Coversheet


Agenda Item 3.2


TRANSPORTATION AGENCY FOR MONTEREY COUNTY *Memorandum*

To:	Executive Committee
From:	Stefania Castillo, Transportation Planner
Meeting Date:	October 2, 2019
Subject:	Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway Grant Application

RECOMMENDED ACTION:
REVIEW and APPROVE submittal of a Proposition 68 Trails and Greenways grant application for the proposed Laguna Grande to Roberts Lake segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway.

SUMMARY:

The Proposition 68 Trails and Greenways program awards competitive grants for projects that provide non-motorized infrastructure and that promote new or alternate access to parks and other natural habitat to promote active transportation and opportunities to connect with nature. The Laguna Grande to Roberts Lake segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway proposes a wheelchair accessible trail entering Laguna Grande Regional Park at Fremont Blvd and Highway 218, rehabilitation of existing trails within the Park, and a signalized crossing at Del Monte Blvd to connect to the Coastal Trail at Roberts Lake. The proposed segment also includes a multi-use sidewalk connection to the new North Fremont median bike lanes from Casanova Ave into Laguna Grande Regional Park.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

The California Natural Resources Agency will be awarding $27.7 million for projects statewide. The maximum grant award per project is $4 million. Funding priority is given to projects that leverage private, federal, or local funds. The City of Monterey will contribute an estimated $250,000 local match for the multi-use sidewalk connection to the North Fremont median bike lanes. Measure X funds designated for the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project (as described in the Transportation Safety and Investment Plan) or a possible Local Partnership Program grant will fill any remaining funding gap.

DISCUSSION:

The Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway is currently undergoing environmental review. The Laguna Grande to Roberts Lake segment of the Trail is a strong candidate for the Proposition 68 Trails and Greenways Grant Program. The project fulfills the grant program's mission to provide non-motorized infrastructure that promotes new or alternate access to parks, waterways, outdoor recreation, and other natural environments to encourage health-related active transportation and opportunities for Californians to reconnect with nature.

The main features of the proposed project, all of which are included in the environmental analysis currently being undertaken for the entire FORTAG project, include:

Links to the North Fremont Street median pathway and the funded FORTAG segment from Laguna Grande to the Frog Pond.
Rehabilitation of the existing trails within Laguna Grande Regional Park, including wayfinding and interpretive signage.
A signalized crossing at Del Monte Blvd near Holiday Inn Express for enhanced access to the existing Coastal Trail at Roberts Lake.
A multi-use sidewalk connection to the North Fremont median bike lanes from Casanova Ave into Laguna Grande Regional Park.

The main benefits of the proposed segment include:

Leveraging local funds to potentially bring in $3 million to $4 million in state funds to Monterey County.
Connections to two adjacent bicycle and pedestrian projects funded by state Active Transportation Program grants (City of Monterey's North Fremont median bike lanes and pedestrian improvements and the Transportation Agency's Highway 218 segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway.
Wheelchair access to Laguna Grande Regional Park at the intersection of Fremont Blvd and Highway 218.
Safer pedestrian and bicycle access, including facilities for mobility-impaired users, to Laguna Grande Regional Park and to the existing Coastal Trail at Roberts Lake.
Rehabilitation of popular outdoor and recreational space for the communities of Seaside and Monterey. The Laguna Grande Regional Park currently serves as the staging area for the City of Seaside's Sunday Blues in the Park - a free concert series going into its 32nd year of celebration.

Transportation Agency staff recommends the Executive Committee approve the Proposition 68 Trails and Greenway grant application for submittal by the deadline of Friday, October 11th.

If the Transportation Agency's proposal is among the most competitive projects, the Agency will be invited to participate in the next level of the competitive grant award process that includes an on-site field visit with staff from the California Natural Resources Agency anticipated for mid-late December 2019. Projects must be completed by March 2024.

The Environmental Impact Report for the entire FORTAG project is currently scheduled to be considered for approval by February 2020.