At the June 2nd council meeting, the City announced that it plans to defund or reduce funding for many upcoming capital projects, including nine projects that improve infrastructure for people walking and biking. Many of these projects have been in the works for several years.

These are tough and uncertain budgetary times, to be sure. The City is acting responsibly by lightening the burden on its General Fund. However, a closer look at the current budget proposal presented to council on June 2 reveals that in Fiscal Year 2020-21, the City will have $2,900,000 of unused special revenue funds that are dedicated to transportation projects. This includes $1,700,000 in "non-transit TDA funds", and $1,200,000 in gas tax funds, both of which can be used for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects. Both of these fund sources are separate from the General Fund. 

(Source: page 25 of the FY20-21 proposed budget, last column - "Estimated unreserved fund balance, June 30, 2021", funds # 109, 111 and 115)

As the City Council prepares for a final budget vote on Tuesday, June 16, we are asking the city to use these transportation funds to keep the following projects funded:

• Tulip & Ponteverde Path Extension and Intersection Improvement
• Birch Lane Elementary School Walk/Bike Safety Improvements
• H street tunnel improvement
• Fifth Street Bike Lanes, from L Street to Pole Line
• J street Cycle track, from Drexel to Covell

These important projects will significantly improve the safety and comfort of people who walk and bike in Davis. They can all be funded in this coming year without relying on the General Fund. 

Tulip & Ponteverde Path Extension and Intersection Improvement (CIP 8323)

This project first got some attention in 2014, when a group of girl scouts petitioned to improve the safety of this intersection for people walking and biking. This intersection connects to the Mace Ranch greenbelt and is a key link on the bike route to Korematsu Elementary School. As of January 2020, an excellent design has been approved by City Council and is ready to go to bid. This project should absolutely be maintained in the capital plan for this coming fiscal year.

Budget Action: swap all General Fund funding for this project ($254,000) to the transportation funds listed above. The rest of the budget for this project is already covered by gas tax funds.

Birch Lane Elementary School - Safety Improvements for Bikes and Pedestrians (CIP 8297)

This project will add high-visibility crosswalks, curb extensions and mid-block crossings at many locations on the access routes to Birch Lane Elementary School. The project has been in the queue since 2011 when a "walk-bike audit report" was conducted across all schools in Davis. It is currently the 5th highest-priority project in the Transportation Improvement Plan.

Budget Action: Swap all General Fund funding for this project ($689,000) to the three transportation funds identified above.

H Street Tunnel Improvement (CIP 8251)

This project will improve the access ramp into the City's oldest bike tunnel, built 50 years ago to cross the H street train tracks. The project will widen the H street access ramps to that tunnel, making them much safer and more comfortable for the hundreds of people walking and biking through it every day, including schoolchildren travelling to Davis High School and Holmes Junior High School. This is the last phase of the Little League / H street improvement project. The H street tunnel project is currently funded by $1,700,000 from the Construction Tax fund, which will be heavily impacted this year, and $300,000 in roadway development fees.

Budget Action: Swap $1,600,000 in Construction Tax funding to the 3 transportation funds listed above.

 

Fifth Street Bike Lanes, from L Street to Pole Line (CIP 8321)

This project will extend the 5th Street bike lanes from L Street to Pole Line. Currently, people biking along that stretch of 5th street ride on a bumpy multi-use path shared with people walking, jogging, etc. The transitions for people riding towards downtown at L street and Pole Line street are very poor, and some people choose to bike on the street, alongside cars that often go too fast on this overly wide stretch of road. This project is especially timely with the completion of Sterling Apartments at 5th and L, where over 500 residents (mostly UC Davis students) will move in this year.

Budget Action: Swap all General Fund funding for this project ($284,000) to the three transportation funds identified above.

J Street Cycle Track Extension, from Drexel to Covell (CIP 8322)

This budget-friendly project will extend the two-way cycle track on J street, to go all the way from Drexel Dr to Covell Blvd. This will notably improve bike access to Holmes Junior High from the Cannery.

Budget Action: Swap all General Fund funding for this project ($73,000) to the three transportation funds identified above.

Total budget actions requested: $2,900,000

Total amount available in fiscal year 2020-21 from the three transportation funds above: $2,906,575 

If these five projects get funded, they could be built in the coming year; if they get defunded, they would likely get delayed for another 3-5 years. This should really be an easy decision for the Bicycle Capital of America. 

 

Sources:

Budget allocations for each capital project are from the projects' planning sheets included in the 2019-20 budget report on capital projects 

The list of capital projects proposed to be defunded / reduced funded is from this staff presentation from the June 2 council meeting

You can also read the Enterprise article on the subject