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FROM: SUPERVISOR FEDERAL D. GLOVER, DISTRICT V Costa
SUPERVISOR SUSAN A. BONILLA, DISTRICT IV " " oz
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DATE: JUNE 17, 2008 County
SUBJECT: PROPOSED EXPENDITURE PLAN FOR NAVY MITIGATION FUND FROM CLOSURE OF
PORT CHICAGO HIGHWAY
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
ADOPT the Navy Mitigation Fund Expenditure Plan, as recommended by Chair Glover and
Supervisor Bonilla.
FISCAL IMPACT
NONE to the General Fund. Adoption of the plan will commit $8.6 million in available Navy
Mitigation Funds to a variety of specific transportation improvements in Bay Point and Clyde.
This is expected to help leverage additional state funds for some of the projects.
BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
The U.S. Navy paid the County $5 million in the early 1990s to help the County mitigate the
closure of the Port Chicago Highway through the Concord Naval Weapons Station. When the
County closed the road at the Navy's request, we lost an east-west arterial that linked Bay
Point, Clyde and Concord and provided access to the waterfront.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
!�APPROVER
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SIGNATURE (S): S pervisor Federal D. Glover Supervisor Susan A. Bonilla
ACTION OF BOARD ON ,, _ ,�,� �aT� APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED �,L OyfiER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
JI HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND
_ UNANIMOUS (ABSENT _) CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND
AYES: NOES: ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
Contact: John Greitzer (925/335-1201) ATTESTED
cc: Conservation and Development Dept.E. Diokno, District V Office JOHN CULLEN, CLERK OF
L. Hole, District IV Office THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
S. Kowalewski, PWD AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
J. Townsend, EBRPD
BY "K& JdV'L,,A , DEPUTY
G:\Transportation\Greitzer\Board Order\2008\Navy Mitigation Fund.doc
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NAVY MITIGATION FUND
JUNE 17, 2008
Page 2
BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS (Continued)
The Board of Supervisors in 1991 adopted an Expenditure Plan that allocated $4 million for a
road project and $1 million for trail projects. The road project was to be the westward extension
of Evora Road into Concord, which would have replaced the Port Chicago Highway for
motorists. The trail projects were to replace the waterfront access that was also lost when the
Port Chicago Highway was closed.
Since the 1991 plan was adopted, numerous trail projects were built with the Navy funds but the
Evora Road extension did not occur due to objections from the City of Concord, whose city-
owned Diablo Creek Golf Course would have been impacted by the road extension. Since the
$4 million allocated for the road project was never spent, it has accumulated interest over the
years and now the Navy Mitigation Fund has a total of approximately $8.6 million.
The Board of Supervisors in 2007 directed staff to revisit the Navy Mitigation Fund Expenditure
Plan, in response to a request from Senator Tom Torlakson (D-Antioch)to use the funds for the
proposed Great California Delta Trail. Supervisor Glover and Supervisor Bonilla oversaw the
planning process since the Port Chicago Highway area—where the funds must be used — is in
Districts IV and V.
The Department of Conservation and Development and the Public Works Department provided
the staff support for the project. Some trail cost estimates were provided by staff of the East Bay
Regional Park District. The Supervisors directed County staff to develop a plan that includes a
mix of different types of projects based on the input received, and projects that are feasible and
can be accomplished in a reasonably short timeframe. The projects also must address the
goals of the Navy Mitigation Fund, which are to improve transportation between Bay Point,
Clyde and Concord, and to restore access to the waterfront.
Public outreach for the project included a Town Hall meeting at Calvary Temple on Evora Road
in April 2007 to introduce the project and obtain initial input, and three meetings to review the
Draft Expenditure Plan in Spring 2008, including a Town Hall meeting in Bay Point on March 18,
a meeting of the Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council's Transportation Area Committee on May
6 and a meeting of County Service Area M-16 (Clyde Parks), also on May 6. All three meetings
were open to the public.
