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Mill Creek approves application for $1.8 million Safe Streets for All grant to pilot bike and pedestrian projects
Summary
Council unanimously authorized staff to submit a $1.8 million Safe Streets for All planning and demonstration grant with a $450,000 city match to fund six projects including two corridor demonstrations, planning studies, a pilot education/enforcement campaign, safe routes to school work and a lighting assessment.
The Mill Creek City Council on June 24 authorized city staff to submit a Safe Streets for All planning and demonstration grant request to the U.S. Department of Transportation for $1.8 million, with a local match of $450,000, to fund six projects aimed at improving bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Transportation staff member Carmody told the council the city is seeking planning and demonstration funding rather than a larger-scale implementation grant because implementation grants are limited (40–70 awards nationally) and the city is not positioned to compete for that scale of funding immediately. He said the council previously adopted a Safety Action Plan on May 6 and that Alta Planning and Design was contracted to prepare the grant application.
The proposal bundles six activities: two rapid‑implementation demonstration projects (30 Fifth Avenue corridor and Mill Creek Boulevard–Village Green Drive), a 30 Fifth Avenue corridor study to produce roughly 30% design plans, a pilot education and enforcement campaign, Safe Routes to School outreach and mapping, and a citywide lighting assessment. Staff-provided cost estimates for the components are: $575,000 for the 30 Fifth Avenue corridor demo; $1,000,000 for the Mill Creek Boulevard–Village Green Drive demo; $375,000 for the 30 Fifth Avenue corridor planning study; $100,000 for a pilot education/enforcement campaign; $150,000 for Safe Routes to School work; and $50,000 for a citywide lighting assessment. The total project cost is $2,250,000; the requested federal share is $1,800,000 with a required local match of $450,000 (about 20 percent).
Carmody said the city can cover the match from existing capital improvement projects by delaying or reallocating work already programmed this biennium (he cited two CIP items totaling approximately $830,000 that could be moved). He described the demonstration projects as quick-build installations intended to test concepts and produce data that would inform future permanent designs.
Council members asked detailed questions about the geographic extent of the Village Green Drive demonstration (staff said it runs roughly from 150th/Third to Mill Creek Road), whether Trillium school areas would be included (staff said Trillium work is planned under a separate capital design contract and not included in this grant), and the physical design of buffered bike lanes (staff described 4–5 foot bike lanes with 2–3 foot buffers and said permanent physical separators raise maintenance concerns). Carmody emphasized that the grant includes an education and enforcement component and that staff could use those funds to address emerging issues such as enforcement and outreach for electric personal vehicles.
Councilmember (unnamed in transcript) moved to authorize staff to submit the Safe Streets for All planning and demonstration grant request for $1,800,000 with a city match of $450,000; another councilmember seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Carmody said awards are typically announced in four to six months and that staff planned to submit by the June 26 deadline but aimed to send the application the day after the meeting to allow time for any submission issues.
