The SANDAG board of directors recently voted to award 29 grants totaling $15 million to jurisdictions throughout San Diego County to support a variety of projects that promote smart growth, as well as walking, biking, and transit ridership. As part of the grant applications, the recipients have committed to provide $12.7 million as matching funds to complete the projects, resulting in more than $27 million in combined regional investments.
Twelve million dollars in grants are being distributed under the TransNet Smart Growth Incentive Grant Program, and $3 million under the Active Transportation Grant Program. These grant programs are funded by the TransNet regional half-cent sales tax for transportation approved by San Diego County voters.
SANDAG is awarding a $400,000 smart growth grant to the City of San Diego to develop a plan to expand open space and support transit in Pacific Beach. As part of the grant application, the City of San Diego has committed to provide $40,000 in matching funds to complete the project described as: Pacific Beach Greenways, Parks and Transit: The City of San Diego’s Pacific Beach Greenways, Parks and Transit Plan proposes to engage the community to expand community open space and improve multimodal circulation by identifying new public spaces, improve mobility, support transit, and foster development in an existing smart growth area.
Other grants will pay for both capital and planning projects. Projects funded range from a bus/bike safety outreach program in Oceanside to wayfinding and gateway signs in National City, from a Sixth Avenue bridge promenade in downtown San Diego to a bike project in Santee.
Evaluation panels for each program reviewed the grant applications in each category and ranked them according to criteria approved by the SANDAG Board last winter. The top-ranking projects were recommended for funding. The grants were approved July 24 by the SANDAG board.
Both grant programs aim to fund projects with the potential to serve as catalysts for change in local communities. The Smart Growth Incentive Grant Program focuses on facilitating compact, mixed-use development around transit, thereby increasing housing and transportation choices. The Active Transportation Grant Program focuses on adding and improving bike and pedestrian facilities, as well as supporting the Regional Bike Plan.
For details about the grant programs, visit www.sandag.org/cycle3grants. To take an interactive tour of completed grant-funded projects, check out the story map atwww.KeepSanDiegoMoving.com/grants.