Staff developed a Draft Expenditure Plan after spending most of 2007 and early 2008 developing
specific project concepts based on public input, estimating the costs and feasibility of those
projects, evaluating how well each would meet the goals of the Navy Mitigation Fund, and
determining how many of the projects could be funded with the available Navy Mitigation Funds.
The Board is asked to adopt the plan, which is attached. The plan also has been posted on the
Department of Conservation and Development website, www.cocoplans.org.
The Expenditure Plan does not include the Evora Road Extension, for two reasons. First, the
project will cost $33 million to $35 million, far more than is available from the Navy Mitigation
Fund (for extension to Port Chicago Highway/Arnold Drive; extension only to Kinne Boulevard
would cost an estimated $11 million). Second, the Evora Road Extension may be built through
the Concord Naval Weapons Station Reuse Project. The alternatives under consideration by
the City of Concord include the road extension.
NAVY MITIGATION FUND
JUNE 17, 2008
Page 3
BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS (Continued)
A few highlights of the Draft Navy Mitigation Fund Expenditure Plan follow.
• The plan provides a mix of road improvements, bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements
including access to a school and a BART station, and trail projects;
• The plan will fully fund most of those projects; and
• most of the projects can be completed within approximately two to four years (construction of
the Great California Delta Trail segments likely will take longer).
The plan allocates $8.35 million to specific projects in Bay Point and Clyde. There is a total of
$8.6 million in the Navy Mitigation Fund at the time this plan was developed. This means there
may be a small amount of contingency funds left in the Navy Mitigation Fund, which could be
used to cover cost increases for projects.
Public Input
The County received a wide range of input at the public meetings that were held to review the
draft plan. There was a lot of public support for the segments of the Great California Delta Trail
that are recommended in the plan, and the Clyde community was particularly supportive of the
proposed Union Pacific Right-of-Way Trail that is recommended in the plan.
Support also was expressed for the recommendation to improve pedestrian and bicycle
crossings along Bailey Road near the State Route 4 freeway ramps, an issue that has long
been a concern to the Bay Point community.
On the other hand, some commenters, particularly in Bay Point, believed the plan allocates too
much funding to trail projects and not enough to traffic improvements for commuters. The
proposed additional left-turn lane at the Evora Road/Willow Pass Road intersection was first
suggested by the Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council, after it became clear that the Navy
Mitigation Fund doesn't have enough money to pay for the original proposal to extend Evora
Road westward into Concord. Other than this intersection project, there are no additional road
projects for which the County could use the funds.
The City of Concord currently is reviewing seven alternatives for the Concord Naval Weapons
Station Community Reuse Project, and all seven include an extension of Evora Road into the
Reuse Project area.
One commenter in Bay Point suggested we hold onto the funds until it is known whether the
Reuse Project will build the Evora Road Extension; if not, she asked that the Navy Mitigation
Funds continue to be reserved for that project. However, given the cost of the extension project,
the Navy Mitigation Fund would not be able to make a significant contribution.
Navy Mitigation Fund Expenditure Plan
2008 Update
Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V
Supervisor Susan A. Bonilla, District IV
Department of Conservation and Development
Public Works Department
Presented to the Board of Supervisors for adoption on June 17, 2008
1
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Navy Mitigation Fund Expenditure Plan — 2008 Update
Summary of funding allocations
Project numbers do not indicate priority
1) 2nd left-turn lane from westbound Evora Road onto southbound Willow Pass
Road.
Project will reduce morning backup at the intersection by approximately 500 feet; traffic
signal at same intersection to be paid for by business park developer.
Naly Fund Allocation: $1.3 million (full funding)
Lead Agency: Contra Costa County
2) Bailey Road Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety Improvements (from Delta DeAnza
Regional Trail near Mims Avenue, past freeway ramps to BART station driveway)
Project will improve walking and bicycling conditions along Bailey Road, particularly
improving conditions for Bel Air Elementary students, BART station users, Tri Delta
Transit bus stop users, and future residents of the planned Orbisonia Heights mixed-use,
transit-oriented development project across Bailey Road from the Pittsburg/Bay Point
BART Station.
