USDOT 2022 RAISE PROGRAM
APRIL 15, 2022
ONTARIO AVENUE &
INTERSTATE 15
MULTI-MODAL CORRIDOR ENHANCEMENT PROJECT
Prepared for the U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of the Secretary
Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Program Submitted by the City of Corona
April 14, 2022
Exhibit 2 - Application Narrative Submittal
ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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Table of Contents
1 Project Description 1
1.1 Issues addressed by the Project 2
2 Project History 5
3 Project Location 5
4 Project Funding 8
4.1 Project Costs 8
4.2 Eligible Project Costs 9
4.3 Leveraging Federal Funding 10
5 Merit Criteria 11
5.1 Safety 12
5.2 Environmental Sustainability 15
5.3 Quality of Life 17
5.4 Mobility and Community Connectivity 18
5.5 Economic Competitiveness and Opportunity 19
5.6 State of Good Repair 20
5.7 Partnership and Collaboration 21
5.8 Innovation 22
6 Project Readiness 22
6.1 Technical Feasibility 22
6.2 Project Schedule 23
6.3 Required Approvals 23
7 Benefit-Cost Analysis 25
7.1 Project Benefits 25
7.2 Project Outcomes 26
8 Regulatory Compliance 26
8.1 Domestic Preference 27
8.2 Federal Wage Rate Certification 27
1 3
6 7
8 9
10 11
12 13
13 14
14 15
16 19
23 24
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Table of Figures
Figure 1. Southbound view of Ontario Avenue at the Interstate 15 Interchange Figure 2. Ontario Avenue Multimodal Corridor: Schematic Map Figure 3. Project Location Map
Figure 4. Historically Disadvantaged Communities Map
Table 1. Project Schedule and Phases
Figure 5. Project Area and Surrounding Infrastructure
Table 2. Project Funding Plan and Eligibility
Figure 6. Adjacent Federally-Funded Infrastructure Projects Figure 7: Employment Growth in Southern California Regions Figure 6. Existing Pedestrian Environment – I-15 Underpass Table 3: Signalized Intersection Collision Summary
Table 4: Unsignalized Intersection Collision Summary
Table 5: Ontario Avenue between Interstate 15 and State Street Collision Summary Figure 8. Existing Pedestrian Environment – Ontario Avenue Table 6: Project-Related Change in Daily Peak Period Operational Emissions (lbs.) Figure 9. Southeast Corona Freight Corridor
Table 7. Project Schedule
Table 8. Project Milestones and Verifications
Table 9. Merit Criteria Summary
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1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The City of Corona (City) proposes to construct the Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Multimodal Corridor Enhancement Project (Project) to relieve a critical passenger and goods movement bottleneck for increased travel time reliability, provide new pedestrian, bicycle and other accessibility and safety enhancements, and enhance the existing storm water system for additional resiliency against flooding events. These improvements in the Project area include:
• Two additional travel lanes, three additional turning lanes, and new adaptive signal timing improvements along the corridor;
• New roadway safety infrastructure, including installing two new traffic signals, and 860 feet of raised median;
• 0.6 miles of Class II bicycle lanes, 1,153 linear feet of sidewalk, ten high-visibility crosswalks, and fourteen ADA-compliant curb ramps
• Two new storm water collection catchment basins at the Interstate 15 ramps.
Figure 1. Southbound view of Ontario Avenue at the Interstate 15 Interchange The Project will provide an additional travel lane in both the eastbound and westbound direction of travel between Compton Avenue and the Interstate 15 Freeway northbound on- and off-ramps (Figure 1). The improvement will provide a smoother transition between the portion of Ontario Avenue under the jurisdiction of the County of Riverside (east of State Street), which currently provides one travel lane in each direction, and the portion of Ontario Avenue entering the City (west of State Street). The Project allows greater continuity to be provided along Ontario Avenue as the three travel lanes in each direction currently provided west of Compton Avenue would be extended to the east to service the Interstate 15 on- and off-ramps. Beyond the additional travel lanes, the Project will add numerous other features to improve vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle travel through the Interstate 15 Freeway Interchange with Ontario Avenue. Figure 2 illustrates the new configuration of Ontario Avenue if the proposed Project is completed.
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1.1 ISSUES ADDRESSED BY THE PROJECT
The Ontario Avenue corridor is a key link in the existing transportation network in the region, so it is essential that the roadway effectively serves and supports all travel modes. The Project provides solutions to many of the existing challenges posed by the existing configuration of this segment.
1.1.1 ALLEVIATING CONGESTION AND IMPROVING TRAVEL TIMES Ontario Avenue serves as a primary travel route through the City of Corona, connecting Downtown Corona to unincorporated Riverside County communities to the south and east of the Project and to other cities throughout the Inland Empire. The segment of the roadway covered by the Project is one of the busiest roadways within the City, carrying volumes of over 2,500 vehicles per hour during both the morning and afternoon peak commute periods. As a result, the connection of this roadway with the Interstate 15 also experiences some of the highest freeway ramp volumes in the region, serving approximately 50,000 daily vehicles1. West of the Project segment, Ontario Avenue operates as a 6- lane facility through the majority of the City. However, between Compton Avenue and State Street (the Project’s limits), Ontario Avenue provides only two travel lanes in each direction. Thus, the Project Corridor consistently operates as a major bottleneck within the City and for vehicles coming off of the Interstate 15 Freeway. Along the Project segment, the Interstate 15 Northbound and Southbound Ramp intersections operate at the worst level of service (LOS). During some periods, queuing extends beyond existing turn pockets and impedes the flow of through traffic. The queues of idling vehicles along Ontario Avenue result in higher greenhouse gas emissions and increased noise impacts to neighboring properties, which are especially detrimental to the residential communities east of the Interstate 15 Freeway. These impacts are evidenced by the Project area’s designation as a USDOT Historically Disadvantaged Community, as discussed in the following section.
In order to alleviate the congestion at the Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Interchange, the Project would widen the roadway to provide three travel lanes in each direction, consistent with the existing roadway configuration west of Compton Avenue. Additional right turn lanes would also be provided onto the northbound Interstate 15 on-ramps to more smoothly and efficiently transition vehicular flow from the local street network to the highway system. These improvements will more effectively allow traffic to flow through the Project area, and improve the overall operation of the entire Ontario Avenue Corridor beyond the project limits, as well as connecting roadways, and the Interstate 15 Freeway.
1.1.2 IMPROVING ROADWAY SAFETY
A total of 90 collisions occurred along the 0.4-mile segment of roadway covered by the Project during the five-year period between 2016 and 2020, with 46 of these collisions having occurred at signalized intersections (determined as being within 250 feet of a signalized location). The majority of these were rear end or broadside collisions. Of the 44 collisions not occurring at signalized locations, 35 occurred at unsignalized intersections along the Project stretch of Ontario Avenue, including the driveway intersections east of the Interstate 15 Freeway. The collisions at these locations were primarily broadside collisions, which can be attributed to vehicles making left- or U-turns across the heavy vehicular flow along Ontario Avenue.
