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Staff Report PREPARED BY: MATT MORLEY Director of Parks and Public Works Reviewed by: Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832 www.losgatosca.gov TOWN OF LOS GATOS COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: 02/07/2017 ITEM NO: 11 DATE: FEBRUARY 2, 2017 TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER SUBJECT: MEASURE B/LOS GATOS PRIORITIES A. Receive the report on Measure B activities. B. Authorize the allocation of $70,000 from FY 2015/ 2016 year end fund balance to fund a full time position at the level of Senior Civil Engineer to advance Town congestion management projects. C. Prioritize the Town’s potential Measure B projects within the Highway Interchanges and Transit Operations Categories. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Town Council: 1. Receive the report on Measure B activities. 2. Authorize the allocation of $70,000 from FY 2015/ 2016 year end fund balance to fund a full time position at the level of Senior Civil Engineer to advance Town congestion management projects. 3. Prioritize the Town’s potential Measure B projects within the Highway Interchanges and Transit Operations Categories. BACKGROUND: On November 8, 2016 voters in Santa Clara County passed Measure B, a sales tax initiative that will provide an estimated $6.314 billion in revenue committed to transportation improvements. The measure identified the need within nine program areas, as listed in the table on the next page. The list is separated into areas with high interest for the Town and areas of low interest to the Town. PAGE 2 OF 7 SUBJECT: MEASURE B/LOS GATOS PRIORITIES FEBRUARY 2, 2017 S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2017\02-07-17\Measure B\Measure B Staff Report FINAL.docx 2/2/2017 2:57 PM MM BACKGROUND (cont’d): The Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is currently reviewing each program and working to identify specific guidelines for funding within each. This review is occurring in coordination with various VTA Committees, with the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) providing substantial input into the guidelines through a workshop held in January. Program Funding High Interest Programs Local Streets and Roads $1.2 billion Bicycle/ Pedestrian Program $250 million SR 85 Corridor $350 million Highway Interchanges $750 million Transit Operations $500 million Low Interest Programs County Expressways $750 million Caltrain Corridor Capacity Improvements $314 million Caltrain Grade Separations $700 million BART Phase II $1.5 billion Total $6.314 billion As a 30-year tax measure, funding for Measure B projects will flow across the entire timeframe. VTA currently envisions a two year budget for the program with a ten year look ahead. This will allow for programming of funds to projects based on cash flow. Some d iscussion on bonding to provide for advance funding has been discussed, with further consideration and decision to be made by the VTA Board at a later date. Projects that are ready to implement will likely receive priority funding through the Measure. DISCUSSION: The discussion covers each of the programs, including a description of the program, guidelines currently under discussion, and the potential for Town funding. Some projects that have been discussed for Los Gatos may qualify for funding in more than one category. Local Streets and Roads The local streets and roads program provides primarily for pavement maintenance. The allocation will be formulaic based on population, as is standard for other road maintenance funding programs. The anticipated revenue for Los Gatos is approximately $650,000 per year. There has been some discussion to allow for front loaded funding within this program in the early years to address current unmet needs. The feasibility of this concept will rely on cash flow and other project demand within the program. PAGE 3 OF 7 SUBJECT: MEASURE B/LOS GATOS PRIORITIES FEBRUARY 2, 2017 S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2017\02-07-17\Measure B\Measure B Staff Report FINAL.docx 2/2/2017 2:57 PM MM DISCUSSION (cont’d): Several guidelines will be in place for this program. Those currently being discussed include:  Maintenance of effort – Jurisdictions will need to continue funding at previous levels with local funding sources.  Jurisdictions with a PCI exceeding 70 will be able to use funds for congestion relief projects as well as paving maintenance projects.  Pavement projects will require complete streets elements. The definition of complete streets is under discussion, but will likely mean pedestrian improvements such as crosswalks and curb ramps as well as bicycle improvements, such as bike lanes and sharrows.  