Title
Chief Administrative Office, Parks Division, recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Receive an update on the Sacramento Placerville Transportation Corridor; and
2) Request presentation from Museum Administrator on Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Class I certification. (Est. Time: 30 Min.)
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost
Unknown at this time.
Background
There has been a lot of confusing on the Sacramento Placerville Transportation Corridor (SPTC) over the years. It is difficult to sort all the issues out, but staff has been working with the Trail and Rail enthusiasts to identify the issues and bring clarity to activities in the corridor.
On October 1, 2013, your Board took the following action:
1) Formally recognized that the trail is open and directed staff to return to the Board with the next steps for a Natural Trail- Hiking/Biking/Equestrian trail from Missouri Flat Road to the Sacramento/El Dorado County line and identify the appropriate California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review for the project; and
2) Pursue any and every grant available related to this multi-use, multi-modal corridor; and
3) Direct staff to work with District II Supervisor on development of the Ordinance: and
4) Direct staff to work with the El Dorado County Transportation Commission (EDCTC) on the Feasibility Study.
Since October 2013, the following actions have been taken:
1) El Dorado County and the Sacramento-Placerville Transportation Corridor (SPTC) Joint Powers Authority (JPA) have entered into a contract with Foothill Associates to conduct a SPTC Baseline Conditions Assessment. El Dorado County will fund from Missouri Flat Road to the County line and the JPA will cover from the County line to Iron Point Road in Folsom. This will provide a consistent analysis of the corridor. This analysis will also consider the mitigation measures identified in the SPTC Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and identify the appropriate CEQA required.
2) El Dorado County Transportation Division submitted a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant application for a Class I bike trail from Missouri Flat to Oriental Street. This would connect two communities and would be a great addition to the corridor. The County was awarded $760,000 for Environmental and Design.
3) Housing, Community and Economic Development and the Parks Division have also submitted an application for the 2013 Housing Related Parks Grant to construct a restroom at the Rail Park location in El Dorado which would accommodate the Rail program and the Trail users.
4) Staff working with the Sheriff's Office has prepared a draft non-motorized ordinances and has submitted it to County Counsel for review.
5) On January 23, 2014, the EDCTC conducted interviews for the consultant for the Feasibility Study. County staff participated on the panel. EDCTC awarded the contract on February 6, 2014 to Mark Thomas & Company, Inc. County staff will continue to participate in the study.
Staff is currently working with the Friends of El Dorado Trails on the Adopt a Trail program. There have been 19 segments identified and 8 have been adopted. We are currently working on the signage and training programs.
Staff has also been meeting with the Trail and Rail groups in an effort to move projects forward. Here is a list of public safety projects that the trails enthusiasts would like to complete in 2014:
1) Trail Crossings over rails and fills maintenance
2) Signage- both Road and Rail Crossings, directional signs and Adopt a Trail signs
3) Temporary Decking Trestles for equestrian use, which will also be used by mountain bikes and hikers (Once the tracks are certified by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) the trestles will not accommodate dual use). This issue was moved up on the priority list of the SPTC Oversight Committee.
a. Davidson Trestle
b. Mother Lode Y Trestle
Projects for the Rail enthusiasts in 2014 in Section 2 (El Dorado Western Railroad between Shingle Springs and Missouri Flat Road):
1) Turnouts West Shingle Springs and West El Dorado
2) Have the Plymouth Locomotive and Flat Car operational
3) Begin FRA track certification starting at the Shingle Springs Mother Lode Drive crossing and moving east, which includes replacing rotted ties between mile markers 136.8 to 139.3
4) Install 4 out of 7 private road crossing signs
Staff Recommendations:
1) Receive and file report.
2) Request presentation from Museum Administrator on FRA Class I certification.
Reason for Recommendation
County staff is recommending the Board approve these projects due to both groups working cooperatively and developing the priority lists.
Clerk of the Board Follow Up Actions
No action required by the Clerk of the Board
Contact
Vickie Sanders 621-7538