1California Department of Transportation. Annual Traffic Census. https://dot.ca.gov/programs/trafficoperations/census. Accessed April 12, 2022 ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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Figure 2. Ontario Avenue Multimodal Corridor: Schematic Map ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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The frequency of these collisions evidence safety issues that are present along the corridor that require additional measures in order to prevent these collisions from occurring.
1.1.3 IMPROVING ROADWAY SAFETY
A total of 90 collisions occurred along the 0.4-mile segment of roadway covered by the Project during the five-year period between 2016 and 2020, with 46 of these collisions having occurred at signalized intersections (determined as being within 250 feet of a signalized location). The majority of these were rear end or broadside collisions. Of the 44 collisions not occurring at signalized locations, 35 occurred at unsignalized intersections along the Project stretch of Ontario Avenue, including the driveway intersections east of the Interstate 15 Freeway. The collisions at these locations were primarily broadside collisions, which can be attributed to vehicles making left- or U-turns across the heavy vehicular flow along Ontario Avenue. The frequency of these collisions evidence safety issues that are present along the corridor that require additional measures in order to prevent these collisions from occurring.
The Project addresses safety issues identified through examination of historical collision data by installing infrastructure improvements that would reduce frequency of these crashes. Signal timing changes, including signal coordination and ITS improvements, are proposed as part of the Project to improve east-west travel flow along Ontario Avenue and provide better progression through the closely spaced intersections. These signal improvements will help to reduce stoppages along the corridor and will reduce the number of rear end collisions. Additionally, the Project would install traffic signals at the unsignalized westbound U-turn location just west of Compton Avenue and at State Street to provide left-turn traffic with dedicated phasing to cross the heavy vehicular traffic along Ontario Avenue. Similarly, a raised median would be installed between the Interstate 15 Freeway and State Street to minimize left-turn traffic into the adjacent developments and focus leftturn movements to designated locations. These improvements will cut down on the number of leftturn vehicle conflicts and thus reduce the number of broadside collisions occurring along the corridor.
1.1.4 CONNECTING THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK
The segment of Ontario Avenue addressed by the Project currently lacks pedestrian and bicycle facilities that establish this roadway as being friendly to active transportation modes. While sidewalks are provided along Ontario Avenue west and east of the Interstate 15 Freeway ramps, no pedestrian facilities are provided beneath the freeway overpass. Therefore, the Interstate 15 Freeway acts as a barrier for pedestrian connectivity, restricting comfortable access between the residential and commercial uses on either side of the freeway. In addition, many of the existing pedestrian facilities do not meet current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, making the roadway difficult for those with mobility issues. Further, the County of Riverside is proposing Class II bicycle lane facilities along Temescal Canyon Road through the unincorporated County region to the east of the Project to establish bicycle connectivity between the City of Corona and the southern Inland Empire region. However, as this facility enters the City of Corona west of State Street, the Class II bicycle lanes are currently planned to transition to a Class III bicycle route. Under the currently planned configuration, bicycles would have to mix with vehicular traffic along the busiest segment of Ontario Avenue.
With the intention of closing the existing gaps in the active transportation network, the Project would install sidewalks along the north and south side of the roadway to connect with the existing facilities, as well as Class II bicycle lanes along the entire segment. These improvements would provide ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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dedicated roadway space for bicyclists and pedestrians, which would activate this roadway for increased active transportation use. These dedicated facilities would serve as an improvement over the existing and planned facilities, as they would provide greater protection from vehicular traffic, helping promote pedestrian and bicycle travel between unincorporated Riverside County and the City of Corona.
2 PROJECT HISTORY
Discussion regarding the widening of Ontario Avenue began in 2017, when the roadway was first identified as a candidate for widening during the update of the City of Corona General Plan. Around the same time, the need for widening of the corridor came to the attention of the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) as they prepared an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) analyzing the impacts of the proposed State Route 91 Corridor Improvement Project. In addition, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) received a grievance notice in 2018 regarding the lack of ADA accessible pedestrian facilities below the Interstate 15 Freeway Overpass. The confluence of these events resulted in the creation of a collaborative effort between the City of Corona and these two regional and state transportation organizations to begin the planning and design stages for the Project. Design and analysis were initiated for the Project in 2018. Multiple design iterations were conducted and coordinated with the City and Caltrans to arrive upon a design alternative that would support the goals and priorities of all parties involved.
During the iterative design phase of the Project, neighboring business owners and stakeholders were contacted to provide input on the proposed design of Ontario Avenue, as the improvements would interfere with existing access to these properties. The concerns of these businesses were addressed with additional design iterations, with a final Project design concept being selected in 2021. 3 PROJECT LOCATION
The Project is located near the southeast corner of the City of Corona, an incorporated city in Riverside County, California. Ontario Avenue provides connectivity between Downtown Corona to the northwest of the Project and unincorporated Riverside County, which is located immediately southeast of the Project. This roadway, along with its southern extension as Temescal Canyon Road, serves as the primary arterial travel alternative to the Interstate 15 Freeway and connects the City of Corona with other communities in the southern portion of the Inland Empire. The coordinates of the Project are 33.843423, -117.534389, which is in the Riverside-San Bernardino Urbanized Area (UA code: 75340).
The City of Corona and the surrounding Inland Empire region is considered one of the fastest growing regions in California. High housing and land prices in communities throughout Los Angeles and Orange County have pushed both residents and business-owners into Corona and the surrounding cities. In addition, the recent expansion of the e-commerce industry, which has only been magnified by the COVID pandemic, has increased the demand for warehouse space and workers in order to support the national supply chain. The Inland Empire has grown to be a hub for distribution and logistics centers as available land and a growing population are able to support demand for these facilities.
As a result of the increase in population and employment growth in the region, the existing roadway network is experiencing higher demand, which has led to increased congestion and longer travel times for residents. As a result, the various agencies, including the California Department of ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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Transportation (Caltrans) and the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), are working with local jurisdictions to implement transportation improvements which will accommodate travel demand in the Inland Empire region. The Project will connect directly to many of these proposed improvements and will support and improve the efficiency of these projects.
Figure 2 depicts the location of some of the transportation network improvements in the vicinity of the Project that have been recently completed or are proposed for implementation.
Figure 3. Project Location Map
Within the region, substantial freeway and roadway capacity will be added by the Interstate 15 Express Lanes Project and Temescal Canyon Road improvements directly connecting to the Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Multimodal Enhancement Project. The Interstate 15 Express Lanes Project will provide two additional express lanes in each direction along Interstate 15 between State Route 60 and State Route 74 and the Temescal Canyon Road Improvement project will widen the roadway to a four-lane facility, within the unincorporated area of Riverside County, east of State Street. The widening of Ontario Avenue at the connection with the Interstate 15 Freeway will allow the increased demand from the express lanes to be transferred to the surface roadway system with minimal delay and congestion. The Project will also provide a smooth transition between roadways within the City of Corona and unincorporated Riverside County and will help in eliminating a major traffic bottleneck in the region.
