Kittelson & Associates, Inc.
April 3, 2025 Kittelson Project #304410.003
Mae Lynn Alcantara
City of Fontana - Engineering Department
8353 Sierra Avenue
Fontana, CA 92335
RE: Proposal for Fontana Truck Route Map Update
Dear Ms. Alcantara:
With the passage of Assembly Bill 98 (AB 98), the State of California is placing new requirements on local agencies regarding warehousing/logistic uses and related truck traffic. Specifically, components of the legislation include prohibiting local agencies from approving new or expanded logistic uses near sensitive receptors unless comprehensive standards are met and requiring local jurisdictions to update their General Plan to include specific requirements for truck routes. The compliance deadline is January 1, 2026, for cities that are located in the warehouse concentration region, which includes the City of Fontana.
Kittelson will support the City in meeting the requirements of AB 98, including updating the City’s existing truck route map, addressing the needs of both the operators and residents and other local stakeholders. For this effort, Kittelson & Associates, Inc. (Kittelson) is partnering with De Novo Planning Group (De Novo), who brings their CEQA expertise and local experience to ensure that proposed changes fulfill state environmental requirements .
Collectively, we have:
◼ Familiarity in working in the City of Fontana and with City staff; ◼ Experience conducting technical analyses to support changes to General Plans; ◼ Experience supporting agencies in engaging residents and employer stakeholders ; ◼ Proficiency in utilizing land use projections, travel demand models, and Big Data sources to determine truck demand characteristics; and,
◼ Ability to efficiently determine the required level of CEQA review for transportation projects.
The Kittelson Team will be led by Tim Erney and Michael Sahimi. They will be supported by Starla Barker at De Novo, providing CEQA compliance expertise. Collectively, this leadership team has the combination of local experience and technical expertise to deliver this study within schedule and budget.
Our proposal will adhere to the terms and conditions of the On-Call Engineering Services contract, dated July 24, 2024; De Novo will be held to the same terms and conditions. As a Senior Principal, I am authorized to bind Kittelson to the terms and conditions of this proposal and am authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the firm.
This proposal will remain valid for 90 days from the date of submittal.
Please let me know if you need additional information regarding our prop osal, key staff, schedule, and budget.
Sincerely,
Tim Erney Michael Sahimi
Senior Principal / Project Principal Senior Planner / Project Manager 750 The City Drive, Suite 410
Orange, CA 92868
P: 714.468.1997
April 3, 2025
Proposal for Fontana Truck Routes Update
Kittelson & Associates, Inc Page: 2 of 14
PROJECT BACKGROUND AND UNDERSTANDING
With the passage of AB 98, the State of California is placing new requirements on local agencies regarding warehousing/logistic uses and related truck traffic. Components of this new law include the following:
◼ Local agencies are prohibited from approving new or expanded logistics uses near sensitive receptors, unless comprehensive, statewide standards are met.
◼ Cities and other local jurisdictions are required to update their General Plan mobility/circulation element to include specific requirements for truck routes.
For cities such as Fontana that are located in the state’s warehouse concentration region, compliance with AB 98 is mandatory by January 1, 2026.
AB 98’s requirements for truck-related updates to a General Plan mobility/circulation element include the following:
◼ Identify and establish specific truck routes to safely accommodate additional truck traffic and avoid residential areas and sensitive receptors.
◼ Maximize use of interstate or state divided highways as preferred truck routes; or arterial roads, major thoroughfares, and predominantly commercially oriented local streets when state highways or interstate highways are not utilized.
◼ Include requirements that logistics use projects shall be accessible by the designated truck routes. ◼ Other prescriptive requirements such as providing visible and noticeable truck route signage, making truck route publicly available in GIS format, and sharing the truck route map with logistics facility operators and truck drivers in the city.
The City of Fontana is looking to achieve AB 98 compliance before the 2026 deadline. Specifically at this time, the City would like to update their truck route map and corresponding updates to their General Plan Circulation Element. In addition to complying with AB 98, the City aims to address residents’ feedback related to truck traffic in the city.
It should be noted that the new truck map and updated Circulation Element will trigger additional CEQA actions.
In particular, the adoption of these documents is a discretionary project requiring some level of environmental clearance documentation. For instance, routing trucks to different roadways – in substantially increasing trucks on the current truck routes – may affect noise, air quality and health risks to sensitive receptors. As such, a CEQA screening will need to be conducted to determine the appropriate CEQA review and its overall scale and approval process (in other words, can it be addressed as part of a supplemental analysis to the recent General Plan EIR ).
