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Adopt a Resolution Supporting a Grant Application to the Governor’s Highway Safety Program.
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Staff: |
Department: |
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Britany Waddell, Director |
Planning |
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Bergen Watterson, Mobility and Greenways Manager |
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Ben Berolzheimer, Mobility and Greenways Planner |
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Kurt Stolka, Vision Zero Coordinator |
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Overview: On January 31, 2024, staff submitted a preliminary application for the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) grant program for Fiscal Year 2025. Council must adopt a resolution to finalize the application and accept $172,700 of federal funding from the grant program. If received, the grant funds would pay a full-time Vison Zero Coordinator, part-time Vision Zero Intern, contribute to Chapel Hill Police Department crosswalk enforcement efforts, and support additional pedestrian safety and education campaigns. This grant application is a continuation of the existing GHSP grant the Town originally received in FY21.
Over the past four years, the formerly part-time GIS/Complete Streets Specialist (now Vision Zero Coordinator) has become an important position within the Planning Department (now in the Office of Mobility and Greenways), managing the Vision Zero Task Force and Executive Committee, analyzing existing crash data, improving systems to collect the data, creating a data-driven system for ranking crash risk, and developing quick-build projects to treat high-risk roads and intersections. Additionally, staff conducts outreach campaigns with community stakeholders, hosts events and workshops to engage and educate the public, and will travel to safety related meetings and conferences. The Town’s grant application for FY25 includes a request for additional funding to make the position full-time.
Promoting bicycle and pedestrian safety and increasing law enforcement efforts that will increase the safety of vulnerable road users, especially at marked crosswalks at intersections with histories of crashes, is an important step in moving The Town of Chapel Hill toward the goal of increasing pedestrian, bicycle, and transit commute mode share to 35% by 2025 and creating a Complete Community.
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Recommendation(s): |
That the Council adopt the resolution approving the grant application to the Governor’s Highway Safety Program in the amount of $172,700.
Key Issues:
• From 2018-2022, there were 187 pedestrian crashes in Orange County, ranking 12th worst of 100 N.C. Counties. Of these crashes, 15 resulted in pedestrian fatalities (ranked 23rd, previously 31st) and 18 resulted in serious pedestrian injuries (23rd, previously 23rd)
• Pedestrian safety continues to decline in Orange County, and dedicated efforts to influence motorist behavior on the high-injury highway network are essential to reducing the loss of human life in our community. Community education and outreach, coupled with direct public engagement, public safety enforcement, and quick build safety projects, will improve the broad community understanding of our shared responsibility in reversing these trends and building a safer transportation network for all road users.
• Crash clusters occurred within the downtown area and along high-speed corridors.
• Staff created a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan <https://www.townofchapelhill.org/home/showpublisheddocument/47124/637378486668570000> in spring 2019, which aims to create a safe, connected, and accessible community. Staff has been working to implement the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan with the GHSP funding and will continue with the same work.
• In October 2021 the Town adopted a Vision Zero resolution that commits to 0 roadway fatalities and serious injuries by 2031, furthering the Town’s commitment to improving the safety for our vulnerable road users.
• GHSP funds will further the Vision Zero work, continue to implement the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, enhance bicycle-pedestrian safety efforts, and expand community engagement.
Fiscal Impact/Resources: If awarded the $172,700 grant, the Town will be able to fund personnel costs, operating costs, and other direct costs. The personnel costs would cover the full-time Vision Zero Coordinator position, part-time Vision Zero Intern, and overtime hours for off-duty officers for one year. Operating costs would cover expenses for outreach campaigns, community stakeholder events, food and drink for events, and supplies. Other direct costs would cover in-state and out-of-state travel to conferences and trainings. There is no local match for the grant. If the Town receives the grant, staff will bring an item back to Council to formally recognize and appropriate the funds.
Where is this item in its process?
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Attachments: |
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• Resolution |
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• FY25 GHSP Grant Application |
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE GOVERNOR’S HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAM (2024-05-01/R-2)
WHEREAS, The Town of Chapel Hill Planning Department (herein called the “Agency”) has completed an application contract for traffic safety funding; and that the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill (herein called the “Governing Body”) has thoroughly considered the problem identified and has reviewed the project as described in the contract;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill in open meeting assembled in the Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this 1st day of May, 2024, as follows:
1. That the project referenced above is in the best interest of the Governing Body and the general public; and
2. That Kurt Stolka, Vision Zero Coordinator, is authorized to file, on behalf of the Governing Body, an application contract in the form prescribed by the Governor’s Highway Safety Program for federal funding in the amount of $172,700 to be made to the Governing Body to assist in defraying the cost of the project described in the contract application; and
3. That the Governing Body has formally appropriated the cash contribution of $0 as required by the project contract; and
4. That the Project Director designated in the application contract shall furnish or make arrangement for other appropriate persons to furnish such information, data, documents and reports as required by the contract, if approved, or as may be required by the Governor’s Highway Safety Program; and
5. That certified copies of this resolution be included as part of the contract referenced above; and
6. That this resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.
DONE AND ORDERED in open meeting by (mayor)
ATTESTED BY (clerk)
DATE This the 1st day of May, 2024.
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The Agenda will reflect the text below and/or the motion text will be used during the meeting. |
presenter
By adopting the resolution, the Council approves the grant application to the Governor’s Highway Safety Program in the amount of $172,700.