In addition to traffic associated with passenger vehicles, the roadways of the City of Corona and the surrounding region experience a large share of heavy vehicle truck traffic. The City is located at the intersection of major trucking routes connecting major goods movement hubs, including the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, with the vast warehousing space provided in the Inland Empire.
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Roadways in and around the City of Corona are essential to supporting the movement of goods as part of the national supply chain. The Interstate 15/California State Route 91 Interchange, approximately 2.5 miles north of the Project, ranks in the top 50 of the nation’s most congested freight-significant bottlenecks per the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI).2 Ontario Avenue is also designated as a truck route in the City’s General Plan and connects directly to the Riverside County truck network. The Project segment provides access to the numerous industrial and commercial uses located northeast of the Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Freeway ramp connections.
Figure 4. Historically Disadvantaged Communities Map
Beyond the Project’s setting within the context of the regional transportation network, it is also well located to provide benefits that will promote equity and serve communities that have been disproportionally affected by the negative effects of climate change and discrimination. While the project is not located in an Area of Persistent Poverty or a federally designated community development zone, it is located within Census tracts 418.09, 418.10, 419.09, which are all designated as Historically Disadvantaged Communities. All of the Census tracts within the Project meet four of the six indicators used to identify these communities, including the Transportation Access, Environmental, Resilience, and Social Disadvantages per United States Office of Management and
2 American Transportation Research Institute, Top 100 Truck Bottlenecks – 2022, https://truckingresearch.org/2022/02/08/top-100-truck-bottlenecks-2022 (accessed April 5, 2022) ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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Budget (OMB) standards. Census tracts 418.09 and 419.09 also meet the Economy and Health indicators for a Historically Disadvantaged Community.
Per the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool, the Project Census tracts all rank above the 90th percentile for exposure to various air pollutants, including Particulate Matter 2.5 and ozone, and above the 80th percentile for exposure to diesel particulate matter. Further, per the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC’s) Social Vulnerability Index Map3, the Project area ranks as having a high social vulnerability based on minority status, as more than half the population identifies as being part of a minority group. The Project seeks to improve conditions for these communities which have historically been overlooked by reducing pollution from idling vehicles and improving the efficiency of the roadway. 4 PROJECT FUNDING
4.1 PROJECT COSTS
The total estimated cost of the Project is $15.3 million. The City has currently committed to providing $3.5 million in local funds to complete the project planning, design and right-of-way acquisition. The eligible construction costs are estimated at $11.7 million, including the construction contract and contingencies. Project costs are currently based on a 65% design engineering estimate. Table 1 provides a summary of costs by project phase, including both local and any external funding sources, as well as the start and end dates for each phase.
Table 1. Project Schedule and Phases
Phase Start Date End Date Cost % of Cost
Planning & Environmental November 2018 February 2024 $200,000 1% Design July 2019 May 2024 $2,500,000 16%
Right of Way April 2023 October 2024 $950,000 6%
Construction* April 2025 July 2026 $11,700,000 76%
*Includes procurement activities Total Cost $15,350,000 100% 3 Centers for Disease Control. CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index Map (SVIs). 2018. https://svi.cdc.gov/map.html. Accessed April 10, 2022
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Figure 5. Project Area and Surrounding Infrastructure
4.2 ELIGIBLE PROJECT COSTS
The City has extensive experience delivering projects and programs in compliance with all federal grant requirements. Past transportation projects include federal dollars from the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ), and others administered through Caltrans’ Local Assistance Program or the Riverside County Transportation Commission.
The City’s Public Works Department also closely coordinates roadway improvement projects with the County of Riverside, which has several unincorporated areas around the City’s boundary.
The City of Corona has already secured $2.6 million in local funding for planning, design costs, and commits to providing another $2.6 million of the $12.6 million in eligible right of way and construction costs. Local funds on the project currently include City General Fund revenue; if there is a need for additional funding, the City plans to utilize funds from the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) and the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG) Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) Program. The TUMF is a development fee program that is used to pay for transportation improvements in the WRCOG region. The Project is identified as eligible project for TUMF funds, and will utilize them if there is a need for additional funding on the Project for either the right-of-way or construction phases.
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Table 2. Project Funding Plan and Eligibility
Project Phase Cost Funding Plan
Source Amount % of Component Cost
Planning & Environmental $200,000 Local Funds $200,000 100% Design $2,500,000 Local Funds $2,500,000 100%
Right of Way $950,000 Local Funds $950,000 100%
Construction $11,700,000
RAISE Grant $10,000,000 85%
Local Funds $1,700,000 15%
Total $15,350,000 Total Federal Share 65%
Funding Sources Amount Eligible
Planning, Design - Local Funds $2,700,000 0%
Right of Way – Local Funds $950,000 100%
Construction* - Local Funds $1,700,000 100%
Construction* - RAISE Grant Request $10,000,000 100%
Total Project Cost $15,350,000 82%
The Project is part of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), listed as Project No. #RIV180102-RIV180102. In addition, the Project is also listed in Federal Transportation Improvement Plan (FTIP) as Project No. #RIV180102. The widening of Ontario Avenue is outlined in the City of Corona General Plan which was updated in 2018.
4.3 LEVERAGING FEDERAL FUNDING
The City of Corona has experience working with outside funding agencies to deliver projects that provide transportation improvements benefitting local residents and businesses, in addition to the larger regional population. The City is providing 100 percent of the Project planning, design, and right-of-way costs, totaling $3.65 million. In order to close gaps in funding for the Project, the City is requesting $10 million in RAISE federal funds to cover eligible construction costs. The City will fund the remaining $1.7 million of construction costs with local funds. When considering the entire Project, the RAISE grant funding will account for 65 percent of the $15.35 million Project overall cost.
Within the SCAG RTP, the Project is listed as being financially constrained, which is a designation given to projects for which there are reasonably available funds for operation and maintenance. As the Project is located in proximity to other federally funded roadway improvements in the region, the construction of the Ontario Avenue improvements are essential to providing maximum congestion reduction benefits. The recently completed Interstate 15 Express Lanes Project and the ongoing Interstate 15/State Route 91 Express Lanes Connector project, approximately 2.5 miles north of the Project, provide new tolled lanes to the Interstate 15 corridor. In addition, the Riverside County Department of Transportation has secured funding for a portion of the Temescal Canyon Road Improvement Project, which will widen the roadway to a four-lane facility as it enters the City of Corona. The Project provides direct connectivity between these projects, by serving as the connection between the local roadway and state highway networks. If construction of the Project were to be delayed, this segment of Ontario Avenue would be established further as a major congestion bottleneck in the region and would inhibit motorists from seeing the full benefits of the other roadway projects.
