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Authorizing Public Works, in conjunction with the Office of Technology and Communication, to submit a grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (“SMART”) program for the purpose of funding a pilot study to evaluate the potential benefits of smart technology traffic signals and, if the said grant proposal is approved, authorizing the Public Works Department to enter into City obligations with the U.S. Department of Transportation.
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WHEREAS, the Public Works Department is presently considering multiple strategies to improve vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian safety throughout the City to reduce serious injuries and deaths related to traffic accidents by 50% within 10 years with the goal to eliminate them by 2045; and
WHEREAS, one strategy under consideration by Public Works is the use of so called “smart technology traffic signals” which are designed to actively detect vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian movements through interconnected signalized intersections to manage, optimize and safely move these different transportation modes through intersections equipped with smart technology traffic signals; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (“SMART”) is a Federal grants program to fund demonstration projects to advance smart technology systems including smart technology traffic signals to determine whether the installation of such systems will increase transportation mode efficiencies and public health and safety; and
WHEREAS, to assess whether smart technology traffic signals would positively impact and improve public health, safety and welfare, the Public Works Department desires to establish a pilot project to study smart technology traffic signals; and
WHERAS, to initiate this smart technology traffic signals pilot study, Public Works has initiated partnerships with community organizations in the Rondo neighborhood to assist in tailoring the pilot study to address community transportation concerns and safety needs; and
WHEREAS, Public Works does not possess the technological tools to fully reap the benefits of smart technology traffic signals and, accordingly, Public Works requested, and the Office of Technology and Communication agreed, to assist Public Works by providing technological support for the development, enhancement, deployment and evaluation of the Rondo neighborhood smart technology traffic signals pilot project; and
WHEREAS, Public Works therefore desires to apply to the U. S. Department of Transportation for a SMART grant in the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) for the purpose of developing, deploying, studying and evaluating a smart technology traffic signals pilot project in the Rondo neighborhood; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Saint Paul, pursuant to Admin. Code § 86.12(b)(1), hereby consents to the Public Works Department submission to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s “Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation” grant program a grant request in the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) and to use such funds, if received, for the purpose of developing, deploying, studying and evaluating a smart technology traffic signals pilot project in the Rondo neighborhood; AND,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, if the said grant funds are awarded, the City Council, pursuant to Admin. Code § 86.12(b)(2) hereby authorizes Public Works to enter any City grant obligation with the U.S. Department of Transportation associated with the said grant.