Title
Staff Report for a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) to expand the ACTC Safe Routes to School (SR2S) Program in San Leandro for the 2012-13 School Year and Appropriating $109,714 of Measure B Bicycle and Pedestrian Funds for the Work
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve the resolutions that authorize the City Manager to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) to expand the ACTC Safe Routes to School (SR2S) Program in San Leandro for the 2012-13 school year and appropriating $109,714 of Measure B Bicycle and Pedestrian Funds for the work.
BACKGROUND
The City of San Leandro is a recipient of a Caltrans Safe Routes to School Cycle 3 Non-infrastructure (SRTS-NI) grant for conducting pedestrian and bicycle safety education, encouragement activities, and workshops for 10 elementary schools and 3 middle schools. The program will occur over the 2012-13 school year and the City has hired Safe Moves as consultant to provide this multifaceted educational program. Safe Moves is represented by Pat Hines.
The ACTC Safe Routes to School program began in 2006 and is designed to promote safe walking and biking to school and to reduce traffic congestion in the areas surrounding schools. The program is currently operating in 7 public schools within the city.
Analysis
Having both the Alameda County Transportation Commission Safe Routes to School (ACTC-SR2S) program and the SRTS-NI creates a unique opportunity for a concerted effort to promote biking and walking to school safely in San Leandro. Safe Moves' program includes student workshops, pedestrian/bicyclist safety rodeos, walk and bike club support, parent workshops, family safety rodeos, and traffic skills courses that provide encouragement and support. Some of the tasks overlap the ACTC SR2S program. As such, the objective is to ensure that both programs reinforce, coordinate, and expand on each other rather than overlap, and that both programs run as one well-organized program that is seamless to the students, schools, principals, and school districts.
To provide for a coordinated program and fully take advantage of the SRTS-NI, staff has requested that ACTC expand the ACTC-SR2S to include all 13 schools within San Leandro. Currently the following schools in San Leandro are participating in the ACTC Safe Routes to School Program:
1. Garfield Elementary
2. Roosevelt Elementary
3. Washington Elementary
4. Wilson Elementary
5. McKinley Elementary
6. Dayton Elementary
7. Washington Manor Middle School
The MOU with ACTC will allow expansion of the ACTC-SR2S program to include the following additional schools:
1. James Madison Elementary
2. James Monroe Elementary
3. Jefferson Elementary
4. Corvallis Elementary
5. John Muir Middle School
6. Bancroft Middle School
Staff has come to a preliminary agreement with ACTC so that the ACTC-SR2S will work collaboratively with Safe Moves to implement the bicyclist and pedestrian education program over the next school year. The ACTC-SR2S program will coordinate activities and resources of both programs so that all of the available resources will be used to the fullest extent. The end goal is to see a measurable increase in the number of students using alternative modes to get to school, improvement in traffic safety, and reduction in traffic congestion around the schools.
A draft proposal for this additional scope of work provided by ACTC-SR2S includes a cost of $109,714 to meet program needs. The City will use Measure B Bicycle and Pedestrian funds for the additional work. To increase effectiveness, the program needs to be in place prior to the start of the 2012-13 school year. Therefore, the proposed action will delegate authority to the City Manager to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with ACTC to implement the expansion of the ACTC-SR2S program.
Applicable General Plan Policy
· Policy 14.03-Funding: Aggressively pursue state and federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian improvements, while also including funding for bicycle and pedestrian improvements in the City's Capital Improvement Program
· Policy 14.07-Pedestrian Environment: Strive to achieve a more comfortable environment for pedestrians in all areas of San Leandro, with particular emphasis on the BART station areas, downtown, and major commercial thoroughfares such as East 14th Street
· Action 18.02B-Pedestrian Safety Improvements: Develop programs to improve pedestrian safety at both controlled and uncontrolled intersections throughout the City. Programs that use innovative technology, such as lighted crosswalks and warning countdowns, should be explored
· Policy 18.03-Public Education: Increase public education on laws relating to parking, circulation, speed limits, right-of-way, pedestrian crossings, and other aspects of transportation safety in the City
· Action 18.03A-Safe Routes to School Program: Continue the Safe Routes to School program and other bicycle, pedestrian, and non-motorized transportation safety programs for children and seniors
Fiscal Impact
The total amount required for the expansion of the ACTC-SR2S for the project is $109,714.
Budget Authority
The Finance Department will establish a Measure B Bicycle and Pedestrian account in the amount of $109,714 using available Bicycle and Pedestrian funds.
PREPARED BY: Keith R. Cooke, Principal Engineer, Engineering and Transportation Department