The call for projects for ATP was released on May 16, 2018, for Cycle 4 funding with applications due on July 31, 2018. The ATP program represents a consolidation of programs including Safe Route 2 School, Bicycle Transportation Account, Transportation Alternatives Program, and several other programs. This cycle is expected to include approximately $438M in ATP funding, which comprises Federal, State Senate Bill 1, and State Highway Account funding.
Cycle 1 of this program was highly competitive with 771 applications submitted statewide with less than 20% awarded funding. The County was awarded $800,000 in Cycle 1 funds. Cycle 2 was competitive with over 600 applications. Approximately 20% of the applications in Cycle 2 were awarded funding with the County receiving $4,700,000 in Cycle 2 funds. Cycle 3 had 447 submitted applications with the County receiving $3,917,000 in Cycle 3 funds.
The competitive rating criteria for the ATP program emphasizes the following goals:
- Increase proportion of trips accomplished through walking and biking;
- Increase safety and mobility for non-motorized users;
- Advance active transportation efforts to achieve green-house gas reduction goals as established pursuant to Senate Bill 375 (Chapter 728, Statutes of 2008) and Senate Bill 391 (Chapter 585, Statutes of 2009);
- Enhance public health, including reduction of childhood obesity through the use of programs including, but not limited to, project eligible for Safe Routes to School Program funding;
- Ensure that disadvantage communities fully share in the benefits of the program; and
- Provide a broad spectrum of projects to benefit many types of active transportation users.
Competitive projects must also demonstrate the ability to deliver the project within the required time constraints and must provide the California Conservation Corps with an opportunity to partner on the project during the construction phase.
RECOMMENDED CANDIDATE PROJECTS:
Staff recommends the following candidate projects be submitted for ATP funding consideration. These projects are recommended based upon their competitiveness, project readiness, available funding source to provide the local match, and staff availability to complete each application. A description of each project is included below.
Appian Way Complete Streets – El Sobrante
Staff has worked with the El Sobrante community and City of Pinole staff on planning studies for Appian Way over the past six years. Staff has developed the complete streets concept for Appian Way that was first identified in a study conducted by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) in collaboration with the County and the City of Pinole. This study was approved by the Board in December 2013, which included adoption of the Complete Streets Alternative as the preferred alternative. This planning study was an initial step towards implementation of the El Sobrante General Plan Amendment. Preliminary layouts have been prepared to identify the scope and location of proposed bicycle and pedestrian improvements on Appian Way. The plans were presented at two public workshops and to the El Sobrante Municipal Advisory Council. During the most recent workshop, community members identified a priority for improvements at the intersection of Appian Way at Valley View Road as well as the segment of Appian Way from Valley View Road to San Pablo Dam Road.
The planning efforts have included the full extent of Appian Way from San Pablo Dam Road to the City of Pinole; however, this grant application is focused on improvements at the Appian Way and Valley View Road intersection to remain competitive with other grant applications. The project includes installation of a roundabout at the intersection of Appian Way and Valley View Road, which includes pedestrian crossings with refuge islands, sidewalks, and striping for bicycle lanes. Improvements at this intersection were determined to be the highest priority identified by the community. This project is located adjacent to a Priority Development Area. Staff will continue to work with the El Sobrante Municipal Advisory Council in moving these efforts forward.
Bailey Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements – Bay Point
The goal of the Bailey Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Project is to improve the pedestrian and bicycle environment along Bailey Road in Bay Point in accordance with the 2010 Bailey Road Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvement Plan (Plan). The Plan provides design concepts that fulfill the community’s desire for Bailey Road to be safer and more walkable, bikeable, and transit-oriented. The Plan is the result of numerous meetings and community discussions. Various stakeholders were involved with the creation of the Plan, including the Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council, Contra Costa County, City of Pittsburg, Caltrans, East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD), Tri-Delta Transit, BART, and other concerned individuals.
This project proposes to narrow the four travel lanes and median to accommodate Class II bicycle lanes and expanded sidewalks with a buffer zone for enhanced pedestrian safety. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant curb ramps, expanded sidewalks, crosswalk enhancements, and Class II bicycle lanes will improve accessibility for all modes of active transportation.
This project is preceded by three complementary projects. The completed Delta-De Anza Trail Gap Closure/Crossing Signalization project installed signalized improvements at the Bailey Road crossing to provide a safer crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists. The pending Bay Point Utility Undergrounding project will begin in 2018 which will include relocation of utilities and removes joint poles that are barriers to mobility. The State Route 4 and Bailey Road Interchange project, located immediately south of this project and funded through a previous ATP cycle, will begin construction in 2019 and will install ADA pedestrian access, Class II bicycle lanes, and remove an off ramp to reduce conflict points for bicyclists or pedestrians.