Navy Fund Allocation: $1.5 million (partial/full funding—costs to be determined)
Lead Agency: Contra Costa County/Caltrans/Tri Delta Transit (depending on
particular projects identified in planning phase)
3) Clyde Union Pacific Right-of-Way Trail
Project will build a trail along an unused railroad corridor alongisde Port Chicago
Highway through Clyde, and establish a trust fund to cover long-term maintenance needs
for the trail.
Navy Fund Allocation: $1.5 million (full funding)
Lead Agency: Contra Costa County
4) Bailey-Bella Vista Connector Trail
Project will improve the surface and appearance of the existing trail between Bella Vista
Avenue and Bailey Road near Bel Air Elementary School and establish a trust fund for
long-term maintenance needs.
Navy Fund Allocation: $500,000 (full funding)
Lead Agency: Contra Costa County
5) Driftwood Drive Landscaping Improvements
Project will restore Driftwood Drive landscaping that was financed by the first Navy
Mitigation Fund Expenditure Plan as a connecting walkway from the neighborhood to the
Delta DeAnza Regional Trail and waterfront)
Navy Fund Allocation: $750,000 (full funding)
Lead Agency: Contra Costa County
2
- 7-
6)
-6) Bay Point Waterfront Park Access Improvements
Project will provide easier access, including access for disabled persons to newly
established waterfront park west of McAvoy Harbor. Project is one of the
recommendations in the Bay Point Waterfront Redevelopment Plan.
Navy Fund Allocation: $450,000 (full funding)
Lead Agencies: East Bay Regional Park District/Contra Costa County
7) Planning and environmental impact review for Great California Delta Trail
Project involves planning and environmental review for the portions of the Great
California Delta Trail within Contra Costa County (the overall trail will eventually ring
the Delta Region, connecting to the Bay Trail in Martinez). Participants will include the
East Bay Regional Park District, Contra Costa County, and the City of Pittsburg.
Navy Fund Allocation: $350,000 (full funding)
Lead Agency: East Bay Regional Park District
8) Build Great California Delta Trail from Bay Point Waterfront Park to Clyde,
Concord and Martinez
Project will provide seed money for construction of one segment of the trail. Trail
alignment will be determined through the planning project described above in Project#7.
Navy Fund Allocation: $1 million (partial funding)
Lead Agency: East Bay Regional Park District
9) Build Great California Delta Trail from Bay Point Waterfront Park to Pittsburg
Project will provide seed money for construction of one segment of the trail.
Navy Fund Allocation: $1 million (partial.funding)
Lead Agency: East Bay Regional Park District
Total Allocations: $8.35 million
3
PROPOSED NAVY MITIGATION FUND PROJECTS
Great California Delta Trail
IR.
Waterfront Park
BAY 'i
CI de Union Pacific Trail
CLYDE
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Bailey/Bella Vista Connector Trail
Driftwood Drive Landscapin
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Bailey Road Pedestrian�Bike Pro ect
Evora Road Left-Turn Pocket comma cin coin
OORD ■•• Proposed Navy Mitigation
Fund Project
The graphic above was developed by the Contra Costa County Public Works Department,
April 2008.
4
Benefits of the Navy Mitigation Fund Expenditure Plan
2008 Update
• This plan includes a balance of project types (commuter traffic relief,
pedestrian/bicycle safety, trail construction, trail landscaping and long-term
maintenance, waterfront access).
• Most of the projects included in this plan are relatively inexpensive (most less
than $2 million) and most of them therefore can be fully funded by the Navy
Mitigation Fund.
• Most of the projects in this plan can be accomplished in the next few years.
Construction of the Great California Delta Trail segments likely will take
longer, due to the amount of planning, potential right-of-way acquisition, and
additional funding that will be required.
Status of the 1991 Navy Mitigation Fund Expenditure Plan
• Delta DeAnza Regional Trail Plus Feeder Trails -- $1 million allocation
Status: numerous trails were built including the segment of the Delta DeAnza
Regional Trail over the Willow Pass. The $1 million trail allocation was
spent.
