Title
Consider/Discuss/Act on a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Accept a Federal Grant from the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) to develop a comprehensive Safety Action Plan through the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Enhance the Quality of Life in McKinney
(5D: Develop sustainable quality of life improvements within the City of McKinney)
MEETING DATE: December 5, 2023
DEPARTMENT: Development Services / Engineering
CONTACT: Shelley Lang, PE, Assistant Director of Engineering
Gary Graham, PE, PTOE, Director of Engineering
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
• Approval of Resolution authorizing the City Manager to Accept a Federal Grant to develop a comprehensive Safety Action Plan through the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program.
ITEM SUMMARY:
• The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program is in year 2 of a 5-year program that was put in place by the Biden Administration with $5 billion in funds that can be appropriated between fiscal years 2022 and 2026. The goal is to award $1 billion each year. However, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) awarded less than $1 billion in FY 22, so approximately $177 million in additional funding is available for award in FY 23.
• The purpose of the SS4A grant program is to provide funds to help communities improve roadway safety by significantly reducing or eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries through the development of a safety action plan. The action plan will focus on all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, and micromobility users like scooters or electric bikes, and commercial vehicle operators. A qualifying action plan is required to request additional grant funding for implementation projects and strategies identified in the action plan.
• The City of McKinney has been selected to receive this federal grant to develop a comprehensive safety action plan using the SS4A Planning and Demonstration Grant funds. The purpose of the action plan is to prioritize projects and strategies for improving roadway safety for all roadway users in McKinney.
• If acceptance of this grant is approved by City Council, the next step will be for the City and USDOT to establish and execute a signed, mutually agreed upon grant agreement prior to the obligation of award funds.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
• The development of a comprehensive safety action plan will require the city to commit to a plan that includes the following key components:
1. Leadership commitment and goal setting for significantly reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries.
2. A planning structure through a committee or task force to oversee the action plan development, implementation, and monitoring.
3. Safety analysis of existing conditions and historical trends that provides a baseline of crashes involving fatalities or serious injuries within the city.
4. Engagement and collaboration with the residents, private sector and community groups that allows for community representation and feedback.
5. Equity considerations developed through a plan that consistently and fairly considers transportation projects and strategies for all roadway users including the underserved areas within McKinney.
6. Assess current city policies, plans, guidelines and/or standards related to transportation safety, and identify improvements or standards/guidelines that need to be developed to improve how the city prioritizes transportation safety.
7. Identify a comprehensive set of projects and strategies based on data, best available evidence, and noteworthy practices, as well as stakeholder input and equity considerations, that will address safety problems described in the action plan.
8. Measure progress over time of implementing projects and strategies identified in action plan via a dashboard developed for this project and provide annual updates to the safety committee or task force.
• Below is a link to the program for more details.
<https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SS4A>
FINANCIAL SUMMARY:
• The City of McKinney has been selected to receive $300,000 with a 20% local match ($240,000 in federal funds and $60,000 in local funds). Final cost will be determined based on final safety action plan scoping.
• There is a companion agenda item for an amendment to the Capital Improvement Program to provide the funds for the required local match in project ST2463, which will come from the Street Construction Fund Balance.
BOARD OR COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
• N/A