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Community Development Services, Department of Transportation, recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Receive a presentation on and approve the 2017 Americans with Disabilities Act Formal Transition Plan for County Maintained Roadways; and
2) Provide direction to staff as to funding to establish an annual budget for implementing the 2017 Americans with Disabilities Act Formal Transition Plan for County Maintained Roadways starting in Fiscal Year 2018/19. (Est. Time: 15 Min.)
FUNDING: General Fund, Road Fund, Tribe Funds, potentially Urban Surface Transportation Block Grant Funds, Senate Bill 1 Funds, Active Transportation Program Grant Funds, and other available state and federal funding sources.
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Community Development Services, Department of Transportation (Transportation), recommending the Board approve the 2017 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Formal Transition Plan for County Maintained Roadways (Transition Plan), which the County is required to have to meet Federal regulations and receive federal funding, and provide direction to staff as to funding to establish an annual budget item for implementing the Transition Plan. As listed above, there are many potential funding sources to pay for the required improvements, but all funds are currently allocated and prioritized.
While adoption of the Transition Plan will show compliance with Title II, the County must also provide budget/funds to demonstrate a commitment to construct the required improvements and bring deficient ramps into compliance. There are funds available for the first year of improvements which will be presented to the Board for consideration at a future meeting, but an annual ADA project list will be added to the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and funding must be identified for Fiscal Year 2018-19 and beyond. Work is currently being done on ADA projects; however, these non-General fund dollars being used, on current projects, are not guaranteed on a yearly basis and the department needs to identify approved funds into the future.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Summary of Project: The ADA of 1990, along with its implementing regulations, and California Government Code Sections 450 et seq. prescribe that facilities, including roads, walks, and passageways, be made accessible to persons with disabilities. To achieve compliance, public agencies are required to develop transition plans that include a list of physical barriers that limit accessibility to services and programs, outline proposed measures to address the barriers, and provide a schedule and budget for achieving compliance.
The purpose of the Transition Plan is to comply with Title II of the ADA by outlining what has been accomplished to date, what is currently being done, and describe ongoing efforts to ensure that the County creates accessible paths of travel in the public right of way. The Transition Plan, as it relates to curb ramp accessibility on County maintained roadways, includes the following:
• List of inaccessible and non-compliant curb ramps located in the unincorporated portion of the County on County maintained roadways.
• Planning schedule and budget for making corrections and repairs.
• Repair/request procedure.
• Grievance process.
• Provides for annual updates and periodic review of standards and procedures.
Self-Evaluation of Curb Ramps: Outside of sidewalks and pedestrian crosswalks at traffic signals, curb ramps are the most used public service facilities on the County’s roadways. Preparation of the Transition Plan included a lengthy and detailed inventory of curb ramps in the West Slope and the Tahoe Basin of unincorporated El Dorado County, totaling 516 curb ramps and 75 corners. These locations were mapped and photographed and will be made available on the County’s website.
Status: The ADA expressly requires a transition plan to address curb ramps, and approval of the Transition Plan will bring the County closer to achieving accessibility. The Transition Plan will be reviewed annually and funding will be sought to add additional accessibility elements.
Public Outreach: On October 12, 2016, the County released for public review, the Draft Preliminary ADA Transition Plan for County Maintained Roadways. This was an important step toward approving a Transition Plan under the ADA. To kick-off the public input period, Transportation staff hosted a public workshop on October 25, 2016, and presented the Draft Transition Plan to the following groups and organizations:
• Cameron Park Community Services District Board of Directors on October 19, 2016.
§ El Dorado Hills Community Services District Board of Directors on October 20, 2016.
§ Placerville Mobility Support Group on November 28, 2016.
In addition to the above, the following actions were taken to obtain public input:
§ Transportation staff held a conference phone call with a visually impaired citizen on January 12, 2017.
§ A disabled access survey was distributed at presentations and made available on the County's website.
§ Transportation staff created an ADA webpage.
The Transition Plan incorporates numerous recommendations received during the public review period, including revisions to the project implementation schedule and the addition of new projects and/or evaluation areas.
FUNDING
While adoption of the Transition Plan will show compliance with Title II, the County must also provide budget/funds to demonstrate a commitment to construct the required improvements and bring deficient ramps into compliance. There are funds available for the first year of improvements which will be presented to the Board for consideration at a future meeting, but an annual ADA project list will be added to the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and funding must be identified for Fiscal Year 2018-19.
There are several potential grant funding sources which are: Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement, Active Transportation Program, and Urban State Transportation Improvement Program, but due to the uncertain nature of these funds they cannot be the primary source of funding. Transportation has more consistent sources of funds which are: General Fund, Road Fund, Senate Bill 1, and Tribe Funds, but the Board has previously expressed a desire that these funds be used for road maintenance to prevent County roads from deteriorating. Transportation staff is looking for guidance from the Board as to shifting priorities and reallocating funds. It is very likely that grant funds will be available for much of the work, but a consistent funding source should be identified. As the Annual Update to the CIP is presented to the Board for consideration and approval, Transportation will identify which locations will be improved and specify a funding source.
The priority plan envisioned funding of approximately $300,000 a year, which would allow completion of all work in 20 years. Different funding levels will change the estimated schedule for completion of all improvements, but it is difficult to make accurate predictions as to the exact relationship.
ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS
The proposed action is not a project as defined by Public Resources Code Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines and, as such, is not subject to review under CEQA.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose to not approve the Transition Plan. This would jeopardize the County’s compliance with the ADA and could result in the loss of federal funding for programs such as Highway Safety Improvement Funds, Urban Surface Transportation Block Grant Funds, and others.
OTHER DEPARTMENT/AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Transition Plan.
CAO RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board approve this item and provide direction on funding options starting in FY 2018-19.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Transportation staff recommends establishing an annual budget of $300,000 through the CIP. Projects will be implemented following the curb ramp repair/replacement schedule included in the Transition Plan.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure, Public Safety, and Economic Development.
CONTACT
Bard Lower, Interim Director
Community Development Services, Department of Transportation