The City’s existing truck route map, last revised on February 6, 2004, is shown in Figure 1. This truck route map is also reflected in the City’s General Plan (adopted July 23, 2023).
April 3, 2025
Proposal for Fontana Truck Route Map Update
Kittelson & Associates, Inc Page: 3 of 14
Figure 1: City of Fontana Local Truck Routes Map
REVISED: FEBRUARY 6, 2004
SOURCE: HTTPS://WWW.FONTANACA.GOV/DOCUMENTCENTER/VIEW/626/LOCAL_TRUCK_ROUTES?BIDID=
April 3, 2025
Proposal for Fontana Truck Route Map Update
Kittelson & Associates, Inc Page: 4 of 14
TECHNICAL APPROACH
Our approach to conducting this project is based on our knowledge of the City, our familiarity with AB 98 requirements, our experience in updating General Plan transportation elements , and our team’s collective experience conducting CEQA environmental assessments. For each task, we have documented our expectation of information that the City will provide or roles that it will fulfill, as well as identifying deliverables.
Task 1: Stakeholder Engagement and Meeting Attendance
Kittelson will support the City in conducting outreach with stakeholders, which may consist of local resident groups and major warehouse/logistics employers in the city. By conducting this outreach, the City can make sure it understands and balances the needs of both residents and the operators using the truck routes as the truck route map is developed. In addition, engagement with the public and key stakeholders will help ensure their support when subsequent approval and administrative actions are undertaken.
TASK 1.1: KICKOFF MEETING AND BIWEEKLY CHECK-INS
Upon receiving Notice to Proceed (NTP), Kittelson will schedule and facilitate a virtual kickoff meeting with City of Fontana staff to confirm the City’s goals, expectations, deliverables, work plan, review cycles, schedule, and communication protocols. Following this kickoff meeting, Kittelson will submit a data request list to City staff.
After the kickoff meeting and until the conclusion of the project and City Council approval, Kittelson will hold 30 - minute check-in calls with City staff every two weeks, as needed. It is assumed that twelve (12) of these meetings will take place.
TASK 1.2: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS
Kittelson will attend up to three (3) virtual or in-person meetings that will be organized, hosted, and led by City staff. We recommend that the three meetings be organized as follows:
◼ One (1) meeting with major logistics operators at the beginning of the project to understand their existing needs and issues related to operating trucks on city streets, as well as their key routes and origins/ destinations.
◼ One (1) meeting with residents and local stakeholder groups (such as homeowners) at the beginning of the project to understand their concerns and priority locations related to truck traffic. ◼ One (1) meeting with major logistics operators once the draft truck route map update is developed to receive their input on the proposed routes and questions they have on the proposed truck route roadways.
It is assumed that the City will organize and lead these meetings, with Kittelson preparing the presentation materials, attending the meetings to provide information and support (e.g., answer technical questions), and summarize the feedback received.
April 3, 2025
Proposal for Fontana Truck Route Map Update
Kittelson & Associates, Inc Page: 5 of 14
TASK 1.3: PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS Kittelson and De Novo staff will attend one (1) Planning Commission meeting and one (1) City Council Meeting when the project is completed to support City staff in presenting the project to Commission and Council members.
TASK 1.4: BILINGUAL SURVEYS (OPTIONAL)
As an optional task to support the City’s engagement, at the beginning of the project, we can prepare two surveys; one will be for residents and the other will be for truck operators in the city. The purpose of the survey s would be to learn about the respective groups’ priorities, needs, and key locations. The surveys can each include an online map for dropping pins and comments. English and Spanish versions of the surveys can be administered, if requested.
TASK 1 DELIVERABLES
◼ Virtual kickoff meetings
◼ Data request list
◼ Twelve (12) biweekly calls
◼ Attendance, materials, and summaries for three (3) stakeholder meetings ◼ Attendance at one (1) Planning Commission meeting
◼ Attendance at one (1) City Council meeting
◼ Online bilingual surveys (OPTIONAL)
Task 2: Truck Route Map Update
This task will consist of the technical analysis with the final output being the updated truck route map and other required edits to the City’s General Plan.
TASK 2.1: BASELINE CONDITIONS AND PLANNING FRAMEWORK
Kittelson will obtain and summarize the data and planning documents that will help us understand the baseline conditions upon which the truck route network will function, as well as the planning requirements that must be incorporated into the updated map. This comprehensive review is important to identify and address the current and future transportation context and fully understand the magnitude of the level of trucking activities that would be subject to the truck route network.
