Title
a. Ratify the submittal of a grant application to the California Department of Transportation for Highway Safety Improvement Project grant funds, to conduct a roadway safety analysis on 258 miles of county roads and based on the findings on this report, replace and upgrade the signage and striping on these roadways;
b. Authorize the Resource Management Agency Director, or his designee, to act as the agent for the County in processing all documentation to secure these funds; and
c. Direct the Resource Management Agency to return to the Board for approval prior to acceptance of any grant award.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Ratify the submittal of a grant application to the California Department of Transportation for Highway Safety Improvement Project grant funds, to conduct a roadway safety analysis on 258 miles of county roads and based on the findings on this report, replace and upgrade the signage and striping on these roadways;
b. Authorize the Resource Management Agency Director, or his designee, to act as the agent for the County in processing all documentation to secure these funds; and
c. Direct the Resource Management Agency to return to the Board for approval prior to acceptance of any grant award.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The current procedure for processing grant applications requires approval and authorization by the Board of Supervisors prior to submittal of a grant application. The ability to act quickly when grant opportunities present themselves is critical to securing grant funds and avoids the potential of losing future grant opportunities. In the process of announcing and making grant application materials available, Grantors often do not provide the time needed to both prepare all of the grant documentation and present a completed grant application through the board report administrative review process. Due to these challenges, the Resource Management Agency requested authorization from the Board of Supervisors for the submittal of a Highway Safety Improvement Project grant application by memo on July 24, 2015. Applications were due on July 31, 2015.
The Highway Safety Improvement Project grant program is administered by Caltrans and provides grant funds for local agencies that can be used to fund roadway safety improvements. The grant selection process evaluates proposed projects based on historic collision data and the anticipated collision reduction factor associated with the proposed improvements.
The Resource Management Agency submitted a Highway Safety Improvement Project grant application requesting $3,222,200 to evaluate the signage and striping on 258 miles of county roads and upgrade the signage to meet the current regulatory standards. This evaluation will also include recommendation for the installation of additional signage and striping. All of this work would be covered by the grant.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None.
FINANCING:
There is no impact to the General Fund or the Road Fund. All costs associated with the proposed project would be covered by the grant. Normally, the HSIP program includes a 10% match requirement but for this cycle Caltrans is contributing toll credits to the program to cover the match cost for projects recommending the improvements that are included in this application.
Prepared by: Ryan D. Chapman, Traffic Engineer, (831) 796-3009
Approved by: Robert K. Murdoch, P.E. Director of Public Works
Carl P. Holm, AICP, Acting RMA Director
Attachments: Memorandum dated July 24, 2015; HSIP Grant Application (attachments on file with the Clerk of the Board)