Title
Authorization to Apply for Transportation Grants: Highway Safety Improvement Program (Cycle 13) and the California Transportation Commission’s Local Partnership Program
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FileID
File ID: 2026-01755
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Location
Location: Districts 2, and 4
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution: 1) authorizing the City Manager or designee to submit an application for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Grant (Cycle 13) for mini-roundabout improvements at the intersection of Alhambra Boulevard and W Street; 2) authorizing the City Manager or designee to submit an application to the California Transportation Commission’s Local Partnership Program (LPP) for the Marysville Boulevard Vision Zero Safety Project (T15216300); 3) authorizing the City Manager designee to execute the grant agreements and any related grant documents upon award.
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Contact
Contact: Jesse Gothan, Supervising Engineer, (916) 808-6987, jgothan@cityofsacramento.org; Ofelia Avalos, Engineering Services Manager, (916) 808-5054, oavalos@cityofsacramento.org; Department of Public Works
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Presenter
Presenter: None
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Attachments
Attachments:
1- Description/Analysis
2- Resolution
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Additional Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: Two transportation grant programs have issued a Call for Projects. First, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced the Cycle 13 Call for Projects for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), which funds projects to address demonstrated safety issues on public streets. Caltrans has announced that $370 million is available for safety projects and the application due date is November 2, 2026. Staff completed an intersection feasibility study which identified intersections where mini roundabouts would be an effective corrective measure. According to the Caltrans Roadway Safety Manual, mini roundabouts are shown to reduce the severity of both injury and non-injury crashes.
Second, on August 20, 2026, the California Transportation Commission approved the guidelines for the Local Partnership Program and issued a Call for Projects. The application nominations are due November 18, 2026, and require a one-to-one match. The 2026 Local Partnership Competitive Program will provide a total of $151,298,000 statewide in funding capacity for two years of funding in Fiscal Years 2027-2028 and 2028-29. Jurisdictions with an established transportation development impact fee are eligible to apply. The Marysville Boulevard Vision Zero Safety Project (T15216300) has federal and state funds programmed for construction that are eligible to fulfill the one-to-one match requirement for the LPP. Staff recommends applying to the LPP for Marysville Boulevard Vision Zero to fund the construction shortfall and reduce the amount of local funding needed to construct the project.
Project details for the applications are described in the Background section.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: The submission of the projects is consistent with the City’s General Plan goals of promoting safety and enhancing livability, sustainability, and economic vitality.
Funding for these improvements will advance the Vision Zero policy. On January 19, 2017, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2017-0032 adopting the following Vision Zero goal: the City of Sacramento will work collaboratively in a data driven effort to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
These projects also advance adopted transportation funding criteria. On March 15, 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-0079 adopting Transportation Prioritization Criteria, Metrics and Points for Transportation Investments and Funding Opportunities that include Improving Air Quality and Health: Providing Equitable Investment; Providing Access to Destinations; Improving Transportation Safety; and Fixing and Maintaining the System.
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: None.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): Submission of grant applications is not subject to the provisions of CEQA. Under CEQA general rule 15061-B-3, CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. These actions will have no effect on the environment and are therefore not subject to CEQA review. Any projects funded with the subject grant will undergo appropriate environmental review.
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Sustainability
Sustainability: The projects are consistent with City sustainability goals by focusing on improving and optimizing transportation infrastructure and supporting walking and cycling by implementing safety improvements.
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Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: None.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: With limited available sources of local funding to meet the City’s goals to advance transportation safety, grant funding is essential to deliver projects. The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), codified as Section 148 of Title 23, United States Code (23 U.S.C. §148) is one of the core federal-aid programs. 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.
The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, (Senate Bill [SB] 1, Beall, Chapter 5, Statutes of 2017) created the Local Partnership Program and continuously appropriates funding each fiscal year to the Program from the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account. The California Transportation Commission (Commission) allocates these funds to local or regional transportation agencies that have sought and received voter approval of taxes or that have imposed fees, which taxes or fees are dedicated solely for transportation improvements.
City staff recommend the proposed projects described in the background of this report that meet the grant program criteria, advance City policy documents, leverage local funds, and demonstrate project delivery readiness.
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: Federal and State funding is essential for delivery of transportation projects and significantly leverages the City’s available local transportation.
The estimated total cost of the proposed mini-roundabout HSIP project is approximately $2,000,000. The estimated local funds needed to cover match and other ineligible costs for grant funding is $500,000.
