Fresno COG Policy Board

Eddie Hunsaker application for the Measure C Citizens Oversight Committee

Summary:  Fresno Council of Governments’ Policy Board, acting as the Fresno County Mayors’ Select Committee, along with the chairman of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, is tasked with appointing members to the Measure C Citizen Oversight Committee (COC) consistent with the November 2006 voter-approved Measure C Expenditure Plan.

The COC informs the public and ensures that Measure C program revenues are spent as promised.

The Measure C Expenditure Plan specifies that the COC shall comprise 13 members, including six at-large public members who respectively reside in each of the five Fresno County Supervisorial Districts. Three of the six must reside in the Fresno-Clovis metropolitan area and two must reside in the unincorporated rural area of the county (east and west). The remaining seven members must be representatives drawn from a diverse mix of interested community organizations.

Members serve four-year terms, with a maximum limit of eight years on the committee. Appendix G of the Measure C Extension Expenditure Plan (attached) states the Committee’s duties and responsibilities. Currently, there are five (5) vacancies on the Oversight Committee:

• Three positions for community organization representatives
  (Organization/agency/service clubs/chamber, etc. must provide applicant with a letter of recommendation.)
• Two public-at-large positions representing the following:
  • Unincorporated rural Area West of State Route 99 (Supervisorial District 1)
  • Fresno-Clovis Metropolitan Area (Supervisorial District 4)

Eddie Hunsaker is applying to serve as the representative for the “Fresno-Clovis Metropolitan Area (Supervisorial District 4).” His application will go for approval at the next scheduled Fresno Council of Governments Policy Board meeting to be approved by the Policy Board, acting as the Fresno County Mayors’ Select Committee, along with the chairman of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors on Thurs., June 26. If approved, his term would begin on June 27.

Fresno COG and Fresno County Transportation Authority staff will continue recruiting new members until all the positions are filled.

Measure C Citizen Oversight Committee webpage:  fresnocog.org/citizen-oversight-committee/

Action: Staff and TTC/PAC recommend the Fresno County Mayors’ Select Committee appoint Eddie Hunsacker to the Measure C Oversight Committee as the Fresno-Clovis Metropolitan Area (Supervisorial District 4) representative.

Appoint a CalVans Representative.

Term is Indefinite.

Current Representative, Nathan Vosburg, City of Coalinga.

All items on the consent agenda are considered to be routine and non-controversial by COG staff and will be approved by one motion if no member of the Committee or public wishes to comment or ask questions. If comment or discussion is desired by anyone, the item will be removed from the consent agenda and will be considered in the listed sequence with an opportunity for any member of the public to address the Committee concerning the item before action is taken.

City of San Joaquin TDA Claim 2024-25

2025-20 City of San Joaquin FY 2024-25 TDA Claim Resolution

Action: Approve Resolution 2025-20 adopting the City of San Joaquin’s FY 2024-25 Transportation Development Act claim totaling $260,705.

5307 & 5339 Formula 2025

Table-3-5307-5340-FY25-Full-Year

Table-12-Section-5339a-Apportionments-FY25-Full-Year

Summary: Each state and urbanized area (UZA) receives formula funding from the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) made available under the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025. Formula grant programs allocate funding to states, urbanized areas and transit agencies based on formulas set by Congress. State governments and urbanized areas decide how much to provide to specific transit agencies and other providers.

As the regional transportation planning agency for Fresno County, Fresno Council of Governments has delegated authority from the governor as “designated recipient” for large urbanized area apportionments allocated by the Federal Transit Administration. Pursuant to this designation, Fresno Area Express is authorized to submit applications to FTA for:

FY25

FTA 5307 – $11,642,231

FTA 5339 – $1,031,759

Pursuant to this designation, the City of Clovis Public Transit is authorized to submit applications to FTA for:

FY25

FTA 5307 – $3,244,794

FTA 5339 – $287,560

For each urbanized area (UZA) to which FY 2025 Section 5307 and 5339 funds are apportioned, the designated recipient and the applicable metropolitan planning organization (MPO) should determine the allocation of funds fairly and rationally through a process based on regional and/or local priorities or needs that is agreeable to the designated recipient.

Action: Information. The Policy Board may provide additional direction at its discretion.

City of Coalinga TDA Claim 2024-25

2025-21 City of Coalinga FY 2024-25 TDA Claim Resolution

Action: Approve Resolution 2025-21 adopting the City of Coalinga’s FY 2024-25 Transportation Development Act claim totaling $1,266,005.

