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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 14-057 - Approving Quito Road Bridges Replacement Project RESOLUTION NO. 14-057 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF SARATOGA APPROVING THE QUITO ROAD BRIDGES REPLACEMENT PROJECT I. The City of Saratoga City is working with the Town of Los Gatos and the Santa Clara Valley Water District in seeking to replace two bridges on Quito Road with wider span structures that will allow a 100-year design flow with funding through the Federal Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation (HBRR)Program. II. The Project includes replacing existing bridges on Quito Road crossing San Thomas Aquino Creek near the intersection of Quito Road and Old Adobe Road, rerouting traffic during the approximately 6 to 12-month construction period, and acquisition of right-of- way easements totaling approximately 5,000 square feet of minor portions of various parcels and temporary construction easements totaling approximately 18,000 square feet of minor portions of various parcels all as described in more detail in the staff report accompanying this resolution. III. On August 20, 2014 the City Council conducted a duly noticed public hearing on the Project at which public comments and a staff report and written materials were presented to the City Council. The City Council reviewed and considered the information in the staff report, public comments, and other documents in the record. VII. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council hereby: 1. Approves the Project; and 2. Directs the City Manager to proceed with implementation of the Project subject to City Council approval of specific contracts and right-of-way acquisitions where Council approval is required by law; and 3. Finds that the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is a replacement and reconstruction of existing structures where the new structures will be located on the same sites and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structures replaced. The existing bridges are 2 lanes and the replacement bridges are also 2lanes,therefore the project will not increase roadway capacity. There are no past or future bridge replacements at, or adjacent to,the project. There are no unusual circumstances at the project site that would lead to environmental impacts. The project site is not on a State Scenic Highway and does not contain scenic resources; it is not a designated hazardous waste site and will not affect historic resources. The habitat restoration component of the project is less than 5 acres in size, would not disturb hazardous materials and would not result in significant adverse impacts to endangered, rare, or threatened species or their habitat; and 1 4. Directs the City Manager to cause a notice of exemption from CEQA to be filed with the County of Santa Clara. The above and foregoing resolution was passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Saratoga City Council held on the 20t�' day of August 2014 by the following vote: AYES: Mayor Emily Lo, Vice Mayor Howard Miller, Council Member Manny Cappello, Chuck Page, Jill Hunter NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ��� Emily Lo, Mayor ATTEST: ,�.�, � / , ` '��, 1�-l' I���L�l--�t� DATE: `��V�� 1� Cr�al Bothelio, City Clerk \ 2 of SAR U~�� 9�oq SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL »56 � ��LIFOR�1 MEETING DATE: August 20, 2014 DEPARTMENT: Public Works PREPARED BY: Macedonio Nunez, Associate Engineer SUBJECT: Replacement of Quito Road Bridges—Project Approval RECOMMENDED ACTION: Adopt resolution approving the Replacement of Quito Road Bridges project and authorizing the City Manager to file with the County of Santa Clara a Notice of Exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act(CEQA). REPORT SUMMARY: The City is working with the Town of Los Gatos and tbe Santa Clara Valley Water District in seeking to replace two bridges on Quito Road with wider span structures that will allow a 100-year design flow with funding through the Federal Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation(HBRR) Program. The existing bridges are located on Quito Road crossing San Thomas Aquino Creek near the intersection of Quito Road and Old Adobe Road. The project will require rerouting traffic during the approximately 6 to 12-month construction period and acquisition of right-of-way easements totaling approximately 4,532 square feet. Open House Public Meetings The City hosted two Open House public meetings. The City mailed approximately 1000 letters for each open house inviting residents who live near the Project or the traffic detour. The City's Engineering Consultant, Architect, Environmental Consultant and Traffic Engineer were in attendance to answer questions. The first Open House held on Apri14,2014 from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM, attracted 60 community members. The second Open House held on July 29, 2014 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM had 18 community members attending. Project Purpose and Need The existing bridges,which were constructed in 1915, do not meet current State design standards or seismic safety criteria as determined by the Caltrans Structure Maintenance and Investigation Repart. The existing 90% complete plan from the City's Design Consultant Mark Thomas & Company presents the most cost effective,feasible approach to replacing the bridges and bringing them up to current safety standards. Project Description The Project will replace two 2-lane bridges identified as 37C-113 and 37G114 (henceforth referred to as "Bridge 113"and`Bridge 114"). The new bridges would have the same function and capacity as the existing structures. The Project would include acquisition of necessary right-of-way; demolirion and Page 1 of 3 construction of the bridges; construction of six retaining walls;relocation of utilities; and related habitat restoration