TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Peter Fernandez, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
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Application for project funding under the Oregon Department of Transportation “All Roads Transportation Safety” Program (ARTS).
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
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ISSUE:
Shall City Council authorize the City Manager to apply for project funding under the “All Roads Transportation Safety” (ARTS) program and, if successful, incorporate projects into a future Capital Improvement Plan and authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation to accept the funds?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to apply for project funding under the “All Roads Transportation Safety” (ARTS) program and, if successful, incorporate projects into a future Capital Improvement Plan and authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation to accept the funds.
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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
Oregon averages 1,900 fatal and serious injury crashes each year. Fifty percent of Oregon’s fatal and serious injury crashes occur on city and county roads. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has been developing a data-driven process targeted at reducing fatal and serious injury crashes, regardless of roadway jurisdiction. This data-driven process is the basis for the ARTS Program (see Attachment). The program is designed to use proven countermeasures to mitigate safety problems and prioritize projects based on an analysis of benefits and costs.
Through the ARTS Program, ODOT will allocate half of available federal safety funds to locations with histories of fatal and serious crashes (hot spots). The other half of the federal safety funds will be allocated to fund low-cost countermeasures that can be widely implemented to improve safety. All projects will be selected through an application process for four different categories of crashes: Hot Spot, Intersection, Pedestrian/Bicycle, and Roadway Departure (mostly rural and not applicable to Salem). Federal safety funds currently require a 7.78 percent match.
In previous rounds of the ARTS Program, Salem has been awarded more than $7 million in federal funds for safety projects on local roads. These projects are programmed for delivery over the next three years.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
ODOT is soliciting applications for safety projects as defined in the ARTS Program. Applications are due May 31, 2018, for funding in federal fiscal years 2021 through 2024. Projects must use specific countermeasures identified by ODOT for the appropriate category of project.
City staff is working with ODOT to identify appropriate locations and countermeasures based on five years of crash data (2011 through 2015, or 2012 through 2016). Following are examples of likely countermeasures.
Sample Intersection Countermeasures:
• Improve signal hardware, such as installing reflectorized back plates;
• Replace “doghouse” signal heads with flashing yellow arrow signal heads;
• Replace urban permissive left turns to protected/permissive;
• Improve intersection warning pavement markings and signs; and
• Install lighting at intersections.
Sample Pedestrian/Bicycle Countermeasures:
• Install pedestrian countdown timers;
• Provide bicycle and pedestrian intersection illumination;
• Install no pedestrian phase feature with flashing yellow arrow;
• Install raised median with crosswalk;
• Install rectangular rapid flashing beacon;
• Install curb ramps and extensions; and
• Install bike lanes or buffered bike lanes.
ODOT is scheduled to identify a preliminary list of projects totaling 150 percent of available funds this summer. Starting late summer and continuing into the fall, ODOT will work with applicants to further refine projects from the 150-percent list, with the goal of completing a draft list of projects by the end of 2018. Final approval of the projects will be in 2020 with approval of the State Transportation Improvement Program for 2021-2024.
As of the staff report’s writing, staff is working to complete a preliminary analysis of candidate projects that will best meet the program’s funding criteria. Prior to entering into project funding agreements with ODOT, staff will return to Council for approval to add selected projects into the Capital Improvement Plan and request budgetary approval for the required 7.78 percent local match in the appropriate fiscal year (FY 2021-2022 through FY 2023-2024). Likely sources of local match funds include Transportation System Development Charges for countermeasures that increase corridor capacity, or the City’s share of State Highway Fund revenues for other countermeasures, including those intended for pedestrian and bicycle safety.
Robert D. Chandler, PhD, PE
Assistant Public Works Director
Attachment:
1. ARTS Program Description