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By Olin Ericksen
Staff Writer
May 22 -- For the first time in six years, Santa
Monica is vying for millions in rare grants awarded by the
County and State to bankroll much-needed transit improvement
projects, including possibly five locally and two for the
Westside.
After a "Call for Projects" earlier this year by
the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and CalTrans, City
officials said the agencies will decide by July how to award
Federal, State and County monies, which could mean almost
$7.2 million more in grant funding for local bus, parking,
bike and traffic signal system upgrades.
Another $3.5 million in grants could also be awarded for
Westside projects, such as pedestrian improvements near bus
stops in three neighboring cities and Santa Monica, and a
bicycle workshop located inside the beachside city.
However, the money is not yet in the pipeline, according
to City officials, and over the next few days some critical
decisions will be made by the MTA on two Santa Monica proposals
and another Westside project whose fate has not been determined.
An appeals process will continue until Wednesday, which could
mean other competing regions and cities could still win approval
over Westside projects, despite a funding recommendation already
rendered by the MTA.
"Two Santa Monica and one Westside COG projects are
just above the funding cut-off and could be vulnerable if
other agencies are successful with their appeals," Don
Patterson, assistant to the City Manager, wrote in a May 18
report to City Council. "Staff plans to monitor the process
and speak in favor of these projects."
Aimed at improving notoriously slow and pollution-filled
commutes on the Westside, recommended projects could include
a host of changes inside Santa Monica .
The most expensive -- a $4.26 million grant matched with
local funds totaling $1.58 million -- would replace ten diesel
spewing Big Blue buses with vehicles that run on environmentally
friendly Liquefied Natural Gas by 2011.
If all ten buses are replaced, it will leave 88 diesel buses
in the City’s fleet, or nearly fifty percent of the
buses in the system. The City is hoping to replace the entire
fleet with alternative fuel vehicles by 2014.
Other local projects would also include real-time parking
signs for the beach ($250,000 grant and a $287,000 local match)
and signal system upgrades on Ocean Park Boulevard, Main Street
and Neilson Way ($933,000 grant and a $234,000 local match)
There may also be an emphasis on bike projects.
A bike transit station Downtown would require a grant of
$1.67 million and local match of $900,000, while school-based
bike training would be covered by an $84,000 grant, along
with $45,000 in local funds.
In addition to the local projects, the Westside could possibly
see two projects move forward.
Pedestrian improvements at intersections with Bus Stops were
recommended for a $3.25 million grant and $1.75 million matching
monies from Westside Cities.
Currently there are 27 intersections in four Westside cities
being targeted and five stops on Lincoln Boulevard being suggested
for local buses, according to the report.
However, City officials said they may need to scale back
projects to gain approval of the grant funds.
The second project -- supported with a $279,000 grant and
$120,000 in matching funds from Santa Monica -- would help
start a bicycle workshop inside Santa Monica.
Three local and Westside projects not recommended for funding
by the MTA included upgrading the bus fare box to accurately
count ridership, forging a Santa Monica College transportation
management plan and making improvements to a north-south transit
corridor.
While "Calls for Projects" are issued only every
few years, City officials said they have been instrumental
in securing important grant funding in the past.
"Historically, the Call for Projects has been one of
the City's best opportunities to compete for Federal, State
and County funding that is passed through Metro and Caltrans,"
wrote Patterson.
Well known projects, such as the Second and Fourth Street
improvements Downtown, the Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling
Facility (SMURRF), an Exposition Boulevard bike path, crosswalk
enhancements, bike racks on buses and bus stop improvements
have all been funded by previous grants, officials said.
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