City Council
MEETING DATE: 7/13/2016
TITLE:
Title
Authorization to submit Caltrans Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Cycle 8 funding applications
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FROM:
John A. Corella, P.E. - City Engineer
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
City Staff is requesting the that the City Council authorize the submittal of Caltrans Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding application(s) for various roadway safety improvement projects and authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into a service contract provider agreement with Albert A. Webb and Associates to provide engineering assistance and complete the application(s) for the Caltrans HSIP Cycle 8 Call for Projects funding program.
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BACKGROUND:
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Division of Local Assistance announced the Cycle 8 Call for Projects for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) in May 2016. This Call for Projects is targeted for approximately $150 million of federal HSIP funds based on the estimated programming capacity in the Federal Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (FSTIP).
The HSIP is one of the core federal-aid programs in the new federal surface transportation act, Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST), which was signed into law on December 4, 2015. The purpose of the HSIP program is to achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads, including non-State owned public roads and roads on tribal land.
An eligible applicant for HSIP funds is an agency that assumes responsibility and accountability for the use and expenditure of federal-aid highway funds, the applicant must be a city, a county or a tribal government federally recognized within the State of California.
HSIP funds are eligible for work on any public roadway or publically owned bicycle or pedestrian pathway or trail, or on tribal lands for general use of tribal members, that improves the safety for its users. Within FAST, there are twenty eight project categories identified as eligible. No funding priority is assigned to the list.
It is the intent of the HSIP program that federal funds be expended on safety projects that can be designed and constructed expeditiously. For a project to be eligible for HSIP funding, a specific safety problem must be identified and the proposed countermeasure(s) must substantially address the conditions.
The maximum federal HSIP reimbursement amount for a single HSIP project is $10 million. The minimum federal HSIP reimbursement amount for any single HSIP project is $100,000. Generally the maximum federal reimbursement ratio for an HSIP project is 90%. This ratio can be 100% if all countermeasures of the project are eligible for 100% federal reimbursement per the Local Roadway Safety Manual.
Applications for the HSIP Cycle 8 Call for Projects are due August 12, 2016.
DISCUSSION:
With regard to the HSIP Cycle 8 Call for Projects City Staff has identified locations within the City that roadway safety for motorist, bicyclist and pedestrians can be improved with the assistance of outside funding. Some of the potential projects are, related to new and existing traffic signals, pedestrian crossing and bicycle lanes.
In order to submit a project for potential Cycle 8 funding, various benefit/cost ratio calculations for each project need to be completed prior to its submittal. These calculations are necessary to allow the project to achieve a higher score, and thus a better chance to qualify for funding. These benefit calculation formulas are intricate with special attention given to past accident histories, fatalities assessments, overall facility geometrics and effectiveness of proposed countermeasures.
The submittal process for the HSIP Cycle 8 Call for Project is getting more and more sophisticated and stretches the resources of the City's Engineering Staff, especially with the short time window Caltrans is giving in which to propose, evaluate and fill out the applications (with attachments) for each project. In order to meet Caltrans's deadlines, Staff has solicited a proposal from Albert A. Webb and Associates (Webb) to assist Staff and make the City's HSIP Cycle 8 application at a not to exceed cost of $9,900.
Webb has a proven track record with over $5 million in successful projects valuation on the past Caltrans Cycle's Calls for Projects. Webb's expertise and in house developed computer models, will give the City the best opportunity for success in its applications.
The proposed cost will include Webb guiding the initial evaluation of projects, compiling the necessary data on each and calculating the benefit/cost ratios. When all the information is collected, Webb will assist the City on the submittal of the formal project application(s).
City Staff is requesting the that the City Council authorize the submittal of Caltrans Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding application(s) for various roadway safety improvement projects and authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into a service contract provider agreement with Albert A. Webb and Associates to provide engineering assistance and complete the application(s) for the Caltrans HSIP Cycle 8 Call for Projects funding program.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The services will be funded from the 2016 - 2017 Engineering Department Professional Services budget 100-156-8601.
ATTACHMENTS:
Albert A. Webb and Associates Proposal