Summary: Two appointments to Fresno COG’s Social Services Transportation Advisory Committee (SSTAC) are lapsing and need to be reappointed. These include:

• Thomas Dulin, representative from the Local Consolidated Transportation Agency, Fresno/Fresno County
• Darlene Christiansen, representative from the Local Consolidated Transportation Agency, Clovis/Fresno County

Action:  Staff, SSTAC and TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board approve the re-appointments of interested SSTAC members for another two-year term.

2026 Clovis CTSA OPB & Resolution - Final

Res 2025-25 Clovis OPB

Summary:  The Clovis Consolidated Transportation Services Agency’s (CTSA) FY2025-26 Operations Program and Budget (OPB) for the Clovis Urban area provides an overview of the services the CTSA will provide over the next fiscal year.  The proposed adoption is scheduled for Thurs., June 26 at the Fresno COG Policy Board meeting.

Action: Staff, SSTAC, and TTC/PAC recommend the Fresno COG Policy Board approve Resolution 2025-25, adopting the Clovis Consolidated Transportation Service Agency’s Operations, Program and Budget for FY 2025-2026.

Res 2025-23 Urban CTSA OPB

Res 2025-24 Rural CTSA OPB

FAX_FCRTA OPB 2025-26 FINAL

Summary: The Consolidated Services Agencies’ (CTSA) Operations, Program and Budget (OPB) for fiscal year 2025-2026 provides an overview of how the CTSA will be providing service, with Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission as the subcontractor for these services, in both the urban and rural areas over the next fiscal year.  The proposed adoption is scheduled for Thurs., June 26 at the Fresno COG Policy Board meeting.

Action: Staff, SSTAC, and TTC/PAC recommend two actions to adopt the Urban and Rural Consolidated Transportation Agency’s Operations, Program, and Budget: specifically, that the Policy Board approve:

Resolution 2025-23 for the Urban CTSA, and

Resolution 2025-24 for the Rural CTSA.

2025-28 OWP FY 25-26 Amendment No 1 Resolution

Amenbud

Summary: Fresno COG’s 2025-26 Overall Work Program Amendment No. 1 proposes to reinstate work elements that originally were expected to be completed in FY 2024-25 and were not carried over in the FY 2025-26 Overall Work Program.  The amendment increases the budget $735,994 to $35,996,700.  

WE 149 – SB 743 Impact Update – The work element increases $20,000 to carry over the contract with LSA Associates awarded in FY 2024-25.  

WE 421 Regional Early Action Plan Housing – The work element increases $715,994 to complete additional work authorized by HCD to expend previously awarded REAP 1.0 funds. 

Action: Staff and TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board adopt Resolution 2025-28 approving the 2025-26 Overall Work Program Amendment No. 1. 

FY 24-25 OA Quarterly Report - (JAN -MAR 2025)

Summary: On Feb. 27, Fresno COG submitted its federal fiscal year (FFY) 2024/25 obligation plan to Caltrans’ Division of Local Assistance, which documents Fresno COG’s estimated project delivery for the remainder of the year. The obligational authority (OA) target for FFY 2024/25 was set at $19,788,364. Of that, the region has obligated $1,906,178

in combined Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) improvement funds as of April 1, 2025. This equates to roughly 9.6% of the OA target. Attached is the list of obligated and de-obligated projects from Jan. 1 through March 31, 2025, totaling $1,395,610 in projects obligation during that quarter.

It is the State of California’s goal to exceed the OA target and, in August, receive additional federal funds redistributed from other states to projects pending authorization. Fresno COG continues to encourage all agencies to continue submitting their requests for authorization. If projects do not receive authorization approval in August, they will be delayed to October 2025, the beginning of the new federal fiscal year 2025/26.

Please keep Fresno COG staff updated on any changes that could impact the region’s project delivery plan. Contact Blake Rincon at 559-233-4148 ext. 203 or brincon@fresnocog.org with any questions regarding fiscal year deadlines or the process of obligating project funds.

Action: Information. The Policy Board may provide additional directions at its discretion.

