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Resolution ratifying the submittal of two grant applications to the Caltrans fiscal year 2027-28 Sustainable Communities Competitive Grant Program for Connect4SSF and Safe Routes to School Walk and Roll Maps and Circulation Plans, and committing local matching funds.
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WHEREAS, the State of California Department of Transportation ("Caltrans") has announced the fiscal year (FY) 2027-28 Sustainable Communities Competitive Grant Program to fund transportation planning projects that support the regional Sustainable Communities Strategy and promote multimodal mobility, safety, equity, and greenhouse gas reduction; and
WHEREAS, Caltrans set an application deadline of October 9, 2026, which preceded the next regular City Council meeting, and staff submitted two applications under the program on October 9, 2026: Connect4SSF and Safe Routes to School Walk and Roll Maps and Circulation Plans; and
WHEREAS, Connect4SSF would evaluate improvements to make walking, bicycling, and transit safer and easier along Linden Avenue from Grand Avenue to the southern city limits, along Spruce Avenue from Grand Avenue to El Camino Real, and along Colma Creek from Orange Memorial Park to the Bay Trail, including community engagement, alternatives analysis, concept development, preliminary traffic analysis, planning-level cost estimates, phasing, and implementation strategies; and
WHEREAS, the Safe Routes to School Walk and Roll Maps and Circulation Plans project would develop Walk and Roll Maps and circulation plans for schools in South San Francisco based on an existing conditions analysis and engagement with students, caregivers, and school staff to identify safe, direct routes for walking, bicycling, and rolling to school; and
WHEREAS, each Sustainable Communities Competitive Grant application may request up to Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars ($700,000), and the program requires a local match of at least 11.47 percent of the total project cost; and
WHEREAS, if each application requests the maximum grant amount, the minimum required local match would be approximately Ninety Thousand Six Hundred Ninety-Two Dollars ($90,692) per application, or approximately One Hundred Eighty-One Thousand Three Hundred Eighty-Five Dollars ($181,385) combined; and
WHEREAS, the final grant requests and required local match amounts will be based on the final application budgets, and the City desires to authorize up to One Hundred Eighty-Two Thousand Dollars ($182,000) in Citywide Traffic Impact Fee funds for the required local match; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of South San Francisco that:
1. Ratifies the submittal of an application to the Caltrans FY 2027-28 Sustainable Communities Competitive Grant Program for Connect4SSF.
2. Ratifies the submittal of an application to the Caltrans FY 2027-28 Sustainable Communities Competitive Grant Program for Safe Routes to School Walk and Roll Maps and Circulation Plans.
3. Authorizes a local funding commitment of up to $182,000 from the Citywide Traffic Impact Fee Fund for the required local match for the two applications, subject to final application budgets and applicable requirements governing the use of those funds.
4. Authorizes the City Manager or their designee to execute and submit all documents and take any other necessary actions to complete the grant applications and effectuate the intent of this resolution, subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, if either application is awarded, staff shall return to the City Council for acceptance of the grant and any necessary appropriation of grant and matching funds.