Information that we will review and summarize will include:
◼ Review regional resources on goods movement networks, such as those published by Caltrans, SCAG, County of San Bernardino, SBCOG, and SBCTA
◼ Review recent guidance on AB 98 compliance
◼ Review available information and map sensitive receptors in the city ◼ Review available heavy vehicle count data and other available data regarding truck travel patterns in the city ◼ Download and review SCAG Big Data database for available goods movement data such as origin - destination data
April 3, 2025
Proposal for Fontana Truck Route Map Update
Kittelson & Associates, Inc Page: 6 of 14
◼ Map and review existing and future land uses within the city, including understanding where shifts may occur in warehousing/logistics and in residential plus other sensitive receptors ◼ Download, review, and map truck crashes that occur on City streets, including truck crashes involving bicyclists and pedestrians, to understand where issues may be present (a heat map of 2021 -2023 truck crashes occurring on City streets is provided as Figure 2) ◼ Review and document existing and planned multimodal facilities ◼ Review and document existing and planned truck routes for other jurisdictions that connect to Fontana’s city boundaries
We will also collect 24-hour daily traffic volumes with heavy vehicle classifications at up to 20 roadway segments (one per roadway currently on the truck route map) to inform our understanding of current truck traffic levels and the routes that are currently being utilized, plus to support the CEQA process (see Task 3).
Figure 2: Truck Crash Heat Map (2021-2023)
SOURCE: TRANSPORTATION INJURY MAPPING SYSTEM (TIMS), SAFE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY.
April 3, 2025
Proposal for Fontana Truck Route Map Update
Kittelson & Associates, Inc Page: 7 of 14
In addition, Kittelson staff will conduct a field tour (anticipated to be approximately two hours on a typical weekday midday) through the City, focused on observing conditions and land uses along the current truck network, confirming the location and access routes to the major warehousing/logistic buildings, and identifying roadways with higher levels of bicycle, pedestrian and local access activities. We welcome the participation of City staff during this field visit. The results of this field review will be mapped and incorporated into the existing conditions documentation.
TASK 2.2: DRAFT TRUCK ROUTE MAP
Based on our review of existing conditions, field observations, and the planning framework, plus stakeholder input, Kittelson will develop a draft updated truck route map. We will add or delete streets from the City’s existing truck route map so that it fulfills AB 98 requirements by maximizing the use of arterial roadways and commercial streets and striving to avoid paths through residential areas and sensitive receptors. We will review the streets that are included on the updated map to determine if any geometric improvements are recommended to accommodate heavy vehicles, such as speed limits, modified corner radii, or vertical clearances (note, however, that this will not include traffic operations analysis). The map and the associated background documentation will be submitted to the City for review.
Kittelson will prepare a second draft of the updated map and improvements list based on one round of consolidated comments, and a final map and improvements documentation based on a set of consolidated comments.
TASK 2.3: UPDATE GENERAL PLAN
AB 98 requires that a general plan both identify truck routes and include requirements that logistics/warehousing projects use the defined truck routes. In addition to preparing the truck route map to replace the existing General Plan exhibit, we will prepare edits and additions to the City’s Circulation Element goals, policies, and actions to fulfill AB 98 requirements. Note that this will not include any changes to other General Plan elements, such as the Land Use Element.
TASK 2 DELIVERABLES
◼ 24-hour daily traffic volumes with heavy vehicle classifications at up to 20 roadway segments ◼ Baseline conditions and planning framework memo
◼ First draft, second draft, and final truck route map and recommended improvements list ◼ Recommended updates to General Plan Circulation Element goals, policies, and actions Task 3: CEQA Review
The truck route map update (and corresponding updates to the General Plan) is a discretionary project requiring environmental review pursuant to CEQA. At this time, the level of environmental review cannot be definitively determined, as it will depend upon the level of change in the truck network and the associated volumes of trucking that would result. In particular, modifications to the truck routes may result in shifts in truck traffic, likely concentrating truck travel along specific routes with the potential to affect sensitive receptors. We understand that in addition to compliance with AB 98, a priority of the City is to address residents’ concerns related to truck traffic along residential or other local roadways. To address these concerns, it will likely involve avoiding or reducing to April 3, 2025
Proposal for Fontana Truck Route Map Update
Kittelson & Associates, Inc Page: 8 of 14
the extent possible truck trips within areas of sensitive receptors. To inform the modifications to the truck routes and provide the information needed to determine the appropriate CEQA review, the following technical analysis will be needed.
TASK 3.1: NOISE ANALYSIS
Up to five (5) 24-hour noise measurements (long-term) and up to ten (10) 15-minute noise measurements (short- term) will be conducted to document baseline conditions along existing truck routes to calibrate the roadway noise model. The locations of the noise measurements will be determined in conjunction with City staff.
