January 24, 2023
Public Works
DATE: January 24, 2023
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Daniel Chavarria, Director of Public Works
Yader A. Bermudez, Project Manager
Subject:
I-80 Central Avenue Interchange Improvements Phase II
project
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Additional funding for right-of-way acquisition will be funded by $5.9 million in Federal RIP (STIP) and
$600,000 in Local Measure J Funds
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
July 11, 2017: I-80, Approved Contra Costa County
agreement for real property right of way services in the amount of $50,000 for the I-80/Central Avenue
Interchange, Phase 2, project.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
City staff is seeking City Council approval of a first
amendment to the existing Contra Costa County
agreement for real property right-of-way services. In
addition, City staff is requesting approval of the Final Project Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (“MND”) and associated Mitigation Monitoring and
Reporting Plan (MMRP).
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution approving the Central Avenue at
Interstate 80 Local Road Improvement Project Initial
Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration and associated Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan (MMRP), and
authorizing the City Manager to execute a first
amendment to the Contra Costa County agreement for
real property right of way services, in the amount of
$1,000,000, for a new total amount of $1,050,000 –
Public Works (Daniel Chavarria 510-620-5478).
AGENDA
REPORT
January 24, 2023
DISCUSSION:
Central Avenue serves as the primary connection between the El Cerrito Plaza BART station and the Interstate 80 (I-80) and Interstate 580 (I-580) freeways. It also serves as an important east-west route between commercial areas and local neighborhoods. The four closely spaced signalized intersections along Central Avenue between Jacuzzi Street and Pierce Street lack sufficient vehicle storage capacity, resulting in poor intersection operations and heavy congestion during peak travel times, especially on weekends.
The goal of the I-80/Central Avenue Interchange Improvements Project is to improve overall traffic operations at the I-80/Central Avenue interchange and along Central Avenue between Rydin Road and San Pablo Avenue. The project will be completed in two phases. The first phase would redirect left turns from westbound Central Avenue onto I-80 westbound to the adjacent I-580 eastbound on-ramp at Rydin Road during weekend peak hours, and would install traffic signals at the I-580 ramps (completed).
The second phase, which is led by the City of Richmond, would increase the spacing between the signalized intersections east of I-80 by connecting Pierce Street and San Mateo Street, converting Pierce Street access at Central Avenue to “right-in, right-out,” and relocating the traffic signal at Pierce Street/Central Avenue to the San Mateo Street/Central Avenue intersection.
This I-80/Central Avenue Interchange Phase 2 project is a large and complex project that requires real property right-of-way services assistance from the County of Contra Costa through all the phases of the project development process as described in the real property services agreement:
Central Avenue at I-80 Local Road Improvement Budget
County services will be related to the acquisition of necessary property interests, for City’s above-described project. County charges for services under this agreement will be allocated according to the following budget:
January 24, 2023
ADMINISTRATION $335,000
APPRAISAL SUPPORT $90,000
NEGOTIATIONS/ACQUISITION $253,000
CONDEMNATION SUPPORT $120,000
APPRAISAL CONSULTANT $200,000
SUB-TOTAL $998,000
Rounded $1,000,000
TOTAL BUDGET FOR THE PROJECT: $50,000 (original budget) $1,000,000 (Amendment 1 budget)
$1,050,000
Environmental Review
The Interstate 80/Central Avenue Interchange Improvements Project is subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and the State CEQA Guidelines (Public Resources Code section 21080). Pursuant to the provisions of the State CEQA Guidelines, an Initial Study was prepared for the project. Based on the analysis in the Initial Study, the Community Development Director determined that potentially significant effects of the project could be lessened through specified mitigations, and subsequently, a draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) was prepared. On November 7, 2022, a Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration (NOI) was distributed to the public for a 30-day review, in accordance with CEQA Guidelines section 15105(b). The Final IS/MND containing the City’s responses to comments received during the 30-day review period and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan (MMRP) is provided in Exhibit A to Attachment 3. The Draft IS/MND, including the full environmental analysis for the project, is provided in Exhibit B to Attachment 3.
Prior to amending the Contra Costa County agreement for real property right-of-way services in the amount of $1,000,000 for the I-80/Central Avenue Interchange, the City Council must consider the IS/MND together with any comments received during the public review process. The City Council may adopt the IS/MND only if it finds on the basis of the whole record before it that there is no substantial evidence that the project will have a significant effect on the environment and that the IS/MND reflects the lead agency’s independent judgment and analysis.
January 24, 2023
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Original Real Property Service Agreement Attachment 2 – Amendment #1 to the Real Property Service Agreement Attachment 3 – RESOLUTION
Exhibit A: Final IS/MND with MMRP
Exhibit B: Draft IS/MND