Sunnyvale approves consultants, resolutions to seek federal safety and trail grants

The Town Council on June 9 authorized two grant-related actions aimed at improving active-transportation and roadway safety.

Council approved a not-to-exceed $15,000 professional-services agreement with Kimley-Horn & Associates to prepare a fiscal-year 2025 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) application under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Staff said SS4A can fund comprehensive safety action plans and implementation projects; creating a town-level Comprehensive Safety Action Plan was estimated at roughly $250,000 in staff materials, and SS4A funding can also support ADA-transition planning. The SS4A application deadline noted by staff was June 26, 2025. Councilmember Allen moved to authorize the town manager to execute the consultant agreement; the motion passed 6-0 (seconded by Eldridge).

The council also adopted Resolution 2025-11 to submit the Sunnyvale Rails-to-Trails project to the Texas Department of Transportation's Transportation Alternatives call for projects. Town staff and the design team described the proposed trail as approximately 4.3 miles of 12-foot concrete shared-use path that would close unfunded segments, provide a temporary north/south connection across Collins Road and, in a later phase, include a pedestrian/bicycle bridge over U.S. 80 after the roadway widening is complete. Staff said the total unfunded construction cost estimate for the remaining trail segments is about $26.2 million and that local matching funds (estimated near 20%) would be identified in future CIP planning if the grant is awarded. The council voted 6-0 to approve the resolution supporting the grant submission.

Staff noted that consultant fees to prepare applications are not reimbursed if an application is unsuccessful; the council and staff discussed sequencing SS4A-funded planning work so the town could be eligible for implementation grants in future cycles.