• Evora Road Extension to Concord -- $4 million allocation
Status: not built due to objections from City of Concord. Most of the $4
million remains unspent (a small portion, described below, was used for
studies.) Interest has increased this amount of$8.6 million as of May 2008.
• Transportation studies and planning-- $235,000 allocation
Status: several studies were completed, including studies for the trails and a
rail transit study.
5
Comments on the Draft Navy Mitigation Fund Expenditure Plan
Staff of the Community Development Department and the Public Works Department
reviewed the Draft Navy Mitigation Fund Expenditure Plan at three public meetings:
March 18, 2008 —Town Hall Meeting convened by Supervisor Glover, at the Ambrose
Recreation and Park District Building in Bay Point;
May 6, 2008 —bimonthly meeting of the Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council's
Transportation Area Committee; and
May 6, 2008 —monthly meeting of the County Service Area M-16 (Clyde Parks)
Summaries of the comments and questions from each of these meetings are presented in
the following pages.
Also included is a summary of comments from the kick-off meeting for the planning
process that was convened in April 2007 at Calvary Temple on Evora Road. This
meeting was held to gather public input about potential projects for the plan.
6
April 24, 2007: Suggestions from Town Hall meeting at Calvary Temple, Evora
Road, Concord
(Meeting convened by Supervisor Glover and Supervisor Bonilla to kick off the
process)
1. Re-open Port Chicago Highway
2. Trail along Contra Costa Canal in Clyde
3. Evora Road Widening from Baypoint to Concord
4. Comprehensive road and trail plan developed with the MAC/TAC/PAC
5. The Great California Delta Trail
6. Clyde Feeder Trail on Union Pacific Railroad property(purchase of right of way and
trail construction after Union Pacific cleans up the property)
7. Set-aside some funds in a trust account to be used as a maintenance fund for existing
trail maintenance
8. Marina Trails—such as boardwalks
9. Bus Service Bay Point to Concord
10. Construct additional trails to better connect existing trails
11. Improve throughway roads through Baypoint
12. Construct a park at the trailhead of the Great California Delta Trail
13. Widen Evora Road and provide a bike trail
14. Interest from the trust account should be used for the Evora Road Extension
15. Provide alternate bike route to eliminate bicyclists having to use SR4 between Willow
Pass Road and Port Chicago Highway
16. Other funding sources should be explored to construct the Delta Trail
17. Construct a bikeway on the north side of SR4 to connect to the existing Delta DeAnza
Trail and construct another bikeway further from the freeway towards the shoreline.
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18. Road improvements (Willow Pass Road, Bailey Road)
19. Redevelopment plan for Bay Point Waterfront (local roads and trails)
March 18, 2008: Comments on the Draft Navy Mitigation Fund Expenditure Plan
from Bay Point Town Hall meeting convened by Supervisor Glover at Ambrose
Recreation and Park District office, Bay Point
1. There are graffiti-covered freight railroad cars across from my home in Shore Acres,
who do I need to talk to, to get them moved? [Staff asked her to provide more specific
info by phone or e-mail and he will try to find out whose rail cars they are]
2. If Concord would move the golf course, it would allow for the Evora Road Extension.
3. The proposed two left-turn lanes on Evora will cause traffic jams as people try to
merge from the left one to the right one to get onto the freeway ramp, and the stop sign is
better than a new traffic signal because cars move through it better. [Staff explained some
of the operational details of how the signal and the turn lanes would operate.]
4. Get rid of the pedestrian tunnel.
5. We need to build schools in Bay Point.
6. The plan doesn't provide enough traffic relief, too much money on trails. When Port
Chicago Highway closed, we lost a road. We need to get a road back.
7. Get rid of the curving"free right" freeway off-ramp from SR 4 westbound to Bailey
southbound; have all Bailey traffic use the other off-ramp, come to the traffic signal and
then turn left or right onto Bailey. This will eliminate the need for the pedestrian tunnel.
