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 2011 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 local capital improvement projects. Generally, Metro sponsors this competitive grant process every two years, and the last Call for Projects was in 2009.
The 2011 Call for Projects allocates discretionary funding for FY15 and FY16 to local projects in several categories, including: Goods Movement, Regional Surface Transportation Improvements, Signal Synchronization and Bus Speed Improvements, Transportation Demand Management, Bikeway Improvements, Pedestrian Improvements, Transit Capital and Transportation Enhancement Activities. The project categories apply to new construction only, and are not eligible for maintenance activities.
Within each category, Metro will rank project applications using several criteria, with an emphasis on regional significance and mobility improvement. Metro has also specified that all applicants meet certain requirements, including:
Applicants must fund a minimum of 20 percent of the total project costs for each project, referred to as local match. The local match proposed for the City’s project applications are non-general fund dollars that are restricted in use by eligibility requirements, such as Transportation funds and Redevelopment funds.
A Project Study Report (PSR) or Equivalent (PSRE) is required f...
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