Washington State Department of Transportation PEDESTRIAN and BICYCLE SAFETY & SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAMS 2013-2015 Prioritized Project List and Program Update Highways & Local Programs Division
December 2012
Contact Information
Kathleen Davis, H&LP Director, (360) 705-7871
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WSDOT Highways & Local Programs 2013-2015 PEDESTRIAN and BICYCLE SAFETY & SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAMS Report to the Washington State Legislature
Background
In 2005, the Governor and Washington State Legislature increased the state’s role in improving conditions for biking and walking by providing a grant program and related technical assistance services (ESSB 6091). Some federal funding has also been dedicated to these programs since the passage of SAFETEA-LU in 2005. The grant program supports pedestrian and bicycle safety projects such as pedestrian and bicycle paths, sidewalks, providing safe routes from residential areas to schools and transit on state highways, city streets and county roads. The program is two-fold: 1) Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety to address the nearly 400 statewide fatal and injury collisions involving pedestrian and bicycles each year; and 2) Safe Routes to School to address pedestrian and bicycle mobility and safety near schools. WSDOT, through a criteria based process, has identified cost-effective projects and submits this informational report to the legislature.
2013-2015 Call for Projects
For the 2013-15 biennium, approximately $26 million in funding is anticipated to be awarded for the two programs and a total of $160 million in requests have been received. The department received 146 Pedestrian and Bicycle projects from 120 agencies and organizations totaling approximately $100 million and the department received 124 Safe Routes to Schools projects from 97 agencies and organizations totaling approximately $60 million. WSDOT issued a press release January 2012, announcing a “call for projects” for the Safe Routes to School grant program and in March 2012 for the Pedestrian and Bicycle Program. Information on the grant programs was provided to all cities, counties, tribal contacts, and to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for distribution to schools and school districts throughout the state. To familiarize applicants with the grant programs, WSDOT provided two webinars. Safe Routes to School grant proposals were due to the WSDOT by midnight on May 4, 2012. Pedestrian and Bicycle grant proposals were due to the WSDOT by midnight on June 30, 2012.
3 $- $20,000,000 $40,000,000 $60,000,000 $80,000,000 $100,000,000 $120,000,000 05-07 07-09 09-11 11-13*13-15
Pedestrian and Bicycle Program Funding Requested & Awarded
Total Funding RequestTotal Amount Funded051015202530 05-07 07-09 09-11 11-13
Pedestrian and Bicycle ProgramProject Status
CompletedUnderwayCancelled
Summary - Washington’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Grant Program
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Between 2005 and 2013, $32 million has been made available to 45 local agencies for 87 projects from the over $113 million in requests.
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Over 70% of projects awarded in the first three cycles have been completed.
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The program has improved over 80 individual known pedestrian risk locations.
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To date, 45 projects have been completed, 41 are underway, and 1 was cancelled.
*Note: For the 2011-2013 grant cycle, WSDOT used an invitation process rather than a call for projects.