Purpose

Staff requests City Council authorization to accept a $107,302 �Kidsteps to Safety� Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for Fiscal Year 2004-2005 through 2006-2007.  This report discusses the scope of work covered by the grant.

Background

On June 7, 2004 the California Office of Traffic Safety approved $50.3 million in grants to be apportioned to various cities and counties throughout California that were committed to results-producing programs that combine education, prevention and enforcement, specifically focused on reducing traffic-related injuries and fatalities.  With the opening of the Chandler Class I Bikeway, and bikeway projects currently being designed, staff applied for the �Kidsteps to Safety� OTS grant to provide education on bicycle and pedestrian safety for school aged children.  On January 4, 2004, the City of Burbank�s application for $107,302 was approved by the Office of Traffic Safety.  This grant funds educational outreach for a two-year period, beginning in January 1, 2005 and ending December 31, 2006.    

Analysis

Staff is requesting City Council authorization to accept a �Kidsteps to Safety� Office of Traffic Safety Grant in the amount of $107,302 for the implementation and administration of traffic safety education programs and the support equipment that will help to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety.  The purpose of this grant would be to help decrease the number of bicycle and pedestrian accidents related to automobile collisions. 

The grant will fund safety classes, and bicycle and pedestrian rodeos at two community events sponsored by the City per year.  These events will include the annual Red Ribbon Ride in the Park and Fire Service Day.  In coordination with the Burbank Police Department, six yearly traffic safety classes will be conducted for students at the middle school and high school levels.  Because the grant is based on a two-year program, the same six traffic safety classes will be accomplished in the following year, 2006, to a different audience of students.  All overtime pay for police officers will be paid for out of the grant, as well as for overtime hours paid to a police senior clerk, whose service will be needed to compile the necessary reports required by the OTS.  The OTS grant will also fund eleven elementary school rodeos and school assemblies per year, focusing on bicycle and pedestrian safety.  A bicycle rodeo is an event that features bike safety inspections, a safety lecture and a traffic simulation course designed to teach safe practices. 

Also included in the grant is the production of a Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety video to be viewed at school events.  As an incentive for program participants (as described above), the OTS grant will fund gifts for raffles such as bicycles, bicycle helmets, bicycle knee and elbow pads, and bicycle pads.  Additionally, the grant will pay for a city representative to attend the annual OTS State Safety Conference, where new developments in bicycle and pedestrian safety are presented.    

This grant will also provide funding for various police support items such as a laser measuring and recording device, a laptop computer and a projector. This equipment will be used by the Police Department to track bicycle and pedestrian collisions, measure traffic speeds and to accurately record information for reporting purposes. 

Transportation Commission

On August 23, 2004, staff reported to the Transportation Commission that the �Kidsteps to Safety� OTS grant application had initially been approved, and that it focuses on bicycle and pedestrian safety educational programs. After considering all of the grant components, the Commission expressed their support. 

Fiscal Impact

The OTS grant applied for by the City has minimal fiscal impacts.  If authorized, it will be necessary for the City to front the cost of the grant, $107,302, out of the Transportation Development Impact Fees (Fund 127), which the OTS will ultimately reimburse at the end of the two year grant period.  During the two year time frame of the grant, three hours of staff time will be required to complete all documents relating to this grant.  Sufficient resources are available to cover these costs.  In order for sufficient funds to be available to front the grant, the Development Impact Fee (Fund 127) budget would have to be amended to appropriate $107,302 to account 127.CD33A.62170.0000.15620.  All monies would be reimbursed to the unappropriated Development Impact Fee account. 

Recommendation

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the proposed resolution authorizing the acceptance of the �Kidsteps to Safety� OTS grant and to amend the Fiscal Year 2004-2005 budget to appropriate $107,302 of unappropriated Development Impact Fee funds.

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