Title
a. Conduct a Public Hearing and receive public comments to satisfy the provisions of Streets and Highways Code, Section 100.22 regarding a revised Freeway Agreement with Caltrans.
b. Approve the revised Freeway Agreement with Caltrans for the State Highway Route 156 West Corridor Project; and
c. Authorize the Director of Public Works, Facilities and Parks to execute the revised Freeway Agreement and submit the fully executed Freeway Agreement to the County Recorder for filing.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Conduct a Public Hearing and receive public comments to satisfy the provisions of Streets and Highways Code, Section 100.22 regarding a revised Freeway Agreement with Caltrans.
b. Approve the revised Freeway Agreement with Caltrans for the State Highway Route 156 West Corridor Project; and
c. Authorize the Director of Public Works, Facilities and Parks to execute the revised Freeway Agreement and submit the fully executed Freeway Agreement to the County Recorder for filing.
BACKGROUND:
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) in cooperation with the Transportation Agency of Monterey County (TAMC) and the County of Monterey, will be constructing safety and operational improvements along State Highway Route 156 in Monterey County. The Highway 156 West Corridor Improvement Project (Project) will construct: 1) a new four-lane highway parallel to the existing State Highway Route 156 from Castroville Boulevard to U.S. Highway 101; 2) a new interchange with Castroville Boulevard east of the current signalized intersection; and 3) a new interchange at U.S. Highway 101. The current two-lane highway will be converted into a frontage road that would become a County road to serve the local community. An existing portion of Castroville Boulevard would be closed from direct access to State Highway Route 156 and be replaced by a new re-aligned section to connect to the new interchange. The Project will improve safety and traffic flow in the area. A schematic map is provided in Attachment A.
California Streets and Highways Code Section 100.2 requires Caltrans to enter into a Freeway
Agreement with the County prior to constructing access modifications to County roads. Streets and Highways Code Section 100.22 also requires that the Board conduct a public hearing on the subject prior to entering into the Freeway Agreement contemplated by Section 100.2. On November 2, 2021, the Board of Supervisors conducted a public hearing and then approved a Freeway Agreement for the Project to establish the roles and maintenance responsibilities of the County and Caltrans (refer to Attachment B). Since then, Caltrans’ Sacramento Headquarters provided additional feedback on required changes to this agreement, which were not available to Caltrans District 5 staff at the time the agreement was presented to the Board of Supervisors for approval. This report summarizes the proposed changes and recommends the Board of Supervisors’ approval of the revised Freeway Agreement. Since Caltrans did not execute the Freeway Agreement approved by the Board of Supervisors in November 2021, it is intended that the revised Freeway Agreement presented via this report be substituted for the prior agreement.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
County staff reviewed the additional agreement changes with Caltrans staff and concur that the additional changes provide further clarification and corrections to the agreement and accompanying map exhibit, and do not materially change the roles and responsibilities of the County and Caltrans. In the body of the agreement, text in the recitals has been updated to reflect the original establishment of the State Route 156 freeway and provide descriptive details of the prior Freeway Agreements executed between the County and Caltrans. In the accompanying Agreement map, Exhibit A, the map has been updated to show corrected Project postmile limits per current Caltrans standard delineation and other postmile descriptions and notes were eliminated to improve clarity since they are not needed for this agreement. Attachment C provides a strikeout version to clearly show the proposed agreement and map exhibit changes, and Attachment D provides a complete revised agreement and exhibit.
Staff recommends approval of the revised Freeway Agreement (Attachment D) to establish the
roles and maintenance responsibilities of the County and Caltrans for the Project.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Office of the County Counsel has reviewed and approved the revised Freeway Agreement as to form.
FINANCING:
The Freeway Agreement will have no immediate financial impact on the Road Fund. The proposed Project is funded entirely by funds derived from the Regional Transportation Improvement Program, local Measure X revenues, and Regional Development Impact fees. When the Project is completed, the existing two-lane highway becomes a County road, that would be added to the County’s road network and included in future budgets for operation and maintenance.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
The recommended action supports the Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Initiative for Infrastructure and Public Safety, Meeting our Facilities, Water, Technology and Transportation Needs.
__ Economic Development
__ Administration
__ Health & Human Services
X Infrastructure
X Public Safety
Prepared by: Tom Bonigut, PE, Assistant Director of Public Works, Facilities and Parks, (831) 755-4831
Approved by: Randell Ishii, MS, PE, TE, PTOE, Director of Public Works, Facilities and Parks
Attachment A - State Highway Route 156 Map
Attachment B - November 2, 2021 Board Report Packet
Attachment C - Strikeout Version of Proposed Revised Freeway Agreement
Attachment D - Proposed Revised Freeway Agreement