STAFF REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
DATE: Regular Meeting of August 9, 2022
TO: Members of the City Council
VIA: Dante Hall, City Manager
SUBMITTED BY: Michael Roberts, Public Works Director/City Engineer SUBJECT: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Pinole for the San Pablo Avenue Bridge Replacement Project RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive a presentation on the San Pablo Avenue Bridge Replacement Project and approve an MOU including the preferred bridge alignment.
FISCAL IMPACT OF RECOMMENDATION:
There is no cost associated with this agenda item.
DISCUSSION:
The San Pablo Avenue Bridge is located in Pinole, just south of the Hercules city limits. It spans over the BNSF railroad tracks and is 4 lanes wide and 425 ft long. Being 80 years old, the bridge does not meet current structural design standards and lacks pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Approximately $20M in grant funding has been programmed by Pinole out of the total $30M needed to replace the bridge. The project is currently in design, with the technical studies and environmental phase underway.
The bridge is on a regional route of significance, carrying many Hercules residents traveling by car to and from work and other activities. Adding bike lanes and sidewalks will provide the facilities for Hercules residents to walk or bike south on San Pablo Avenue. The bridge is also on a designated evacuation route for Hercules, so having a more resilient bridge in place during a natural disaster is highly desirable.
While the bridge itself is located entirely within Pinole, work and project impacts will occur in Hercules. Detouring, traffic control, and construction of the northerly approach will occur within the city limits and adjacent residential properties in Hercules will be affected by the project. Given the interests of both cities and mutual benefit of the project, it is proposed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) be executed to ensure the project can proceed forward successfully while meeting both cities’ needs and expectations.
The proposed MOU establishes:
The Project shall be administered by Pinole under a single construction contract and Hercules will not make a direct financial contribution.
Pinole shall own, maintain, and operate the new bridge, similar to the existing bridge.
Hercules will issue the necessary approvals to perform site investigations, project development, and construction activities needed to advance the project as requested by Pinole in a reasonable amount of time.
Acquisition of easements for the temporary detour will be in accordance with the requirements and procedures of Caltrans and the Federal Highway Administration, who are providing the project funding.
The project will be required to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), including identifying environmental impacts and associated mitigation measures.
Hercules supports the preferred bridge alternative.
The preferred bridge alternative, which is identified as Alternative 1 in the presentation material (Att #4), is to replace the bridge on its current alignment versus Alternative 2, which would align the bridge farther to the north, closer to the homes on Skelly and Dunham Court. Alternative 1 has less right of way impacts long-term, is less impactful to traffic, faster to build, and costs less. The project development team will present this information in detail, which is discussed at length in Attachments 3 & 4, at the meeting tonight as well as the public outreach which has occurred to date, which includes 2 meetings with the Hercules By The Bay Homeowners Association.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Pinole Staff Report March 1, 2022
Presentation
Financial Impact
Description: Not applicable
Funding Source:
Budget Recap:
Total Estimated cost: $ New Revenue: $
Amount Budgeted: $ Lost Revenue: $
New funding required: $ New Personnel: $
Council Policy Change: Yes No
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