Logo courtesy of the City of Marysville

MARYSVILLE, CA (MPG) – Marysville is seeking more than $1 million in outside funding to improve two key transportation corridors after the City Council last week approved applications for bicycle, pedestrian and roadway projects on 14th Street and Yuba Street.

The council unanimously authorized the city manager or his designee to apply for two Sacramento Area Council of Governments grants with a combined value of about $1.01 million. If awarded, the city would provide approximately $117,000 in matching funds.

The larger application seeks about $535,000 through SACOG's System Performance Program for improvements along 14th Street between B and Lemon streets. The project includes new thermoplastic striping, a raised crosswalk with rectangular rapid flashing beacons at C Street, pavement preservation and upgraded traffic signage. The city's required match is estimated at about $62,000.

A second application requests about $472,000 through SACOG's Next Generation Solutions and Clean Air Program for improvements on Yuba Street between Sixth and 10th streets. Plans call for filling sidewalk gaps, adding Class II bicycle lanes, improving the intersection at 10th Street and rehabilitating sections of deteriorating pavement. The city's estimated local share is about $55,000.

Dan Peterson, a retired Yuba County public works director assisting the city with the applications, said local agencies cannot rely on traditional transportation funding to keep streets in good condition.

"The best way to fund maintaining your roadways is by grant funding," Peterson said.

Peterson said the projects were developed to solve multiple problems at once, combining pavement improvements with bicycle and pedestrian upgrades that strengthen the city's grant applications. The 14th Street proposal includes a raised crosswalk and flashing beacons, while the Yuba Street project addresses missing sidewalks, bicycle connectivity and a location where several bicycle collisions have occurred.

"One of the things that they look at when they award grants is whether or not you're addressing safety concerns," Peterson said.

Council members also discussed future traffic-calming improvements, including roundabouts and additional sidewalk connections. Peterson said those decisions would be made during the engineering and environmental review process if grant funding is secured, allowing the city to determine which improvements best fit each corridor.

For the Yuba Street project, the council directed City Manager Jim Schaad to expand the application, if funding allows, to include additional sidewalk connections along Sixth, Seventh and 10th streets.

Schaad said staff would review the expanded scope before submitting the final application to SACOG.