Market Avenue Complete Streets – North Richmond
The Market Avenue Complete Streets project is located along Market Avenue between Fred Jackson Way and 7th Street. Market Avenue is a minor arterial commonly utilized to travel between residences, community facilities, Verde Elementary school, and the neighboring City of San Pablo. The existing condition of Market Avenue includes wide travel lanes, substandard sidewalk conditions, and substandard curb ramps. The overall purpose of the project is to increase accessibility and support safer routes for users of active transportation.
The proposed project includes construction of ADA-compliant curb ramps, bulb-outs, sidewalk widening, and possible restriping of the roadway to narrow travel lanes for the installation of Class II bicycle lanes. The ADA-compliant curb ramps and sidewalk widening will improve accessibility for people with disabilities. The bulb-outs will reduce the crosswalk travel distance at the intersection of Market Avenue and Giaramita Street, where students typically cross on their commute to Verde Elementary School. The addition of bicycle lanes is intended to improve the safety of bicyclists and encourage the use of active transportation.
The improvements to Market Avenue will connect to nearby similar improvement projects. Wider sidewalks and buffered Class II bicycle lanes are planned for Fred Jackson Way between Grove Avenue and Pittsburg Avenue. Wider sidewalks have already been constructed on both sides of Giaramita Street, from Market Avenue to Verde Elementary School and on Market Avenue, from 7th Street to 300 feet past Soto Street. The Market Avenue Complete Streets project will connect to these adjacent improvement projects to establish a multi-modal corridor for the local community. This project is anticipated to be competitive for funding due to the location within a Community of Concern and a Priority Development Area.
San Miguel Drive Complete Streets – Walnut Creek
Over the past several years, County staff has been working with residents in the South Walnut Creek area in response to their request for a safe place to walk. The San Miguel Drive Complete Streets Project is a partner application with the City of Walnut Creek to construct pedestrian and bicycle improvements on San Miguel Drive to connect residents in the unincorporated area to Walnut Creek’s Broadway Plaza, Las Lomas High School, Murwood Elementary School, transit, Iron Horse Trail, and healthcare offices. This project is not located within a disadvantaged community but scores well in all other aspects related to the potential mode shift from vehicles to active modes. The project also is competitive with respect to a high level of community participation. The City of Walnut Creek presented the project to their Transportation Commission on May 19, 2016, and received authorization to move forward with the joint grant application.
The project limits extend on San Miguel Drive from Andrea Court, within the City of Walnut Creek, to Adeline Drive, which is within the unincorporated area. Approximately 850 linear feet of the project is within the City of Walnut Creek and 1150 linear feet of the project is within unincorporated Contra Costa County. Local match funds for the unincorporated portion of the project will be provided through the Central County Area of Benefit Fund.
San Pablo Avenue Complete Streets – Rodeo/Crockett
The San Pablo Avenue corridor between Rodeo and Crockett has been recognized in numerous prior planning documents as a key route and targeted for multi-modal improvements. The County’s 2005 General Plan designates this portion of the corridor as a Scenic Route, given its surrounding landscape and views of San Pablo Bay, the Carquinez Strait, and the Briones Hills. The 2009 Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan proposes a Class II bicycle facility on this portion of San Pablo Avenue and noted that this facility is part of the county’s larger bicycle and pedestrian network. The West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee 2014 Action Plan designated the San Pablo Avenue corridor as a Route of Regional Significance, which signifies that multi-modal transportation service objectives must be met.
In 2014, a feasibility study was commissioned by the County through a Priority Development Area planning grant from MTC and CCTA for the this segment of San Pablo Avenue to identify a preferred complete street alternative and set of improvements for the roadway. The study incorporated a series of technical studies, field work, public outreach, and engineering analysis, which provided the basis for the recommended alternative. A shared use path with a road diet was determined as this recommended alternative. On June 5, 2018, the Board of Supervisors approved the feasibility report for the San Pablo Avenue Complete Streets Study and authorized the Public Works Director to seek funding.
The proposed project will provide a shared bicycle and pedestrian path on the northern side of the roadway that will be separated from the travel lanes by a physical barrier. The four travel lanes will be reduced to one travel lane in each direction with center left-turn lanes, dedicated left-turn pockets, and truck climbing lanes provided for much of the corridor. This project will close a 3-mile gap along the Bay Trail, which is a 29-mile connection between Vallejo and Oakland and is longest gap closure of the 14 active projects along the Bay Trail.
