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CC - 1) Approval of Plans and Specifications, 2) Authorization to Publish a Notice Inviting Bids, and 3) Adoption of a Resolution Adopting a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Higuera Street Bridge Removal and Replacement Project, PZ553, BHLS 5240(026)
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Meeting Date: November 14, 2016
Contact Person/Dept: Sammy Romo/Public Works
Phone Number: 310-253-5619
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (11/09/2016); (Mail) Occupants of Rancho Higuera and Hayden Tract (11/07/2016)
Department Approval: Charles D. Herbertson, Public Works Director/City Engineer (11/04/16)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council 1) approve the plans and specifications, 2) authorize the publication of a Notice Inviting Bids, and 3) adopt a Resolution adopting a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), for the Higuera Street Bridge Removal and Replacement Project, PZ553, BHLS 5240(026) (“Project”).
BACKGROUND
In December 1999, the Higuera Street bridge was determined to be functionally obsolete due to its geometric configuration relative to the street configurations on both approaches to the bridge. According to the federal Highway Bridge Program (HBP), this bridge is eligible for federal HBP funds with a City local funding match requirement of 11.47%.
In May 2013, the City Council awarded a contract to IDC Consulting, Inc. to perform engineering design services for the bridge. The existing bridge is 43 feet wide and has sidewalks and three traffic lanes - two in the southbound direction and one in the northbound direction. The proposed bridge will be 70 feet wide and have two lanes in each direction, bike lanes, and sidewalks. A bike ramp to connect Higuera Street and the Ballona Creek Bike Path will be constructed as well. Funding for the bike ramp is through the 2013 Metro Call for Projects. The proposed bike ramp will be directly adjacent to proposed retaining walls approximately 5 to 10 feet tall. With Cultural Affairs staff input, the retaining wall adjacent to the new bike ramp has been designed to accommodate a permanent public art installation (such as tile mosaic or mural) which would be visible from various vantage points at street level as well as along the bike path. Funding for any public art would likely have to come from the Cultural Trust Fund as money currently appropriated for this Project does not include an art component. Staff anticipates returning to the City Council in early 2017 with an update.
DISCUSSION
It is anticipated the construction of the bridge and bike ramp will begin in spring 2017 and last approximately 14 months.
Construction Impact: Traffic Diverter at Higuera Street/Hayden Avenue
Staff conducted four community meetings to inform the public about the Project. The third meeting included business owners from the Hayden Tract to discuss the traffic impacts due to the bridge closure. A total of 173 businesses and property owners were mailed the meeting invitation. The number of attendees was nine. At that meeting, the idea of temporarily removing the traffic diverter only during bridge construction was brought up by some of the attendees. Staff stated a discussion with the Rancho Higuera residents would be necessary in order to gauge their concerns for such an idea.
The fourth community meeting involved the Rancho Higuera residents. A total of 757 households were mailed a meeting invitation. Representatives from 18 households attended the meeting. All households except for one were opposed to temporarily removing the traffic diverter. Two households felt the traffic diverter has always been ineffective. Staff also received 15 emails from other residents expressing their disapproval for temporarily removing the traffic diverter during bridge construction.
In light of this significant opposition to temporarily removing this traffic diverter, staff recommends leaving the traffic diverter in place at the beginning of construction and re-evaluating the traffic conditions after the bridge closure and new traffic patterns have had a chance to develop.
Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND)
In conjunction with the Higuera Street bridge design, environmental studies were performed, as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). As such, a Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) was circulated/published for 30 days starting on November 25, 2014. During the 30-day public circulation period, staff received two comments from the general public. In response, staff included the comments and responses to those comments (although not required to do so) in the Final IS/MND (Exhibit A to the proposed Resolution - Attachment 4). The Final IS/MND considered the public’s comments and was revised in order to address those comments. It concludes that as a result of the mitigations included as part of the Project (relating to air quality; biological resources; cultural resources; hazards and hazardous materials; hydrology and water quality; and noise), the Project, as mitigated, will not result in significant adverse environmental impacts. Listed below are the potentially significant impacts and a summary of the mitigations. For more detailed summary, please review the Final IS/MND.
Air Quality - Due to improvements in vehicle technology, projected future particulate matter will not exceed the Southern California Air Quality Management District’s significance threshold. Additionally, construction air quality mitigations include water or dust palliative, soil binder, truck washing, dust control plan, location of equipment and materials storage sites, track-out reduction measures, covering and wetting of transported soils and adequate freeboard, removal of dust and mud on roads, mulch or plant vegetation, equipment and vehicle maintenance, construction traffic routing and scheduling, sensitive receptor buffer, public concerns regarding dust control, public notification, and documentation and notification of dust control concerns.
