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Folsom Boulevard Widening/Ramona Avenue Extension Project

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Folsom Boulevard Widening/Ramona Avenue Extension Project FOLSOM BOULEVARD WIDENING/RAMONA AVENUE EXTENSION PROJECT SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA EA #928303 Federal Aid No. 5002(068) Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment and Section 4(f) De Minimis Impact Finding Prepared for the State of California Department of Transportation and the City of Sacramento The environmental review, consultation, and any other action required in accordance with applicable Federal laws for this project is being, or has been, carried out by Caltrans under its assumption of responsibility pursuant to 23 USC 327 and 49 USC 303. July 2011 General Information About This Document What’s in this document: The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), as assigned by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is the lead agency for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the City of Sacramento is the lead agency for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The City of Sacramento and Caltrans prepared this Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment (EIR/EA), which examines the potential environmental impacts of the alternatives being considered for the proposed project located in Sacramento County, California. The document tells you why the project is being proposed, what alternatives we have considered for the proposed project, how the existing environment could be affected by the proposed project, the potential impacts of each of the alternatives, and the proposed avoidance, minimization, and/or mitigation measures. What you should do: • Please read the document. • Additional copies of it, and of the technical studies we relied on in preparing it, are available for review at the City, Community Development Department at 300 Richards Boulevard, 3rd Floor, Sacramento, CA, 95811. • Attend the public meeting on August 2, 2011; 10 am to 12:30 am at Power Inn Alliance 5310 Power Inn Road, Suite A Sacramento, CA 95820 • We would like to hear what you think. If you have any comments regarding the proposed project, please attend the public meeting and/or send your written comments to the City by the deadline. • Submit comments via postal mail to either: City of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Attention: Tom Buford 300 Richards Blvd, 3rd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95811 or Caltrans Attention: Laura Walsh 703 B Street, Marysville, CA 95901 • Submit comments via email to: [email protected] or [email protected] • Be sure to submit comments by the deadline: August 29, 2011 What happens next: After comments are received from the public and reviewing agencies, the City of Sacramento’s Community Development Department in partnership with Caltrans, as assigned by the FHWA, may: (1) give environmental approval to the proposed project, (2) do additional environmental studies, or (3) abandon the proposed project. If the proposed project is given environmental approval and funding is appropriated, the City could design and construct all or part of the project. For individuals with sensory disabilities, this document can be made available in Braille, in large print, on audiocassette, or on computer disk. To obtain a copy in one of these alternate formats, please call or write to City, Community Development Department, Attention: Tom Buford at 300 Richards Boulevard, 3rd Floor, Sacramento, CA, 95811; (916) 808-5538 Voice, or use the California Relay Service 1 (800) 735-2929 (TTY), 1 (800) 735-2929 (Voice) or 711. SUMMARY Overview of the Project Area The City of Sacramento (City) in cooperation with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), District 3 proposes to extend Ramona Avenue to Folsom Boulevard and improve Folsom Boulevard from the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) underpass to the United States Highway 50 (U.S. 50) undercrossing. Purpose and Need The purpose of the proposed project is to provide a new roadway connection that links Ramona Avenue to Folsom Boulevard. This new connection would help the surrounding business and education communities meet their development goals with the intended outcome to foster job creation and an educated workforce. The purpose and need is supported by and consistent with the California State University Sacramento (CSUS) Master Plan, previously approved Southeast Area Transportation Study (SEAT [City 1999]) and the City of Sacramento General Plan. The development of land and the layout for the roads, sidewalks, railroad tracks, and light rail station in the vicinity of the project were not built congruently, but sporadically occurring over the last 100 years. These existing conditions set the stage and generated the need for the proposed project. This sporadic land and transportation development along Folsom Boulevard and Ramona Avenue created access constraints to some areas and indirect connections to the roadway network. In particular, the area bordered by Folsom Boulevard and Ramona Avenue lacks a direct roadway connection to CSUS. Adjacent to Folsom Boulevard toward the north is the CSUS campus. Toward the south is Ramona Avenue bordered by businesses and industrial warehouses. The CSUS is a stakeholder in the proposed project because of their future plans to develop a vacant parcel for academic purposes. This parcel on Ramona Avenue was once occupied by the California Youth Authority (CYA). Currently, a road does not exist that directly links the CSUS campus to the business and industrial area along Ramona Avenue. Mobile continuity does not exist because there are missing sidewalks and bicycle lanes, and the absence of a direct connection between the northern area where the college campus is located and the southern area where business industry is located on Ramona Avenue. In addition, the industrial areas south of Folsom Boulevard along Power Inn Road and the commercial areas north of Folsom Boulevard are not directly connected. Cohesion would be improved between the business and education communities if there was a direct route to link these areas. Alternative modes of travel, such as walking or bicycling, cannot be readily achieved because there are missing sidewalks and bicycle lanes. Collectively, these deficiencies created the need for the proposed project. Folsom Boulevard Widening/ v Draft EIR/EA Ramona Avenue Extension Project The proposed project would also provide the following additional benefits: • Minimize delay of emergency access to commercial and residential areas along Ramona and Cucamonga Avenues that currently have only a single access point from Power Inn Road. • Improve vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle circulation as stipulated in the 1999 SEAT and 65th Street Station Area Studies. • Provide a roadway that accommodates the future-planned construction of an additional 679 dwelling units including retail, office space, industrial and public areas and future job opportunities for an estimated 4,500 new employees. These economic and job forecasts are consistent with the City of Sacramento’s 2030 General Plan. • Provide a road that directly connects CSUS future plan to develop the CYA 25 acre parcel that is situated adjacent and parallel to Ramona Avenue by providing the necessary multi-modal circulation between the campus and the future development. Proposed Action The City proposes to widen Folsom Boulevard between U.S. 50 and the UPRR tracks undercrossing to accommodate the newly added intersection where Ramona Avenue ties into Folsom Boulevard. There would be construction staging areas and utility relocation as part of the proposed project. The proposed project would extend Ramona Avenue to connect to Folsom Boulevard and improve the mobility for pedestrians along Ramona Avenue between Brighton Avenue and Cucamonga Avenue. Improvements to Ramona Avenue between Cucamonga Avenue and Brighton Avenue would include widening Ramona Avenue to provide sidewalks with landscaping areas, on-street parallel parking, bike lanes, standard street lighting, and an upgraded drainage system, including a potential detention basin. At the intersection of Brighton Avenue and the proposed Ramona Avenue extension, there are two design options discussed in this document: a three-way-stop- controlled intersection or a roundabout intersection. The proposed improvements would conform to the existing driveways and parking lots. In areas where there are no structures, the roadway would conform to the proposed right-of-way. Joint CEQA/NEPA Document The proposed project is subject to federal, as well as City and state environmental review requirements because the City proposes the use of federal funds administered by the FHWA. Project documentation, therefore, has been prepared in compliance with both the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The City is the project proponent and the lead agency under CEQA. FHWA’s responsibility for environmental review, consultation, and any other action required in accordance with applicable Federal laws for this proposed project is being, or has been, carried out by Caltrans under its assumption of responsibility pursuant to Section 6005 of the Safe Accountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equality Act-A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) codified at 23 USC 327(a)(2)(A). Effective July 1, 2007, FHWA has assigned, and Caltrans has assumed, all the Folsom Boulevard Widening/ vi Draft EIR/EA Ramona Avenue Extension Project United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary’s responsibilities under NEPA. The assignment applies to all projects on the State Highway System
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