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Figure 6. Adjacent Federally-Funded Infrastructure Projects 5 MERIT CRITERIA
The goals of the Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Multimodal Enhancement Project align with the merit criteria for the RAISE grant program, especially those related to safety; mobility and community connectivity; and economic competitiveness and opportunity. The Inland Empire region continues to be the fastest growing region in Southern California, with annual business growth in the region (6.1%) outpacing national gross domestic product growth (5.6%) in 2021. Employment growth for the region continues to exceed other areas of Southern California, with employment in the Inland Empire having already surpassed the pre-pandemic levels.4 4 Inland Empire Business Activity Index, UC Riverside School of Business Center for Economic Forecasting & Development, Spring 2022, https://ucreconomicforecast.org/index.php/services-forbusiness/publications/inland-empire-business-activity-index. Accessed April 5, 2022 ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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Figure 7: Employment Growth in Southern California Regions5 With the rapid growth of the region comes increased stress on the roadway network to accommodate growing resident and employee populations. The Project prepares for this growth by upgrading and expanding existing facilities to accommodate projected travel demand and provide access between communities in which growth is anticipated. The Project also recognizes the importance of ensuring efficient movement of goods throughout the region and incorporates improvements that will support trucking networks. The benefits of the Project will be spread over an area beyond the Project extents as it connects with other roadway improvement projects that work to operate more efficiently in conjunction with the improvements to Ontario Avenue.
5.1 SAFETY
Improving roadway safety is a key aspect of the proposed Project. A review of collision history along Ontario Avenue was conducted for a five-year period between 2016 and 2020. The segment of the roadway covered by the Project experiences a high number of collisions, despite the segment stretching less than one-half mile. Over the five-year analysis period, the corridor experienced a significantly higher crash rate than the average for the state of California. Components of the Project have been proposed with the purpose of eliminating vehicular conflicts and reducing the number of collisions occurring along this segment.
5 US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Indexed Non-Farm Employment by Select Regions. January 2022. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CANA. Accessed April 8, 2022 ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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Figure 6. Existing Pedestrian Environment – I-15 Underpass During the analysis period, a total of 46 collisions occurred at the existing signalized intersections.
Out of these collisions, the most frequently occurring collision types were rear-end and broadside collisions, which together comprised approximately two-thirds of all collisions in the Project area.
These collision types also account for ninety percent of the collisions resulting in injuries that occur at these signalized intersections. In order to reduce the number of rear-end broadside collisions occurring along the corridor, the Project would implement signal timing improvements at the intersections, including ITS equipment. These improvements would streamline the flow of traffic along Ontario Avenue and would allow east-west traffic to flow continuously along the segment through the closely spaced intersections, while also better organizing and assigning protected turning movement phases. The traffic flow will benefit from the signal system improvements while also reducing both rear-end and broadside collisions at the study intersections. Following the implementation of the Project improvements would also reduce the costs associated with injuries resulting from these collisions.
Table 3: Signalized Intersection Collision Summary
Collision Type Total
Year Severity
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Visible
Injury
Complaint
of Pain
Property
Damage Only
Rear End 19 4 9 4 1 1 1 10 8
Broadside 11 3 3 1 3 1 4 4 3
Sideswipe 10 5 3 1 1 0 0 0 10
Hit Object 4 1 3 0 0 0 1 0 3
Head-On 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
Total 46 13 19 6 6 2 6 15 25
Source: California Highway Patrol SWITRS database, collision data for 2016-2020.
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Within the same five-year analysis window, nine collisions occurred at the two unsignalized intersections along the Project segment: Ontario Avenue & the westbound U-turn location west of Compton Avenue and at Ontario Avenue & State Street. At these locations, the predominant collision types included rear-end and broadside collisions, which again comprised two-thirds of all collisions.
Three of the four collisions resulting in injury at these locations were rear-end and broadside collisions. To reduce these types of collisions from occurring at these currently unsignalized locations, the Project proposes to install traffic signals. The installation of these signals would provide signal phases for protected left- and U-turns, which would eliminate potential hazardous turning movements that are currently required to cross the heavy eastbound and westbound traffic flow along Ontario Avenue and can result in broadside collisions. The installation of the signals would also provide motorists travelling along Ontario Avenue with overhead signals, which drivers can use to anticipate when traffic is expected to slow ahead of them and have sufficient time to safely stop. Thus, these Project improvements would help to increase safety at these two intersections.
Table 4: Unsignalized Intersection Collision Summary
Collision Type Total
Year Severity
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Visible
Injury
Complaint
of Pain
Property
Damage Only
Rear End 4 1 1 2 0 0 0 2 2
Broadside 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 1
Overturned 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
Not Stated 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Other 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
Total 9 1 3 5 0 0 1 3 5
Source: California Highway Patrol SWITRS database, collision data for 2016-2020.
Collisions along Ontario Avenue between Interstate 15 and State Street occurring outside of signalized and unsignalized intersections were also evaluated for the period between 2016 and 2020.
A total of 26 collisions occurred along this segment of roadway during the five-year period, including 19 broadside collisions. Ten of these broadside collisions resulted in injuries. As these collisions involve motorists entering or exiting the driveways of the commercial properties on the north and south side of Ontario Avenue, the Project proposes to install a raised median along this segment to limit left-turn movements.
Table 5: Ontario Avenue between Interstate 15 and State Street Collision Summary Collision Type Total
Year Severity
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Visible
Injury
Complaint
of Pain
Property
Damage Only
Broadside 19 11 3 5 0 0 3 7 9
Rear End 4 0 0 1 3 0 0 1 3
Sideswipe 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 1
Head-On 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
Total 26 11 3 9 3 0 3 10 13
Source: California Highway Patrol SWITRS database, collision data for 2016-2020.
The raised median would be configured to allow left-turns into and out of properties on the south side of Ontario Avenue at a single location, while inbound and outbound left turn movements to and ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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from the property on the north side of the roadway would be restricted. This measure implemented by the Project would eliminate most left turn movements across the Ontario Avenue travel lanes, which exhibit high peak hour volumes and would therefore significantly reduce the number of broadside collisions along this segment.
As presented in the Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) worksheet, roadway and signal improvements proposed as part of the Project to increase safety along Ontario Avenue would have measurable cost savings, primarily attributed to the reduction of crash-related injuries. As shown over the 20-year life of the Project improvements, crash-reduction measures would result in total cost savings of approximately $3.5 million dollars, with annual savings ranging between $150,000 and $200,000.
Project components will be designed to improve roadway safety and have substantial benefits, addressing many of the roadway hazards that currently exist in present-day roadway configurations along Ontario Avenue.
Figure 8. Existing Pedestrian Environment – Ontario Avenue In addition to these measures to reduce vehicular collisions, the Project also proposes measures that will protect the most vulnerable roadway users. Currently, Ontario Avenue does not provide sidewalk or bicycle facilities, making traveling along the corridor dangerous by foot or by bicycle.
Pedestrians and bicycles currently have no separation from vehicular traffic, and are therefore discouraged from using this roadway for alternative mode trips. The Project proposes to close a gap in the existing pedestrian network and the proposed local and countywide bicycle networks by constructing sidewalks, ADA ramps, and bicycle lanes along the segment. These improvements will designate portions of the right-of-way for pedestrians and bicyclists, improving the safety of the roadways for vulnerable users.
