TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute all documents necessary to accept and administer $140,000 in additional grant funds from the Office of Traffic Safety to purchase additional vehicle speed feedback signs under the Interagency Pedestrian Bicycle Safety Program; and
Increase appropriations in the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Department of Public Works (PW) by $140,000 for the aforementioned Program. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
In 2005, the Public Works and Police Departments applied for and received funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety to fund a variety of traffic safety-enhancing activities. The two departments were subsequently awarded funding for the Interagency Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program, a joint effort between the departments to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety throughout the City.
As a part of this program, the Department of Public Works was awarded $80,000 for the purchase of up to 12 vehicle speed feedback signs. Vehicle speed feedback signs are devices which serve as a traffic safety educational tool. The feedback sign is intended to increase the awareness of the applicable speed limit on a given street by displaying the actual speed of the vehicle as it passes the sign. The statutory speed limit is posted adjacent to the dynamic readout on the feedback sign displaying the actual speed of the passing vehicle, allowing the driver to compare the actual speed at which he or she is driving to the posted statutory speed. If the speed of the vehicle is exceeding the posted speed limit, the actual speed at which the vehicle is traveling will be displayed to the driver in order to remind the motorist of the need to remain cognizant of the applicable speed limit on the given roadway and to reduce his or her speed accordingly.
The Department of Public Works subsequently applied for and received $140,000 in additional grant funds to purchase up to 20 additional vehicle speed feedback signs, for a total of 32 signs. Thirty of the signs will be deployed at permanent locations and two will be deployed on a temporary rotational basis at various locations throughout the City.
Per the terms in the grant agreement with the Office of Traffic Safety, the vehicle speed feedback signs must be procured and installed by March 31, 2006 and the entire program will be completed by December 31, 2006. The $140,000 of additional grant funds will become available immediately upon the full execution of the amendment to the grant agreement.
This letter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Donna Gwin on February 7, 2006 and David Wodynski, Budget Management Officer, on February 8, 2006.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on February 21, 2006, to procure the driver feedback signs by March 31 , 2006.
FISCAL IMPACT
The additional $140,000 in grant funds for the Interagency Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Program is unbudgeted. Therefore, an appropriation increase is included in the above recommendation. This grant does not require a local match, but the cost of the installation of the equipment by city staff will be absorbed within the operating budget of the Department of Public Works
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
CHRISTINE F. ANDERSEN |
APPROVED: |
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS |
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ANTHONY W. BATTS |
GERALD R. MILLER |
CHIEF OF POLICE |
CITY MANGER |