2025_0626 FCMA SRTP Res 2025-27

FCMA SRTP - 2026-2030

Summary: The Short-Range Transit Plan (SRTP) for the Fresno-Clovis Metropolitan Area (FCMA) is the biannual update to the operating plan and capital programs for Fresno Area Express (FAX) and Clovis Transit.  The SRTP promotes a comprehensive, coordinated, and continuous planning process for transit service in the FCMA. It represents a short-range evaluation of transit needs and proposes specific recommendations for long-range objectives of Fresno County’s Regional Transportation Plan.  The Plan will guide transit service provision in the metropolitan area over the next five years.

 Action: Staff, SSTAC, and TTC/PAC recommend that the Policy Board adopt Resolution 2025-27 approving the Fresno Clovis Metropolitan Area Short-Range Transit Plan.

Res 2025-26 FCRTA-SRTP

SRTP-FCRTA-2026-2030-

Summary: In conjunction with the Fresno County Rural Transit Agency, Fresno COG has updated the Short-Range Transit Plan for the Rural Fresno County Area (SRTP) in cooperation with the cities of Coalinga, Firebaugh, Fowler, Huron, Kerman, Kingsburg, Mendota, Orange Cove, Parlier, Sanger, San Joaquin, Selma, and the County of Fresno.  The Plan will guide transit service in the rural Fresno County area over the next five years.

Action:  Staff, SSTAC and the TTC/PAC recommend that the Policy Board adopt Resolution No. 2025-26, approving the 2026-2030 FCRTA Short-Range Transit Plan for the Rural Fresno County Area.

Summary: California’s Senate Bill 375 (SB 375) calls for each metropolitan planning organization (MPO) to prepare a sustainable communities strategy (SCS) as an integrated element of the regional transportation plan (RTP). The SCS is intended to show how integrated land use and transportation planning can lead to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from autos and light trucks. Working with the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) Roundtable, Fresno COG staff has developed five scenarios as part of the RTP update process. Each scenario has a unique focus, providing possible visions for what our county could look like in 23 years.

Staff has developed an educational online survey showing how each of the scenarios being developed will align with participant’s values based on their survey responses. Participants are then referred to the five scenario descriptions for review. The goal of the effort is to familiarize the public with the scenarios prior to viewing the scenarios’ transportation modeling results in the fall of this year. The survey opened on May 28, and data from the survey will be presented later this summer.

Fresno COG staff is working with a consultant to encourage community engagement.

The survey is hosted on Fresno COG’s dedicated RTP website, PlanFresno.com. Direct access to the survey and scenario descriptions is available at the following link: https://www.planfresno.com/sustainable-community-strategies-review-the-options/

Action: Information only. The Policy Board may provide additional direction at its discretion.

Res 2025-22 TTC Unmet Transit Needs Report

FY2025-26 FCOG UTN Report FINAL TTC PAC

Summary: On Friday, April 9, the draft FY2025-26 Fresno COG (FCOG) Unmet Transit Needs (UTN) Report was released for public review and comment on the Fresno COG website and is available on the following web page:

https://www.fresnocog.org/unmet-transit-needs-assessment/

During a public hearing for the FY2025-26 FCOG Unmet Transit Needs process on Thurs., May 29 at the Fresno COG Policy Board meeting, the Board received no comments.

Public outreach is an essential part of the Unmet Transit Needs process. This year, public outreach consisted of six in-person public meetings: four in the urban area, two in rural areas (Fowler and Kerman), and one virtual event. One of the meetings held within the City of Fresno took place on a Saturday to provide more options for transit riders to participate.

In addition to the activities above, public outreach included flyers sent to the UTN mailing list, an online survey, and social media posts. The survey ran for most of February and all of March and was how most comments were received.  This year, 32 comments were received, with three determined to be unmet transit needs but none of which were found to be reasonable to meet.

The comments received, transit agency response, and the determination of unmet transit needs are included in the final FY2025-26 FCOG Unmet Transit Needs Report located at the URL listed above.

Action: Staff, SSTAC and the TTC/PAC recommend that the Policy Board adopt Resolution 2025-22, approving Fresno COG’s FY 2025-2026 Unmet Needs Assessment Report, and to find that there are three unmet needs, none of which are “reasonable to meet.”

230-882 Fresno Transportation Focus Group Takeaways Memo

Summary: A round-up of community engagement and outreach on the 2026 Measure C renewal effort to date.

