The Surface Transportation Block Grant Program is a federal program that provides states and local jurisdictions with funding for highway improvements, street rehabilitation and transportation enhancements. The Transportation Agency receives an annual apportionment of Regional Surface Transportation Program funding, passed through the State. Because Monterey County didn’t have an urbanized area with a population of greater than 200,000 in the 1990 census, it qualified for the state exchange program, whereby Caltrans keeps the federal Surface Transportation Block Grant Program apportionments for a region and gives the regional agency an equivalent amount of state cash.

The Transportation Agency distributes Regional Surface Transportation Program funding in both fair-share and competitive programs. Monterey County and the cities receive fair-share Regional Surface Transportation Program funds based on a formula of 50% population and 50% centerline miles. The total fair share allocation over the next three years is $3.6 million.

Project proposals for the competitive program will be evaluated based on the following scoring rubric for a total of 100 points:

Screening Criteria:

1. The proposed project will be implemented within 3 years
2. The project is consistent with local and regional plans
3. For intersection projects, an Intersection Control Evaluation has been or will be completed
4. The project has a positive benefit / cost ratio

Section A - Project Information & Regional Significance (25 points total)

1. Traffic volumes in the corridor - 10 points
2. The project will mitigate safety hazards - 10 points
3. The project serves regional travel - 5 points

Section B - Complete Streets (25 points total)

1. Stakeholder outreach was conducted - 5 points
2. The project incorporates complete streets treatments - 10 points
3. The project improves bicycle, pedestrian or transit design features - 5 points
4. This is a maintenance project with complete street enhancements - 5 points

Section C - Project Readiness & Cost Effectiveness (25 points total)

1. Project is ready to bid within three years - 5 points
2. Request for funding will fully-fund the project - 10 points
3. Project has completed the environmental phase - 5 points
4. Project has completed the design / right-of-way phase - 5 points

Section D - Prior Project Delivery Performance (25 points total)

1. The jurisdiction is maximizing the use of fair-share RSTP - 10 points
2. The jurisdiction has delivered previously-awarded competitive projects on time - 10 points
3. This funding request does not fund a cost-overrun - 5 points

For this grant cycle, Transportation Agency staff is proposing an option to conduct the cycle on an accelerated basis, with program adoption by the Transportation Agency Board in May 2020 rather than August as in previous cycles.  An earlier program adoption will allow jurisdictions that are planning to submit Active Transportation Program Cycle 5 grants for the same project to show that they have committed match funds when submitting those applications in June.  However, this would reduce the amount of time jurisdictions will have to review grant materials and prepare applications.  Agency staff will be seeking Committee feedback on this proposal at the meeting.

The Transportation Agency will also be updating its policies and procedures related to the Regional Surface Transportation Program, which will require each local jurisdiction to enter into a new three-year master funding agreement with the Transportation Agency in order to be eligible to receive funds. Transportation Agency staff will provide an update at the Technical Advisory Committee meeting on the guidelines, as well as review policies for the distribution of fair share allocations, the timely use of funds, use of interest, project eligibility, and discuss criteria and procedures for the grant cycle.