To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Bryan Weimer, Director, Public Works and Development
Prepared By:
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Jim Katzer, Transportation Division Manager, Public Works and Development
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presenter
Presenter:
Jim Katzer, Transportation Division Manager, Public Works and Development
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Subject:
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2:15 PM *Grant Opportunity: Safety Grants and CIP Project Grants
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The purpose of this request is for the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to consider approving the submission of a grant application to the Colorado Department of Transportation 2029 Highway Safety Improvement Program, U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for the National Infrastructure Investments (BUILD Grant Program) and the Colorado Department of Local Affair Energy/Mineral Impact Assistance Fund grant and the future pursuit of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant. These grants will provide improvements to the County transportation network.
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Alignment with Strategic Plan: Sustainable Growth and Infrastructure - Maximize use of County facilities and assets.
Background and Discussion: Public Works and Development (PWD) would like to submit a grant application to for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) to improve safety on County roads. Early efforts in the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan have identified crash patterns on County rural roads that could benefit from the deployment of safety measures. These safety measures consist of edge line striping, rumble strips, signage, and shouldering. The project scope and budget are still under development while we are aligning the program needs with the grant opportunity criteria.
The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a core federal-aid program aimed to significantly reduce fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. The program provides federal funds (90% federal, 10% local) for infrastructure projects that improve traffic safety at locations where there is potential for crash reduction. Observed crash history and effectiveness of the proposed safety improvements are factors in the criteria for evaluating applications.
The deadline to apply for this grant is February 20, 2026. The grant requires the project to be advertised for construction no later than June of 2029 and PWD will be able to meet the deadline if awarded the grant.
PWD would also like to submit a future grant application to the USDOT SS4A to implement safety projects recommended by the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (CSAP). Having a CSAP is a requirement of this grant, and PWD is scheduled to adopt the plan by the deadline. The project scope and budget are still underway while the CSAP is being completed. Once the BOCC gives approval to pursue the SS4A grant, PWD will look to prepare an implementation grant.
The purpose of SS4A grants is to improve roadway safety by significantly reducing or eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries through the development of Action Plans and refinement and implementation focused on all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, and commercial vehicle operators.
The Federal share of the project is not to exceed 80% of the total eligible project grant, so a minimum local match of 20% is required. The grant deadline has not been publicized yet but is expected to be near the end of June, similar to the previous year.
Public Works and Development (PWD) would like to submit an application for the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) for the National Infrastructure Investments (BUILD Grant Program) which will fund essential transportation infrastructure.
The goal of the program is to fund projects that will have a significant local or regional impact and improve transportation infrastructure. BUILD grants will be awarded on a competitive basis for planning or constructing surface transportation infrastructure projects that will improve safety; environmental sustainability; quality of life; mobility and community connectivity; economic competitiveness and opportunity including tourism; state of good repair; partnership and collaboration; and innovation.
PWD plans to pursue a planning grant for the Final Design of the Gun Club and Coal Creek bridge. The scope and cost estimate is still being developed and is eligible for 100% federal funding.
The deadline to apply for this grant is February 24, 2026. The grant requires that the County sign a written grant agreement by September 30, 2030, and that funds must be expended by September 30, 2035.
Public Works and Development (PWD) would like to submit an application for the Department of Local Affair’s Energy/Mineral Impact Assistance Fund Grant (EIAF) program assists political subdivisions that are socially and/or economically impacted by the development, processing, or energy conversion of minerals and mineral fuels. Funds come from the state severance tax on energy and mineral production and from a portion of the state's share of royalties paid to the federal government for mining and drilling of minerals and mineral fuels on federally-owned land.
The grant program is to promote sustainable community development, increase livability and resilience of communities through strategic investments in asset-building activities. The most successful applications into this program are those that demonstrate urgency and local commitment to get the project done, show a high priority for the proposed application, are prepared to start work, and can demonstrate a relationship to energy and mineral impact in rural Colorado.
There is $15,000,000 available with Tier I (up to $200,000) and Tier II ($200,001 to $1,000,000) applications closing February 13, 2026. PWD plans to pursue a Tier II level grant that will help the County fund a planned project in the 2027 CIP Plan. With this approach the County will be able to provide a 50% local match, making the application the most competitive. The scope and cost estimate is still being developed.
Staff will present likely projects for each grant during the drop-in session.
Alternatives: The Board could decline to move forward with this request as presented.
Fiscal Impact: If approved as presented, the fiscal impact to Arapahoe County will be staff time to submit the grant application and to manage the project along with the local match requirement which varies per grant. The minimum local match requirements for HSIP is 10%, and it is anticipated that the HSIP local match requirement will be covered by the funds approved in the 2026 Budget for Safety Improvements. The minimum local match for the SS4A is anticipated to be 20% and the total dollar amount of the match is unknown at this time due to the scope being in development. The BUILD grant being applied for does not require a local match. The EIAF grant scores the highest with a 50% local match and the County would look to maximize the score with our local match with approved program funding to expand the reconstruct program. The maximum award amount for Teir II projects would is $1,000,000.
Alignment with Strategic Implementation Strategies: N/A
Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends moving forward with the HSIP grant, BUILD grant, and the EIAF grant and start preparation to apply for the SS4A.
Concurrence: N/A