Summary: The SRTS Subcommittee will discuss the goals, workplan, and timeline for the identified goals. The existing COG staff efforts for SRTS have included the Safe Routes to Schools/Active Transportation Plan Planning Process. Beginning in mid-2023, COG staff outreached to all school districts in the county to collect an inventory of safe routes to schools needs. A list of safety improvement projects was developed based on the safety concerns shared by school districts. 

COG staff met with 26 out of the 32 school districts in the county and collected an inventory for 21 out of the 32 school districts, which captures inventory for 10 of the 16 member agencies. This preliminary inventory was included as an appendix to the Regional Active Transportation Plan. Attached is map depicting the locations of the preliminary SRTS projects identified.

The subcommittee shall discuss next steps for the SRTS Subcommittee, including:

• Goals—What is the committee hoping to accomplish and how? What is the end product? An inventory? Future Measure C allocations? COG grant guideline updates? 
• Prioritization process for projects—Who will be scoring the projects for prioritization? Members? Engineers? Separate scoring committee with diverse stakeholders? What is the basis for prioritization?
• Workplan to deliver the goals—What is the timeline? How will the subcommittee work cross-jurisdictional and with school districts to achieve a consensus for goals? 

Action: Discussion. SRTS Subcommittee will identify goals for SRTS and a workplan to achieve its goals. 

Summary: The SRTS Subcommittee will discuss the protocols for subcommittee membership, including member responsibilities to outreach to superintendents to expand the committee, and identify specific stakeholders to be included on the committee (e.g., FCTA, Board of Supervisors, CBOs, etc.). 

In January 2024, the Fresno COG Policy Board approved the appointment of the COG Safe Routes to School Subcommittee, initially comprised of eight Policy Board members. As discussed during its initial appointment of members, the subcommittee is expected to expand to include school district superintendents and other key stakeholders to establish a unified partnership between cities and school districts to achieve the SRTS goals identified by the committee. 

Action: Discussion. SRTS Subcommittee will identify mayoral responsibilities for outreaching to superintendents and identify additional stakeholders to participate on the committee.  

Summary: A summary of existing funding that can be utilized for Safe Routes to Schools projects.

Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A)

The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary program is a grant program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. SS4A awards two types of grants: Planning and Demonstration Grants and Implementation Grants.

The SS4A Planning and Demonstration Grants fund development of a Safety Action Plan or supplemental planning and demonstration activities. The Implementation Grants fund roadway safety strategies and projects identified in an eligible, complete Action Plan. 

The deadline for Implementation Grants is Thursday, May 16, 2024. Planning and Development Grants have three deadlines: April 4, May 16, and August 29, 2024. Grant information can be found here: Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program | US Department of Transportation

Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP)

The Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) is a new competitive federal grant under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. ATIIP awards two types of grants: planning and design grants and construction grants. 

Grants can be used for planning, designing, and constructing active transportation networks, which connect destinations within a community or metropolitan region, such as schools. Grants also fund active transportation spines which are projects that connect communities, metropolitan regions, or states.

The deadline for grant application is June 17, 2024. Grant information can be found here: https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/353043.

Active Transportation Program

The Caltrans Active Transportation Program (ATP) consolidates several funding programs, such as the Transportation Alternatives Program and Safe Routes to Schools. 

ATP funds large, medium, and small infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects and plans that increase the proportion of trips accomplished by walking and biking, increase safety and mobility of non-motorized users, advance efforts of regional agencies to achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals, enhance public health, and provide a broad spectrum of projects to benefit many types of users including disadvantages communities. 

The deadline for grant applications is June 17, 2024. Grant information can be found here: Active Transportation Program (ATP) | CTC (ca.gov)

Fresno COG has developed its guidelines for its Regional Active Transportation Program. The California Transportation Commission (CTC) is scheduled to approve the guidelines at its June meeting. Once CTC approves the guidelines, COG plans to release the call for projects with the deadline for project submittal scheduled for November 20.  

Additional Funding Sources

A list of additional funding sources that may be used for SRTS can be found in Appendix E of the Regional Active Transportation Plan (R-ATP). Appendix E is also attached to the agenda. 

The R-ATP can be found here: Active Transportation - Fresno Council of Governments (fresnocog.org). 

Action: Information/Discussion. 

Summary: The Subcommittee will also discuss the frequency of meetings, e.g., monthly, every other month, quarterly, as needed, etc. This first SRTS Subcommittee meeting was scheduled for 4-5 pm before the April COG Policy Board meeting. If this time works best for members, future meetings can be scheduled at this same time before Policy Board meetings.   

Action: Discussion. The Subcommittee will discuss the schedule for future SRTS Subcommittee meetings.  

This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the SRTS Subcommitee on items within its jurisdiction but not on this agenda. Note: Prior to action by the SRTS Subcommitee on any item on this agenda, the public may comment on that item. Unscheduled comments may be limited to 3 minutes.