MCBC Report on Funding Allocations for the Federal Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program

April 19, 2007

BACKGROUND

In August 2005, Marin County was one of only four communities in the nation that was selected to implement a Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program, the others being Columbia, MO; Minneapolis, MN; and Sheboyban County, WI. Each community was slated to receive $25 million from 2005 – 2010. The legislative purpose of the program is “to demonstrate the extent to which bicycling and walking can carry a significant part of the transportation load, and represent a major portion of the transportation solution, within selected communities.” An interim report is due to Congress in the fall of 2007 and a final report is due in the fall of 2010.

The Marin County Bicycle Coalition played a leading role in bringing these funds to Marin County through more than five years of advocacy and by working together with Transportation Alternatives for Marin, the Marin County Board of Supervisors, and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Marin was selected, largely, due to our success with the Safe Routes to School Pilot Program, and because Congressman James Oberstar (D-MN), now Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee had faith that “Marin County knows how to make pilot programs work.” Senator Boxer, now Chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Congresswoman Woolsey also played significant and supportive roles.in securing the funding.

In December of 2005, a federal Working Group was established to coordinate the efforts of the four communities with the Federal Highway Administration to create a learning network and to ensure collaboration and consistent methods of evaluation and promotion, as well as production of the Congressional reports. MCBC’s Deb Hubsmith serves on this committee which meets bi-weekly; County staff representatives Craig Tackabery and Dan Dawson are also Working Group members.

From November 2006 through March 2007, Marin County convened a 19-member Advisory Committee to make recommendations for funding local projects. More than 200 project requests were received, totaling more than $220 million. The Advisory Committee was tasked with establishing performance criteria to meet the federal goals, and narrowing down the list to $20 million in funding recommendations.

The Advisory Committee’s report was then provided to Farhad Mansourian, Director of Marin County’s Department of Public Works, who made further changes to the list, based in part on recommendations from a sub-committee of city representatives from the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM). One of the main recommendations from this TAM committee was to eliminate the $850,000 for the Alto Tunnel study, one of MCBC’s highest priority projects. Since our inception in 1998 we have been working to improve the bicycle and pedestrian route between Mill Valley and Corte Madera, as there are tremendous safety needs and demands in this corridor.

FUNDING DECISIONS

On April 17, 2007, the Marin County Board of Supervisors made decisions on how to spend $20 million in federal funding that was allocated to Marin County as part of the federal Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program. Click here to see the list. (The additional $5 million is set aside for federal obligation authority, staff and consultant costs, evaluation, and national communication efforts).

Overall, the Marin County Bicycle Coalition is pleased with the final funding list of projects and programs. Here are some highlights for what the Pilot Program funding will buy:

• North-South Greenway: There will now be planning or construction on every segment of the North-South Greenway (a route planned parallel to Highway 101 along the railroad right-of-way corridor). Pilot Program North-South Greenway projects include (from south to north):

• A study of the route to get from the Sausalito Ferry Terminal to Gate 6 Road
• Construction improvements to the Gate 6 road intersection
• A study of the routes from Mill Valley to Corte Madera, including the Alto Tunnel (see below for details)
• Preliminary engineering and planning for the Central Marin Ferry Connection Project
• Construction improvements to the connector from the Mahon Creek Path to the San Rafael Transit Center
• Construction of a connector from the San Rafael Transit Center to the future Puerto Suello Hill Pathway (being constructed out of Measure A funds at the same time as the HOV gap closure project)
• Los Ranchitos Road bike lanes
• Alameda del Prado bike lanes
• Commuter Connection – Enfrente Road

• East West Greenway: The Pilot Program will fund planning for an East-West route from Fairfax through San Anselmo to San Rafael.

• Southern Marin: Funding will complete the Tennessee Valley Pathway from the Community Center to the North-South Greenway, and will construct a connector pathway from the Tam Valley neighborhood to the Manzanita Transit Center.

• Countywide Projects: The Pilot Program created four pots of funding to group together smaller projects to result in cost savings and rapid implementation. There will be future applications from jurisdictions for projects related to:

• Bicycle Parking
• Signing/Striping
• Intersection Improvements
• Steps, Lanes and Paths

• Programs: The Pilot Program will fund $1 million in programs that promote bicycle safety, education and awareness. Future activities include: bicycle repair classes, streets skills, street smarts, personal travel planning, health promotion, bicycle and walking maps, riding with youth workshops, share the road and share the path, seminars for engineers, booths at events, and safety campaigns.

ALTO TUNNEL REPORT

The MCBC fought hard to secure the full $850,000 in funding for the geo-technical Alto Tunnel study that was recommended by the Pilot Program Advisory Committee. Our action alerts helped to generate more than 140 original positive letters to the Marin County Board of Supervisors requesting that this project go forward. Nearly 50 people packed the Mill Valley City Council chambers on April 16 to ask for the Alto Tunnel funding, and more than 60 people took time out of their busy days on April 17 to attend the Board of Supervisors hearing for the final decision. The eloquent outpouring of public testimony in favor of the Alto Tunnel was inspiring and effective.

In the end, the Board of Supervisors chose to accept the staff recommendation to allocate $250,000 to a Mill Valley – Corte Madera Bikeway Study that will assess possible improvements on the three potential routes: the Alto Tunnel, Horse Hill, and Camino Alto. The scope of work for this study has not yet been developed, but MCBC will be seeking to ensure that this study results in concrete next steps for moving the Alto Tunnel project. We believe that the study will show that the grades of both Camino Alto and Horse Hill are too steep for travel by all but the most physically-fit bicyclists, and that to ensure mode-shift (the purpose of the federal program) the Alto Tunnel will be the preferred alternative.

While MCBC would have liked to see the full $850,000 to allow for the geo-technical analysis of Alto Tunnel, we consider the $250,000 study a step in the right direction, and an important victory. Without the outpouring of support from the public, there would have been incredible pressure for the County to simply accept the TAM sub-committee recommendation for no-funding for the Alto Tunnel. Together we turned the tide, and in the process, built new bridges with groups and individuals that represent parents, emergency services, people with disabilities and seniors. In addition, we showed that people throughout the County are in favor of this project, including people who live far away, and people who live in the tunnel neighborhoods. We firmly established Alto Tunnel as a priority need through this Pilot Program public process.

CONCLUSION

Marin County’s Pilot Program is off to a strong start. There is wide public interest and participation, and the initial set of projects provides a solid framework from which to expand. The MCBC looks forward to working with the County of Marin and partner agencies on the implementation of the projects and programs that were selected. We will be actively involved in all planning studies, and will be providing input for project design plans. We are also continuing to work with Marin County and our state and federal elected officials to secure additional funds so that we may ultimately complete Marin’s bicycle and pedestrian network. Through construction of the network and promotion of its use, we will shift auto trips to bicycle and pedestrian trips, proving that nonmotorized transportation is cost effective and results in health benefits. Through our work on this pilot program, we aim to provide a successful case study that will help to change funding allocations and policies nationwide.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

Deb Hubsmith, Advocacy Director, Marin County Bicycle Coalition
deb@marinbike.org
415-454-7430