Title
Department of Transportation recommending the Board take the following actions related to the South Tahoe Greenway - Upper Truckee River Bridge at Johnson Meadow Project, Capital Improvement Program project number 36107023:
1) Adopt the California Environmental Quality Act Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration / Environmental Checklist;
2) Adopt the Mitigation Monitoring Plan in Section 5 of the Initial Study/Monitoring Negative Declaration;
3) Approve the South Tahoe Greenway - Upper Truckee River Bridge at Johnson Meadow Project as described in the CEQA document; and
4) Authorize the Department of Transportation staff to file a Notice of Determination with the County Recorder/Clerk's Office and with the Governor's Office of Planning and Research.
(District 5)
FUNDING: Regional Surface Transportation Program (93.4%) and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Air Quality Mitigation Funds (6.6%).
Body
DISCUSSION/BACKGROUND
El Dorado County's Department of Transportation (Transportation) proposes to construct a 1.2-mile Class 1 shared-use path and replace the Upper Truckee River crossing at Johnson Meadow, connecting to the Dennis T. Machida Memorial Greenway.
As the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Transportation prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) to assess potential Project impacts in accordance with CEQA Guidelines (14 CA Administrative Code, §14000 et seq.). Certification of this MND by the Board would complete the CEQA portion of the environmental phase of this Project. Since the Project is funded with federal funds and administered through the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Caltrans serves as the lead agency for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). A Categorical Exclusion is expected to be filed by Caltrans under Section 23 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 771.117(c), specifically activity (c)(26), based on the studies completed by Transportation and its consultant, Nichols Consulting Engineers, CHTD (NCE). Although NEPA approval is still pending, Caltrans has confirmed the filing of a Categorical Exclusion.
Project Need: The Project is included in the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency's (TRPA) Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) for the Lake Tahoe Region (EIP 03.02.02.0085). The Project will benefit the Lake Tahoe environment by helping achieve environmental thresholds for air quality, water quality, recreation, and transportation. The Project is included in the 2024 Capital Improvement Program adopted by the Board on June 18, 2024, (Legistar File 24-0838).
A Notice of Intent to Adopt the MND was advertised in the Tahoe Daily Tribune and the entire document was posted on Transportation’s website at https://www.eldoradocounty.ca.gov/Land-Use/Transportation/CEQA. Hard copies were available at the South Lake Tahoe Library located at 1000 Rufus Allen Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe and the Transportation office located at 924 B Emerald Bay Road, South Lake Tahoe. The public comment period included the submittal of the Notice of Completion (NOC), Notice of Intent (NOI) to adopt the Initial Study (IS)/MND to the State Clearinghouse and to other appropriate resource agencies for review. The public review period began on August 30, 2024, and ended on September 30, 2024.
Project Description: The Project site is located in eastern El Dorado County, within the Lake Tahoe Basin, in the City of South Lake Tahoe. The 1.2-mile path starts at the west end of Winnemucca Avenue, passes through Johnson Meadow, crosses the Upper Truckee River, and continues northeast toward Barbara Avenue and connecting with the Dennis T. Machida Memorial Greenway at the intersection of Barbara Avenue, where it connects with the Dennis T. Machida Memorial Greenway at the intersection of Barbara Avenue and Sierra Boulevard(Attachment D).
The Project’s purpose includes, but is not limited to, extending the popular Class 1 shared-use network by adding five curb ramps and three new crosswalks, enhancing safe and easy access over the Upper Truckee River, and promoting active transportation opportunities.
Right-of-Way: Permanent easements, license agreements, and a special use permit, as applicable, on parcels owned by the California Tahoe Conservancy, U.S. Forest Service, City of South Lake Tahoe, and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District will be required. An encroachment permit and a landscape maintenance agreement with Caltrans will also be required related to proposed improvements near the snow storage yard at the end of Sierra Boulevard and Lodi Avenue.
Construction: Construction would be scheduled once a funding commitment has been made, all approvals and permits have been obtained and improvement plans completed. The construction phase of the Project will be publicly bid and Transportation will retain a construction contractor who will be responsible for complying with all applicable rules, regulations, and ordinances associated with construction activities and for implementing the adopted construction-related mitigation measures. Transportation anticipates securing the additional funding in 2025 with Project construction potentially beginning during the summer 2025 construction season.
Mitigation Measures: Mitigation measures are added to the Project to reduce potential impacts to a level of insignificance. Avoidance, minimization, and/or mitigation measures are established in the Section 5, Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan and summarized in Table 4 of the IS/MND.
Comments: During the 30-day public comment period, 25 comments were received including comments received from the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The California Tahoe Conservancy and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District submitted comments after the public comment period. Transportation responded to each comment; included in Attachment B. No changes were necessary to the IS/MND. Commenters were notified of the document posting for their reference.
ALTERNATIVES
1) The Board could choose not to adopt the IS/MND and approve the Project. Transportation would make adjustments as directed by the Board and bring this item back to the Board at a later date. This would increase Project cost and delay delivery.
2) The Board could cancel the Project. Transportation would be required to return all federal funds spent thus far.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
See Discussion / Background Section above.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel reviewed and approved the IS/MND.
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This Project is included in the 2024 CIP adopted by the Board on June 18, 2024, (Legistar File 24-0838), with funding provided by the TRPA Air Quality Mitigation, Surface Transportation Block Grant, and To Be Determined funds. There is no change to Net County Cost as a result of this item.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Rafael Martinez, Director
Department of Transportation