5.2 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
As part of the City of Corona’s General Plan update, environmental justice and social equity were evaluated for various regions of the City to identify opportunities for reducing pollution and improving air quality for residents, businesses and visitors. The Project is located at the junction of ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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the Central Corona, Southwest Corona, and the Interstate 15 East Corridor regions, as identified by the General Plan. Two of the three Census tracts containing or adjacent to the Project segment can be considered disadvantaged for pollution burden as they rank in the bottom quartile of Census tracts within the City of Corona per data provided by the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 model6. All three Census tracts surrounding the Project are subject to high levels of air pollutants, such as ozone and PM2.5, NOX, and SOX, primarily resulting from emissions of trucks and heavy passenger vehicle volumes. As the Project sits at the junction of major travel routes within the City of Corona, including Ontario Avenue and the Interstate 15 Freeway, the Project is provided with a unique opportunity to improve the flow of traffic along these corridors and reduce the emission-related pollutants experienced by the neighboring communities.
The travel lanes and signal system improvements provided by the Project will work toward improving the flow of traffic along Ontario Avenue through improved connections to Interstate 15.
As shown in the BCA worksheet, the Project will substantially decrease peak hour delays along the corridor, reducing approximately 100,000 passenger vehicle and truck hours in Year 20 of the Project. These time travel savings will in turn lead to a significant reduction in emissions in this area, as fewer vehicles will be idling along Ontario Avenue. The Project would also result in reduction of peak period emissions associated with idling vehicles when compared to both existing and future no build conditions. By improving the flow along the entire corridor, the Project will cut carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (CO2e) by approximately two-thirds, estimated at 787 pounds of CO2e, during the peak periods when compared to existing levels.
Table 6: Project-Related Change in Daily Peak Period Operational Emissions (lbs.) Air Quality Emissions (lbs.) GHG Emissions (metric tons) ROG NOx CO SO2 PM10 PM2.5 CO2 CH4 N2O CO2e
Idling Emissions - Existing
Conditions 4.46 52.64 52.77 0.06 0.22 0.22 1260.60 0.04 0.00 1261.60 Idling Emissions - No
Build Scenario 2.91 34.43 34.49 0.05 0.14 0.14 824.30 0.05 0.00 825.50 Idling Emissions -
Proposed Project Scenario 1.68 19.82 19.82 0.02 0.06 0.06 474.00 0.02 0.00 474.60 Change from Existing
Conditions -2.78 -32.82 -32.95 -0.04 -0.16 -0.16 -786.60 -0.02 0.00 -787.00 Change from No Build
Scenario -1.23 -14.61 -14.67 -0.03 -0.08 -0.08 -350.30 -0.03 0.00 -350.90 Source: Ontario Avenue Widening Project Air Quality & Greenhouse Gas Assessment, ECROP Consulting Inc, June 2020 In addition, the added pedestrian and bicycle facilities along Ontario Avenue will increase active transportation use along the corridor and will result in a shift from vehicular travel modes to walking and biking. These improvements will lead to further emission reductions as more vehicles are removed from the road. The BCA calculations estimate that the Project will reduce emissions by 65 metric tons of CO2 per year during Year 20 of the Project, providing substantial air quality and greenhouse gas emission benefits to an area that is burdened by pollution.
In addition to improvements to air quality, the Project also proposes features that will make the area resilient against potential flooding events. While the Project is not located in a designated flood zone, 6 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Model, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, October 20, 2021. https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/report/calenviroscreen-40. Accessed April 12, 2022 ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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the interchange with the Interstate 15 Freeway is located at a low-point along Ontario Avenue. The Project incorporates improvements to the storm water catchment facilities in order to provide better drainage during heavy rain events. These upgraded facilities will be tied directly into the wider storm water collection network and will help to keep the roadways free of flooding. These improvements will support the goals of the City of Corona Storm Water and Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program, which aims to control pollutants from the City’s urban runoff and meet local water quality standards established by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board (SARWQCB). The Project is also aligned with the City’s recently updated 2019 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, which lays out a long-term plan to improve resiliency in the face of global warming’s long-term impacts.
5.3 QUALITY OF LIFE
The segment of Ontario Avenue covered by the Project will improve the quality of life for nearby communities, which would directly impact minority communities. Per the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index Map, the Census tracts surrounding the Ontario Avenue Corridor have minority populations of over 50 percent, based on the most recent data available. Improvements as part of the Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Multimodal Enhancement Project would directly reduce congestion conditions along routes that are heavily utilized by residents. Within the City of Corona, residents experience an average commute travel time of 37.2 minutes, which is approximately 25 percent higher than the statewide average of 29.8 minutes. The Project improvements to this corridor work towards bringing the average work commute time to be more consistent with the California average by reducing the delay motorists experience when traveling between local and interstate roadway networks.
Project improvements reducing delay along the corridor will also support the expanding manufacturing and goods movement industry in the region. With Ontario Avenue and the Interstate 15 Freeway serving as key facilities linking manufacturing and distribution facilities, the interchange of these two roadways serves a bottleneck in the goods movement network. Improvements to widen Ontario Avenue will improve the speed of current trucks through this corridor and support development of additional industrial uses by providing a roadway network that can accommodate increased truck demand. Roadway improvements will emphasize to developers that the City of Corona and neighboring unincorporated communities of Riverside County are prime locations for investment, as these areas have the roadway infrastructure to accommodate future growth. This would align with the Temescal Canyon Area Plan prepared as part of the County of Riverside General Plan, which zones land along Temescal Canyon Road south of the Project site for future light industrial development. Encouraging development in the region will increase the number of local jobs in the region and will provide local minority communities with a wider array of career opportunities.
In addition to reducing congestion for the local community, the Project also expands the number of travel modes that residents can use to safely and comfortably traverse Ontario Avenue. Currently, the lack of pedestrian and bicycle facilities beneath the Interstate 15 Freeway overpass creates a barrier between residential uses east of the freeway and numerous commercial and institutional uses west of the Interstate 15 Freeway. With the addition of the Project’s bicycle and pedestrian facilities, including sidewalks, high-visibility crosswalks, and ADA compliant curb ramps, residents east of the Interstate 15 Freeway will have the ability to utilize affordable and healthy transportation modes, such as walking and biking, for trips to and from local stores and restaurants.
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5.4 MOBILITY AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIVITY
According to the American Community Survey 5-year estimates, approximately 37 percent of households in the City of Corona have one or fewer vehicles available for use.7 . In the Project area, 23 percent of households have one or fewer vehicles available. For this reason, it is essential that the transportation network in and around the City of Corona provide alternatives to vehicular travel through the provision of continuous pedestrian and bicycle networks. Currently, Ontario Avenue provides sidewalks along the north and south side of the roadway west of the Interstate 15 Freeway ramps. The southern segment of this roadway that passes east of the Freeway currently does not provide continuous pedestrian facilities, especially those that are ADA accessible, and therefore serves as a barrier for pedestrian connectivity between the City of Corona, which is primarily located west of the Interstate 15 Freeway, and the unincorporated communities of Riverside County, which are located east of the Interstate 15 Freeway. Similarly, the County of Riverside is proposing to install Class II bicycle facilities along Ontario Avenue/Temescal Canyon Road east of the City of Corona city limits just east of State Street. As no dedicated bicycle lanes are provided along Ontario Avenue within the City of Corona, the Project segment also acts as a barrier to bicycle access between the City and County.
