For City Council Meeting August 13, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: G. Michael Milhiser, Interim City Manager
FROM: Tim Sullivan, Director of Public Works
Title
Request City Council to 1) Accept a CEQA Notice of Exemption for the Locust Roadway Widening and Rehabilitation Project, City Project No. 230812, and 2) Authorize the Interim City Manager or Their Designee to Execute all Related Documents.
Body
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff requests that the City Council:
1) Accept a CEQA Notice of Exemption for the Locust Roadway Widening and Rehabilitation Project, City Project No. 230812; and
2) Authorize the Interim City Manager or their designee to execute all documents.
BACKGROUND:
On September 22, 2020, the City Council awarded Advanced Civil Technologies (ACT) a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) in the amount of $1,823,986.50 for the design of the 2020/2021 Street Overlay & Reconstruction Project, City Project Nos. 180807 and 210804. This work included the design for the reconstruction of the two (2) segments of Riverside Avenue and various additional street segments throughout the City with poor pavement condition.
On January 11, 2022, the City Council received a presentation on the City’s Pavement Management Program, approved a revised list of City streets scheduled for overlay and reconstruction, and authorized the Release of Request for Bids for the Street Overlay & Reconstruction Project (Various Streets Reconstruction Project), City Project No. 210804.
On November 15, 2022, the City Council awarded a construction contract for the Various Streets Reconstruction Project. The Various Streets Reconstruction Project was split into five (5) bid schedules: Bid Schedules A, B, C, D, and E. Due to budget availability, the construction contract awarded to Matich only included Bid Schedules A, B, and C. The segment for Locust Avenue from Riverside Avenue to Casmalia Street was identified under Bid Schedule E. The streets under Bid Schedule D, except those deferred due to water infrastructure work, are currently in construction under the Various Streets Phase II Project, City Project No. 240802.
At the City Council meeting on January 24, 2023, during the discussion of Tab 4 to adopt an interim urgency ordinance for the City’s truck route, the Council requested roadway rehabilitation plans for Locust Avenue to be accelerated. Upon direction, City staff began putting together a scope for a cost proposal to redesign roadway improvements on Locust Avenue from Riverside Avenue to Casmalia Avenue.
On April 25, 2023, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 8067 to amend the current Capital Improvement Program to include the Locust Roadway Widening and Rehabilitation Project and to authorize a purchase order to Mark Thomas in the amount of $1,572,563 pursuant to their on-call professional services agreement for professional civil engineering services.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
The proposed Locust Roadway Widening and Rehabilitation Project would provide important roadway, utility relocation, and American with Disabilities Act (ADA) access improvements for the approximate 1.5-mile-long section of Locust Avenue from Riverside Avenue to Casmalia Street.
Presently, Locust Avenue, a secondary arterial, is a two-lane roadway with a yellow center stripe and one travel lane in the north and south directions. Left turn and right turn lanes exist on Locust Avenue at Riverside Avenue and Casmalia Street intersections. The existing right-of-way width varies from 63 to 100 feet, and the built roadway width varies from 23 to 64 feet.
The proposed project would meet the growth needs projected along this section of Locust Avenue, which includes accommodating the assigned truck route and pavement rehabilitation according to the City’s planning and engineering recommendations. The proposed project would result in a 4-lane roadway (12- and 14-foot lane, each direction) with one painted median/left turn lane/two-way left turn lane with continuous sidewalk and a 6-foot-wide landscaping/parkway area on both sides. Other improvements include upgrading curb ramps to meet ADA standards, installing new driveways and sidewalks, and relocating utilities, including power poles and right-of-way frontage acquisitions. Design elements and project roadway sections are included as an exhibit in Attachment 1 of this report.
The project is subjected to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) with the City as the lead agency.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The City has completed an analysis of potential environmental impacts associated with the Project. Mark Thomas, on behalf of the City, acting as Lead Agency pursuant to CEQA, has prepared a Notice of Exemption.
The project qualifies for a City CEQA Class 1, Category 3, and State CEQA Class 1(c) exemption if it consists of operation, repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing street, sidewalk, and gutter involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that previously existing; and does not involve the removal of a scenic resource. The proposed project would involve low-impact roadway, utility, and circulation improvements (including ADA circulation improvements); however, implementation of the proposed project would not expand or include incompatible uses or changes to the existing purpose of the roadway facility. In addition, pursuant to Section 15300.2 (c) and 15301 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, there are no unusual circumstances with respect to the proposed project for which staff would anticipate a significant effect on the environment and the environmental analyses conducted above provide substantial evidence that there is no potential for any significant impacts from implementation (planning, construction, operations, and maintenance) of the proposed project.
The Notice of Exemption will be prepared and filed with the San Bernardino County Clerk. A detailed CEQA Notice of Exemption is included as Attachment 1.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
This action is consistent with Guiding Principle 3A in the General Plan:
Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent, and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.
Approval of this action also complies with the following City of Rialto General Plan Goals and Policies:
Goal 4-1: Provide transportation improvements to reduce traffic congestion associated with regional and local trip increases.
Policy 4-1.1: Establish and maintain standards for a variety of street classifications to serve both local and regional traffic, including Major Arterial Highways, Major Arterials, Secondary Arterials, Collector Streets, and Local Streets.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Operating Budget Impact:
There is no impact to the Operating Budget.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact:
There is no impact to the Capital Improvement Budget.
Licensing
This action does not require payment of a business license fee or tax.