The program will require a ten percent local match. The likelihood of the Town receiving benefit from funds in this program is very high due to the formulaic nature of the distribution. Bicycle/Pedestrian Program The Bicycle and Pedestrian program will provide funding for bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects. Discussion on the allocation of funds within this program is ongoing, with some debate on the allocation being fully competitive or partially formulaic with Town staff preferring the latter. Crossover funding may be available through the Local Streets and Roads program (complete streets) or the Highways program (see the program description below). This program has high levels of interest throughout participating agencies and the program is oversubscribed, meaning there are more projects than funds. The work that the Town has completed on the Schools Traffic Study and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) will help position the Town for success. Larger projects may need additional preparatory work, especially early design and environmental clearance, to get to the important shovel ready stage. Several guidelines will be in place for this program. Those currently being discussed include:  Projects that connect schools, transit, and employment centers , fill gaps in the network, or provide for crossing of barriers, will receive priority funding.  The project will require a ten percent local match.  Candidate projects are identified through the VTA Resolution authorizing Measure B and will receive priority funding. The likelihood of the Town receiving benefit from funds in this program is moderate. This is due to the limited number of specific projects that was approved with Measure B (see Attachment A to the VTA memorandum in Attachment 1). When that list was created, the PAGE 4 OF 7 SUBJECT: MEASURE B/LOS GATOS PRIORITIES FEBRUARY 2, 2017 S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2017\02-07-17\Measure B\Measure B Staff Report FINAL.docx 2/2/2017 2:57 PM MM DISCUSSION (cont’d): Town did not have a broader master list of projects identified. This highlights the value of having completed plans such as the BPMP, Schools Traffic Study, and corridor master plans to feed future project requests. There several broad programs on the list from which the Town could benefit, depending on the guidelines that result for the program. State Route 85 Corridor The State Route 85 Corridor program addresses transit and congestion relief projects along this route. The program envisions a transit lane along the route from SR 87 to US 101 in Mountain View, noise abatement along Highway 85 from Saratoga to Cupertino, and a study of transportation alternatives for the route. This study will provide guidance for any major project, such as a transit lane concept. As conceived, the transit lane will ultimately include freeway median island boarding and disembarking of VTA buses , with park and ride lots adjacent to the freeway and accessible through pedestrian crossings. By boarding buses in the median island, the transit route remains efficient as the buses will not need to enter and exit the freeway which would require crossing commute traffic to access the transit lane. The program guidelines will largely develop from the upcoming corridor study. The program also may include a ten percent match requirement. Impacted jurisdictions, including Los Gatos, have recommended against the match requirement for this program. The likelihood of the Town receiving benefit from funds in this program is low in the short term and moderate in the longer term. There are a high number of unknowns associated with this program, including challenges with only partial access to Highway 85 at Winchester Boulevard. The State Route 85 Corridor Policy Advisory Board was set up to provide input to the VTA on projects within the corridor. The Board consists of elected officials from jurisdictions along the corridor, with Vice Mayor Rennie representing the Town. Highway Interchanges This program includes a series of improvements focused on Highways, including interchange improvements, overcrossings, and congestion relief. In the early stages of Measure B formulation, then Mayor Spector and Town staff worked with the VTA to remove the widening of Highway 17 through Los Gatos from this program. In exchange, the following verbiage was added to the VTA approved program: PAGE 5 OF 7 SUBJECT: MEASURE B/LOS GATOS PRIORITIES FEBRUARY 2, 2017 S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2017\02-07-17\Measure B\Measure B Staff Report FINAL.docx 2/2/2017 2:57 PM MM DISCUSSION (cont’d): Highway 17 Corridor Congestion Relief: Upgrade Highway 17/9 interchange to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety, mobility, and roadway operations; deploy advanced transportation technology to reduce freeway cut thru traffic in Los Gatos, including traffic signal control system upgrades in Los Gatos, Traveler