Report Prepared by: Ken Elwin, Public Works Director, Public Works Department
Title
SUBJECT: Ratification of Grant Application for Three Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program Projects for a Total Amount of $1,661,529.27
REPORT IN BRIEF
Ratify grant application for three (3) Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) projects at various locations within the City limits of Merced for a total amount of $1,661,529.27.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion ratifying the grant application for three Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) projects grants at various locations within the City.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended by staff;
2. Deny; or,
3. Continue to a future meeting (date and time to be specified in the motion).
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200 et seq.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Not applicable.
DISCUSSION
The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) is a federal transportation program with the primary goal of improving air quality and reducing congestion that is administered locally by Merced County Association of Governments (MCAG). CMAQ provides funding for transportation projects or programs that will contribute to attainment or maintenance of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone, carbon dioxide, and particulate matter (PM) of both PM10 (coarse particles) and PM2.5 (fine particles). Since the Merced County Region has been designated as nonattainment for ozone and PM2.5, and attainment for PM10, MCAG received approximately $3 million dollars of apportioned CMAQ funding. The federal funding that has been apportioned to MCAG and must be utilized for projects that are transportation related. Per the California Air Resources Board, the projects must generate an emission reduction and cost-effectiveness calculation. Projects that are eligible for CMAQ include:
1. Transit Capital/Improvements/Management systems;
2. Ridesharing, carpooling, and vanpooling;
3. Active Transportation (bicycle and/or pedestrian) projects. The project must be for new facilities only. Any repairs, maintenance, or upgrade of existing facilities are not eligible for this grant;
4. Certain traffic flow improvements, i.e. roundabouts, auxiliary lanes, signal synchronizations.
On top of the CMAQ project eligibility, additional consideration will be granted to areas that are considered disadvantaged communities as identified in the CalEPA map (see Attachment 1).
Based on the requirements of the grant and additional considerations for disadvantaged communities, Staff was able to identify three (3) locations that are appropriate for the grant that will either connect gaps in existing sidewalk networks or construct new sidewalks in the locations outlined below:
1. Construction of a 5’ wide sidewalk along 7th Street and 8th Street from Linda Lane to West; Linda Lane from Lopes Avenue to 7th Street for an amount of $497,178 (see Attachment 2),
2. Construction of a 5’ wide sidewalk along South R Street, South S and South T Street from Childs Avenue to Stuart Drive for an amount of $845,243 (see Attachments 3 & 4),
3. Construction of a 5’ side sidewalk in the areas of East Olive Avenue from West Queens Circle to North Parsons Avenue; Parsons Avenue from East Olive Avenue to Hansen Avenue; and East Alexander Avenue from Nottingham Lane to Parsons Avenue for an amount of $534,377 (see Attachment 5).
MCAG set a deadline of December 31, 2018 for grant application submission. Due to the holidays, staff is requesting that the City Council ratify the application as submitted for the three projects previously identified. If the projects are awarded, staff will return to the City Council to accept grant funding, establish the associated Capital Improvement Projects and allocate the necessary matching funds.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
The total estimated cost of all three projects is $1,876,798. The CMAQ grant will provide 88.53%, or $1,661,529.27, of all the funding needs for the three projects. Should grant funds be awarded and accepted by the City Council, staff recommend Measure V funding be allocated to cover the remaining 11.47%, or $215,268.73, of the total project cost.
ATTACHMENTS
1. CalEPA Disadvantaged Communities Map
2. Vicinity Map - 7th St & 8th St.
3. Vicinity Map - “R” St, “S” St., “T” St & Stuart Dr
4. Vicinity Map - Olive Av, W. Queens Cir to N. Parsons Av.