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Lafayette seeks $3.74 million STIP construction grant for Aqueduct Pathway; commission reviews Complete Streets checklist
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Summary
City staff told the Transportation and Circulation Commission it has been recommended for $3,737,000 in STIP funding to construct the downtown segment of the Lafayette Aqueduct Pathway and asked the commission to review MTC's Complete Streets checklist for the project.
The City of Lafayette submitted a State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) application to construct a segment of the Lafayette Aqueduct Pathway and is recommended by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) for $3,737,000 in construction funding, Transportation and Circulation Program Manager Patrick Collier told the commission on Sept. 15.
Collier described the proposed segment as a fully separated Class I bicycle and pedestrian pathway along the East Bay Municipal Utility District right-of-way, connecting Dolores Drive to the Lafayette BART station. "We are being recommended by CCTA for a total of $3,737,000 in STIP grant funding for project construction," Collier said.
Why it matters: the Aqueduct Pathway project would provide an off-road, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant path through the downtown corridor, linking the existing Dolores-to-Bridal segment and the town-center pathway to the BART station. Collier said building off the roadway allows the project to meet design standards without compromises to adjacent vehicle lanes.
Project details and design status: Collier said the grant application covers the Dolores-to-BART segment and that earlier design funding has supported preparation of base maps and conceptual design. The staff presentation noted proposed bridge crossings (Happy Valley, Oak Hill and First Street) are cost drivers and that topography around Oak Hill is particularly challenging.
"We're starting design between Dolores and Brown," Collier said, adding that the city has engaged a design consultant (identified in the staff discussion as Sandis) and will return to the commission with design milestones and 35% to 65% design reviews as the project advances.
Complete Streets checklist review: Under Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) policy, projects in the public right-of-way over $250,000 must submit a Complete Streets checklist reviewed by the local bicycle/pedestrian advisory body or equivalent. Collier said that because the Aqueduct Pathway is entirely off-road, the checklist should show no deviations from walk/bike design standards.
Public and interagency coordination: Collier reviewed prior planning work, including a 2012 feasibility study that engaged East Bay MUD, Caltrans, East Bay Regional Parks, BART and other stakeholders. Commissioners asked about soils and constructability; one commissioner recommended leveraging a regional geotechnical firm with local experience. Collier said the city will obtain geotechnical information as part of design and permitting.
Next steps: staff asked the commission for review and comment on the Complete Streets checklist and said they will transmit the commission's responses to MTC as required. Collier said grant recommendation by CCTA is a step toward MTC consideration and that detailed design will follow if funding is approved.
Ending: Commissioners did not request substantive changes to the checklist at the meeting and asked staff to return with design milestones; staff said they will provide 35% design reviews and additional briefings as the project progresses.
