Title
Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/2026 Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Applications
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FileID
File ID: 2024-01863
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Location
Location: Citywide
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution 1) approving submittal of the Transit Needs in Sacramento to meet Climate, Equity and Mobility Goals grant application and the Walking, Bicycling, and Transit Access Wayfinding Project grant application to Caltrans FY 2025/26 Sustainable Transportation Planning Program within the Sustainable Communities Grant up to $700,000 for each application; 2) authorizing the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee to submit any related documents necessary to support the grant applications; 3) authorizing the City Manager or City Manager’s designee to execute the grant agreements, amendments, and any related grant documents upon aware of the Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Fund within the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program.
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Contact
Contact: Jennifer Donlon Wyant, Transportation Planning Manager, (916) 808-5913, jdonlonwyant@cityofsacramento.org; David Edrosolan, Transportation Division Manager (916) 808-5974, dedrosolan@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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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: Caltrans has issued a call for projects for the FY2025/26 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program. Applications are due on January 8, 2025. Individual projects have a maximum request of $700,000. The grant program’s objectives are as follows:
• Encourage local and regional multimodal transportation and land use planning that advances sustainability;
• Contribute to the State’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets and other State goals;
• Address the needs of under-resourced communities through robust public engagement; and
• Assist in achieving the Caltrans Mission and Grant program objectives.
City staff reviewed the 2040 General Plan, the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, Transportation Priorities Plan priority projects, the Vision Zero Top 10 corridors, and selected those projects that best meet the goals and purpose of these grant programs, City priorities, and prior experience with this grant program. Staff recommends submittal of the following as the most competitive candidates for funding:
1. Transit Needs in Sacramento to meet Climate, Equity and Mobility Goals
The City’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan calls for reaching 11% of all trips to be made by transit by 2030 to meet the City’s climate goals. The City’s 2040 General Plan supports transit improvements through many policies outlined in the Policy Considerations in this staff report. City policies also support equitable processes and outcomes.
The proposed Plan will present the opportunity to identify existing travel patterns for all modes; geographic areas within the city where existing transit service could be improved; identify which non-transit trips are likely to be converted to transit; and identify what the City and SacRT can do to reach 11% transit mode share.
2. Walking, Bicycling and Transit Access Wayfinding Project
The Climate Action and Adaption Plan has a goal to achieve 6% active transportation mode share by 2030 and 12% by 2045; and to reach 11% transit mode share by 2030. To successfully accomplish that, the City will need educational and encouragement tools. Wayfinding can encourage people to walk, bicycle and take transit by not only directing people to proper routes but also directing people to routes that are lower stress.
The Walking, Bicycling, and Transit Access Wayfinding Project will promote walking and bicycling in Sacramento to neighborhood destinations, transit, retail districts and other key community destinations. Equity will be foundational to this effort and will include pilot wayfinding in up to three Senate Bill (SB) 535 disadvantaged community areas.
Typically, Caltrans funds a maximum of one to two of the City’s applications.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: The submission of the projects is consistent with the City General Plan goals of promoting safety and enhancing livability, sustainability, and economic vitality. The recommendations in this report are in accordance with the following specific policies from the Sacramento 2040 General Plan:
M-1.9 Equitable Processes and Outcomes. The City shall ensure that the transportation system is planned and implemented with an equitable process to achieve equitable outcomes and investments so that all neighborhoods one day will have similar levels of transportation infrastructure such as sidewalks, marked low stress crossings, and bikeways.
M-1.11 Increase Bicycling and Walking. The City shall strive to increase bicycling and walking citywide so that it can meet its equity, reduced vehicle miles traveled, and sustainability goals.
M-1.17 Improve Bicycling Connectivity. The City shall plan and seek funding for a continuous, low-stress bikeway network consisting of bicycling-friendly facilities that connect neighborhoods with destinations and activity centers throughout the city.
M-1.20 High-Frequency Transit Service. The City shall collaborate with the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) to facilitate implementation of high-frequency transit service on a network of interconnected corridors with characteristics that best support high-frequency transit service and those characteristics that meet City goals, managing corridor operations to provide for adequate transit vehicle speed and reliability.
M-1.21 Extension of Transit Service. The City shall coordinate with the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) to plan for the extension of frequent transit service and other related transit improvements that are comfortable, convenient, and interconnected from the Greater Land Park, North Natomas, Pocket/Greenhaven, South Area, and South Natomas Community Plan Areas to areas with concentrated employment. This may include frequent bus service provided by SacRT as an interim solution along routes ultimately planned for light rail service.
M-1.22 Increase Transit Ridership. The City shall support work to increase transit ridership citywide.
M-2.1 Transportation Demand Management (TDM). The City should promote the greater use of Transportation Demand Management strategies by employers and residents to reduce dependence on single-occupancy vehicles with the target that 17 percent of all trips are made by transit and active transportation modes by 2030 and 23 percent of all trips are made by transit and active transportation modes by 2045.
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: None.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The pursuit of grant funds is not subject to the provisions of the CEQA. Under Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Applying for funding is an administrative action which will have no effect on the environment and is therefore not subject to CEQA review. Appropriate CEQA review for individual projects will take place as part of project development.
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Sustainability
Sustainability: The projects are consistent with sustainability goals of promoting walking by developing a universally accessible, safe, convenient, integrated, and well-connected transportation system. Transportation is also responsible for 57% of Sacramento’s local greenhouse gas emissions, the single largest sector. Providing safe, walkable, and bikeable transportation alternatives helps to reduce single-occupant vehicle use and contribute towards Sacramento’s climate change goals.
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Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: The City’s Active Transportation Commission reviewed staff recommendations for these grant programs at its October 17, 2024, meeting and the Commission forwarded a recommendation to City Council to submit the Transit Needs in Sacramento to meet Climate, Equity and Mobility Goals; and the Walking, Bicycling, and Transit Access Wayfinding Project grant applications.
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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 and mobility options, grant funding is essential to deliver projects. The granting agency requires that the City Council authorize the list of projects and that the City Manager or his designee sign the applications. After City staff review, the proposed projects best meet the grant program criteria, City policy and programming documents, and project delivery readiness.
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: Competitive federal and state grants are the primary sources of funding for transportation and sustainability projects in the City. The Caltrans Sustainability Grant program requires a minimum of 11.47 percent match, and other non-eligible items usually increase the minimum required local funding obligation to about 25 percent of the grant request.
If funded, the required local funds will be dedicated from the Active Transportation Program (T15180400), which has adequate funding to support the match requirements for both plans.
If the City is awarded one or more of these grants, staff will return to City Council for necessary budgetary actions.
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LocalBusinessEnterprise
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
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