STAFF REPORT

SUBJECT: Caltrans Planning Grants

MEETING DATE: March 21, 2013 AGENDA ITEM: 7F

STAFF CONTACT: Peter Imhof, Scott Spaulding

RECOMMENDATION: 1. Adopt resolutions authorizing submittal of separate applications to Caltrans for

Transportation Planning grants to support the following three projects: (1) a Central Coast origin/destination survey, (2) the North County Transit Systems Plan update, and (3) an Infill Development and Airport Land Use Compatibility Study, and the use of Measure A, TDA and other funds as a local match.

2. Adopt a resolution authorizing SBCAG to participate in a joint application with the Central

Coast Coalition for a Caltrans Transportation Planning Grant to support a Central Coast U.S. 101 corridor freight study.

SUMMARY: Caltrans conducts a competitive transportation planning grant program annually that makes funds available to successful applicants for eligible transportation planning projects and programs. SBCAG typically submits one or more grant applications in an effort to secure external funding for important regional transportation programs and high priority projects. The three grant applications proposed for FY 2013/14 will support planning efforts previously initiated by SBCAG. A Board resolution in support of the application is required or recommended for all grant categories. Staff is preparing applications to seek funding for the three planning projects listed above. Grant applications are due April 2. In addition to the three grant applications described above, SBCAG proposes to participate in a joint grant application with the Central Coast Coalition for funding for a Central Coast 101 corridor study as a follow-up to the recently completed Central Coast Commercial Flows Study to highlight critical Central Coast freight highway and infrastructure needs. The Central Coast Coalition is a coalition of regional transportation planning agencies and metropolitan planning organizations the Central Coast, including Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG), the Council of San Benito County Governments (SBCOG), the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG), the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG), the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC), and the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC). DISCUSSION: The annual Transportation Planning Grant program administered by Caltrans funds coordinated transportation and regional planning projects that encourage community involvement and partnership. There are four, separate grant categories, each with its own local match and eligibility requirements:

Environmental Justice

Community-Based Transportation Planning

Partnership Planning

Transit Planning (subcategories include Statewide/Urban Transit Planning Studies, Rural/Small Urban Transit Planning Studies, and Transit Planning Student Internships)

Projects must support livable/sustainable community concepts with a transportation or mobility objective and promote community identity and quality of life. Grants up to $300,000 are competitively awarded throughout the state, and a local match is required, although for certain categories some of the local match amount can be in-kind service and material costs. For the 2013 cycle, grant applications are due to Caltrans by April 2 and are required or recommended to include a supporting resolution adopted by the submitting agency. Staff is preparing applications to pursue the following three, independent planning efforts.

Central Coast Origin/Destination Survey and Commuter Incentive Assessment Study

U.S. 101 is one of two main north/south freeway corridors in California that connect the Los Angeles basin and the San Francisco Bay Area. In the Central Coast region, U.S. 101 is the only continuous route through Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties, yet very little is known about the wide variety of users of the freeway system. Through implementing a comprehensive origin/destination survey in the Central Coast region, SBCAG will be able to develop valuable data about travel patterns at the northern and southern county line boundaries, including information about travelers into and out of the county and those traveling through to destinations on the Central Coast. An accurate count of traffic originating in adjacent counties by zip code, trips that originate from further destinations but pass through the county, and the mix of vehicles (autos, trucks, buses), is extremely valuable in corridor planning. Determining the nature and demand for these trips would support SBCAG’s efforts to plan and develop interregional transit, passenger rail and carpool services between San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties and would help the U.S. 101 Central Coast Coalition illuminate the importance of U.S. 101 in the state transportation system. The grant application is anticipated to request $250,000 under the Transit Planning category (11.47% local match required), and to increase the competitiveness of the application would include an overmatch of cash from SBCAG, the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, and the Ventura County Transportation Commission. Letters of support from SLOCOG, VCTC, member agencies, advocacy organizations, and regional employers will accompany the application. SLOCOG and VCTC have each committed to contributing $10,000 to complement SBCAG’s contribution of $20,000 in Measure A Interregional Transit/Commuter-Passenger Rail funds. The minimum required local match amount for this grant application is $31,964. The project would also include a Commuter Incentive Assessment Study that would evaluate the effectiveness of existing and planned employer-provided commuter incentive programs. Although the Traffic Solutions Division of SBCAG has been successful in encouraging local employers to implement commuter incentives (cash, reduced transit fares, additional vacation accrual, gift cards, etc.) to reduce single-occupant vehicle trips, a systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of these programs has not been conducted. An assessment study would determine the most favorable conditions for creating and implementing successful programs, and serve as a valuable resource and sales tool for ridesharing agencies across the nation. A resolution supporting the grant application is included as Attachment 1.