Existing and Existing plus truck traffic noise levels affected by the modifications to the truck routes will be calculated using FHWA modeling techniques to determine the increase in ambient noise levels. Existing and future noise levels will be modeled along identified truck routes using the SoundPLAN noise model and traffic noise contour maps that graphically represent Existing and Buildout traffic noise modeling results will be prepared. The traffic noise modeling results will be evaluated relative to the City’s Noise Compatibility Matrix.
The existing noise environment, predicted future noise environment, and potential Project impacts pursuant to the City’s General Plan will be documented, Municipal Code, and CEQA significance thresholds will be prepared to support the CEQA compliance determination. This scope of work assumes up to one (1) meeting via conference call with the technical noise specialist.
TASK 3.2: HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT
Working with City staff, up to three (3) of the highest volume truck trip concentration areas with closest proximity to sensitive receptors along the proposed truck routes will be identified as a sample to conduct a health risk assessment screening analysis. The results of this assessment will provide important information in understanding if the proposed modifications to the truck routes will result in a potential health risk to sensitive receptors. If the results of the three highest volume truck trip concentration areas are not exceeded, it can be concluded that thresholds would not be exceeded along the truck routes. However, if the analysis exceeds the health risk thresholds within the sample areas, additional sites/areas may need to be analyzed to dete rmine the extent of impacts. Note that a separate scope and fee would be required for this additional analysis.
TASK 3.3: SB 18 CONSULTATION
Under SB 18, the City is required to consult with California Native American tribes when amending the General Plan.
De Novo will contact the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) and request a SB 18 tribal contact list. De Novo will draft letters to those tribes on the list and provide f or City review. De Novo will revise and finalize the letters and mail the letters via certified mail to the Tribal Representatives provided by the NAHC. The City will be responsible for responding to any requests for co nsultation received from the tribes ; De Novo does not anticipate participation in consultation meetings.
TASK 3.4: CEQA REVIEW LEVEL DETERMINATION MEMORANDUM
In addition to the above technical analysis, De Novo will review modifications to the truck routes and any additional revisions to the City’s Circulation Element relative to the CEQA guidelines and provide a
April 3, 2025
Proposal for Fontana Truck Route Map Update
Kittelson & Associates, Inc Page: 9 of 14
recommendation as to the appropriate CEQA clearance documentation. We will prepare a memo documenting the type of CEQA document recommended for the City’s consideration, based on the analyses outlined above.
TASK 3.5: CEQA DOCUMENTATION
For purposes of this scope of work and corresponding budget, preparation of an Addendum to the General Plan EIR is assumed. If it is determined that the CEQA clearance documentation will be more or less extensive (compared to the Addendum work program and budget), an adjustment to the task order and budget will be provided.
De Novo will prepare an Administrative Draft Addendum to the General Plan EIR for the City’s review. The Addendum will include an Introduction, Project Description, Summary of the General Plan EIR conclusions and comparative environmental analysis of the proposed Project, and Addendum Finding. The Environmental Analysis will be patterned after the environmental thresholds within the General Plan EIR and provide a summary of impacts associated with the proposed action.
De Novo will respond to one complete set of consolidated comments from City staff on the Administrative Draft Addendum. The Revised Draft Addendum will be provided to City staff with all revisions made in track changes to assist in review of the document.
De Novo will respond to a second review of the Addendum. This task assumes substantive comments will be raised as part of the Administrative Draft Addendum task. Upon approval, De Novo will prepare the Final Addendum for consideration by the Planning Commission and City Council.
TASK 3 DELIVERABLES
◼ Noise report
◼ Health risk assessment
◼ SB 18 tribal contact list and letters
◼ CEQA review level determination memo
◼ Administrative Draft, Revised Draft, and Final Addendum
SCHEDULE AND BUDGET
Overall, the Kittelson Team is anticipating a 6 month project schedule and a budget of $149,028 to prepare the deliverables in the approach documented above. The optional bilingual surveys subtask (Task 1.4) is separately budgeted at $6,713. The schedule and budget include the following assumptions on the study proces s:
◼ Notice to Proceed on May 1, 2025.
◼ 30-minute project team meeting every two (2) weeks.
◼ One-week or two-week review times by the City, as shown in the schedule below. ◼ If it is determined that the CEQA clearance documentation will be more or less extensive (compared to the assumed General Plan EIR Addendum), an adjustment to the budget will be provided . ◼ The schedule for each task and subtask has been developed to achieve the City’s desired project completion deadline, assuming that an EIR Addendum will be required. ◼ Inclusion of any add-on tasks would increase the schedule and budget commensurate to the level of effort required.