Focus Groups

DKS Associates’ subconsultant FM3 conducted a series of seven focus groups in April to gauge perceptions and opinions about Measure C based on geographical and demographic representation. The groups comprised the following:

• Coalinga, Firebaugh, Huron, Kerman, Mendota, San Joaquin, and nearby unincorporated areas
• Fowler, Kingsburg, Orange Cove, Parlier, Reedley, Sanger, Selma, and nearby unincorporated areas
• Clovis and the City of Fresno north of Shaw Avenue
• City of Fresno south of Shaw Avenue
• Spanish-speaking Latinos in rural areas
• Spanish-speaking Latinos in non-rural areas
• Seniors

The results of those groups found that most participants were concerned about roadway conditions:

• Traffic, poor road conditions and potholes, unsafe driving and pedestrian safety are top-of-mind concerns for some residents and were mentioned in every focus group session among the most serious overall problems in Fresno County.
• Participants repeatedly expressed very significant concerns with road conditions throughout the county. This was more pronounced in rural areas and the central area of the City of Fresno but was persistent in every group.
• Issues related to safety for drivers, pedestrians and others were raised very frequently in the focus groups. This issue was not as much of a focal point in past Fresno County transportation research and should be explored further in survey research to confirm the findings from these qualitative sessions.

The complete report is attached for your reference.

Steering Committee

The 24-member Measure C Steering Committee has met three times with its next meeting schedule for July 10. At that meeting they will receive a report from our consultant team at NCE regarding current pavement conditions throughout the County, and estimated costs for maintenance over the next 20 years. There is currently one vacant seat representing the City of Orange Cove.

The first meeting covered the widest range of topics anticipated of all the gatherings, from the enabling legislation allowing Measure C’s development under the Public Utilities Code, to the current state of transportation funding, and the potential for what a future Measure might look like.

The Steering Committee meeting on May 8 focused on the county’s transit systems. Transit providers gave presentations offering a glimpse into their operations and funding requirements. The third meeting addressed bicycle and pedestrian projects, as well as special programs such as New Technologies, Transit-Oriented Development, Senior Scrip, carpool incentives and vanpool subsidies.

Technical Advisory Committee

Separately, the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), comprising professional transportation staff from each jurisdiction in the Fresno region, transit providers and Caltrans, continues to provide technical guidance to the Steering Committee with regard to both funding needs and legal requirements. They will be discussing potential allocation formulas by agency at their next meeting in July.

Online Engagement

Our measurec2026.com website continues to attract visitors with over 11,000 page visits and more than 2,400 active users. The site includes up-to-date information about Measure C programs and projects for each member agency, a two-minute video (also available in Spanish) and a “Build a Plan” section, allowing users to provide fund allocation preferences by category. This is a multilingual site.

The Fresno County Transportation Authority also debuted a comprehensive overhaul of the original Measure C website, measurec.com, which now includes a wide array of additional reporting on multiple programs from the current initiative, including local project highlights from each of the 16 jurisdictions in Fresno County. Both websites are also mutually complementary, linking to each other for easier user reference.

Radio

Currently the renewal radio spot is running from June 16 to September 10 on four initial stations from 6am to 7pm. The Renewal’s 299 spots have a projected net reach of 444,300 for just over $10K on the following stations:

• KMJ-AM
• KMJ-FM
• KSKS-FM
• KMGV-FM

Community Based Organizations Grantees

Three community-based organizations are receiving grants to provide outreach assistance in varied capacities. The agencies under agreement to encourage community participation in renewal workshops, survey completion and website interactions are as follows:

• Green Building Council
• Vet Net
• Highway City Community Foundation

Social Media

We continue to deploy a robust social media program on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Meta numbers as of 6/18 are:

Reach                                Views                                 Engagements

125,491                              99,883.6                             20,787

REACH: The number of social media accounts that saw our posts at least once.

VIEWS: This metric counts the number of times our video ads were played for at least one minute plus the number of times our photos and/or texts were on screen.

ENGAGEMENTS: The number of times someone clicked on a link, reacted, commented or shared a post

Community Presentations/Booths/Community Canvassing

DKS Associates, Fresno COG staff and representatives from JSA and Linguistica have made numerous presentations for community groups and agencies throughout the county. The team has also attended several community and pop-up events, conducted door-to-door community canvassing and workshop flyer circulation. These opportunities were used to gather feedback and solicit workshop participation, while administering surveys and answering questions about Measure C’s impact on local communities.