In order to eliminate these barriers and increase walkability and bicycle usage within the communities surrounding Ontario Avenue, the expansion of pedestrian and bicycle facilities along the Project segment will provide direct connectivity between existing and proposed facilities in the City and County. Bicycle and pedestrian facilities will directly connect the residential communities east of the Interstate 15 Freeway with the commercial and industrial uses west of the freeway, allowing residents greater opportunity to move freely through their community without a car. The Project will also expand ADA access along this stretch of Ontario Avenue, which currently cannot be traversed by people with advanced mobility needs. Improvements to the roadway include ADA compliant curb ramps, with tactile warning strips and audible pedestrian signals at crosswalk locations, all of which also support the City’s ongoing ADA Transition Plan. These improvements will provide all roadway users, particularly those in the Historically Disadvantaged Community Census tracts which surround the Project, with amenities to establish Ontario Avenue as a bicycle and pedestrian-friendly roadway.
In addition to removing barriers to pedestrian and bicycle networks, the Project would also eliminate a major freight bottleneck within the City of Corona. As Ontario Avenue is designated as a truck route through the City of Corona and the southerly extension of Temescal Canyon Road is listed as a truck route within Riverside County, the roadways connecting to the Project segment serve as key connectors within the region, providing an alternative travel route to the Interstate 15 Freeway. With vast warehouse and industrial space currently located northwest of the Ontario Avenue connection with the Interstate 15 Freeway and additional developments proposed to the southeast along Temescal Canyon Road, the Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Freeway interchange serves as a pivotal segment within the regional freight network. The Interstate 15 Freeway ramps are expected to serve approximately 850 daily truck trips in 2040 based on the City of Corona Travel Demand Model8.
Therefore, widening of the roadway to provide additional through travel lanes and dedicated turn 72016-2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau, 2020. https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?tid=ACSDP5Y2020.DP04&g=0400000US06_1600000US0616350&hid ePreview=true. Accessed April 6, 2022
8 https://www.coronaca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/15545/636893748165670000 ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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lanes are essential for alleviating current congestion problems that are only projected to get worse with future growth. These improvements will result in delay reductions of up to 52 seconds per vehicle during peak hours, allowing for more efficient movement of goods through the supply chain.
Figure 9. Southeast Corona Freight Corridor
5.5 ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND OPPORTUNITY
With Ontario Avenue serving as an important freight connection to the larger goods movement network within the Inland Empire, the improvements to roadway operations brought about by the Project will bolster the success of the national economy and increase the efficiency of the system. The Inland Empire serves as the major center for warehouse and distribution facilities as part of the national freight network. Within this region, the City of Corona is strategically located within 60 miles of the San Pedro Bay Port Complex, which includes the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach, and two of the top ten cargo airports in the nation, Los Angeles International Airport and Ontario International Airport9. Thus, the City’s central location within the Southern California goods movement network emphasizes the importance of having a reliable and efficient roadway network to support truck trips.
9 CY 2020 All-Cargo Airports by Landed Weight. Federal Aviation Administration. August 12, 2021. https://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/passenger_allcargo_stats/passenger/media/cy20-cargoairports.pdf. Accessed April 11, 2022 ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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Ontario Avenue’s key location as a gateway into the City of Corona and its connectivity to the truck route networks in both the City and within Riverside County, make its smooth operation key to the success of the goods movement industry in the Inland Empire. The Project segment of the roadway currently acts as a bottleneck to the efficient movement of goods along the corridor, as it provides only two travel lanes in each direction at the Interstate 15 Freeway on- and off-ramps. The insufficient capacity of this facility results in intersection delays of over 60 seconds at the Interstate 15 Freeway ramp intersections during the morning peak hour, as presented in the BCA worksheet.
These delays are only expected to increase in the future as residential and business growth in the surrounding region increases. Per the General Plan, industrial land use square footage in the City of Corona and the surrounding communities are expected to increase by nearly 15 million square feet by 204010.
The increased capacity of Ontario Avenue provided by the Project will allow shipping companies to more quickly and cheaply move products to and from storage facilities in the surrounding area. Per the calculations in the BCA worksheet, annual truck delays along the corridor would decrease by over 2000 hours in year 20 of the Project as a result of the improvements. The decreases in travel time delay along the corridor will allow for more efficient movement of goods through the Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Freeway interchange and improve the reliability of the supply chain network in the City of Corona and its sphere of influence. These annual time savings would equate to annual savings of over $95 million in travel time savings for passenger vehicles and trucks. These savings will allow businesses to reinvest savings back into businesses, spurring further economic growth. By increasing the reliability and efficiency of the roadway network, the City of Corona and surrounding communities will become more attractive for new business investment as the infrastructure network will provide convenient access to the vast regional and national markets. Increased business investment will result in the creation of more local jobs that will serve to reduce the housing-job imbalance that currently exists in the region.
5.6 STATE OF GOOD REPAIR
The Project will support a state of good repair for the roadway infrastructure in the City of Corona by upgrading and resurfacing the heavily traveled segment of Ontario Avenue at the on- and offramps with the Interstate 15 Freeway. This segment serves as a key facility within the City’s circulation system, linking the arterial network with interstate highway facilities. As it operates as one of the key entrances to the City of Corona, a well-maintained Ontario Avenue plays a central role in the daily commutes of many local residents. In March 2019, the City of Corona Pavement Management Plan Update11 was prepared to evaluate the condition of the roadways within the City and to establish a plan for identifying cost-effective means for ensuring the City’s roadways are in good working condition to support increasing vehicular demands. The plan stresses the importance of routine maintenance to extend the life cycle of roadway improvements and to provide the greatest benefits to local roadway users. This document sets forth a framework for regular maintenance on roadways to ensure they are in good working condition and provides a means for regular appraisal of roadway conditions. New facilities also require less maintenance in their initial years of operation, 10 City of Corona General Plan Update Transportation Impact Analysis. Fehr & Peers. July 2019. https://www.coronaca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/17288/637122799139430000. Accessed April 11, 2022
11 City of Corona Pavement Management Program. NCE. March 2019. https://www.coronaca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/15611/636899942928800000 ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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reducing the potential for long-term rehabilitation or replacement costs. The Project will also reduce the overall passenger vehicle volumes by providing residents a safe route to walk or ride a bicycle to destinations. Thus, by following these maintenance procedures and encouraging active transportation, roadway improvements implemented by the Project will provide benefits to the City of Corona and surrounding communities for years to come.
5.7 PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION
The development of the Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Multimodal Corridor Enhancement Project is a collaborative effort that engaged numerous local agencies, as well as local community stakeholders and organizations. As the Project is located at the boundary between the City of Corona and Riverside County, it was paramount that the Project solicit input from local and regional organizations to ensure that the Project supported the goals and interests of all parties.