Information System, advanced ramp metering systems; support Multi-Modal Congestion Relief Solutions, including enhanced Highway 17 Express Bus service, implementing local bus system improvements that reduce auto trips to schools, work, and commercial areas in Los Gatos; and develop park and ride lots to serve as transit hubs for express bus, shuttles, local bus system connections. This broad language allows for the Town to compete within this program for many potential priorities. In addition, the program includes the Highway 9 at Highway 17 interchange as a potential project. Program guidelines include project readiness and the amount of local contribution as factors. VTA staff has brought forward a 20% non-measure B match recommendation for this program, which Town staff opposed. Project readiness may be a key factor as other Highway Interchange projects may be ready for implementation and this program is significantly oversubscribed. Within this category, funding opportunities are the highest. The likelihood of the Town receiving benefit from funds in this program is moderate and depends on the Town’s ability to provide enough structure around the projects to make them competitive. Transit Operations This program addresses four areas of transit, one of which is the implementation of innovative transit solutions that improve first and last mile connections. VTA has piloted several programs, including the now discontinued FLEX bus program. There may be an opportunity within this program for the Town to implement projects that align with this goal. Qualifying criteria within this program focus on meeting the goal of the four areas of transit:  Expand mobility options and fares for most vulnerable population  Enhance frequent core network  Improve bus stop amenities  First/last mile connections No match requirement has been identified for this program. The likelihood of the Town receiving funding in this category is moderate, with the possibility of funding for creative transit systems such as a local shuttle or school focused busing. Projects would likely require demonstrated demand prior to funding through a feasibility study. PAGE 6 OF 7 SUBJECT: MEASURE B/LOS GATOS PRIORITIES FEBRUARY 2, 2017 S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2017\02-07-17\Measure B\Measure B Staff Report FINAL.docx 2/2/2017 2:57 PM MM DISCUSSION (cont’d): Low Interest Programs The other programs, listed as low interest to the Town, may have indirect impacts for residents who commute outside the Town limits. Town staff does not foresee active participation within these programs. Town Priorities for Measure B The Town Council should prioritize the projects of interest in the Highway Interchange and Transit Operations categories to focus the work needed for project readiness. Staff has provided a recommended prioritization list as Attachment 2. CONCLUSION: Several program funding areas could result in funding coming to the Town. Staff work is needed now to establish project feasibility and t o best position the Town to compete for the Measure B opportunities. To facilitate this work, staff recommends the funding of a full time position at the level of Senior Civil Engineer to advance projects for the program. Staff anticipates funding for three years through the General Fund at which point the position could potentially transition to funding through awarded projects. The annual cost of a Senior Civil Engineer is $210,000. COORDINATION: This report has been coordinated with the Finance Department. FISCAL IMPACT: Staff recommends funding of $70,000 from FY 2015/ 2016 year end fund balance to allow for immediate recruitment of the position. Future funding will come through the annual budget process. ALTERNATIVES: In addition to the staff recommendation, the Town Council could: 1. Consider the completion of a Request for Qualifications from potential consultants who could perform the required advance work. Staff is not recommending this approach because consultants do not carry the sense of ownership that staff does, therefore requiring significant staff oversight and direction. Consultants will be utilized to provide specific services, for example implementation of feasibility studies, where it makes sense. PAGE 7 OF 7 SUBJECT: MEASURE B/LOS GATOS PRIORITIES FEBRUARY 2, 2017 S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2017\02-07-17\Measure B\Measure B Staff Report FINAL.docx 2/2/2017 2:57 PM MM ALTERNATIVES (cont’d): 2. Not move forward with an additional staff person and not complete any work for potential Measure B projects. Staff is not recommending this option because the Town would risk not maximizing funding from Measure B. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required. Attachments: 1. VTA Board Agenda Item from June 2, 2016 – Envision Silicon Valley 2. Project Prioritization List