City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve a Non-Infrastructure Safe Routes to
School grant application and authorize the City Manager to submit such an
application by July 15, 2011.
BACKGROUND:
Recently, there was some concern voiced by residents over a proposal to submit an
application for a Safe Routes to School Grant that may have involved reconfiguration
of streets near schools, including conversion of certain streets from bi-direction to
one way. After conducting workshops in the community and hearing additional
views from those persons who were unable to attend the workshops, it was clear
that there are differing viewpoints from area residents on how best an infrastructure
based application should be developed. Because of this community input, the City
will continue outreach in the neighborhoods and will not be submitting an
application for an infrastructure based solution as part of this grant cycle. However,
as an alternative to infrastructure based solutions, staff is proposing to submit an
application for this cycle that does not include street conversions.
Caltrans released a call for projects under Cycle 3 of the federal Safe Routes to
School (SRTS) grant program. Applications are due to Caltrans on July 15, 2011.
The federal SRTS does not require a local funding match from applicants. SRTS
seeks to encourage walking and bicycling to and from school.
The federal SRTS has two types of applications for this cycle:
Meeting Date: 07/11/2011 Item Number: C-5
AGENDA ITEM: Approval of a Non-Infrastructure (Education and Enforcement
Focused) Safe Routes to School Grant Application.
Contact Person/Dept.: Gabe Garcia/PW Phone Number: 310-253-5633
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Agenda and Meetings – City Council (07/07/11)
Department Approval:
Charles D. Herbertson (07/05/11)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (07/07/11)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (07/07/11)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (07/07/11) City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
1) An Infrastructure|1010| application with a project cap of $1M (as mentioned above,
staff is not recommending an application for this type of solution at this time); and
2) A Non-Infrastructure application with a project cap of $500K (which is the
category of funding sought in this proposed application).
DISCUSSION:
The Non-Infrastructure grant application does NOT alter street configurations, traffic
flow, or operations. The fundable categories under the Non-Infrastructure grant
application focus on the “Four E’s”: 1) Education; 2) Enforcement; 3)
Encouragement; and 4) Evaluation. These categories contain “programmatic”
benefits, only.
Generally, the Four E’s fund the following activities:
1. Education programs instruct children and adults about transportation choices
and safe behavior as pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers;
2. Enforcement programs seek to partner with local law enforcement to
complement the Education component and to enforce the laws in order to cause
change in behavior and create a safer environment around the schools and on
common routes to and from school. Additionally, police officers’ time spent in the
field, educating and enforcing at school environments and on common routes to
and from school, may be funded by SRTS under this category;
3. Encouragement programs promote walking and bicycling to and from school by
encouraging students’ participation through prizes, competition, and year-round
marketing; and
|1010| Through the Infrastructure application, cities apply to construct physical
improvements to their sidewalks, roadways, traffic signals, bicycle facilities, and
other physical aspects of the common routes to and from school. Currently
underway is an effort by Public Works/Engineering to obtain community participation
and input that will help to define ideas for potential physical improvements for a
future SRTS Infrastructure grant application. Even though a State Safe Routes to
School call for projects may be released in September of this year, a specific date
for filing an Infrastructure grant application has not been determined, since it is
contingent upon the public input process and its duration. (Unlike the federal
program, the State program requires a 10% matching amount from the City.)
City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
4. Evaluation is the component that monitors the previously-mentioned activities
and documents the programmatic metrics to determine success or the need for
programmatic redirection. Additionally, a Safe Routes to School Coordinator, a
consulting role, may be funded to assist the City and the schools in coordinating
programs and events, both at the local school level and on a district-wide level,
collect data, submit required reports, and encourage/coordinate volunteerism to
support the programs. Staff has considered the potential of having a City staff
member function as the Coordinator. However, based upon a CalTrans
presentation on this grant, CalTrans has said that reimbursement requests for
existing employee’s time would be denied.
The Non-Infrastructure grant funds the Four E’s for a period of four years. If
approved by the City Council, staff will submit a non-infrastructure application in the
amount of approximately $500,000 by the July 15 deadline.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
If the Non-Infrastructure grant is awarded to the City, no fiscal impacts are
anticipated because the federal SRTS does not require a local matching contribution
of funds. However, an unknown soft cost will be incurred in that PW/Engineering
staff will supervise the SRTS program. If funding of a SRTS Coordinator consultant
is approved in the grant application, the impact on PW/Engineering staff will be
decreased.
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1. Approve the Non-Infrastructure Safe Routes to School Grant Application; and,
2. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.