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Adopt a Resolution Supporting a Grant Application to the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. (distributed 6/14/22)
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Staff: |
Department: |
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Colleen Willger, Director |
Planning |
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Bergen Watterson, Transportation Planning Manager |
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Overview: On January 31, 2022, staff submitted a preliminary application for the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) grant program for Fiscal Year 2023. Council must adopt a resolution to finalize the application and accept federal funding from the grant program. If received, the grant funds would pay a part-time GIS/Complete Streets Specialist, 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 two years the part-time GIS/Complete Streets Specialist has become an important position within the Planning Department, 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, the GIS/Complete Streets Specialist conducts outreach campaigns with community stakeholders and will host events and workshops to engage and educate the public.
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.
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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 $60,500.
Key Issues:
• From 2017 to 2021, the Town experienced a total of 184 bicycle and pedestrian crashes, five of which were fatal.
• 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, 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 $60,500 grant, the Town will be able to fund personnel costs, operating costs, and other direct costs. The personnel costs would cover the part-time GIS/Complete Street Specialist position and overtime hours for off-duty officers for one year. Operating costs would cover expenses for outreach campaigns, community stakeholder events and supplies. Other direct costs would cover in-state travel. 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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• GHSP Grant Application |
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE GOVERNOR’S HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAM (2022-06-15/R-8.1)
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:
1) That the project referenced above is in the best interest of the Governing Body and the general public; and
2) That Bergen Watterson, Transportation Planning Manager, 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 $60,500 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.
This the 15th day of June, 2022.
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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 $60,500.