The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 03201990 - TC.1 Contra Costa TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS County FROM: Transportation Committee - DATE: March 5, 1990 SUBJECT: Resolution on Benicia-Martinez Bridge } � SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS Adopt a resolution expressing the County' s position on the new Benicia-Martinez Bridge. FISCAL IMPACT BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS Caltrans is proceeding with engineering and environmental studies for the new Benicia-Martinez Bridge. The Solano County Transportation Council recently adopted a resolution concerning the bridge design which in some respects is contrary to previous Board policy. It is therefore timely to restate the County' s position to Caltrans. Caltrans has formed a separate branch to conduct the studies and plan the construction of the new Benicia-Martinez Bridge which was authorized by AB 3838 and Regional Measure 1 . Work on the engineering and environmental studies is proceeding, and public meetings were held in the area in early February. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: ,X YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) : ACTION OF BOARD ON March 20, ' 1990 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED x OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. cc: Community Development ATTESTED March 20, 1990 PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND- COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY j , , DEPUTY e.v:to sg2/robmb.brd On January 10, the Solano County Transportation Council adopted a resolution concerning the Benicia-Martinez Bridge and requesting that the following features be incorporated in the design of the bridge and support facilities: 1. the new bridge should be located upstream of the existing bridge; 2. toll collecting facilities should continue to be located in the northbound lanes; 3 . the toll-collecting facilities should be moved to the south end of the bridge; 4. the design of the Glen Cove overcrossing should be compatible with the future improvements to I-780; and 5 . the freeway-to-freeway connections at the I-80/I-780 inter- change and the I-80/I-680 interchange be designed to promote efficient traffic flow. The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors has taken several actions concerning the Benicia-Martinez Bridge, dating to March 1987. The major elements of these actions are summarized below. (A more complete summary of these actions is contained in Exhibit A) . 1. Tolls should not be charged for commuters in carpools or vanpools during weekdays; 2. HOV lanes should be provided on the bridge; 3 . The toll plaza should be in the southbound direction at the north end of the bridge; 4. Provision for bicycle and pedestrian traffic should be made. While some of the above positions relate to the existing bridge, they are also applicable to the new span. The major point of disagreement with the Solano County resolution concerns the location of the toll plaza. The Board supported the continued location of the plaza in Solano County because of the impact of the plaza on wetlands, air quality, and congestion, if located on the Contra Costa side. In addition, if toll collections were switched to the southbound direction but remained in Solano County, the delay during the morning commute would be more effective at encour- aging carpooling since commuters tend to be less tolerant of delays in the morning than in the evening. The resolution in Exhibit B does not state a specific location for the toll plaza since Caltrans has not completed their evaluation of bridge alternatives. However, it does describe concerns from an environmental and traffic flow standpoint that support a toll plaza located in Solano County in the southbound direction. EXHIBIT A SUMMARY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY ACTIONS CONCERNING BENICIA-MARTINEZ BRIDGE Mar 3 1987 Resolution (McPeak) : 1. Support free tolls for carpools and request Caltrans to study; 2 . Trans. Comm. to meet with Caltrans, Solano Co. , Fairfield and Benicia to discuss toll-free concept and est. of aggressive TSM program; 3 . Discuss at bridge task force; Mar-Nov 1987 Series of joint Contra Costa Co/Solano Co meetings; identified joint issues concerning bridge.- Aug ridge;Aug 25 1987 Resolution (McPeak) : 1. Support toll-free commute for carpools/vanpools 2. Dedicate HOV lane on each bridge ASAP 3 . Consider toll booths in southbound lanes 4. Request support from TRANSPAC, RIDES, Solano County, and cities 5. Request revised schedule for I-680 widening 6 . Review status of toll-free bonds Oct 1987 Joint resolution in favor of toll-free northbound commute for carpools and HOV lane on bridge Toll-free Friday p.m. (Fanden) Apr 19 1988 Resolution (Fanden) 1. Support widening of bridge 2. Support bicycle and pedestrian trail crossing 3 . If 2 not feasible, Caltrans to provide alternative (e.g. ferry) Mar 21 1989 Resolution (fanden) ; Support continued location of toll plaza in Solano County and oppose relocation to Contra Costa EXHIBIT B Resolution Concerning RESOLUTION NO. 90/168 Benicia-Martinez Bridge Design WHEREAS, in 1986, the California Legislature passed and the Governor signed, Assembly Bill 3838, authorizing the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to initiate studies on a new bridge across the Carquinez Strait parallel to the existing Benicia- Martinez Bridge; and WHEREAS, in November 1988, the voters of the Bay Area approved Regional Measure 1, which increased bridge tolls in order to finance the new bridge and other improvements; and WHEREAS, Caltrans has formed a special branch, the Benicia- Martinez Bridge System, to conduct the engineering and environmen- tal studies needed to plan the future construction of the new bridge; and WHEREAS, the Benicia-Martinez Bridge corridor is a critical link in the regional transportation system and of vital importance to Contra Costa County; and WHEREAS, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors has on previous occasions adopted resolutions expressing its concerns on the operation of the existing bridge and the design of the new bridge; and WHEREAS, it is timely, in light of the Caltrans studies, to reiterate the County' s major areas of concern so that they may be considered in these studies: NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors urges Caltrans to consider' the following principles in the planning and design of the new Benicia-Martinez Bridge: 1. The Benicia-Martinez Bridge should be a multi-modal facility, designed to accommodate automobiles, bicycles, pedestrians, transit and high-occupancy vehicles (HOV' s) . 2. The bridge should be designed to facilitate and encourage carpooling through the provision of HOV lanes and toll- free passage for carpools. 3. The toll plaza should be designed and situated in order to minimize congestion and delay, avoid adverse impacts on air quality and wetlands, and encourage carpooling. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Caltrans Benicia-Martinez Bridge Project, the Solano County Board of Supervisors, the Solano County Transportation Council, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, and other interested parties. Passed on March 20, 1490 by unaminous vote of the Board Members present . I hereby certify that this is a truis and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minut" of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED., MAR 2 0 1990 PHIL BATCHELOR,Clerk of the Board of&q*rvla*r*and County Administrator =4 A -- 09puty RESOLUTION NO. 901168