PURPOSE:

 

The purpose of this report is for the City Council to adopt the proposed resolution authorizing staff to enter into an amended Caltrans Local Agency-State Agreement for the fiscal year 2004/2005 Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA) grant for the purposes of extending the project completion deadline to April 1, 2012, allowing the City to expend the remaining funds of $219,223, with a remaining local match requirement of $29,500.

 

BACKGROUND:

 

On January 16, 2007 Council directed staff to enter into an amended Caltrans BTA agreement to implement the Bicycle Parking and Bikes-on-Buses Project.  The project components include providing bicycle racks on all BurbankBus vehicles, installing bicycle parking in City right-of-way along selected commercial arterial corridors, and providing bike station facilities at the Downtown Metrolink Station. Funds for this project were originally awarded to the City in the 2004/2005 BTA cycle for the Beachwood Enhanced Class III Bikeway Project and have since been reallocated to fund the Bicycle Parking and Bikes-on-Buses Project. BTA grants have a project completion deadline of three-years from the time of grant award, regardless of any reallocation or reassignment to a substitute project.  For the 2004/2005 BTA Cycle, this three-year completion deadline for invoicing was April 1, 2007.

 

As of April 1, 2007, two of the three components of the Bicycle Parking and Bikes-on-Buses Project have been completed and reimbursement invoiced to Caltrans, while the third component is in the planning stages.  Bicycle racks for BurbankBus vehicles have been purchased and are currently being installed on the transit vehicles as they are taken in and out of daily service.  Installation of black, �inverted-U� style bicycle racks along the City�s major commercial corridors was completed in March and these racks are now available for use by bicycle commuters and recreational riders. The bike station facilities at the Downtown Metrolink Station are in the planning stages, and staff is currently evaluating an appropriate location and types of amenities to be included in this commuter facility.  In addition, outreach to bicycle commuters at the Burbank Transportation Management Organization member companies is currently underway to gauge the type of facilities that could be useful to the City�s bicycle commuter community.

 

ANALYSIS:

 

Concurrent with the completion of these projects, City staff has also pursued a time extension with Caltrans through the State Department of Finance for the purpose of using these BTA funds beyond the three-year, April 1, 2007 deadline.  Time extensions are awarded to projects that have incurred delays in the planning and implementation of the project and, as a result, may not be able to be completed within the three-year time limit provided.  City staff and Caltrans BTA staff felt that this project could be granted a time extension through the Department of Finance because of the extenuating circumstances of these grant funds being reallocated to a different project.  On April 5, 2007, this request for time extension was approved, and a new deadline for expenditure of funds has been set for April 1, 2012.  This new extension allows the City to continue with planning and implementation of the final bike station component of the project, as well as a final installation of additional bicycle racks at some additional City facilities and in Downtown Burbank. 

 

The creation of bike station facilities, at the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station would provide important bicycle infrastructure identified in the Bicycle Master Plan.  As defined in the �Bike-Transit Center Implementation Plan� developed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a bicycle-transit center facility provides at least 20 fee-based, secured bicycle parking spaces adjacent to transit in an effort to encourage bike-to-transit connections. Services that a bike-transit center offer can range from access controlled bicycle rack enclosure, bicycle lockers or a full-service facility offering bike parking, repairs, sales, rentals, restrooms, vending, among other amenities. Bicycle parking facilities such as this provide a service furthering the development of an effective bicycle transportation system and encourage bicycle use to and from the Metrolink Station. Bicycle parking, in general, is identified as Project #1 of the Bicycle Master Plan, a Top Priority Project. 

 

To preserve these state bicycle funds, and take advantage of the remaining funds available from the grant, staff is requesting the Council enter into an amended Local Agency-State Agreement with Caltrans. Council acceptance of an amended agreement via resolution would extend the project completion deadline to April 1, 2012. While this generous time extension provides ample time to complete the project, staff will continue to work expeditiously to complete the project, as further award of Caltrans BTA funds will not be permitted until the funds identified under this extension are spent.  Staff has begun research and planning of a bike-transit center at the Downtown Metrolink Station and expects to complete the project well before the extended project completion deadline. Staff tentatively estimates returning to the Council with construction bid documents in late summer or early fall of 2007.  In addition, by pursing expenditure of these grant funds through this amendment, not only will the City be providing important bicycle infrastructure, the City will be following through with its obligation to utilize the funds awarded and remain in good standing with the BTA Grant Program.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

The remaining grant funds from the 2004/2005 BTA grant provide $189,723, with a local match of $29,500, for a total of $219,223. Fund 127 Development Impact Fees have already been budgeted to front the grant money, and Transportation Development Act Article 3 Funds have already been identified to cover the local match.  As the Council action requested would merely extend the time line for the use of these funds, there is no fiscal impact associated with the request.

 

CONCLUSION:

 

The proposed amendment would extend the time limit of an existing grant allowing the continued planning and implementation of a bicycle facility at the Downtown Metrolink Station, completing the Bicycle Parking and Bikes-on-Buses Project and adding to the Metrolink station�s utility and mobility to commuters. The completion of the project would also continue to implement the goals and objectives of the City�s Bicycle Master Plan. Implementation of a bike-transit facility would greatly add to the City�s bicycle network by providing end of trip bike parking at one of the City�s primary regional transit facilities and utilize funds already awarded to the City in a previous grant and prevent the funds from lapsing.

 

RECOMMENDATION:

 

Staff recommends that Council adopt the proposed resolution authorizing acceptance of the Amended Caltrans Local Agency-State Agreement for the purposes of extending the project completion deadline allowing the completion of the bike-transit center facility component of the Bicycle Parking and Bikes-on-Buses Project.

 

LIST OF EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A:  Article I � Project Administration of the Caltrans amended �Local Agreement � State Agreement� for the Bicycle Parking and Bikes-on-Buses Project