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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03151994 - S.2 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: SUPERVISOR JEFF SMITH - Contra Costa DATE: March 15,1994 County SUBJECT: Interstate 80 High Occupancy Vehicle Lane Project, West County Area SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATIONS)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: RESCIND official action taken.by the Board of Supervisors regarding item X.1 on the Board's October 5, 1993 agenda. Specifically, the action taken directing Supervisor Smith to vote in support of the Interstate 80 High Occupancy Vehicle Lane (I-80 HOV) project. DIRECT Supervisor Smith to employ his best judgement in rendering his vote, based on the information available at the time of the hearing. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None BACKGROUND: See attachment CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATUR RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE _OTHER SIGNATURE (S): ACTION OF BOARD ON �S 9 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED _ OTHER . , In approving the above recommendation, the Board RESCINDED that part of the October 5, 1993, Board Order pertaining to the direction given to' Supe"rvisor Smith pertinent to the Interstate 80 High Occupancy Vehicle Lane (HOV) project, West County area; DIRECTED Supervisor Smith, the County's representative on the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, to employ his best judgement in rendering his vote based on the information available at the time of the hearing; and REAFFIRMED the support of Contra Costa County as an entity in support of the Interstate 80 High Occupancy Vehicle Lane project. . _ VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ATTESTED Z4 PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY , DEPUTY Contact Person: CC: Maurice Shiu Senator Dan Boatwright Senator Nicholas Petris Assemblyman Bob Campbell Assemblyman Tom Bates Contra Costa Transit Authority West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee Bay Conservation and Development Commission CALTRANS S� • / TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Tom Powers, Supervisor, District I DATE: October 5, 1993 SUBJECT: Interstate 80 High Occupancy Vehicle Lane project, West County area. SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S")8,BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION I. Recommended Action: REAFFIRM Contra Costa County's support of the Interstate 80 High Occupancy Vehicle lane (1-80 HOV)project,and REQUEST the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) grant a permit to Caltrans for the construction of the High Occupancy Vehicle flyover structure at the Bay Bridge distribution structure. DIRECT Supervisor Jeff Smith, the County's representative on the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, to vote in support of the project. DIRECT Supervisors Tom Torlakson and Sunne McPeak to bring this issue to the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) at its regular meeting on October 6, 1993 and request the CCTA Board of Directors to adopt a resolution in support of the project. DIRECT Supervisor Tom Powers, using his office as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission Commissioner, to bring Caltrans and BCDC together to resolve this issue. II. Financial impact: None a Continued on Attachment: X SIGNATURE: _RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR _RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON C� , S / 9 43 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED Y OTHER_ .1 VOTE OF SUPERVISORS UNANIMOUS (ABSENT 1 AYES:& ir, to 4f NOES: ZZ ABSENT- ABSTAIN: MMS:drg e:BOkhovW 1 hereby certify that this Is a true and correct an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Orig.Div: Public Works(Administration) Board of Supemlsoshown. Contact Maurice Shiu-3134=1 ATTESTED: = s. / 9 cc: Senator Dan Boatwright PHIL BATCHELOR,Clerk of the Board Senator Nicholas Petrie of Supervisors and County Administrator Assemblyman Bob Campbell Assemblyman Tom Bates Contra Costa Transit Authority ej ,oern,ev West Contra CostaTransporWon AdWoryCommittee Bay Conservation and Development Commission CALTRANS r. Inter tate 80 High Occupancy Vehicle Lane project, West County area. October 5, 1993 Page Two III. Reasons for Recommendations and Background: The 1-80 HOV project has been in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) since 1983. The original concept of the project included a reversible HOV lane in Contra Costa ; County and separate HOV lanes on structures to and from the Bay Bridge distribution structures and the Ashby Avenue interchange in Berkeley. The project was substantially modified in 1991 to provide for continuous HOV lanes from State Route 4 to the Bay Bridge. This revised project :. still maintains the element of a flyover from the median HOV lane on 1-80 by the Powell Street interchange to move;the HOV traffic and buses to the right hand side of the Bay Bridge approach. Several phases of the project are under construction now. Caltrans has applied to the BCDC for a permit to construct the flyover because the touch down-area of the flyover is within 100 feet of the high water mark and therefore within the jurisdictional limits of the BCDC. The area the project will encroach on is less than one acre and it is the gravel shoulder area of the Bay Bridge approach. The wetland in this area, called the Emeryville Crescent, is an environmentally sensitive area. BCDC has a policy of.no intrusion into this area in their plan. BCDC also considers all the land outside of the paved area subject to the Bay Plan and will be protected from further encroachment. Because of this, BCDC has requested Caltrans modify the design so that the project will not encroach on the sensitive area. After studying the alternatives, Caltrans has determined that safety will be compromised too much if the project is redesigned to stay out of the sensitive area and has requested BCDC grant the permit to construct the flyover as originally designed. The flyover is an integral part of the 1-80 HOV project. Without the flyover, Caltrans will have to terminate the HOV lane in Albany to allow for the HOV traffic to weave over to the right lane as the traffic approach the Bay Bridge. This modification will greatly reduce the attractiveness of the HOV lane. In other words, the success of the $300 million investment is hinged on the flyover structure. The loss of any wetland is a significant impact to the environment and should be mitigated. Balancing this impact"to the potential benefit of better air quality, better mobility for the people and goods, I think the project should proceed.