On March 30, 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the SS4A grant program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also referred to as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law” or “BIL”). In the notice, the DOT solicits applications for transportation projects and activities to support planning, infrastructure, behavioral, and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users, including pedestrians; bicyclists; public transportation, personal conveyance, and micromobility users; motorists; and commercial vehicle operators. Applications must be submitted by 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on July 10, 2023.
The DOT has authorized and appropriated $1 billion to be awarded as part of the 2023 SS4A program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The SS4A grant categorizes applications as either (a) Planning and Demonstration Grants or (b) Implementation Grants. Planning and Demonstration Grants are intended to fund the development or enhancement of a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, which the County has already developed in the form of a Vision Zero Action Plan, adopted by the County in March 2022. Public Works is preparing to apply for an Implementation Grant to fund design and construction of projects identified in the Vision Zero Action Plan. The DOT expects to award up to one hundred Implementation Grants nationwide around October 2023.
The federal cost share for the construction of capital projects is 80% with a local match requirement of 20%. The minimum award amount for an Implementation Grant is $2.5 million.
SS4A Implementation Grants must identify safety concerns to be addressed and the projects and strategies the County plans to implement based on the Vision Zero Action Plan. According to the NOFO, successful grant applications will:
(1) Promote safety to prevent death and serious injuries on public roadways;
(2) Employ low-cost, high-impact strategies that can improve safety over a wide geographic area;
(3) Ensure equitable investment in the safety needs of underserved communities, which includes both underserved urban and rural communities;
(4) Incorporate evidence-based projects and strategies and adopt innovative technologies and strategies;
(5) Demonstrate engagement with a variety of public and private stakeholders; and
(6) Align with the DOT’s mission and Strategic Goals, such as safety; climate change and sustainability; equity and justice; and workforce development, job quality, and wealth creation.
The DOT will evaluate applications based on primary selection criteria, or merit criteria, listed in order of importance: (1) safety impact; (2) equity, engagement, and collaboration; and (3) effective practices and strategies. The DOT also evaluates projects in relation to other DOT strategic goals, such as climate and sustainability, economic competitiveness, and workforce.
Recommended Candidate Projects:
Public Works staff recommends submitting a combination of projects from the following list of Vision Zero Tier One projects in a single application. Public Works staff may narrow this project list to achieve higher ratings based on the merit criteria and budgetary constraints as the grant application progresses. All five of the listed projects are focused on enhancing safety for all road users. A summary of each proposed project is provided below:
(1) Byron Hwy from Clifton Ct to the California Aqueduct Crossing (District 3)
This project proposes to widen shoulders and install delineators along Byron Hwy, focusing on the S-curve north of North Bruns Way to address collisions related to divergence from the travel lanes.
(2) Camino Diablo/Vasco Rd Intersection (District 3)
This project intends to install deceleration lanes on Vasco Rd and acceleration lanes on Camino Diablo along with updating signal timing and installing advanced dilemma detection zones to address rear-end collisions.
(3) Danville Blvd from Stone Valley Rd to La Serena Ave (District 2)
This project is a complete streets project that aims to provide pedestrian facilities (sidewalks), crosswalk improvements, and Class II bikeways (bike lanes). The focus of this project is to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.
(4) Marsh Creek Rd from West of Deer Valley Rd to Clayton City Limits (District 3)
This project intends to install speed feedback signs to discourage dangerous speeds along the winding road. In addition, the project proposes law enforcement areas for use by traffic enforcement in addition to motorists during emergency situations. The combined improvements are intended to promote safer driving and prevent collisions related to speeding.
(5) San Pablo Dam Rd/Valley View Rd Intersection (District 1)
This project intends to reconfigure the intersection, focusing on Valley View Rd north of the intersection. Improvements include Class II bikeways (bike lanes), bulb outs, crosswalk improvements, and restriping to provide enhanced safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Next Steps:
If authorized to proceed, staff will prepare the grant application package. If during project research staff discovers a critical constraint that would result in the project being cost prohibitive or will not meet the eligibility requirements of the funding program, staff will hold the application for further study to increase project readiness for the following grant cycle. |