Presentations

City Council/Board meetings:

• Clovis
• Coalinga
• Firebaugh
• Fowler
• Huron
• Kerman
• Mendota
• Orange Cove
• Parlier
• Reedley
• San Joaquin
• Selma
• Fresno County Board of Supervisors

Other Presentations:

• Reedley Rotary
• Bike Fresno
• Women in Transportation Symposium
• Fresno Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee
• Central Valley Community Foundation

Interviews

• GV Wire
• KVPR Public Radio Podcast
• Fresno State Maddy Institute Podcast

Events

• Earth Day Fresno, April 12
• Reedley Street Fair, May 4
• Kingsburg Swedish Festival, May 17
• Easton Farmer’s Market, May 20 & 24
• Clovis Farmers Market, May 23
• River Park Farmers Market, May 27
• Kerman Farmer’s Market, May 28
• Firewise Community Festival Auberry Park, May 31
• Grocery Outlet Popup in Sanger, June 2
• Clovis Farmers Market, June 6
• Selma Flea Market, June 15
• Caltrans Kids Day, June 18
• Juneteenth Event, June 21

Workshops

The public outreach team has completed four workshops; one each in Reedley and Kingsburg and two in Fresno. Each workshop included opportunities for both interactive and print-based polling to assess preferences for investments among the four broad categories: street and road maintenance, bicycle and pedestrian projects, public transit and regional projects, with opportunities to provide additional ideas and needs.

Upcoming Efforts

Additional outreach either conducted, occurring now or planned soon, includes:

• 12 additional Community Workshops through September 9, 2025
• Community events and canvassing by Linguistica and community-based organization grantees
• Continued city council/board presentations
• Continued organization & CBO presentations
• Social media posts/boosts/ads/events
• Radio ads
• Staff-attended events

Action: Information. The Policy Board may provide additional direction at its discretion.

One County One Plan (4)

Summary: At the Policy Board’s May 29 meeting, staff was directed to prepare a more detailed plan to achieve the “One County, One Plan” goal for a 2026 Measure C renewal effort.

Since then, representatives from the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA), Transportation For All, the Central Valley Community Foundation and Fresno COG have met at least four times in an effort to consolidate two separate Measure C ballot processes.

In those meetings, there is full agreement on the following principles:

• Having a single measure for voters to consider is essential
• Renewing Measure C is important to every community in the county
• The goal is to have one measure on the November 2026 ballot.

Elected officials will have the final word on the measure and the expenditure plan, after significant community input throughout the process. Discussions in June have largely focused on the timeline necessary to ensure that the process Fresno COG and FCTA are following under the California Public Utilities Code Division 15 – specifically Sections 142000-142277 – which requires a full expenditure plan be placed before voters, will be fulfilled,

The groups have tentatively agreed on a revised timeline that significantly accelerates the public input process Fresno COG and FCTA had been following, as illustrated by the flowchart attached to this staff report and is presenting it to the COG Board for review and approval.

The new timeline calls primarily for revisions to the Steering Committee process with a new schedule requiring two-to-three meetings each month for three-hour sessions to address visioning and priorities, category allocations, and implementing guidelines.

The Steering Committee is proposed to require attendance from each member routinely with an allowance of no more than two absences before a member is removed.  Consensus on all issues will be sought routinely; however, a minimum 70 percent threshold will be required for any item/issue to be approved.

The July Fresno COG Policy Board meeting will include an agenda item reporting on the Steering Committee’s progress regarding visioning and priorities as well as category allocations and seeking feedback. Input from jurisdictions at this stage will be critical to the Steering Committee’s discussions and ultimate recommendations.

In August, the Steering Committee’s focus will turn to discussing implementing guidelines, and COG staff will likely need to call a special meeting to review those recommendations.

In August or early September, expenditure plan drafting is expected to begin with the intention of having a draft plan for review by Sept. 11 and a “big-tent” community-wide review/approval event by the end of September.  This would be followed by statistically valid surveying/polling of the plan begins, also in October.

Following survey results and any necessary adjustments, the expenditure plan would come back for approval at a special joint meeting of the FCTA and Fresno COG Boards and then out to the jurisdictions and city councils/Board of Supervisors for approval by resolution. This is anticipated to occur beginning as early as mid-October.

Alongside the entire process, the groups are recommending a facilitation and support or “synthesis” team to reconcile and integrate information from the Steering Committee, along with the public input collected.

In addition, while the DKS scope of work includes drafting the expenditure plan, it is recommended that additional legal and technical resources be available during this stage of the process.

