CITY OF WEST SACRAMENTO AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: May 20,2015 ITEM # SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF SUPPORT FOR A FUNDING APPLICATION FROM SACRAMENTO REGIONAL TRANSIT FOR THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT RELOCATION AND EXTENSION PROJECT TO THE I TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT GENERATING ECONOMIC RECOVERY (TIGER VII) DISCRETIONARY I GRANT PROGRAM INITIATED OR REQUESTED BY: REPORT COO~INATED OR PREPARED BY: [ 1 Council [Xl Staff Jason McCoy, enior Planner [ 1 Other I

V , Denix Anbiah, Director of Public Works I I ATTACHMENT [Xl Yes [ ] No [ ] Information [ ] Direction [X] Action i OBJECTIVE The objective of this report is to provide information to enable the City Council to support Sacramento Regional Transit in submitting a grant application for the seventh round of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER VII) program for the Light Rail Transit Relocation and Extension Project.

RECOMMENDED ACTION It is respectfully recommended that the City Council approve Resolution 15-40 in support of the Sacramento Regional Transit (RT) TIGER VII grant application for the Light Rail Transit Relocation and Extension Project

BACKGROUND In 2006, the City of West Sacramento in cooperation with the other sponsor agencies prepared a feasibility study for the implementation of improved transit service. The feasibility study, which included a discussion of technology, alignment, financing opportunities, and operating plans, was summarized in the Phase 1 Summary Report, Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Study. The City Council of West Sacramento adopted the findings of the Phase 1 report on May 9, 2007.

Following the adoption of the Phase 1 report, the City of West Sacramento completed the Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Study project-level Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that evaluated a streetcar line that would connect West Sacramento with the City of Sacramento via Tower Bridge. Subsequent to the adoption of the Final EIR, SACOG conducted additional planning studies and outreach to stakeholders to identify funding options and further refine the alignment. These studies were finalized in 2012 with the completion of the Sacramento Streetcar System Plan and the selection of a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for a Starter Line.

The Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Study EIR presented former West Sacramento policies directed toward improving transportation access in West Sacramento. Specifically, the EIR described policies in the City's General Plan, Triangle Specific Plan Area (1993), Washington Specific Plan (1996), and the 1992 Action Plan for the West Capitol Corridor: Implementation Strategy (updated 2004), that included policies directing coordination with Regional Transit (RT), Yolo County and adjacent private developers to facilitate the extension of Light Rail Transit [LRT] service across Tower Bridge to a new station at 3rd Street to serve the Washington District as well as what is now referred to as the Bridge District. Those policies aimed at facilitating LRT service to Raley Field received support by RT. From the 2008 Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Study EIR:

"RT is currently considering the possibility of extending LRT service to Raley Field on event days using streetcar track on Capitol Mall and the Tower Bridge and, terminating at 3rd Street south of Tower Bridge Gateway." (Sacramento Streetcar TechnicalAdvisory Committee, 2007).

Relocation of LRT transit from K-Street to H-Street was identified in the February 2012 Sacramento Streetcar System Plan:

"Operation of the Starter Line would be improved if LRT traffic on K Street could be shifted north to H Street. The potential for this realignment is shown on Figure 4 and should be discussed further with Regional Transit." 2014 CDSG Application Public Hearing April 2, 2014 Page 2

Planned operations along the streetcar route also includes consideration for the operation of light rail vehicles from Sacramento Valley Station to Raley Field in West Sacramento. Initial service is expected to accommodate special events intended for when the passenger capacity of a single streetcar is expected to be surpassed. AAA minor league baseball games, concerts and other special events will be served, with future regular service potentially scheduled in the future as the Bridge District and Washington District grow.

Design and construction of the infrastructure including track, signaling, overhead catenary system, etc., will meet criteria that supports coordinated streetcar and LRT operations. The streetcar and light rail operations will be controlled and monitored through a single operations control center, and the system will be designed such that the signal system will be "coordinating/controlling" access to segments of the shared track areas to avoid conflicting movements. Because of the coordinated operations control and design of the system, light rail operations will not negatively affect streetcar service and vice versa. Both the relocation of LRT service from K Street to H Street and the extension of LRT service to Raley Field have been identified in the Environmental Assessment/Initial Study and Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Downtown Riverfront Streetcar Project that was recently approved for release by the FTA for public review. The grant will be prepared and submitted by Sacramento Regional Transit with preparation support and partial funding for the match provided by the City of West Sacramento.

ANALYSIS The 2015 seventh round of the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER VII) funding process will be highly competitive. TIGER discretionary grants fund capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure and are awarded on a competitive basis to projects that demonstrate significant regional, economic, and transforrnative benefits. There is $500 million available under the 2015 reauthorization. An application would need to include high-scoring attributes to give the application the best possible chance for success.

The TIGER VII grant funding request submitted by RT includes final design and construction of LRT tracks and associated infrastructure on two segments - In Sacramento, (a) H Street between 12th and 7th Streets on the east side of Sacramento Valley Station (SVS); and (b) new tracks on the west side of SVS to Raley Field in West Sacramento. Segment (a) would relocate existing tracks from K Street and provide more efficient operations, improve access for mobility impaired, and improve Blue Line passenger access to SVS. Segment (b) is a new 1.27 mile connection from SVS across Tower Bridge serving Raley Field, the Bridge District and Washington District in West Sacramento. Total project cost of the project is $54 million (cost of segment B alone is $34 million). City of West Sacramento would contribute a $6.8 million match for the TIGER VII grant, contributing a $5.9 Proposition 1A funds. total TIGER is $41.3 million after local match.

