TITLE: Title
Resolution Supporting an Application for Safe Routes to School Non-Infrastructure Grant
PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is to request that the Town Council consider a resolution in support of an application for NCDOT’s Safe Routes to School Non-Infrastructure Grant.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT INFORMATION: Christina Moon, Planning Administrator, 919-918-7325, cmoon@carrboronc.gov <mailto:cmoon@carrboronc.gov>; Patricia McGuire, Planning Director, 919-918-7327, pmcguire@carrboronc.gov <mailto:pmcguire@carrboronc.gov>
INFORMATION: In December, the Integrated Mobility Division (IMD) of the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) announced a funding opportunity for non-infrastructure grants to support Safe Routes to School activities. This is the first grant opportunity for safe routes to school programs in some time. Funding amounts may range from $50,000 to $500,000 per project for a period of one to three years. No match is required. Resolutions and letters of support are needed as part of the application; draft resolutions/letters of support may be submitted. Additional information on the grant and Safe Routes to School Program may be found here: <https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/BikePed/Documents/SRTS%20Non-Infrastructure%20Grant%20Guidelines.pdf>.
The Town would be seeking funding to accomplish three main tasks: 1) to assist with development of a Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) district wide uniform and effective program to ensure that all children have safe and varied ways to get to and from school; 2) to update the Town’s Safe Routes to Schools Strategic Action Plan to reflect current transportation needs and interests related to safe routes to schools and demographic information is available for all schools, including Morris Grove Elementary, which opened after the Town’s existing plan was prepared; and 3) to use for consulting services and/or to contribute to a shared staff position at the municipal government level or to serve as seed funding for a position at the school district level.
It should be noted that staff with the Town of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School District have been meeting regularly since the beginning of January to discuss opportunities to collaborate on a single application to support safe routes to school activities district-wide. The initial focus was on funding a new staff position at the school district level; however, as the school district is not yet ready for this to occur, staff is pursuing other ways to collaborate and build on existing programming to provide the foundation and possible seed money for a future position at the district level.
This grant had a particularly short turnaround time. Staff is preparing to submit the application on Monday, meeting the February 6th deadline for these funds. This is in advance of the February 7th meeting, so the draft resolution will be submitted initially.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with receiving this item. If the Town is awarded the grant, staff will bring back a separate agenda relating to the project budget and necessary agreements.
RECOMMENDATION:r The Town Manager recommends that the Town Council consider the resolution (Attachment A) supporting the submittal of an application for a Safe Routes to School Non-Infrastructure Grant.