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Ephrata council authorizes Safe Streets for All grant application; staff warns 20% local match required
Summary
Ephrata authorized submitting a US DOT Safe Streets for All grant application to prepare a comprehensive road safety plan, which staff said would make the city competitive for future construction grants but requires a 20% local match if awarded.
The Ephrata City Council on May 20 authorized staff to apply for the U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant to develop a comprehensive road safety plan.
Staff described the plan as a prerequisite for many future safety construction grants and said preparing it would open Ephrata to additional funding opportunities. "The match is 20%," staff told the council, and noted that having a formal safety plan would help the city compete for larger construction grants in later rounds.
Staff said the plan would allow the city to pursue projects such as roundabouts and other safety-focused construction. They referenced an example funding scale and said the existence of a plan could help the city pursue construction grants that in some cases fund multi-hundred-thousand- to multi-million-dollar projects; staff cited a referenced construction figure of roughly $2,425,000 as a potential grant-scale example, and emphasized that awarded grants carry varying match and scope requirements.
A council member asked for clarification about the city's budget commitment when an application is approved; staff reminded the council that approving an application obligates the city to the match if the grant is awarded, and that the match obligation would appear in the next year’s budget if the award is received.
The council approved Resolution R26-027 authorizing the SS4A grant application. Staff said next steps include completing the application and documenting matching funds if the grant is awarded.
The council’s authorization does not commit funds today for construction; it authorizes staff to apply and to plan for a 20% local match if the grant is awarded.