8. Landscape the Bay Point cloverleaf, it's an entrance to the community and it should
look nice.
9. We need signal timing improvements along Willow Pass Road.
10. Trail safety surveillance is needed.
11. The pedestrian tunnel route doesn't work for wheelchair users, who can't get up the
hill to get to BART.
12. Make public transit more accessible.
13. Port Chicago Highway was the only flat route for bicyclists between Bay Point and
Concord. The draft plan would replace it with another flat route, which bicyclists want.
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14. The Great California Delta Trail is now part of the East Bay Regional Park District's
Master Plan.
15. Oak Hills community supports the Great California Delta Trail.
16. The Bailey pedestrianibicycle safety projects don't mitigate the loss of the Port
Chicago Highway.
17. Use the Bailey funds for the Clyde trail linkage to the Delta Trail.
18. The mitigation money should be used for roads, period.
19. The draft plan provides a good mix of projects and meets the purpose of the Navy
Mitigation Fund.
May 6, 2008: Comments on Draft Navy Mitigation Fund Expenditure Plan from the
Transportation Area Committee of the Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council
1. Paratransit service for senior citizens isn't good enough, needs to be improved. The
rules for riding are too strict.
2. The fund is being used to pay for things that other entities should have paid for.
BART should have paid for the Bailey Road pedestrian safety improvements,
homebuilders should have paid for the landscaping along Driftwood Drive, and the
homebuilders should pay for the extra left-turn lane on Evora Road at Willow Pass
Road. Navy Mitigation Funds shouldn't have to be used for those.
3. Oak Hills Community Group and the Friends of the Delta Trail both support the
expenditure plan including the recommendations for the Great California Delta Trail.
The plan meets the goals and the funds will be well spent.
4. Ambrose Recreation and Park District supports the plan.
5. The proposed plan wastes a lot of money. Why should Driftwood Drive landscaping
be paid for? The homeowners should pay for that. The left turn lane on Evora and
the Bailey Road pedestrian improvements seem like good ideas.
6. Some trails are closed, like the one behind Casa de Serena senior citizens' facility.
It's closed so it can't be used.
7. We shouldn't do any of the recommended projects except the Evora Road Extension.
We should wait and see if the City of Concord builds it, and if they do, then we can
use the Navy Mitigation Fund for these other things.
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8. Friends of the Delta Trail says we need this plan and we support it.
9. A question was asked as to whether the Navy Mitigation Fund Expenditure Plan
would bring more revenue to Bay Point. County staff and staff of the East Bay
Regional Park District responded to this question.
May 6, 2008: Comments on the Draft Navy Mitigation Fund Expenditure Plan from
County Service Area M-16 (Clyde Parks)
1. This sounds like an opportunity to landscape the entrance to Clyde, similar to what
Concord has done on some of their streets. We could put trees up and have an
attractive entryway to the community.
2. A question was asked to whether the County still intended to extend two local streets
westward to Port Chicago Highway. Public Works staff responded.
3. A question will be asked as to whether there will be parking for users of the new trail.
Staff will consider this as we plan the access to the trail.
4. A question was asked as to whether utility poles would be moved or undergrounded
as part of the project. Staff will consider this as trail planning is conducted.
5. Port Chicago Highway is a drag strip. We need more enforcement of speeding, and
we should reduce the speed limit.
6. A question was asked about the width of the UP right-of-way. Staff responded the
right-of-way is 60 feet,but only 8 to 10 feet will be paved. This is a typical trail
width.
7. Several comments were made about flooding. Public Works will look into this.
8. The Clyde trail should connect to the Great California Delta Trail.
9. We should begin planning the trail now, we don't need to wait until all the
interagency matters are settled.
10. A question was asked whether Concord will expand Port Chicago Highway to support
the new growth that will come in with the Reuse Project. Staff will look into this.
11. A question was asked about the chances that Port Chicago Highway will be reopened.
Residents indicated they wouldn't want it to be reopened. Staff replied that reopening
is not likely.
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