call for Projects cycle is $186.5 million, but may increase as funding for projects awarded in previous cycles is deobligated.
Within each category, Metro will rank project applications using several criteria, with an emphasis on regional significance and mobility improvement. Metro has specified certain requirements, including:
1. Applicants must fund a minimum of 20 percent of the total project costs for each project, referred to as a local match. The match is 35 percent for RSTI projects. The local matches proposed for the City’s project applications are non-General Fund dollars that are restricted in use by eligibility requirements, such as Transportation Funds.
2. A Project Study Report (PSR) or Equivalent (PSRE) is required for all applications. T...
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