COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Parks

DATE:

March 10, 2010

BOARD MEETING DATE:

March 23, 2010

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

David G. Holland, Director, Department of Parks

SUBJECT:

Application for a $165,000 Community-Based Transportation Planning Grant from CALTRANS for Improving Safety and Mobility along Highway 1 on the Unincorporated San Mateo County Midcoast – Phase II

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution approving the submittal of an application by the County of San Mateo to the State of California Department of Transportation’s FY 2009-2010 Caltrans Community–Based Transportation Planning Grant for a grant in the amount of $165,000 and authorizing the Director of the Department of Parks, or designee, to 1) enter into a contract with the State of California Department of Transportation upon receipt of a Community-Based Transportation Planning Grant from that agency; 2) take all necessary steps to secure the grant funds from the State of California Department of Transportation to provide funds for the project; 3) conduct all negotiations, execute and submit all documents, including but not limited to contracts, subcontracts, applications, agreements, extensions, renewals, payment requests, and amendments of funding provided by the Federal Highway Administration and California Department of Transportation, which may be necessary for the completion of the project; and 4) accept, appropriate, expend, and administer the grant funds, if secured, in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the approved grant for the project.

BACKGROUND:

The County of San Mateo produced the Midcoast Action Plan for Parks and Recreation in 2007 (Plan) and completed the Phase I: “Improving Safety and Mobility along Highway 1 on the Unincorporated Midcoast of San Mateo County Project” in February 2010. The County has developed a proposed project, Phase II: “Improving Safety and Mobility along Highway 1 on the Unincorporated Midcoast of San Mateo County Project from Half Moon Bay Airport North to Devil’s Slide (Project),” which will help implement the goals identified in the Plan.

DISCUSSION:

One of the most important factors of any public planning project is its political viability once the plan has been written. The County has already taken steps in recent years to plan for the needed improvements through several public processes, the outcomes of which were the 2007 Plan and the Phase I project. By building on these efforts, this proposed project would leverage resources that will result in future improvements and help create a constituency in support of implementing the plan through the engagement of local policymakers, residents, associations, and staff with key regional and state agencies including State Parks, CCAG, GGNRA, SamTrans, and Caltrans.

The three primary goals of this project are to: a) increase pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle safety along Highway 1, b) increase economic opportunity along the highway corridors by using principles of context-sensitive design, and c) provide transportation options for those that cannot, or choose not to, use cars for short, local trips and commuting to work, and thus reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips. The result of the proposed project is a plan to increase mobility options by increasing and improving connections within the area along Highway 1 from Half Moon Bay Airport north to Devil’s Slide.

The final product will be a 40+ page report that includes an overview of the public process, text, graphics and photographs that clearly illustrate specific conceptual design solutions for the corridor. A draft version will be distributed for review and made available to charrette participants and the community at large. The document will be provided in both electronic and paper formats. The plan for the community will be developed with extensive public input that addresses the core concerns of the stakeholders. The County will partner with the Local Government Commission, a nonprofit organization with extensive technical skills. Walkable Communities’ nationally recognized expert, Dan Burden, will also be a key design team member.

County Counsel has reviewed this item.

Performance Measure(s):

Measure

FY 2009-10
Projected

FY 2009-10
Actual

Number of applications for funding

6

5

The application for a $165,000 Caltrans’ grant for Improving Safety and Mobility along Highway 1 on the Unincorporated San Mateo County Midcoast – Phase II contributes to the County’s 2025 Shared Vision of Collaborative Community as the project will improve pedestrian safety along the Highway 1 corridor, ill engage residents in planning pedestrian corridors and highway improvements toward neighborhood revitalization, enhance public safety, and reduce vehicle dependency through bicycle and walking trails connected to shopping, work and recreation.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The $165,000 grant application requires matching funds in the amount of $22,500, and will include in-kind services of $4,500, which will come from County Parks’ budgeted resources. The remaining $18,000 will come from the Midcoast Development Fee Trust Fund. There is no Net County Cost impact.