I-405/AVALON BOULEVARD INTERCHANGE LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA DISTRICT 7 LA 405 (PM 10.8/11.4) EA 233900 Initial Study/Environmental Assessment Prepared by the City of Carson and the State of California Department of Transportation 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 reponsibility pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327. PROPOSED NEGATIVE DECLARATION Pursuant to: Division 13, Public Resources Code Project Description/Location I-405/Avalon Boulevard Interchange Project The City of Carson propooses to improve the configuration of the I-405/Avalon Boulevard interchange in the City of Carson, County of Los Angeles. The interchange is located approximately 1.36 miles southeast of the I-405/Main Street interchange and 0.69 miles northwest of the I-405/Carson Street interchange. The proposed improvements would: (1) realign and improve existing ramps in three of the intersection quadrants; (2) add a new ramp in the fourth (i.e. southeast) quadrant, which would link Lenardo Drive and Avalon Boulevard to the freeway at a widened 213th Street bridge; (3) link the interchange to Lenardo Drive on the adjacent Carson Marketplace site with a bridge over the Torrance Lateral flood control channel; and (4) widen Avalon Boulevard in the northbound direction. Determination This proposed Negative Declaration (ND) is included to give notice to interested agencies and the public that it is the Department’s intent to adopt an ND for this project. This does not mean that the Department’s decision regarding the project is final. This ND is subject to modification based on comments received by interested agencies and the public. The Department has prepared an Initial Study for this project, and pending public review, expects to determine from this study that the proposed project would not have a significant effect on the environment for the following reasons: The proposed project would have no effect on Farmlands/Timberlands, Community Impacts- Relocations or Mineral Resources. In addition, the proposed project would have no significant effect on: Land Use, Growth, Community Impacts, Community Impacts – Community Character and Cohesion, Community Character – Environmental Justice, Utilities/Emergency Community Services, Traffic & Transportation/Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities, Visual/Aesthetics, Cultural Resources, Hydrology and Floodplain, Water Quality and Storm Water Run-off, Geology/Soils/Seismic Topography, Paleontology, Hazardous Waste Materials, Air Quality, Noise and Vibration, Natural Communities, Wetlands and Other Waters, Plant Species, Animal Species, Threatened and Endangered Species, Invasive Species and Cumulative Impacts. Ronald S. Kosinski Date Deputy District Director District 7 California Department of Transportation TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER 1 – PROPOSED PROJECT ....................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 2 - AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES, AND AVOIDANCE, MINIMIZATION AND/OR MITIGATION MEASURES ............................. 21 2.1 Environmental Topics with No Impact ................................................................... 21 HUMAN ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................... 21 2.2 Land Use ............................................................................................................... 21 2.3 Growth .................................................................................................................. 29 2.4 Community Impacts – Community Character and Cohesion ................................ 33 2.5 Community Impacts – Environmental Justice ....................................................... 34 2.6 Utilities and Emergency/Community Services ...................................................... 38 2.7 Traffic & Transportation/Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities .................................... 43 2.8 Visual/Aesthetics ................................................................................................... 78 2.9 Cultural Resources ............................................................................................... 82 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................................... 87 2.10 Hydrology and Floodplain ..................................................................................... 87 2.11 Water Quality and Stormwater Runoff .................................................................. 90 2.12 Geology/Soils/Seismic/Topography ...................................................................... 94 2.13 Paleontology ....................................................................................................... 100 2.14 Hazardous Waste Materials ................................................................................ 102 2.15 Air Quality ........................................................................................................... 106 2.16 Noise and Vibration ............................................................................................. 126 BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................... 138 2.17 Natural Communities .......................................................................................... 138 2.18 Wetlands and Other Waters ................................................................................ 141 2.19 Plant Species ...................................................................................................... 143 2.20 Animal Species ................................................................................................... 144 2.21 Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................ 147 2.22 Invasive Species ................................................................................................. 149 2.23 Cumulative Impacts ............................................................................................ 150 CHAPTER 3 - COMMENTS AND COORDINATION ............................................................... 160 CHAPTER 4 - LIST OF PREPARERS ..................................................................................... 161 CHAPTER 5 - DISTRIBUTION LIST ........................................................................................ 163 CHAPTER 6 - REFERENCES .................................................................................................. 166 INTIAL STUDY/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT I-405/Avalon Boulevard Interchange July 2008 Page i TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) APPENDICES Appendix A: CEQA Checklist Appendix B: Resources Evaluated Relative to the Requirements of Section 4 (f) Appendix C: Title VI Policy Statement LIST OF TECHNICAL STUDIES Air Quality Technical Report Geologic - Seismic Foundation Report Hazardous Materials - Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment Report Historic Property Survey Report: Cultural Resources Study of I-405/Avalon Boulevard Interchange Improvement Natural Environment Study/ Biological Resources Technical Report Noise Technical Report Storm Water Data Report Traffic Technical Report INTIALSTUDY/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT I-405/Avalon Boulevard Interchange July 2008 Page ii LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Project Location ............................................................................................................... 2 2 Current Interchange Configuration .................................................................................. 3 3 Proposed Project Improvements ...................................................................................... 9 4 Schematic Ramp Configurations ................................................................................... 11 5 Project Features – Photos 1-4 ....................................................................................... 12 6 Project Features – Photos 5-10 ..................................................................................... 13 7 Conceptual Design for the Lenardo Drive Bridge........................................................... 14 8 Construction Staging ...................................................................................................... 17 9 General Plan Land Use Map .......................................................................................... 23 10 Project Vicinity Map ....................................................................................................... 24 11 Affected Block Groups ................................................................................................... 36 12 Community Facilities and Services ................................................................................ 40 13 Traffic Analysis Study Area and Facilities ...................................................................... 45 14 Existing (2006) Traffic Volumes at Study Intersections .................................................. 46 15 Existing Freeway Traffic Volumes on Freeway Mainline and Ramps ............................ 47 16 Opening Year (2010) - Traffic Projections at Study Intersections - Build Alternative ..... 56 17 Opening Year (2010) - Build Alternative Traffic Projections on Freeway Mainline and Ramps ....................................................................................................................