Title
Adopt a Resolution to:
a. Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Gonzales River Road Bridge Rehabilitation Project, Project No. 3853, Federal Aid Project No. BRLS - 5944 (098);
b. Adopt a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program with mitigation measures;
c. Authorize the Department of Public Works Facilities and Parks (PWFP) to proceed with the Gonzales Road Bridge Rehabilitation Project; and
d. Authorize the Director of PWFP or the Director’s designee to negotiate the Right of Way acquisition, including any permanent easements and temporary construction easements needed for the Gonzales River Road Bridge Rehabilitation Project.
Proposed California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Action: Adopt Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program with mitigation measures.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Gonzales River Road Bridge Rehabilitation Project, Project No. 3853, Federal Aid Project No. BRLS - 5944 (098);
b. Adopt a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program with mitigation measures;
c. Authorize the Department of Public Works Facilities and Parks (PWFP) to proceed with the Gonzales River Road Bridge Rehabilitation Project: and
d. Authorize the Director of PWFP or the Director’s designee to negotiate the Right of Way acquisition, including any permanent easements and temporary construction easements needed for the Gonzales River Road Bridge Rehabilitation Project.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The County of Monterey Department of Public Works, Facilities and Parks (PWFP) proposes to replace the superstructure of the existing two-lane Gonzales River Road Bridge (Bridge No. 44C0035), over the Salinas River in Monterey County, California with a wider bridge deck that meets current American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) requirements (the “Project”). The Project would address certain existing structural deficiencies (e.g., cracks, exposed reinforcing bars, and failing joints in the superstructure) and improve the conditions for conveying flood flows. Several existing bridge piers would be rebuilt (i.e., raised) or modified for additional support and seven existing bridge piers would be removed. The Project would also widen the roadway approaches on the north and south ends of the bridge to conform to the new bridge width and profile. After construction, both the bridge and roadway approaches would contain two 12-foot lanes (one in each direction) and two 3-foot shoulders and would meet current AASHTO minimum design speed standards. The bridge would be closed to public use during construction. Vehicular traffic would be re-routed via Chualar River Road to the north and via Arroyo Seco Road to the south.
An Initial Study and a Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) were prepared pursuant to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to assess potential environmental impacts of the Project. A Notice of Intent to Adopt an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration was filed with the Monterey County Clerk on October 28, 2021. The document was circulated for a 37-day public review period from October 28, 2021, to December 3, 2021. Three comment letters were received, and the comment letters were documented and addressed in Final MND. The primary concerns identified in the comment letters pertained to the anticipated bridge closure during the construction of the Project. The proposed Project mitigations relating to noticing the community of the closure were strengthened to provide more rigorous public outreach prior to and during the construction of the Project. Also, emergency vehicles will be allowed to traverse the Project site during the construction phase to maintain adequate emergency response times.
A Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program with mitigation measures was prepared to adequately monitor and mitigate all potential impacts that may result from this Project.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The County is the Lead Agency for the CEQA clearance of the Project and Caltrans is the lead agency for the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) clearance. PWFP prepared and circulated an Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration through the California State Clearinghouse. The Planning Commission considered the project as part of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and found it to be consistent with the General Plan.
FINANCING:
The total estimated Project cost, including engineering, environmental, and construction is $15,850,470. The Project is funded mostly by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation (HBRR) Program (88.53%) and by County Road Funds (11.47%), namely State Gas Tax and Measure X funds. Additional Measure X funds and Gas Tax were programmed for the preliminary engineering phase of the Project, in the amount of $509,410, in the event HBRR funds are not sufficiently allocated and reimbursed by FHWA to cover all the staff costs to manage the Project.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
The Project would widen the bridge structure to two 12-foot lanes (one in each direction) and two 3-foot shoulders to meet current AASHTO minimum design speed standards. The recommended action complies with the Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Initiatives for Infrastructure and Public Safety.
__Economic Development
__Administration
__Health & Human Services
X Infrastructure
X Public Safety
Prepared by: José Gómez, Project Manager II, (831) 755-4816
Reviewed by: Tom Bonigut, P.E., Assistant Director of Public Works, Facilities and Parks
Approved by: Randell Ishii, MS, TE, PE, PTOE Director of Public Works, Facilities and Parks
The following attachments are on file with the Clerk of the Board:
Attachment A - Project Budget
Attachment B - Location Map
Attachment C - IS/MND Gonzales River Rd Rehab Project
Attachment D - Resolution Gonzales River Rd Bridge Project