Amador County – The Amador County Transportation Commission applied for $950,000 in federal highway grants for the Pine Grove Corridor Improvement project, which would work on plans, specifications and estimates for the project, with a 20 percent local match of half of the funds.
Planner and Program Manager Neil Peacock said “we are getting a very early start to the Federal Highway Administration’s discretionary grant programs.”
ACTC authorized the submittal of a grant application that was due to Caltrans on Dec. 9, with a short notice of availability given to jurisdictions, because they want to get these funds out. Due to getting the notice after the agenda was released, the item was made an addendum to the agenda.
Commissioners asked why there was such a hurry of the federal programs, and Peacock said he was not sure, but thought it was “all about the jobs.” He said similar quick-track notices were coming with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and other federal funding programs.
Commissioner Richard Forster said maybe they should get some of the funding to help get jobs for those protesting in the parks. The local “Occupy Amador” group has been protesting in Minnie Provis Park in Sutter Creek.
Peacock said the ACTC was notified of the availability of funding on Nov. 10, which was unsuccessful. He said the Commission approved application for the funds in May for the competitive grants, and the new cycle was also accelerated.
The funds “are available to support a wide array of eligible uses and can be used to augment local and regional funds that would otherwise be required to advance the ACTC’s projects,” Peacock said. Staff has already written applications, which needed only to be updated and revised “to enhance their competitiveness.”
One application would seek $475,000 from the Public Lands Highways program to augment costs for the Plans, Specifications and Estimates phase of the Highway 88 Pine Grove Improvement project, which requires no local matching funds. Another application would seek another $475,000 for the same project, through the Transportation, Community and System Preservation program, which requires a 20 percent local match.
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
