Title
Resolution Supporting a 2025 Road to Zero Community Traffic Safety Grant Application
PURPOSE: This items requests Town Council approval of a resolution in support of an application for a 2025 Road to Zero Community Traffic Safety Grant.
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Department
DEPARTMENT: Planning
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Council Direction
COUNCIL DIRECTION:
__X_ Race/Equity __X__ Climate __X__ Comprehensive Plan __X__Other
Council Direction Statement
The grant, if awarded, would provide the Town with an opportunity to develop a comprehensive approach to regular traffic collection on town streets to help inform systematic traffic calming and possible modifications to local street standards. The project could support the implementation of Transportation & Mobility strategy 2.2-E and F in the Comprehensive Plan. Racial equity pocket questions from last year’s agenda item are available at https://carrboro.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6431792&GUID=80285962-62DF-4366-954F-3BE67F2355F8&Options=&Search=.
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Information
INFORMATION: On November 29, 2023, the Town Council approved a resolution authorizing staff to apply for a 2024 Road to Zero Community Traffic Safety Grant (November 29, 2023 Town Council Meeting <https://carrboro.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6431792&GUID=80285962-62DF-4366-954F-3BE67F2355F8&Options=&Search=>). The application outlined a proposal for using transportation planning services to develop and conduct systematic traffic counts throughout the Town’s jurisdiction. Count data, (number of vehicles and vehicle speeds) would be used to analyze existing traffic patterns and areas of concern to inform the need for traffic calming measures, possible modifications to existing infrastructure, and possible changes to the street standards, as appropriate. The Town’s proposal was not selected for funding for the 2024 grant cycle.
The notice for the 2025 grant cycle has just been announced, with a submittal deadline of January 17, 2025. Staff would like to submit a refined version of the proposal for funding support in the 2025 cycle.
Of note, staff are also reviewing demonstration grants provided as part of the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) program as another possible funding opportunity for the same traffic analysis program. The interest is to develop the systematic counts in a way that could be replicated on a regular schedule as part of comprehensive Vision Zero safety initiative to over time replace the petition-based traffic calming program.
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Fiscal and Staff Impact
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with receiving this item. If the Town is awarded the grant, staff would bring back a separate agenda relating to the project budget and necessary agreements. Staff time is associated with further work on possible modifications to the Residential Traffic Calming Plan and related safety measures.
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Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Town council consider the resolution (Attachment A) supporting the submittal of an application for the 2025 Road to Zero Community Traffic Safety Grant.
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