DEPARTMENT: Transportation and Capital Improvements
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Mike Frisbie
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Grant Application for 2014 National Infrastructure Investment / Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretional Grant Program.
SUMMARY:
This ordinance ratifies the submission of a grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), in partnership with VIA Metropolitan Transit, for $3,750,000 to fund the implementation of the City's Strategic Multi-Modal Transportation Plan. This action also authorizes the acceptance of the grant if awarded.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In 2009, the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretional Grant Program was created as part of the Recovery Act of 2009. In 2014, $35 Million was appropriated to the TIGER Program for planning grants which included "planning, preparation, or design of a single surface transportation project, or activities related to regional transportation investment planning."
The grant is being presented to council after the grant submission deadline due to the short announcement of the application. The call for grants applications for the TIGER Grant Program was made on April 3, 2014 and the submission date was set for April 25, 2014.
The TIGER grant provides an extraordinary funding opportunity to build on the City's Strategic Multimodal Transportation Plan. If awarded to the City, the grant will enhance efforts that are currently under way and focus research and analysis to shape the transportation policy and identify capital improvement needs for the future.
The City's submittal for the TIGER grant will focus on implementation of the Strategic Multi-Modal Transportation Plan which is currently being created to articulate the City's transportation strategy, policy, and project prioritization method to accommodate an additional one million people in the City and Bexar County by 2040.
TIGER grant funding will leverage the initial funding investments by the City and MPO for the Strategic Multi-Modal Transportation Plan and allow for detailed corridor implementation plans that focus on specific improvements and will be coordinated with the Department of Planning and Community Development, the Office of Sustainability, and VIA Metropolitan Transit. Agency Partnerships and Environmental Sustainability are two of the award criteria, in addition to Economic Competitiveness, Safety, and Innovation.
The $3,750,000 grant requires a 20% match of $750,000 from the FY 2014 budget. $500,000 will come from the Strategic Multi-Modal Transportation Plan, as part of the FY 2014 Improvements, and $250,000 will come from the Department of Planning and Community Development's Comprehensive Plan budget.
ISSUE:
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) grant application is consistent with City policy to apply for grants to enhance transportation planning by supplementing local funds. This item authorizes the submission of an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), in partnership with VIA Metropolitan Transit, for $3,750,000 to fund the implementation of the City's Strategic Multi-Modal Transportation Plan.
The City's submittal for the TIGER grant will focus on implementation of the Strategic Multi-Modal Transportation Plan which is currently being created to articulate the City's transportation strategy, policy, and project prioritization method to accommodate an additional one million people in the City and Bexar County by 2040.
TIGER grant funding will leverage the initial funding investments by the City and MPO for the Strategic Multi-Modal Transportation Plan and allow for detailed corridor implementation plans that focus on specific improvements and will be coordinated with the Department of Planning and Community Development, the Office of Sustainability, and VIA Metropolitan Transit. Agency Partnerships and Environmental Sustainability are two of the award criteria, in addition to Economic Competitiveness, Safety, and Innovation.
ALTERNATIVES:
Non-submission of the grant application will require other funds be identified in order for the program to continue "planning, preparation, or design of a single surface transportation project, or activities related to regional transportation investment planning."
FISCAL IMPACT:
The $3,750,000 grant requires a 20% match of $750,000 from the FY 2014 budget. $500,000 will come from the Strategic Multi-Modal Transportation Plan, as part of the FY 2014 Improvements, and $250,000 will come from the Department of Planning and Community Development's Comprehensive Plan budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval for this ordinance authorizing the ratification of the submission of an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), in partnership with VIA Metropolitan Transit, for $3,750,000 to fund the implementation of the City's Strategic Multi-Modal Transportation Plan.