Biological Resources - The biological study concluded there were no sensitive species in the area of the bridge and the potential for endangered species in the area is low. However, swallow nests were observed on the bridge and there is a potential for other birds to nest under the bridge as well as bats. Mitigation measures include reduced work area, work performed outside of the nesting season, nesting bird surveys, vegetation clearing, nesting bird buffer, bat surveys, bat exclusion devices, pre-construction wildlife surveys, invasive species, staging areas, best management practices, equipment refueling and maintenance, and all materials and trash removed.
Cultural Resources - The potential does exist for fossil resources, burial sites, and other paleontological/anthropological resources to be unearthed during construction activities. A mitigation measure for Archaeological/Paleontological Survey was included.
Hazards and Hazardous Materials - Since the bridge was constructed in 1937, there is a potential for asbestos-containing material and for lead-based paint. Mitigation measures include a lead and asbestos survey, proper disposal, testing prior to dewatering, and testing prior to soil disposal.
Hydrology and Water Quality - There is a potential for construction debris to enter the creek and groundwater and impact the water quality. Mitigation measures include reduced work areas, staging areas outside the channel, debris containment, no work in flowing water, daily equipment checks, equipment maintenance, trash and construction debris removal, and storm water pollution prevention plan.
Noise - The mitigation measures for noise impacts include hours of construction, equipment tuning and use of mufflers, standard specifications regarding noise control, mufflers, and noise abatement measures.
Staff received two letters during publication of the IS/MND. The first letter is from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), raising a concern that the bridge construction may have an impact on rare, threatened, and endangered plants and the presence of the Burrowing Owl. Staff responded to CDFW as follows: the area was surveyed on foot and no rare or endangered plants were observed nor are they expected in the area; and there is no suitable habitat for the Burrowing Owl in the project area and the species is not expected to be in the project area. Notwithstanding, the area will be re-surveyed 48 hours prior to start of construction in accordance with the proposed mitigation measures.
The second letter staff received was from Stanley Ross Coleite (attorney at law) who represents Thomas Henry, owner of Orchids de Oro at 5939 Rodeo Road, Los Angeles, at the corner of Jefferson Boulevard/Rodeo Road. The letter, in essence, states the City should have performed a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and that, in his opinion, an IS/MND is not sufficient. City staff responded by stating the City “completed a thorough environmental evaluation in compliance with CEQA in an effort to identify potential environmental impacts related to the project” and that “after careful analysis of scientific and factual data, it was determined that the project would not result in a significant effect on the environment with implementation of the mitigation measures outlined in the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND)”. Mr. Coleite’s letter and the City’s responses to his letter can be found in the IS/MND attachment.
It should be noted the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document, which was required due to the Project’s federal funding, was approved by Caltrans on July 11, 2014.
Right-of-Way Impacts
Right-of-Way (ROW) impacts include 1) Easement from Los Angeles County Flood Control District on the north side of the bridge, 2) Access Permits from Army Corps of Engineers on the north and south sides, and 3) Easements through private property. Approximately 718 square feet of private property will need to be taken via easement for bike lane purposes at 8450 Higuera Street in order to construct a bike ramp transition lane. This will provide a connection between the proposed bike ramp and Higuera Street/Eastham Drive. Staff had discussions with the property owner, but have not formally made an offer to purchase. A formal offer to purchase cannot be made until adoption of the CEQA. In addition to the private property purchase at 8450 Higuera Street, the project will require taking of 73 square feet at the driveway of the private property at 6001 Jefferson Boulevard for a roadway easement. This is necessary in order to provide ADA access across the driveway. A formal offer can be made for this property as well, once the CEQA document has been adopted.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The budget for the bridge construction is $6.6 million and $821,000 for the bike ramp. Approval of the plans and specifications, authorization of the publication of a Notice Inviting Bids, and adoption of the MND do not create a fiscal impact for the City. A detailed fiscal analysis will be included when staff returns to City Council for its consideration to award a construction contract for the Project.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Plans (civil and structural)
2. Plans (bike ramp)
3. Specifications
4. Proposed Resolution (including Exhibit A - Final IS/MND)
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Approve the plans and specifications for the Higuera Street Bridge Removal and Replacement Project, PZ553, BHLS 5240(026); and,
2. Authorize the publication of a Notice Inviting Bids for the Project; and,
3. Adopt a Resolution adopting a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Project.