Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for approximately $982,260,494 in discretionary grant funding for FY 2025 through the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant program. This is the fourth round of funding for the SS4A grant program. The NOFO was issued on March 28, 2025 and remained open through June 26, 2025.
The purpose of SS4A grants is to improve roadway safety by significantly reducing or eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries through safety action plan development and implementation focused on all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, personal conveyance and micromobility users, and commercial vehicle operators. The program provides funding to develop the tools to help strengthen a community’s approach to roadway safety and save lives and is designed to meet the needs of local, Tribal, and regional communities that differ dramatically in size, location, and experience administering Federal funding. There are two types of funding: Planning (including supplemental planning) and Demonstration Grants; and Implementation Grants. The City meets the criteria to be eligible to request either type of funding.
The Department of Public Service and the Department of Public Safety’s Division of Fire have worked together to prepare a project focused on improving post-crash response and care. The proposed project has four activities: two Supplemental Planning Activities, and two Demonstration/Pilot Activities. The Supplement Planning Activities focus on (1) developing a regionwide post-crash care plan, and (2) evaluating the performance of current and future crash prevention and post-crash response technologies performance. The Demonstration/Pilot Activities will focus on: (1) enhanced pre-hospital trauma care, and (2) improved response time and location verification.
Columbus’ current Vision Zero Action Plan would be updated with the supplemental planning deliverables added as appendices; and current safety action plan items would be updated, as needed, to reflect the demonstration results. The project is expected to be completed 36 months after a grant agreement is signed. The total project cost for equipment, supplies, and contracts is anticipated to be $5,801,642.00; and the proposed project would request a $4,641,313.00 supplemental planning and demonstration grant from USDOT’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program.
This legislation will authorize the Directors of Public Service and Public Safety to apply for a SS4A Supplemental Planning and Demonstration Grant, execute agreements with USDOT or others in connection with the award of the grant, the expenditure of grant funds, and the return of unused grant funds if any should remain at the end of the grant.
2. FISCAL IMPACT
No financial participation is required at this time. City funds will be approved in the form of design contracts and/or construction contracts that will be or have been submitted for Council's approval.
Title
To authorize the Directors of the Departments of Public Service and Public Safety to apply for a Safe Streets for All Program Supplemental Planning Grant from the United States Department of Transportation; to authorize the execution of grant and other requisite agreements for the acceptance and administration of said grant; and to authorize the expenditure of any awarded funds and the refund of any unused funds. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the fourth round of funding for the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Grant Program, which is a grant program awarded on a competitive basis; and
WHEREAS, the Department is requesting SS4A funding to develop projects focused on improving post-crash response and care and support other action items in the Vision Zero Action Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Department estimates the total cost for equipment, supplies, and contracts is estimated to be $5,801,642.00, and anticipates requesting approximately $4,641,313.00 million in SS4A funding from the USDOT, which is 80% of the funding for the planning programs; and
WHEREAS, USDOT accepted applications for the FY 2025 funding round through June 26, 2025; and
WHEREAS, City Council approval is needed to apply for and accept the grant funding; and NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Directors of the Departments of Public Service and Public Safety be and are hereby authorized to submit an application seeking grant funding from USDOT’s SS4A program; to accept said grants, if awarded; and to execute a grant agreement and any other documents necessary to effectuate said applications, acceptance, or agreement on behalf of the Department of Public Service.
SECTION 2. That the Departments of Public Service and Public Safety be and hereby are authorized to expend any awarded grant funds in accordance with the terms and conditions of said grant.
SECTION 3. That, at the end of the grant period, or upon request of the grantor, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 4. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.