As the Measure C administering agency, FCTA will also have the opportunity to review the terms outlined above and will be kept abreast of developments as they occur.

Action: Approve the adjusted project timeline and scope changes outlined above and in the attached flow chart to consolidate the two parallel Measure C processes. It is not expected that these adjustments will necessitate changes to the contractual agreements with Fresno COG consultants but, in the event that is required, staff will return to the Policy Board with those changes at a later date.

Climate Resiliency Final Plan Resolution No. 2025-29

FCCRP Final Report (Incl A1)

Background: The Fresno County Climate Resiliency Plan (FCCRP) is a subsequent plan to the Fresno County Transportation Network Vulnerability Assessment (TNVA) completed in 2020. The TNVA reviewed historical weather-related risks, e.g., wildfires, extreme heat, flooding, landslides, etc., and projected future climate changes. The data on climate and transportation assets was combined to create scores that represent the relative risks facing different assets. The scoring system prioritized the most vulnerable and critical assets. The FCCRP was built off this previous study by identifying specific improvements on the region’s transportation system to address climate risks identified in the 2020 TNVA.

Summary: In August 2023, Fresno COG was awarded a Caltrans FY 2023–24 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant to develop the Fresno County Climate Resiliency Plan (FCCRP). Building on the Phase I Fresno County Transportation Network Vulnerability Assessment, also funded by Caltrans, the FCCRP continued efforts to address the impacts of climate change on the region’s transportation infrastructure.

The FCCRP identified locations within Fresno County’s transportation system that are vulnerable to climate hazards (extreme heat, flooding, wildfires, and landslides) and developed a prioritized list of transportation improvement projects designed to reduce risks and enhance resilience to extreme climate events over the next 50 years. It also prioritized the identified improvements and conducted detailed climate risk assessments for the five most vulnerable locations.

Using a combination of technical analysis and direct input from Fresno County communities, Fresno COG assembled a list of candidate projects through the FCCRP. These projects will inform the 2026 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). It plays a vital role in guiding investment priorities and enhancing the long-term resilience of Fresno County’s transportation network and its users. The FCCRP now serves as a foundational resource for local jurisdictions to advance conceptual planning and begin integrating climate adaptation strategies into the broader regional transportation planning process.

Action:  Staff and TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board approve Resolution 2025-29, adopting the Fresno County Climate Resiliency Final Plan.

Scope of Work - VE model - FresnoCOG ValleyWide

Summary: This is the first of two final projects funded through residual carryover from the Valleywide Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) Program, and will develop a Valleywide VisionEval model platform for the eight San Joaquin Valley metropolitan planning organizations for land-use scenario planning.

VisionEval is an advanced, open-source platform designed to support long-range transportation and land-use planning. The Oregon DOT initiated the VisionEval model to conduct long-range strategic planning, and is now operated by an FHWA pooled fund with state DOTs and MPOs across the country. The model enables planning agencies to rapidly assess a wide range of policy alternatives and better understand the implications of their policy options. This approach quantitatively supports a more creative and robust policy discussion at the outset of the planning process.

The VisionEval model will enable the eight SJV COGs to efficiently evaluate alternative transportation policies, climate impacts, and infrastructure investments by simulating travel behavior, emissions, and land use scenarios. The model would benefit regional and local planning agencies by allowing them to: (1) analyze the regional Impact of transportation supply and local land use policies on greenhouse gas emissions (2) assess the impacts of land use designation or housing element changes under uncertainty (3) test transportation and land use strategy combinations to support planning goal setting. Its flexible framework can coordinate with the various travel demand and land use models the SJV COGs are already using and complement ongoing valleywide planning initiatives.

RSG has been working with VisionEval framework’s design, development and application, and has extensive experience contracting with MPOs, state DOTs and FHWA Pooled Funds for VisionEval’s model development and enhancements. RSG has worked with Fresno COG, as well as other valley agencies to develop activity-based models, and to conduct the Central California Travel Survey for the eight-county San Joaquin Valley.

Staff recommends awarding the contract as a sole source to RSG, given the firm’s expertise with the model and its knowledge of transportation pattern in the San Joaquin Valley and due to the short timeline for deliverables remaining under the State’s REAP program. This model development is expected to be completed in six months. Attached is the scope of work.

Action: Staff and the TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the executive director to enter a sole source contract with RSG for the San Joaquin Valleywide VisionEval model development for an amount not to exceed $500,010.