The total construction cost of the Marysville Boulevard Vision Safety Project is estimated at $17 million, with a $6 million shortfall. $11 million is currently programmed through other state and federal grants and is eligible to match the LPP request of $6 million and significantly reduce the amount of local funding needed to construct the project.
Securing these funds will reduce the need to contribute local transportation funds and help to address cost escalations and increase capacity to apply for other grants. The total cost and required local funds may vary in the final applications depending on the final scope of individual projects. If the requested grants are awarded, local funding will need to be provided through local transportation funds. Funding may be allocated from the Vision Zero Program (S15184100), the Transportation Corridor Program Corridor Program (R15200000) and the State and Federal Grant Match Project (T15007200).
If successful, staff will return to City Council to establish the Capital Improvement Project if necessary, appropriate funding, and transfer the required local funds.
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LocalBusinessEnterprise
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
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Background
Background: Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP): The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced Cycle 13 Call for Projects for HSIP funds. The guidelines for the HSIP grant require that funds be expended on safety projects that provide a corrective measure that can be designed and constructed expeditiously. For a project to be eligible for HSIP funding, a specific data demonstrated safety problem must be identified, and the proposed countermeasure(s) must substantially address the condition. Additionally, to meet delivery timelines the projects should not require the acquisition of significant rights of way, nor should they require extensive environmental review and mitigation.
In 2025 City staff were asked to evaluate existing intersections that would benefit from a mini roundabout as a corrective measure to improve safety. Mini roundabouts are optimal for intersections where space is limited, offering benefits such as compact size, improved operational efficiency, enhanced traffic safety, and calming effects by reducing both the number and severity of crashes. Characterized by a small, inscribed circle diameter (45-100 ft) with traversable islands, these roundabouts provide most advantages of standard roundabouts but with a smaller footprint, requiring minimal additional pavement and often preserving existing curbs or sidewalks-thus rarely needing right-of-way acquisition. They function similarly to single-lane roundabouts regarding traffic processing and signage, and are designed to be pedestrian and bicyclist-friendly by ensuring low vehicle speeds on approaches.
When determining the feasibility for a mini roundabout, several factors were considered: closely spaced adjacent intersections that may pose operational concerns, multilane approaches or complex intersection geometries, the removal or significant modification of existing traffic islands, removal of existing signal equipment, private property access challenges, sight distance challenges, the need for railroad coordination (which can preclude installation), and potential utility conflicts. City staff reviewed over 20 potential intersection locations and identified the intersection of Alhambra Boulevard and W Street as best meeting the grant program criteria for a mini roundabout corrective measure and is feasible to construct.
Local Partnership Program: The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (Senate Bill 1) created the Local Partnership Program and continuously appropriates funding annually from the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account to local and regional transportation agencies that have sought and received voter approval of taxes or that have imposed fees, which taxes or fees are dedicated solely for transportation improvements. Of this total, 60% is allocated by formula to transportation sales tax agencies and toll agencies and 40% is allocated to eligible agencies through a statewide competitive program.
The Marysville Blvd Vision Zero Project is dedicated to improving safety and advancing equity, aiming to enhance mobility options for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users. The project covers the section of Marysville Boulevard between Interstate 80 and Arcade Boulevard. As one of the City’s Vision Zero Top 5 projects, it was chosen based on the 2018 Vision Zero Action Plan, which identifies improvements for the five corridors in Sacramento with the highest rates of severe injuries and fatalities. Key components of the project include a lane reduction, the installation of new traffic signals designed to provide a slow green wave, separated bikeways, and enhanced marked crosswalks. Additionally, the project supports transit by adding and improving crossings at transit stops, further increasing accessibility and safety for all users. The Marysville Boulevard Vision Zero Safety Project (T15216300) is located on Marysville Boulevard between Arcade Boulevard and North Avenue. The project’s limits were identified in the Vision Zero Top 5 Corridors Plan as one of the top 5 corridors in the City with the highest number of fatal and serious crashes. Improvements identified for the Marysville Boulevard corridor include a road diet, bicycle lane gap closures, upgrading existing bike lanes to protected bike lanes, sidewalk improvements, pavement repair, upgrading existing unsignalized intersections to controlled crossings, modifying existing traffic signals, a new pedestrian signal, and signing and striping. The LPP Competitive Program requires a one-to-one match but allows certain state and federal sources to serve as match. The Marysville Blvd Vision project has programmed STIP funding and federal community directed funding for construction which is available to match the LPP funds. Staff recommend applying for the LPP Competitive funding to reduce the need for local funding and to complement the grant funds currently programmed.End