The Project has been developed in coordination with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) to improve roadway capacity in the region. Since the inception of the Project, the City of Corona has collaborated with these organizations to identify and plan improvements for this section of Ontario Avenue that would support the efficient movement of all travel modes. These organizations are currently planning and constructing roadway capacity improvement projects to accommodate additional demand along the Interstate 15 Freeway and State Route 91. The Project has been designed in order to support the successful operation of these facilities by providing supporting infrastructure that will allow vehicular traffic to safely and efficiently transition to the surface street network. This collaboration between the City and RCTC has been solidified through the signing of a cooperative agreement. The Project was also developed in coordination with the County of Riverside Transportation Department, which is proposing the widening of Temescal Canyon Road immediately south of the Project segment.
The bicycle facilities proposed as part of the Project were incorporated to tie in directly with the County’s proposed bicycle network east of State Street to provide continuous bicycle connectivity entering the City of Corona.
In addition to partnership with these transportation organizations, the Project conducted outreach to local businesses for input on the Project’s impact to neighboring businesses. As the Project is proposing changes to vehicular driveway access along Ontario Avenue, the City of Corona met with the businesses along Ontario Avenue to discuss how the Project improvements could support the needs of the property owners. By coordinating with these businesses, the City was able to prepare an access scheme for the properties east of the Interstate 15 Freeway that would limit the number of changes to existing access points, while also prioritizing roadway safety for patrons entering and exiting Ontario Avenue from the driveways the properties access.
Additional outreach to local organizations is proposed for the Project as part of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) preparation process. This outreach will follow public engagement efforts conducted for other recent roadway infrastructure projects in the City of Corona, such as the McKinley Grade Separation Project. The outreach for this project included multiple virtual and inperson meetings, as well as establishing a project website, to gather community input on the proposed roadway improvements. In order to reach the minority communities located in the City of Corona, outreach materials will be provided in English and Spanish to ensure that all voices of the community are heard. Through the previously conducted and planned outreach efforts, the Project will ensure that it meets the needs of all community members.
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5.8 INNOVATION
In order to provide maximum congestion reduction benefits and to improve the operations of the corridor, the improvements proposed as part of the Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Multimodal Corridor Enhancement Project will incorporate innovative technologies that optimize travel flow.
Signal system upgrades at the three existing signalized intersections and the two intersections proposed for signalization will include the installation of video detection equipment and ITS improvements that will allow for improved signal timing coordination along the entire corridor. The provision of this equipment will allow dynamic signal timing adjustments to be implemented along the corridor, decreasing travel times between intersections. With these innovative technologies implemented along the corridor, Ontario Avenue will be well prepared to adapt to changes in travel demand in the future.
6 PROJECT READINESS
The City is prepared to begin construction on the proposed Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Multimodal Corridor Enhancement Project in April 2025.
6.1 TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY
The Project is a component of the City’s FY 2022 Capital Improvement Plan, and has been developed in coordination with the general public and related stakeholders, including Caltrans, RCTC, and the Riverside County Department of Transportation. While there were several design alternatives evaluated during project development, this iteration was selected as the most feasible for the following reasons:
Near-Term Improvements to Safety, Congestion, and Access: The selected design provides an additional travel lane in each direction along Ontario Avenue along the Project corridor. A second westbound right turn lane onto the northbound Interstate 15 freeway was added to accommodate heavy vehicular volumes projected to make this movement in the future. These Project elements are intended to support additional throughput along the freeway ramp facilities and along Ontario Avenue. Signal system improvements (including video detection and ITS equipment), raised roadway medians, and new traffic signals will reduce collisions along the corridor while maintaining access to the adjacent properties and roadways.
Supports Adjacent Federal and Regional Infrastructure Investments: Completion of the Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Multimodal Corridor Enhancement Project will complement other federal investments made in the City of Corona and surrounding region. Future improvements made to the Interstate 15 and State Route 61 highways, will support the conveyance of the increased demand within the region. These projects are also linked to other capacity enhancement projects in the region that including the widening of Temescal Canyon Road and Cajalco Road in the unincorporated communities of Riverside County, which will provide an additional direction connection between the Interstate 15 and Interstate 215 corridors in the Inland Empire.
Closes a Gap in the Active Transportation Network: Compliance with ADA requirements is of utmost importance to the City of Corona and Caltrans to provide safe and comfortable access for all roadway users. Caltrans has been made aware of current issues with ADA access along the corridor. Therefore, the City, in coordination with Caltrans, has determined that the selected design adequately upgrades the pedestrian facilities to allow for continuous access along Ontario Avenue. The City, in order to provide better connectivity with the County’s planned bicycle improvements, selected a Project ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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concept that provides bicycle lanes that will adjoin to proposed facilities along Temescal Canyon Road, south of the Project segment.
6.2 PROJECT SCHEDULE
The Project schedule presented in Table 7 demonstrates the Project readiness. The Project is currently finalizing environmental documentation for at the state level, after which the environmental clearance will be obtained for the federal level. All environmental approvals are expected to be received by February 2024. The Project is currently at 65 percent design, and is anticipated to be ready to advertise for construction by October 2024. Following obligation of RAISE funds, construction will begin shortly thereafter, with the construction phase of the Project estimated to take 10 months to complete. Wherever possible, the City will seek to complete milestones concurrently to realize time savings for the Project’s schedule. Table 8 presents the Project milestones and verifications that the City will provide to USDOT as the Project progresses.
Table 7. Project Schedule
Action Timeframe
Environmental
Clearance
Initiated November 2018
Pending Clearances
· California Environmental Quality Act: April 2022 –April 2023 · National Environmental Policy Act: August 2023 – February 2024 Design July 2019 – May 2024
Permits
· City Encroachment Permit
· County Storm Water Permit
· City Potable/Reclaimed Water Permit
· Caltrans Encroachment Permit
Right-of-Way &
Easements April 2023 – October 2024
Funding Obligation October 2024 – April 2025
Construction Bid/Award April 2025 – October 2025
Construction October 2025 – July 2026
Project Closeout July 2026 – November 2026
The Project’s schedule assumes six months to obligate federal funding with the assigned modal agency under USDOT. This will also include any agreements made with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) for project performance reporting and data collection noted in section F.3(b) of the RAISE Notice of Funding Opportunity.
6.3 REQUIRED APPROVALS
6.3.1 NEPA STATUS
The Project is currently preparing the environmental documentation required for the State review process. Subsequently, documentation will be prepared for the NEPA process. It is anticipated that an Environmental Assessment Finding of No Significant Impact (EA-FONSI) will be prepared for the Project. NEPA approvals are expected to be certified by February 2024.
6.3.2 ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITS AND REVIEWS
The Project is preparing an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS-MND) to comply with the CEQA review process. CEQA certification is anticipated to be completed by April 2023.
