INTRODUCTION

The City of Santa Maria was recently awarded a Sustainable Communities Grant, and is seeking a qualified engineering and transportation planning consultant to develop the City of Santa Maria Active Transportation Plan (SM ATP).

The document will be used to develop future capital improvement programs, identify available funding sources, and pursue grant funding.

The City desires the process and analysis performed to develop these programs to be standardized, consistent with City and industry standard and modular, meaning that they can be easily built upon and repeatable to allow this final guidance document to be amended in the future. This document MUST be developed in such a manner as to validate its use in applications for grant funding.

Work performed under this contract is expected begin in January 2019, and is to be completed by December 2020.

The Request for Proposal describes the Scope of Work, necessary components of the Proposal, City of Santa Maria Contract Requirements, and Consultant Selection Process.

Project Summary

In general, expected goals of the City of Santa Maria Active Transportation Plan (SM ATP) will be to:

• Address several challenges and deficiencies in Santa Maria’s active transportation network, and facilitate the design and implementation of an active transportation network that will provide safe, accessible, sustainable, and GHG reducing multi-modal transportation alternatives to the city, including its disadvantaged communities. Deficiencies to be addressed include bike and pedestrian safety on major arterials, a lack of connectivity and accessibility, and affordability of transportation options, particularly for Santa Maria’s disadvantaged communities.
• Facilitate the design and implementation of a connected bicycle and pedestrian network that will provide safe, affordable, and accessible transportation alternatives to the city of Santa Maria. It will also promote a more sustainable and equitable community by improving mobility and access, while reducing GHG emissions and improving air quality and public health.
• Analyze current conditions, seek input from the public and stakeholders to fully understand existing and future transportation needs, and recommend projects and programs strategic to creating a healthier and more vibrant Santa Maria.

Specific Project Objectives

The project builds on approved City plans: 2009 Bikeway Master Plan, Safe Routes to School Plan, and Pedestrian Safety Assessment. It will be prepared within the context of other local, regional, state processes: General Plan Update, Capital Improvement Program, RTP/SCS, CTP 2040/Smart Mobility Framework.

The completed SM ATP shall:

• Implement similar outreach methods (e.g., advisory groups, online survey questionnaire, etc.) to ensure members of the public, particularly disadvantaged and environmental justice populations, are engaged throughout the planning process. Public engagement efforts will seek out and consider needs of these groups.
• Identify active transit projects to be implemented in the city. Ecological factors such as farmland and storm water will be considered to limit project impacts on ecological resources.
• Develop implementation cost estimates and identify available project funding. Long-range growth paired with projects would be matched with possible funding sources.
• Focus on improving bicycle and pedestrian networks and multi-modal connections to increase bike, pedestrian, and transit mode shares. It will address unmet bicycle and pedestrian needs by increasing mobility and safety equitably throughout the city, and address intermodal and connectivity issues.
• Incorporate bicycle and pedestrian projects in Santa Maria and will support the land use patterns envisioned in the SCS. It will also inform the next iteration of SBCAG's SCS.
• Study Land Use and Transportation Strategies to address Regional GHG Emissions for options of adding new bicycle and pedestrian facilities that connect key areas/land uses will facilitate walking and bicycling over passenger vehicle travel, thereby reducing vehicle miles traveled and associated GHG in support of the region's SB 375 targets.
• Address adaptation of the Regional Transportation System to Climate Change by encouraging a mode shift from passenger vehicle to walking and bicycling, the project would reduce mobile source GHG emissions that contribute to climate change.
• Include the identification of criteria to select and prioritize local transportation projects. The resulting plan will also identify performance measures to track progress towards established goals.
• Identify and prioritize safe and equitable active transportation projects, which will encourage physical activity and reduce air pollution through reduced vehicle miles traveled. The project will facilitate affordable, active modes of transportation (biking/walking) and improve access to parks, schools, and jobs.
• Evaluate, prioritize, and identify funding for efficient active transportation projects that provide for greater mobility and reduce GHGs by encouraging modal shifts towards active travel modes such as walking and cycling. More trips by bike or foot over passenger vehicle also contribute to a more vibrant and livable city.
• Identify programs and projects that encourage mode shifts from passenger vehicles to walking and cycling, which would result in energy conservation. Providing active transportation options can also foster local economic health by decreasing transportation and health care costs, which also contribute to higher quality of life.
• Emphasize active transportation solutions, including a connected bicycle and pedestrian network and multi-modal connections to address low-mobility and increase accessibility, particularly for disadvantaged populations in the city.
• Improve the safety and security of all users of the transportation system by identifying and prioritizing active transportation projects that incorporate typical components of complete streets. The project will also consider the tools and techniques contained in the Smart Mobility Framework.
• Include a complete streets and best practices toolkit that promotes innovative designs to improve the performance and social equity of the transportation system.
• Include information that will support the economic vitality of the area by: lower transportation costs; savings to the City from less street wear and tear and less demand for roadway improvements & parking lots; a greater ability to attract new residents/employers; and greater access to jobs.
• Include information for a healthy environment by encouraging mode shifts from cars to biking and walking, which increases physical activity (and can reduce the risk of heart disease and obesity, improve mental health, lower blood pressure) and reduces vehicle air emissions. Also, bike and pedestrian safety improvements can reduce vehicle collision injuries and fatalities.
• Identify active transportation projects that prioritize the needs of disadvantaged communities in the city. A robust public outreach process with translation services will ensure greater than average public involvement, and identification of solutions that integrate community values.

For additional information and the full RFP please visit the City of Santa Maria's City webpage for Public Works at: https://www.cityofsantamaria.org/city-government/departments/public-works-services/bids-and-proposals