Title
a. Approve submittal of a grant funding application for the Davis Road Bridge Replacement and Road Widening Project (Project) to apply for a $21 million grant from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program;
b. Authorize the Director of Public Works, Facilities, & Parks (PWFP), or designee, to act as the agent for the County in processing all documentation to secure these funds; and
c. Direct the County of Monterey PWFP to return to the Board for approval prior to acceptance of any grant award(s).
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve submittal of a grant funding application for the Davis Road Bridge Replacement and Road Widening Project (Project) to apply for a $21 million grant from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program;
b. Authorize the Director of Public Works, Facilities, & Parks (PWFP), or designee, to act as the agent for the County in processing all documentation to secure these funds; and
c. Direct the County of Monterey PWFP to return to the Board for approval prior to acceptance of any grant award(s).
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Grant Program Background
On January 28, 2022, the United States (US) Department of Transportation published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $1.5 billion in grant funding through its Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program. The RAISE discretionary grants were originally created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants and can be used to fund a wide variety of transportation projects with significant local or regional impact. The goal of the program is to help communities both large and small fix and modernize infrastructure. The US Department of Transportation will assess projects for universal design, accessibility, sustainability, and safety.
Project
The County of Monterey, Public Works, Facilities, & Parks (PWFP) staff determined the Davis Road Bridge Replacement and Road Widening Project (Project) meets the RAISE grant program requirements. The Project is located south of the City of Salinas in the heart of the Salinas Valley in the County of Monterey. The Project consists of widening a key regional route in Monterey County that connects the City of Salinas and the Monterey Peninsula, the two (2) largest population centers in the County. The existing transportation network is already stretched to its limits with daily backups. The main bus route which makes this connection (Route 20) is one of the busiest in the regional transit system which carries over 468,000 riders daily. The transportation demand on the roadway network is expected to grow. This Project increases the roadway capacity by prioritizing high-quality transit, bicycling, and walking as alternatives to driving. The two (2) key Project elements include the replacement of the existing two (2)-lane, low-level Davis Road Bridge (State Bridge No. 44C-0068) over the Salinas River with a longer bridge that passes the 100-year flood level and meets the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) requirements. It also includes the widening of Davis Road from two (2) lanes to four (4) lanes for a distance of approximately 2.1 miles between Blanco Road on the north and Reservation Road on the south. The road widening work will include the construction of eight feet (8’) wide bicycle lanes (Class II bikeway) and provide an opportunity for rapid transit service.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Project has been included in transportation plans for the Monterey County’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP), Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) Regional Transportation Plan, Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), and Federal Transportation Plan (FTP). PWFP has submitted a Caltrans Letter of Support Request Intake Form to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Division of Transportation Planning. The County is the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), while Caltrans is the lead agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
FINANCING:
Should a grant application be awarded by the US Department of Transportation, PWFP will use this portion of the funds ($21 million) for the road widening component of the Project as it is currently only partially funded. The total Project cost estimate is $74.5 million. PWFP has secured $46.86 million in funding the Project, mainly through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Bridge Program (HBP). RAISE requires a 20% local match, which will be provided by RSTP (Regional Surface Transportation Program) funds and development impact fees. Staff will also continue to work with TAMC to secure the additional funds (estimated at $9.1 million) programmed in the Regional Development Impact Fee (RDIF) Program for the Project. The availability of these funds are dependent on the programming assumption in TAMC’s Strategic Expenditure Plan for RDIF Program.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
The Project will construct a sustainable, physical infrastructure that improves the quality of life for County residents and visitors. The recommended action supports the following Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Initiatives:
Economic Development
_ Administration
_ Health & Human Services
X Infrastructure
X Public Safety
Prepared by: Maribel Zendejas, Management Analyst II, (831) 755-5304
Enrique Saavedra, PE, Senior Civil Engineer, (831) 755-8970
Reviewed by: Tom Bonigut, PE, Assistant Director of Public Works, Facilities, & Parks
Approved by: Randell Ishii, MS, PE, TE, PTOE, Director of Public Works, Facilities, & Parks