North County Transit Systems Plan Update The Board has previously authorized the preparation of the North County Transit Plan update. The goal of the plan is to identify options to improve the delivery of transit services in the north part of the county. This grant application would seek supplemental funding for completion and implementation of the North County Transit Plan update, currently in process, which would investigate and make recommendations concerning options for greater coordination and/or consolidation of the more than 11 different transit services and operations in North County. A consultant hiring process is currently underway. The NCTP update has previously received federal 5311(f) grant funding totaling $85,500, which would cover at most the budgeted amount for consultant time, but will not cover staff time devoted to the plan update, plan adoption or plan implementation. Additional funding will therefore be needed to complete this plan update as well as to implement the recommendations of the updated plan. The grant application would be in the Statewide or Urban Transit Planning Studies category and will request $100,360 in additional funding, based on an estimated total project cost of $113,363 (not including consultant time covered by the 5311(f) grant already awarded). In connection with this plan update, staff also intends to seek additional funding again this year under the federal 5311(f) program. An 11.47% local match of $13,003, which would be from Transportation Development Act funding, is required for this grant category. A

resolut ion support ing the grant applicat ion is included as Attachment 2.

Infill Development and Airport Land Use Compatibility Study This proposal seeks grant funding for a parcel-level study of the inter-relationship between potential infill development areas and airport land use planning constraints in the growing, but constrained Goleta area around Santa Barbara Airport, against the backdrop of both the draft Regional Transportation Plan-Sustainability Communities Strategy and the pending Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) update. These two plans present competing demands of targeted transit-oriented infill growth and public safety constraints, which need further analysis. While a draft of the updated ALUCP has been completed using Caltrans Division of Aeronautics grant funding, the prior grant is not sufficient to cover either the parcel-level study or environmental review. As a result, until additional funding has been obtained, the ALUCP update is at a standstill. The Caltrans Transportation Planning Grant program cannot be used to cover the costs of environmental review. However, if awarded, it can be used toward the parcel-level analysis needed to understand and help resolve potential land use conflicts prior to commencing environmental review. The grant application would seek $87,390 in grant funding in the Community Based Transportation Planning category, based on an estimated project budget of $97,100 and a required 10% local match of $9,710. Santa Barbara Airport staff has indicated their support for this grant application and expressed willingness to contribute the required 10% local match, if the grant is awarded. A resolution supporting the grant application is included as Attachment 3. Central Coast Coalition U.S. 101 Corridor Freight Study In addition to the three grant applications described above, SBCAG is proposing to participate in a joint grant application with the Central Coast Coalition (SBCAG, SLOCOG, AMBAG, TAMC, SCCRTC, and SBCOG) for funding for a Central Coast U.S. 101 freight study as a follow-up to the recently completed Central Coast Commercial Flows Study to highlight critical Central Coast freight highway and infrastructure needs. The grant application would seek $240,000 in grant funding in the Partnership Planning category, based on an estimated project budget of $300,000 and a required 20% local match of $60,000. SBCAG would be responsible for up to $20,000 of the local match requirement from Measure A or Transportation Development Act funds. A resolution supporting the grant application is included as Attachment 4.

Information developed through this study would be used for the Caltrans Freight Mobility Plan, which must be developed under MAP 21 requirements. In addition, the study will be used to support the designation of the U.S. 101 corridor in the Central Coast as part of the National Freight Network. The network must be designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The SBCAG delegation learned in our meetings in DC that reauthorization of MAP 21 is likely to support increased federal investment in freight corridors, so having 101 designated as part of the federal network may help with future funding for improvements like the 101 HOV project. COMMITTEE REVIEW:

SBCAG staff presented these grant applications in concept to the North County and South

County Subregional Committees at their February meetings and received comments.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Resolution of Approval 13-05 Caltrans Grant Application for Hwy 101 User Survey

2. Resolution of Approval 13-06 Caltrans Grant Application for NCTP Update

3. Resolution of Approval 13-07 Caltrans Grant Application for ALUCP Land Use Study

4. Resolution of Approval 13-08 Caltrans Grant Application for Central Coast Coalition U.S.

101 Freight Study