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Department of Transportation recommending the Board take the following actions related to modifications to Phase 2B of the U.S. Highway 50/El Dorado Hills Boulevard-Latrobe Road Interchange:
1) Adopt U.S. Highway 50/El Dorado Hills Boulevard-Latrobe Road Interchange Addendum No. 3 to the Environmental Impact Report to modify Phase 2B; and
2) Approve modifications to Phase 2B of the Project as described in the U.S. Highway 50/El Dorado Hills Boulevard-Latrobe Road Interchange Addendum No. 3 to the Environmental Impact Report.
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RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve.
The recommended Board actions are based on the following findings:
A) The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document on file with the Clerk of the Board and on the Department of Transportation's (Department) website at <http://www.edcgov.us/Government/DOT/CEQA.aspx,> was prepared pursuant to Public Resources Code §21000 et seq. and the State CEQA Guidelines.
B) There is no substantial evidence that the Project, based on the U.S. Highway 50/El Dorado Hills Boulevard-Latrobe Road Interchange Addendum No. 3 to the Environmental Impact Report as mitigated, will have a significant effect on the environment.
C) U.S. Highway 50/El Dorado Hills Boulevard-Latrobe Road Interchange Addendum No. 3 to the Environmental Impact Report reflects the lead agency's independent judgment and analysis.
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost:
The Plans, Specifications and Estimate (PS&E) production costs for U.S. Highway 50/El Dorado Hills Boulevard-Latrobe Road Interchange Phase 2B (Phase 2B) Project will be included in the 2012 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to be funded with Local Transportation Funds.
Supplemental funding of $15,500,000 for Phase 2B construction is being sought through the State Proposition 1B -Corridor Mobility Improvement Account (CMIA). The California Transportation Commission (CTC) is anticipated to vote on the inclusion of Phase 2B in their April 25th/26th 2012 meeting for allocation of CMIA funding.
Funding Background:
The CTC allocates and directs the CMIA program. CMIA funds were used to construct the U.S. 50 HOV Phase 1 Project from El Dorado Hills Boulevard to Bass Lake Road and the U.S. 50 HOV Phase 2A Project from Bass Lake Road to Cameron Park Drive anticipated for construction in 2012. Recently, the El Dorado County Transportation Commission (EDCTC) and the Department learned that the CMIA program has remaining funds that must be awarded in construction contracts before January 1, 2013. The Department has been successful in completing multiple phases of construction for the U.S. 50/Missouri Flat Interchange, the U.S. 50/El Dorado Hills Interchange and U.S. 50 HOV Lanes. The EDCTC and Caltrans believe that this Project will be a good candidate to capture CMIA funds that are becoming available.
On August 16, 2011 the Board approved the Department's funding strategy for funding improvements to the southeast quadrant of the U.S. Highway 50/El Dorado Hills Boulevard-Latrobe Road Interchange (now identified as Phase 2C).
On January 20, 2012, the EDCTC proposed to the CTC and Caltrans that the Phase 2B construction be allocated $15,500,000 in CMIA funds to construct Phase 2B.
On January 31, 2012, the Board authorized the Department to advance this new phase of the U.S. Highway 50/El Dorado Hills Boulevard-Latrobe Road Interchange and the U.S. 50/HOV Lane Improvement Project using the funds previously designated for the Phase 2C of the El Dorado Hills Boulevard Interchange.
EDCTC, Caltrans, and the Department intend to include the Project on the CTC's April 25th/26th 2012 Agenda for allocation of $15,500,000 of CMIA funds towards construction. To be eligible and compete for CMIA funding, the Department has committed to accomplish the following:
· Submit 100% PS&E to Caltrans by April 3, 2012,
· Advertise the Project for construction by August 17, 2012.
· Award a construction contract by October 15, 2012.
Project Background:
A Draft EIR (SCH #98072050) was certified for the U.S. Highway 50/El Dorado Hills Boulevard-Latrobe Road Interchange on May 11, 2000. A petition for writ of mandate was subsequently filed by the Citizens Against Roadway Encroachment (C.A.R.E.). Pursuant to a Superior Court issued writ of mandate, the Board clarified their previous action accordingly and re-adopted the EIR on July 22, 2003. Complete reconstruction of the U.S. Highway 50/El Dorado Hills Boulevard-Latrobe Road Interchange was phased to align improvement needs, construction staging, and available funding.
Two addendums to the EIR have been approved. Addendum No. 1, approved by the Board on April 19, 2005, covered changes to Phase 1 and have been constructed. Addendum No. 2 created two sub phases, Phase 2A and 2B, and addressed project elements which were modified and constructed under Phase 2A.