associated with project-related habitat disturbance. Attachment 1 is a summary description of the Project; detailed plans are available for review in the Public Works Department and information is available on the City's website at http://www.saratoga.ca.us/cityhall/pw/projects/quitoroadbridges.asp The new bridges will be on a similar alignment to the existing bridges although the approaches leading to the bridge structures will require slight roadway re-alignment to improve sight distance and enhance traffic and pedestrian safety. The bridges will clear-span the creek and will have a width of approximately 35 feet for Bridge 113 and 44 feet for Bridge 114 with each bridge having two 12-foot travel lanes and two 4-foot shoulders. Bridge 114 will have a 6-foot sidewalk on the east side of the roadway. The bridge abutments will be supparted on piles placed in cast-in-drilled-holes. The Quito Road approaches to the bridges will be widened as part of the project in order to facilitate the proposed wider 12-foot travel lanes and 4 foot shoulders. The Project includes minor grading in the San Tomas Aquino Creek channel at each bridge to reduce the angle of the channel at each crossing and minimize the potential for erosion. The project includes bank stabilization measures at each bridge, consisting of a combination of rock slope protection and wing/retaining walls. The Project has been designed to accommodate projected flood flows associated with a 100-year storm. The hydraulic capacity of the replacement bridges will result in an improveinent over existing conditions. The Project will treat stormwater runoff in accordance with the standard provisions of the City's Municipal Stormwater Permit. Construcrion of the bridges will require the removal of approximately 16 trees (See Attachment 2)which is a reduction from previously estimated at 22 from the previous preliminary plan. The Project will include replacement of the trees consistent with the City's tree removal requirements applicable to private projects. The Project also includes a one-half acre (0.50 acre)riparian restoration component,which will be located at the existing project site. The riparian restoration component would result in increased habitat values and functions within the restored riparian corridor and adjacent oak woodland. This component of the Project includes: exotic species reinoval, establishment of riparian and oak woodlands, enhancement of understory plantings, and installation of riparian fencing. The riparian restoration work will coincide with the construction schedule for construction of the bridges. The riparian restoration component includes initial maintenance during the first 3 years until the plantings are established and become self- sustaining. The site will be monitored for a period of 10 years or until success criteria have been met. Quito Road will be closed during the bridge construction period; traffic will be rerouted using existing streets. (The proposed detour route map is attached as Attachment 3.) Construction equipment and materials will be staged on the closed partion of Quito Road. Construction would take place on weekdays between the hours of 7:30 am and 6:00 pm and is anticipated to take approximately twelve months. Construction activities within the creek will take place between April 15th and October 15th to avoid the rainy season. Project construction would include standard best management practices to minimize erosion,protect water quality, and control dust. Ri�ht-of-Way Acquisition The 90%project plans indicate that the project will require acquisition of a minimal amount of additional right-of-way easements totaling 4,532 square feet at fair market value from portions of three adjacent privately-owned parcels that consists of the following APN 397-OS-014, APN 397-OS-028, and APN 407- 16-008. This is a reduction of right-of-way easements previously estimated at 10,800 square feet from six privately-owned parcels from the preliminary plan. There will be temporary construction easements required totaling 17,718 square feet from portions of three privately-owned parcels that consists of the following APN 397-OS-014, APN 397-OS-028, and APN 397-OS-083. The potential right-of-way Page 2 of 3 easements to be acquired consist of narrow,linear areas immediately adjacent to the roadway and existing right-of-way (See Attachment 4 Right of Way Acquisition Figures). CEQA Categorical Exemption The project is exempt from CEQA because it is a replacement and reconstruction of existing structures where the new structures will be located on the same sites and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structures replaced. The existing bridges are 2lanes and the replacement bridges are also 2 lanes, therefore the project will not increase roadway capacity. There are no past or future bridge replacements at, or adjacent to, the project. There are no unusual circumstances at the project site that would lead to environmental impacts. The project site is not on a State Scenic Highway and does not contain scenic resources; it is not a designated hazardous waste site and will not affect historic resources. The habitat restoration component of the project is less than 5 acres in size,would not disturb hazardous materials and would not result in significant adverse unpacts to endangered,rare, or threatened species or their habitat. In light of these factors,the project is not subject to CEQA. Therefore staffrecommends that City Council consider a CEQA exemption in connection with approval of Project under 14 C.C.R. secrions 15302, 15333 (This is included in Attachment 5). FOLLOW UP ACTION: The contract will be executed and the consultant will be issued a Notice to Proceed. Work will begin as soon as possible. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Summary Project Plans 2. Locations of Proposed Tree Removal 3. Detour Map 4. Right of Way Acquisition Figures 5. Resolution 616053.2 Page 3 of 3