Treat Boulevard/I-680 Overcrossing – Walnut Creek (Contra Costa Centre)
County staff and CCTA have been working together over the past three years to conduct community workshops and identify potential infrastructure improvements to serve bicyclists and pedestrians using the Treat Boulevard/I-680 corridor between the Iron Horse Trail, through the Interstate-680 (I-680) over-crossing near the Contra Costa Centre/Pleasant Hill BART station area, and extending westerly to North Main Street in the City of Walnut Creek. The I-680/Treat Boulevard overcrossing is one of the main arteries into the Contra Costa Centre/Pleasant Hill BART station area from areas west of the freeway. On May 1, 2018, the Board of Supervisors approved the Contra Costa Centre I-680/Treat Boulevard Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan and preferred project concept.
The proposed project will provide buffered (where applicable) and unbuffered bicycle lanes, a shared use bicycle and pedestrian path, and geometric modifications to Oak Road/Treat Boulevard intersection and the I-680 off-ramp onto Treat Boulevard, which will improve pedestrian and bicycle crossings.
PROJECTS CONSIDERED:
All of the projects considered were preliminarily assessed by staff using the scoring rubric established by Caltrans. Scoring will be dependent on the project category for which each application pertains— infrastructure projects, non-infrastructure projects, combined infrastructure/non-infrastructure projects, and plans. The scoring topics considered the following:
- Benefit to disadvantaged communities
- Project need within communities
- Reduction of rate of injury
- Demonstration of public participation
- Scope/implementation
- Proper use of context-sensitive infrastructure
- Use and consideration of innovative project elements
- Leveraging of local funds
- Transformative projects
- Evaluation and sustainability
- Cost effectiveness
All of the recommended projects have been developed through planning efforts over the past 4-10 years. The recommended candidate projects listed above were determined to be the most competitive as well as able to meet the project delivery schedule given readiness of the project, available staffing, and ability to provide the local match funds.
The following projects listed below will be further developed and considered for future cycles of ATP or other upcoming grant programs related to active modes of transportation. These projects were determined to not be highly competitive at this time.
Olympic Boulevard Corridor Connection Environmental Study – Walnut Creek/Saranap
The County has been working with the cities of Walnut Creek and Lafayette over past years to develop a trail connection concept plan to join two regional trails: Iron Horse Trail and the Lafayette/Moraga Trail. With the assistance of a consultant, several workshops have been conducted and a formal review process completed. This project is ready to move forward into the environmental studies phase. This planning study was considered as an ATP candidate for this current cycle; however, planning studies through ATP are primarily awarded to projects within disadvantaged communities. Based upon the scoring rubric for planning studies, staff determined that this study would not be competitive. Olympic Corridor environmental studies will be considered for future planning grant programs. In the interim, staff will continue to establish a partnership and action plan with the City of Walnut Creek as bicycle enthusiasts have indicated that the areas of greatest concern within the corridor are located within the City limits.
Marsh Creek Road Bicycle Trail Planning Study – Clayton/Brentwood Areas
The proposed project includes a planning study to determine alignment options, cost estimates, and overall project feasibility to provide a bicycle alternative parallel to Marsh Creek Road between the cities of Brentwood and Clayton. Feasibility studies for this project are currently underway which will help formulate a preferred alignment. These current efforts will make the project ready for future grant funding that can focus on the environmental study phase of the project. Staff will consider these planning and environmental studies for future grant opportunities.
Iron Horse Trail Bike Express – Central County
A feasibility study is currently underway for the Iron Hose Active Transportation Corridor, which will explore opportunities and constraints to further develop active transportation features within the Iron Horse Corridor. The scope of the study will include the entire 18.5 miles of the corridor within Contra Costa County. This study will be developed collaboratively and includes many stakeholders such as cities (Concord, Pleasant Hill, Danville, Walnut Creek, San Ramon), EBRPD, CCTA, utility companies, and advocacy organizations. The study will include an extensive public outreach component, existing conditions analysis, transportation analysis, and alternatives analysis. A consultant has been selected to assist with the study, and the consultant services agreement will be going to the Board of Supervisors on July 10 for approval. Upon completion of this study, the County will be better prepared to submit future grant applications in future cycles for the transportation elements recommended as a result of this study.
Boulevard Way Complete Streets – Walnut Creek/Saranap
County staff has identified Boulevard Way between Mt Diablo Boulevard and Saranap Avenue as a candidate for infrastructure improvements to serve bicyclists and pedestrians. The roadway configuration of this segment is two lanes of travel in each direction with no bicycle infrastructure and a discontinuous pedestrian path along the southern end. Construction of this project would allow active transportation users another alternative to access downtown Walnut Creek in place of Olympic Boulevard. An application was not submitted during this cycle because efforts thus far are preliminary and further scoping and community outreach must be conducted before moving forward.
NEXT STEPS:
If authorized to proceed, staff will submit the recommended projects to the State and MTC for potential funding.
Staff will continue to develop the remaining projects with the intent of becoming more competitive in future cycles. |
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