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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: December 11, 2007 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. --~ <br />SUBJECT: Safe Routes to School Action Plan Application <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections ~ PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Resolution of Support and Administration Karen Lincoln, 245-2594 <br />Craig Benedict, 245-2592 <br />PURPOSE: To endorse a Resolution of Support and Administration to sponsor an application <br />for a North Carolina Safe Routes to School Action Plan Service Award to develop a multiple <br />schools Action Plan for New Grady Brown Elementary School, Stanford Middle School and <br />Cameron Park Elementary School. <br />BACKGROUND: The 2005 Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A <br />Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) federal transportation legislation established the Safe Routes <br />to School (SRTS) Program, afederally-funded grant reimbursement program, to provide an <br />opportunity for communities to improve conditions for bicycling and walking to school. The <br />North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has set aside $300,000 SRTS dollars to <br />assist communities in preparing Action Plans to address active travel to schools serving <br />Kindergarten -Grade 8. Each SRTS Action Plan must address engineering, education, <br />encouragement, enforcement and evaluation. The plan will provide a framework to <br />systematically identify obstacles to safe travel and then identify solutions and prioritize their <br />implementation. Any state, local, and regional agency, including nonprofit organizations, that <br />can demonstrate the ability to meet the requirements of the federal SRTS program is eligible to <br />apply for an Action Plan. <br />The Action Plan Service Award program is unlike other NCDOT SRTS grants in that it is not a <br />reimbursement program. The NCDOT will assign a qualified consultant under contract with <br />NCDOT to work with recipients of Action Plan Service Awards, and will directly compensate <br />consultants according to an agreed upon scope of work and agreed upon fee ($15,000 - <br />$30,000). This is a competitive program and requires support of local government, schools, <br />school board, the Metropolitan Planning Organization, and other stakeholder and partners <br />(teachers, parents) committed to making changes required to get more children walking and <br />biking to school. <br />The lead agency/sponsor must be able to enter into an award agreement with NCDOT and is <br />responsible for the following tasks: <br />• Lead and coordinate public meetings; <br />® Provide start-up materials (maps, other information); <br />® Provide meeting venues; and <br />