Matching funds for the Light Rail Transit Relocation and Extension project grant are anticipated to come from Fund 109, Measure V Capital Fund. The Measure V capital fund generates approximately $3.7 million in annual sales tax revenue. The projected available funding for the biennial budget is $37.2 million which includes an estimate of $27.0 million in bond proceeds from the capitalization of the sales tax revenue.

It should be noted that over 95% of funding applications received by USDOT are rejected, and many projects have had to submit multiple times to the TIGER program to receive funding. After consultation with the Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Project Management Team including staff from SACOG, RT, YCTD, and the City of Sacramento, it was determined that the opportunity to apply for TIGER funds for this project was worthwhile. RT staff took the lead in developing and submitting a pre-application before the May 4, 2015 pre• application deadline, and will submit the final application prior to the June 5, 2015 final application deadline.

Commission Recommendation The decision by Sacramento Regional Transit to pursue the TIGER VII discretionary grant did not occur in time to present the proposed application to the Transportation, Mobility and Infrastructure Commission. The next meeting of the Commission is July 6, 2015. As the grant application must be submitted by June 5, 2015, coordination with the Transportation, Mobility and Infrastructure Commission must occur following application submittal. 2014 CDBG Application Public Hearing April 2, 2014 Page 3 Strategic Plan Integration Funding of this project is significant to the City's "Riverfront: a Regional Destination" guiding principle and supports the City's mission to provide quality transportation infrastructure and community investment in the Bridge District and Washington District. The grant funding will support policies directed at improving transit access and transportation capacity within West Sacramento, as well as development of the Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar.

Alternatives City Council's primary alternatives are as follows: 1 Approve Resolution No. 15-40 and authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to support Sacramento Regional Transit in the submittal of an application to U.S. Department of Transportation under the TIGER VII Program; or 2. Alternatively, the council could direct staff to not support Sacramento Regional Transit in the submittal of the application. This alternative is not recommended because of the need to identify funding for implementation of the Streetcar recommended relocation of LRT service from K Street to H Street and extension of service to Raley Field and both the Bridge District and Washington District.

Coordination and Review The project is being coordinated with the Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Project Management Team, which includes SACOG, RT, YCTD and the City of Sacramento. Both segments of the project have been evaluated as optional alternative projects in the Environmental Assessment/Initial Study and Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Downtown Riverfront Streetcar Project that was recently approved for release by the FTA for public review. RT staff have also engaged staff of Congresswoman Doris Matsui to inform her office of the proposed project who communicated general support for the application.

Budget/Cost Impact The proposed grant application requires a minimum 20% match in order to be considered. The total cost of the project is $54 million. Support of Resolution 15-40 would require that if the application was successful and the grant was awarded to RT, the City Council would authorize a $6.8 million match from Fund 109 to be used for this project. RT has committed to a $5.9 million match from Proposition 1A funds. The total TIGER funding request is $41.3 million after local match. It is expected that any funding received for this grant where it is applied to the LRT to Raley Field segment would likely overlap with proposed Streetcar rail infrastructure. Therefore, any overlap in funding for the Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar project will reduce West Sacramento's required contribution by an equivalent amount, or may be applied toward the Riverfront alignment of the Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar if permitted by the FTA and USDOT. This project is included in the proposed biennial capital improvement budget that be presented in this council meeting.

ATTACHMENT(S) 1 Resolution 15-40 RESOLUTION 15-40

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST SACRAMENTO SUPPORTING THE SUBMISSION OF A FUNDING APPLICATION TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE SACRAMENTO REGIONAL TRANSIT LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT RELOCATION AND EXTENSION PROJECT TO THE TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT GENERATING ECONOMIC RECOVERY (TIGERVII) DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM

WHEREAS, adopted policies within the City of West Sacramento General Plan, Triangle Specific Plan Area, Washington Specific Plan and the Action Plan for the West Capitol Corridor have long envisioned Light Rail Transit service to West Sacramento across Tower Bridge; and

WHEREAS, the Environmental Assessment/Initial Study and Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Downtown Riverfront Streetcar Project identifies both the relocation of LRT service from K Street to H Street, and the extension of Light Rail Transit service to Raley Field, serving the Bridge District and Washington District; and

WHEREAS, the Light Rail Transit Relocation and Extension Project is eligible for federal aid under the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Program; and

WHEREAS, Sacramento Regional Transit has consented to prepare and submit an application to the US Department of Transportation to fund the Light Rail Transit Relocationand Extension Project.

that the Sacramento:

1. The City Council hereby supports Sacramento Regional Transit in the submittal of a $54 million grant application for TIGER VII funding to the US Department of Transportation to initiate the final design and construction of LRT tracks and associated infrastructure for the Light Rail Transit Relocation and Extension Project.

City Council of the City West of

NOES: ABSENT:

Christopher L. Cabaldon, Mayor

ATTEST:

Kryss Rankin, City Clerk