Circuit P-E Scope Final_2025-2026

Summary: Fresno COG’s Circuit Planner and Engineer Program, which provides technical assistance to small cities in Fresno County for efforts that further Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy goals. Such assistance may include but is not limited to: planning studies, project delivery, grant applications, environmental documents, engineering services (i.e., conceptual design or preliminary engineering), permitting needs assessment, and quality (QA/QC) reviews as needed. 

Rincon Consultants Inc. has completed projects in nearly all rural cities. Projects include: zoning code reviews and revisions, assistance with the HCD requirements and objective design standards, updates to general plans, identifying gaps to fulfill projects or plans, and preparation of documents for board hearings. 

All 13 rural cities have used the program at some point, and Rincon Consultants assisted in preparing the Fresno COG grant for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Program, which led to 103% of the current contract being expended. The program has been successful in providing resources for planning and engineering projects and also filling staffing gaps on regional efforts. 

Action: Staff and PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize Fresno COG’s executive director to renew the contract with Rincon Consultants for $120,000 for FY 25/26. 

Summary:  Senate Bill 743 (SB 743, 2013), requires that the traffic congestion metric level of service (LOS) within the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process be replaced with a metric that would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), develop a multi-modal transportation system and increase land use diversity. The Office of Planning and Research (OPR) recommended vehicle miles traveled (VMT) as the most appropriate metric to measure the transportation impacts for developments, considering it is more aligned with the state’s goals of reducing GHG emissions through infill development, active transportation and other sustainable land use and transportation projects.

Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG), with the help of the consultant LSA, developed the SB 743 regional guidelines for Fresno County and implemented it in July 2020. This document has been serving as a guide to the local governments and the consultants for the traffic impact studies along with CEQA related studies. While the city of Clovis has adopted its own SB 743 guidelines, all remaining 15 agencies have adopted the regional guidelines, developed by COG.

Fresno COG’s Activity Based Model (ABM) has been used as a primary tool to develop the regional VMT guidelines. From the formulation of the regional, as well as the agency-specific, VMT thresholds to VMT mitigation strategies, the ABM has been the core of these tasks. As the ABM is updated, there is also a need to update the regional guidelines because of changing VMT thresholds. In addition, the SB 743 VMT analysis within CEQA itself has evolved from 2020-2024, justifying changes in our regional guidelines. Therefore, this is the right time to update the existing regional guidelines and the VMT thresholds. The updated document will also help phase two of the VMT mitigation program, which Fresno COG will develop in FY2025-26.

LSA is an established environmental firm with expertise in CEQA and SB 743. As a recognized leader on SB 743, LSA has in-depth knowledge and understanding of the regulatory environment and has been closely following SB 743 implementation throughout the state. LSA has also been serving as an on-call consultant since 2020 and is very familiar with the local land-use and VMT assessment in Fresno County. While most of the analysis and document updates have been completed as of May 2025, there will be a public review to address the comments and feedback from the member agencies, developers, and consultants. Staff will also be holding workshops to inform member agencies and stakeholders. Upon the completing the regional guidelines and VMT thresholds update, LSA will provide on-call support through the end of 2025-26 as the budget allows. This necessitates extending the contract to FY 2025-26 to complete the remaining tasks. Attached is the scope of work.

Action: Staff and the PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the executive director to amend the existing contract by extending the term through June 30, 2026 with no additional cost.

Summary: Fresno COG was awarded $1.75 million from the U.S. DOT Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (RIA) program to conduct the TradePort California Site Feasibility study in Fresno County. TradePort California project (formerly, California Inland Port) is a public-private platform to transform the California logistics system to become the cleanest, most sophisticated supply chain system in the world. TradePort California would establish higher efficiencies through new strategic mobility hubs, sustainable technologies, and business partnerships. The Port will be a multi-modal network of integrated clean and automated truck, rail, and cargo facilities underpinning a next-generation ecosystem of goods movement and radically boosting California’s economic competitiveness. This approach would be a paradigm shift from current conditions, and serve to cut greenhouse gases, improve air quality, reduce road congestion, increase traffic safety, increase investment and jobs, and forever reshape California’s extraordinarily large intra-state freight movement system.

The contract with Mark Thomas (consultant firm) which is developing the plan was executed on August 1, 2024, however the period of performance from the grantor (RIA) is until April 28, 2026. Fresno COG would like to extend the contract to coincide with the grant term from U.S. DOT.