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Table 8. Project Milestones and Verifications
Task Milestone
Description Milestone Verification Process
1 Permitting Permits & Utility
Agreements
City will provide copies of construction and environmental permits, easements and utility agreements to USDOT
2 Design
Completed Design
& Specifications
Package
Design package will be provided to USDOT, including full set of plans and project specifications
3 Right of Way ROW Certification
Documents Completed certification and associated documentation 4 Obligation Funding Obligation
Executed funding between USDOT and the City of Corona,
including reporting schedule and performance reporting
agreement
5 Construction Site Preparation &
Demolition
Confirmation of milestone completion, including any related invoices or inspection reports
6 Construction Primary
Construction
Confirmation of milestone completion, including any related invoices or inspection reports
7 Construction Construction
Completion Final invoice, set of as-built plans, County record of completion 8 Construction Closeout Notice of contract acceptance, release of retention (if applicable) and other closeout documentation
6.3.3 OTHER PERMITS AND REVIEWS
The City of Corona has been in contact with Caltrans and Riverside County through the design of the Project. This will result in more expedited processing of the required Caltrans Encroachment Permit and Riverside County Encroachment and Storm Water Permits by these organizations, since they are already aware of and familiar with the Project. City staff will prepare the permits required by the City of Corona and will implement expedited processing to ensure the Project schedule is maintained.
The Project is part of the following plans and programs from other local and regional agencies:
Southern California Association of Governments 2020 Regional Transportation Plan: Connect SoCal 2020-2045 is the RTP/SCS for the counties of Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura. Connect SoCal is an important planning document for the region, allowing public agencies who implement transportation projects to do so in a coordinated manner, while qualifying for federal and state funding. The Project is also incorporated into the latest SCAG RTP/SCS as Project #RIV180102-RIV18010212.
City of Corona Capital Improvement Plan: The Capital Improvement Program (CIP) represents the City's short-range, strategic capital investment13. The Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Multimodal Corridor Project is named in the CIP, along with multiple other improvement projects along the Interstate 15 and State Route 91 corridors, including at Cajalco Road and the State Route 91/Interstate 15 interchange.
6.3.4 PROJECT PERFORMANCE TRACKING
The City of Corona regularly completes quarterly reports for all projects receiving grant funding from any source. The quarterly report includes information on project schedule, project expenditures, and 12 https://scag.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/0903fconnectsocal_project-list_0.pdf?1606000813 13 https://www.coronaca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/12747/636686395577130000 ONTARIO AVENUE/INTERSTATE 15
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anticipated remaining project costs. Any changes to project scope, schedule, or cost are thoroughly documented along with all required approvals associated with these changes.
The City is prepared to regularly track performance indicators for this Project and incorporate them into the regular quarterly reporting requirement. Information will be collected prior to construction, quarterly during project construction, and after Project completion prior to close-out. All performance measures will be summarized in an outcomes report upon completion of the Project, and ongoing performance measures will be reported on until the end of the post-delivery period.
6.3.5 PROJECT RISK ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES As part of the final design preparation for the Project, a risk assessment will be conducted for the Ontario Avenue/Interstate 15 Multimodal Corridor Enhancement Project area.
Corona measures all risks associated with a project and documents them prior to the beginning of the construction process to ensure an accurate anticipation of project budget and schedule. A risk register is used to assess overall risk from multiple inputs and determine what potential mitigations may be required. To date, the City has identified some of the material risks that may impact the project listed below, along with the proposed mitigation. • Caltrans Encroachment Permit – The City is currently engaged with Caltrans on the design of the Project, and has been since early in life of the Project. This also applies to the County of Riverside and other oversight agencies from whom permits would need to be acquired. • NEPA Delays – The City has an on-call bench and environmental consultants on this Project that are ready to complete any additional studies or assist in NEPA delivery as needed. • Project Cost – Project costs include a significant amount of contingency. Maintenance costs are given in line with other projects in Corona and are higher than many other projects. • Permitting Delays- Experience with grant funded projects and advanced design work will limit the permitting delays. Coordination has already been started with Caltrans and Riverside County. 7 BENEFIT-COST ANALYSIS
7.1 PROJECT BENEFITS
The Project will provide roadway improvements that will improve the flow of traffic along the corridor, including additional travel lanes, dedicated turn lanes and Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) upgrades. These improvements will work in conjunction to reduce delay along Ontario Avenue for both passenger vehicles and freight trucks. The Project connects an existing gap in the active transportation network by providing Class II bicycle lanes, sidewalks, ADA curb ramps, and high-visibility crosswalks to promote active transportation. Safety will also be prioritized along the corridor with the installation of a raised median, and new traffic signals to control left-turn movements at currently unsignalized locations.
Table 9 summarizes the Project’s benefits as they relate to the eight merit criteria:
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Table 9. Merit Criteria Summary
Merit Criteria Benefits
Safety Reducing collisions, enhanced pedestrian and bicycle rider safety, intersection upgrades will support safer turning movements
Environmental Sustainability Reducing emissions, enhancing flood resiliency Quality of Life Reduces corridor travel times for residents, visitors, and businesses.
Expands alternatives to vehicular transportation modes, Mobility and Community
Connectivity
· Closes a gap in the regional active transportation network between the City and County, providing additional travel options to the community · Eliminates a major freight network bottleneck on a critical supply chain route.
Economic Competitiveness and
Opportunity
Increasing travel time reliability for trucks and individuals, promoting local business development
State of Good Repair Reduced maintenance costs for new facilities, and from trips diverted to active transportation modes.
Partnership and Collaboration Working with regional and statewide organizations, reaching out to local businesses
Innovation
Implements advanced traffic signal technology, including video detection and adaptive signal timing improvements to improve travel time reliability and reduce congestion along the Ontario Avenue
Overall, the Project has a BCR of 1.95 and a net present value (NPV) of $12.1 million. The Project provides many benefits in comparison to the costs, many of which will directly benefit the surrounding Historically Disadvantaged Community. The Project will serve to eliminate the existing barrier created by the Interstate 15 Freeway, which currently divides the City of Corona, west of the freeway, from the unincorporated communities of Riverside County, east of the freeway. This Project also provides key improvements that will support the movement of goods to and from distribution and logistics facilities in the region, the number of which have increased drastically in recent years.
Existing and future residents, employees, and visitors to the regions will benefit greatly from increased efficiencies spurred by this Project, along with the installation of facilities that will promote healthier lifestyles.
7.2 PROJECT OUTCOMES
The Project has many key outcomes, the most important of which is improving the flow along Ontario Avenue. The proposed improvements will reduce vehicular delays and improve intersection operating conditions. This will support the efficiency of the surrounding roadway facilities, including those planned for capacity expansion. Improved and expanded bicycle and pedestrian facilities will be provided along the Project corridor promoting sustainable travel. 8 REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
The City of Corona certifies that it will comply with the administrative requirements of the 2022 RAISE program, pursuant to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards found in 2 C.F.R part 200, as adopted by DOT at 2 C.F.R part 1201.
If the project is administered by FHWA, the City of Corona will comply with all applicable Federal laws, rules, and regulations set forth in Title 23 U.S.C. and Title 23 C.F.R generally apply, including the 23 U.S.C. 129 restrictions on the use of toll revenues, and Section 4(f) preservation of parklands and historic properties requirements under 23 U.S.C. 138.