Title
a. Approve an Assignment of Easements between the County and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for the relocation of overhead transmission lines and electrical transmission poles needed for construction of the Davis Road Bridge Replacement and Road Widening Project, Project No. 3600; and
b. Authorize the Director of Public Works, Facilities, and Parks or their designee to execute and Record the Assignment.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve an Assignment of Easements between the County and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for the relocation of overhead transmission lines and electrical transmission poles needed for construction of the Davis Road Bridge Replacement and Road Widening Project, Project No. 3600; and
b. Authorize the Director of Public Works, Facilities, and Parks or their designee to execute and Record the Assignment.
SUMMARY:
Approval of the Assignment of easements to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is necessary to relocate the overhead transmission lines and electrical transmission poles (utility poles) located adjacent to Davis Road between Blanco Road and the Salinas River. The utility poles are in conflict with the widening of Davis Road as proposed by the Davis Road Bridge Replacement and Road Widening Project (“Project”).
DISCUSSION:
The Public Works, Facilities, and Parks Department is working on the right-of-way phase of the Davis Road Bridge Replacement and Road Widening Project. The Project consists of replacing the existing two-lane, low-level Davis Road Bridge (Bridge No. 44C-0068) over the Salinas River with a longer bridge that meets current American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) requirements. The existing Davis Road Bridge is located approximately 2 miles south of the City of Salinas. The Project also proposes to widen Davis Road from two lanes to four lanes for approximately 2.1 miles between Blanco Road on the north and Reservation Road on the south.
The Project’s primary purpose is to construct an all-weather crossing over the Salinas River on Davis Road. The current river crossing is a low-level crossing that is overtopped during larger flows of the Salinas River. The concept of widening Davis Road to four-lanes resulted from the need to provide further carrying capacity between the Salinas area and the Monterey Peninsula. The need for widening was further articulated in the Regional Transportation Plans developed by the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) for the region and the Fort Ord Reuse planning documents. Furthermore, on June 24, 2015 the TAMC Board adopted the Marina-Salinas Multimodal Corridor Conceptual Plan that included the all-weather crossing and the four-laning on Davis Road between Reservation Road and Blanco Road. To further the multimodal aspect of the corridor, the Project proposes to provide class II bike lanes along Davis Road, and a bus queue-at the intersection of Blanco and Davis Roads. The Project will also reconstruct the intersections of Reservation Road/Davis Road by replacing the existing signal with a roundabout. The Reservation Road/Davis Road intersection improvements are mitigation requirements to offset the additional traffic from the East Garrison Development.
On July 11, 2016, The Board of Supervisors certified the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Project and directed the former Resource Management Agency (RMA) to proceed with the Project’s final design and related activities to be able to construct the Project. An EIR Addendum for the Project was prepared to amend the Project design details to incorporate design modifications following the Value Analysis Study Report prepared in 2017. The EIR Addendum was filed and approved by Caltrans on May 8, 2020.
The PG&E pole relocations are needed to construct the Project and PG&E cannot begin the relocation of the overhead electrical transmission lines and poles until the assignment of certain easements are conveyed to PG&E (Attachment C). In anticipation of the utility relocation, the County secured utility easements required to relocate certain utilities that are currently in conflict with the Project. The subject easements are intended to replace and supersede existing easements with prior rights and benefits for PG&E.
The full execution of these easement assignments are necessary to meet the requirements for the right-of-way certification to Caltrans for the Project. The Project is scheduled for construction in 2027, following the acquisition of all the easements required for the Project.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Office of the County Counsel has reviewed and approved the document for transfer of Real Property and related deeds as to form.
FINANCING:
The Project’s estimated total cost, including engineering, environmental, right-of-way and construction, is $105 million. The Project is currently unfunded in the amount of $6.6 million. Staff is actively pursuing additional funding sources to fully fund the Project before initiating the construction phase. If full funding is not obtained for the Project by the time final design has been completed, staff will analyze options for phasing the Project’s construction.
Funding from various Federal, State and local revenue sources has been authorized for the design and right-of-way portion of the Project. Sufficient appropriations of $26,873,905 are available for this Project phase for Road Fund 1201, Entity 320015. Therefore, there is no planned General Fund contribution for this Project.
The total estimated project cost for the right-of-way phase of the Project is estimated at $8,201,274. This phase of the Project is largely funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Bridge Program (HBP). The Project is also funded by Local Funds comprised of funds from the Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) and development impact fees. There are sufficient appropriations adopted in the FY 2026-2027 Road Fund 1201 to finance the right-of-way phase of the project.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS:
The Project will replace the existing seismically deficient Davis Road Bridge with a new four (4) lane bridge that will meet AASHTO and Caltrans Design Standards and widen the road to four-lanes to meet traffic needs. The recommended action supports the following Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Initiative:
Well-Being and Quality of Life
X Sustainable Infrastructure for the Present and Future
X Safe and Resilient Communities
Diverse and Thriving Communities
Prepared by: Kyle Oyama, Project Manager III, (831) 755-5090
Reviewed by: Armando Fernandez, PE, Senior Civil Engineer (831) 755-4873
Reviewed by: Enrique Saavedra, PE, Chief of Public Works
Approved by: Randell Ishii, MS, PE, TE, PTOE, Director of Public Works, Facilities and Parks
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A - Project Budget
Attachment B - Location Map
Attachment C - Assignment of Easements to PG&E
Attachment D - 207-031-005, 006, 007 Rodriquez UE Deed
Attachment E - 207-031-008 Brannan UE Deed
Attachment F - 207-041-006 Linscott UE Deed