Action: Staff and PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the Fresno COG executive director to extend the contract with Mark Thomas to April 28, 2026.

RSG ON-CALL FY25-26 EXHIBIT A_05-13-2025 (002)

Summary: Fresno COG’s activity-based model (ABM) is a cutting-edge, travel-demand forecasting model that has been used to develop the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)/ Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), conduct air quality conformity analyses, and analyze traffic and vehicle-miles-traveled impacts. The ABM is an essential planning tool for COG and the Fresno County region.

Since 2019, Fresno COG has maintained an on-call contract with RSG, which built the ABM for Fresno COG and has been providing technical assistance to COG modeling staff. The RSG team helps COG staff troubleshoot the model, provides training on new model enhancements, and fixes any bugs in the scripts/coding. Last year, Fresno COG completed the base year update of ABM along with multiple modeling enhancements like managed lanes, TNC, truck restriction, and new transit modes.

Fresno COG is developing the 2026 RTP/SCS using the newly updated ABM. RSG will be assisting with  troubleshooting during the SCS scenarios model runs and VMT analysis. The 2026 RTP/SCS scenarios development will start in June/July 2025. COG staff will be testing out high-capacity commuter rail services like light-rail transit (LRT) and regional rail services for the 2026 SCS scenarios. These features are new, and staff will require some guidance and sensitivity tests for the SCS modeling. For this, COG has budgeted $80,000 for on-call services for fiscal year 2025-26. Attached is the scope of work for the FY 2025-26 on-call support contract.

Action: Staff and the PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the executive director to enter into an on-call support contract with RSG for an amount not to exceed $80,000 through June 30, 2026.

GHD Engagement Letter 2025_FCOG verB

Summary:  Fresno COG administers the Regional Transportation Mitigation Fee for the Fresno County Regional Transportation Mitigation Fee Agency and remits the proceeds to the Fresno County Transportation Authority to be used for projects in the Regional Transportation Program Capital Projects program.  From time to time, questions come up regarding fee implementation and Fresno COG keeps an on-call contract open with GHD to provide technical advice.

Recommendation:  Staff and the PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the executive director to execute a contract with GHD for on-call RTMF services for FY 2025-26 at a cost not to exceed $50,000.

Fresno COG 2026 RTP-SCS On-call Scope LSA FY25-26

Summary: Staff is seeking to extend its contract with LSA Associates, a consultant firm capable of providing detailed modeling and other technical support for Fresno COG’s 2026 RTP/SCS. The recommendation is to establish a not-to-exceed budget of $100,000 that would be billed on an on-call basis for the 2025/26 fiscal year ending on June 30, 2026.

Action: Staff and the PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the executive director to execute a contract extension with LSA through June 30, 2026 for an amount not to exceed $100,000.

Scope of Work

Summary: In July 2023, Fresno COG signed a contract with Southwest Strategies to market and advertise the following Measure C programs:

• Carpool Incentive
• Commuter vanpool subsidies
• Agworker vanpool subsidies
• Senior Scrip

Participation information for these programs is made available to the public through Fresno COG’s Valleyrides website. Southwest Strategies has completed a digital and traditional marketing and advertising campaign throughout Fresno County resulting in an increase in participation in the Measure C Carpool Incentive and Senior Scrip program Fresno COG administers.

Fresno COG requests a time extension for the existing contract, carrying over the remaining balance into the new fiscal year to continue program outreach. Fresno COG will continue to administer all programs and monitor work contracted through Southwest Strategies to increase program participation.

Action: Staff and the PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the executive director to extend the contract with Southwest Strategies through June 30, 2026.

Summary: Following a cooperative agreement with the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA), Fresno COG entered into a contract with Mark Thomas to design the Golden State Corridor project. The project is divided into three phases: Phase 1, which includes pavement improvements, is in construction and currently 97% complete.  Phase 2, which addresses intersection “gap” improvements not involving the railroad right-of-way, began construction on April 28 and is expected to take six months. Phase 3 includes the remaining improvements that impact the railroad right-of-way and is under review by Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

While Phases 1 and 2 are progressing, final design approval for Phase 3 is still pending. In addition, continued construction support is required for the earlier phases. Therefore, a time extension of the contract with Mark Thomas is necessary to allow work to continue into the next fiscal year.

Action: Staff and the PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the executive director to extend the contract with Mark Thomas through June 30, 2026. No budget adjustment is requested at this time.