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Community Development Agency, Transportation Division, recommending the Board consider the following pertaining to the Hazel Valley Road at EID Canal - Bridge Replacement (25C0092) Project, CIP No. 77125:
1) Adopt the California Environmental Quality Act Mitigated Negative Declaration; and
2) Approve the Project as described in the California Environmental Quality Act document.
FUNDING: Federal Highway Administration Local Assistance Highway Bridge Program, authorized under the 100 percent Funded Program. (Federal Funds)
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Community Development Agency, Transportation Division (Transportation), recommends the Board adopt the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) and approve the Hazel Valley Road at EID Canal - Bridge Replacement (25C0092) Project (Project) as described in the CEQA MND.
The recommended Board actions are based on the following findings:
A) The CEQA document, on file with the Clerk of the Board and on the Community Development Agency, Transportation Division website, http://www.edcgov.us/DOT/index.html, was prepared pursuant to Public Resources Code §21000 et seq., and the State CEQA Guidelines.
B) There is no substantial evidence that the Project, as mitigated, will have a significant effect on the environment.
C) The MND for the Project reflects the lead agency's independent judgment and analysis.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Transportation is proposing to replace the existing single lane, 75 year old bridge structure to improve roadway safety and comply with American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) guidelines and El Dorado County standards. The project is 100 percent funded under the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Bridge Program (HBP).
The Project is located along Hazel Valley Road approximately 0.5 mile south of U.S. Highway 50 and five (5) miles east of the community of Pollock Pines. The bridge is located approximately 1,000 feet due west of Esmeralda Creek (T11N, R13E, Section 35; see Attachment C for vicinity map).
The existing bridge, built in 1940, is a 27 foot, 6 inch long by 10 foot, 9 inch wide, single-lane, single span structure with a timber deck on steel girders and concrete abutments.
Transportation is the CEQA lead agency and prepared the MND to consider the significance of potential Project impacts in accordance with the State CEQA Guidelines (14 CA Administrative Code, §14000 et seq.). Certification of this MND would complete the CEQA portion of the environmental phase toward ultimate delivery of this Project. This is a federally funded project; therefore, FHWA designated California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) as the lead agency to administer the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Categorical Exclusion, utilizing the required studies completed by the County. At this time, NEPA is not yet approved.
Project Description: The proposed replacement bridge will be an approximately 54 foot long, 28 foot wide concrete slab bridge. The bridge will be installed on concrete abutments with cast in drilled hole piles. The piles may be 10 feet deep depending on the results of the final geotechnical study. Concrete bridge rails are also proposed. The new bridge will meet the AASHTO minimum standards for a "Resource Recovery Road" or a "Minor Access Road" (AASHTO 2001).
The road will remain open during construction and motorists will make use of the existing bridge or a temporary bridge during construction. The County is evaluating several alignments for the new bridge. The replacement bridge may be constructed along its existing alignment, requiring the installation of a temporary bridge (possibly to the south of the existing bridge); or, the replacement bridge may be constructed north of its existing alignment allowing the existing bridge to serve as access during construction. Both alignments will have similar environmental impacts and neither alignment will encroach on the canal. Pedestrian access along the canal berm will be maintained to facilitate canal inspection. The canal is owned and operated by the El Dorado Irrigation District (EID). The County will continue its coordination with EID prior to and during construction.
A detailed Project description can be found in the MND document (Attachment B), or on the Transportation website at <http://www.edcgov.us/Government/DOT/CEQA.aspx>. A hard copy can be obtained at the Transportation Division offices at 2850 Fairlane Court, Placerville.
Construction: The Project is anticipated to be constructed within a single construction season in the summer of 2017. During this period, the road will remain open with a single through lane.
Mitigation Measures: Mitigation measures are added to the Project to reduce potential impacts to a level of insignificance. The Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan can be found within the MND Document.
Public Notification: The Notice of Intent to Adopt a MND was advertised in the Mountain Democrat and the entire document was posted on the County website at <http://www.edcgov.us/Government/DOT/CEQA.aspx>. Hard copies are available at the Transportation offices at 2850 Fairlane Court, Placerville. Individual notices were sent to those directly affected in the Project area and to relevant agencies. The public review period began on March 4, 2015 and ended on April 3, 2015.
Public Comments: Three comments were received from the local community with questions regarding the prescriptive easement across the bridge, the potential effects of the spring fed water supply, the existing water line attached to the bridge, and the potential for future development as a result of this project. These issues were addressed in the environmental document as follows:
· Prescriptive Easement: The County acknowledges the prescriptive easement along Hazel Valley Road and will work closely with the property owners during the right of way process.
· Spring Fed Water Supply: The Project footprint is outside the area of the spring that feeds local water supply. No impacts will occur to this area as a result of this Project.
· Existing private 2 inch water line attached to the Bridge: Section 4.2.17 of the MND mentions this water line. The County will be replacing this line during construction in close coordination with the property owner(s).
· Potential for Future Development: As set forth in Sections 4.2.16 (a) and (b) of the Traffic Section of the MND, replacement of the existing one lane bridge would not change the amount of traffic on Hazel Valley Road because it is not a new development or growth inducing project. Hazel Valley Road in the project area is an off-system two lane rural road with an average daily traffic count of less than 100 vehicles per day. The Hazel Valley Road Bridge is primarily used by EID service trucks and Sierra Pacific Industries.
Standard comment letters were received from local, state, and federal resource agencies.
ALTERNATIVES
Transportation completed a feasibility study for Caltrans and FHWA approval that contemplated the most efficient solutions to either replace or rehabilitate the existing substandard Hazel Valley Road Bridge. The current design for replacement was approved under the Highway Bridge Program. No other alternatives are recommended for approval.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Prior to construction, resource agency permits may be required as follows:
A) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Section 404 Clean Water Act Nationwide Permit
B) Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board - Section 401 Water Quality Certification
C) California Department of Fish and Wildlife - Streambed Alteration Agreement
D) El Dorado County Air Quality Management District - Fugitive Dust Plan Approval
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the MND.
CAO RECOMMENDATION
CAO recommending the Board move staff's recommendations as this is an approved CIP project and the requested actions are consistent with standard practices.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The Project is included in the Adopted 2014 Capital Improvement Program and is funded through the FHWA Local Assistance HBP, authorized under the 100 percent Funded Program. There is no financial impact to the County as a result of this project.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
TRANSPORTATION FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Transportation Division Staff will:
1) File a Notice of Determination with the office of the County Recorder/Clerk.
2) Proceed with the Project through the NEPA clearance process, then to final design and construction.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Infrastructure
CONTACT
John Kahling, Deputy Director, Engineering
Community Development Agency, Transportation Division