The original Phase 2B of the U.S. Highway50/El Dorado Hills Boulevard-Latrobe Road Interchange, as described in the second EIR addendum approved in 2008, included all the remaining features identified in the Draft EIR including ramp modification at all four quadrants.
Phase 2B has yet to be constructed.
Project Description:
As shown on Attachment 2C to this Legistar item, minor modifications to Phase 2B.1 are needed, resulting in this Addendum No. 3 to the U.S. Highway 50/El Dorado Hills Boulevard-Latrobe Road Interchange EIR. Due to funding limitations, Phase 2B is being divided into two sub phases, Phase 2B.1 and 2B.2,
Phase 2B.1 segregates the westbound on- and off-ramps from the eastbound on- and off-ramps for funding reasons. Minor modifications are proposed to Phase 2B.1 which is the subject of Addendum No. 3 to the EIR.
Phase 2B.2 covers the eastbound on- and off-ramps and is not proposed to be modified from the previously approved EIR, but construction is proposed to be deferred to the future.
A summary of Phase 2B.1 is below: A detailed project description is available within Addendum No. 3, Attachment 2B of this Legistar item.
Westbound On-Ramp
1. Increase merging taper from the ramp meter limit line to the freeway from 15:1 to 30:1 consistent with the Caltrans Highway Design Manual (HDM).
2. Reconfigure the California Highway Patrol (CHP) enforcement area of the westbound on- ramp 90 feet further down the on-ramp, with a standard 15-foot width (less paved area required) instead of the 23-foot width originally proposed, to provide a safer refuge for enforcement.
3. Include a retaining wall along the on-ramp to avoid right of way impacts near the intersection and allow for a safe separation between the realigned Saratoga Way and the on-ramp. The retaining wall complies with the Caltrans HDM for fill slopes not to exceed a 4:1 instead of the 2:1 in the original design.
4. Increase ramp shoulder width from 8 to 10 feet, as mandated by Caltrans, due to the need for the retaining wall location being adjacent to traffic lanes.
Westbound Off-Ramp
1. The westbound loop off-ramp to southbound Latrobe Road will have a wider paved area to allow for safer vehicular movements and will merge with through traffic prior to the signalized intersection with the eastbound diagonal off-ramp.
2. Modify the dimensions for the westbound off-ramp bridge from 241.5 feet long and 39 feet wide to a structure that is 200 feet long and 39 feet wide.
Median between Westbound On and Off-Ramps
Caltrans requires the separation between the off-ramp traffic and on-ramp traffic at the ramp intersection with El Dorado Hills Boulevard to be increased from 4-feet to 14-feet. This modification accomplishes the following:
1. Provides a safer separation distance between opposing traffic and addresses potential wrong way movement at the ramps.
2. Allows for proper channelization of vehicles into mixed flow lanes rather than trapping vehicles into the HOV bypass lane. HOV users can then select the preferential bypass lane after entering the ramp.
3. Allows for a refuge area of at least 5 feet for bicyclists through the intersection in the southbound direction of El Dorado Hills Boulevard.
Northbound El Dorado Hills Blvd.
1. Construct the third northbound through lane between the eastbound loop off-ramp and Saratoga Way as approved in the 2003 EIR.
Phase 2B.2:
Phase 2B.2 has become necessary due to funding limitations, and will include the remaining eastbound features identified in the Draft EIR, including reconstruction of the eastbound diagonal on-ramp, eastbound on-ramp auxiliary lane, and ramp modifications to the eastbound loop off-ramp. No modifications are proposed to these features in Phase 2B.2 from those approved with the Draft EIR. Attachment 2D illustrates the proposed phasing.
Project Construction: The Department will retain a construction contractor who is responsible for compliance with all applicable rules, regulations and ordinances associated with construction activities and for implementation of the adopted construction-related mitigation measures previously applied to the Project.
Mitigation Measures: No additional impacts were identified; therefore, no additional mitigation measures were required. Existing measures still apply to the project where applicable.
Public Notification: Due to the minor nature of the changes in the Project Description, the Department has prepared this addendum rather than a supplement to the EIR pursuant to §15164 of the CEQA Guidelines. Further, the Addendum was not publicly noticed as notifications of Addenda are not required pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15164(c). This Addendum is posted on the Department's CEQA website at <http://www.edcgov.us/Government/DOT/CEQA.aspx>.
Action to be Taken by the Department Following Approval:
1. File a Notice of Determination with the office of the County Recorder/Clerk.
2. Department staff will proceed with the Project through preparation of the Plans, Specifications and Estimates, and the right of way acquisition process.
Contact: Matthew D. Smeltzer, P.E.
Deputy Director, Engineering
Department of Transportation
Concurrences: County Counsel