Appendix B Notice of Preparation and Responses Notice of Preparation To: DISTRIBUTION LIST From: Alameda County Transportation State of California Authority Office of Planning and Research 1333 Broadway, Ste. 300 1400 Tenth Street Oakland, CA 94612 Sacramento, CA 95814 Subject: Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report The Alameda County Transportation Authority (ACTA) wil be the Lead Agency and will prepare an environmental impact report (EIR) for the project identified below, pursuant to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). We need to know the views of your agency regarding the scope and content of the environmental information that is germane to your agency's statutory responsibilities in connection with the proposed project. The EIR prepared by our agency is intended to also be used when considering your permit or other approval for the project. Project Title: East West Connector Project The East West Connector Project (proposed project) is located within cities of Fremont and Union City in southern Alameda County, California. The proposed project would provide a connection between 1-880 on the west and Mission Boulevard (State Route 238) on the east (Figure 1). This connection would be accomplished through a combination of constructing a new roadway segment and widening two existing roadways. The entire project alignment would be approximately 2.6 miles long. A more detailed project description, which includes probable environmental effects and required permits/approvals, and a project location map are attached. Public Scoping Meeting: Public scoping meetings (in open house format) wil be held on October 24 and 25, 2007, at the following locations to solicit comments and input on the scope and content of the EIR. 5:30 p.rn to 8:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 24 Thursday, October 25 Kitayama Elementary School Ardenwood Elementary School 1959 Sun sprite Drive 33955 Emilia Lane Union City, CA 94587 Fremont, CA 94555 Submit Comments: Please submit written comments no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 12,2007, to: Arhur 1. Dao, Deputy Director, ACTA 1333 Broadway, Suite 300, Oakland, CA 94612 Email: adao(ractia2022.com, Phone: 510/893-3347, Fax: 510/893-6489 As part of your response, please provide the following information. 1. The agency (or organization) contact person's name, title, address, phone number, and email to which futue correspondence regarding this project should be directed. 2. To the extent possible, the tyes of permits or approvals, which may be required to implement the proposed project, including applicable code sections and discussion of tyical requirements. 3. Concurrence or additional comments regarding the attached summary of significant environmental issues, reasonable alternatives, and mitigation measures that will need to be explored in the EIR for your agency 10 issue needed approvals (State CEQA Guidelines ~i.5 82(bJ(1 (AD. Date: October 11, 2007 Signature: 0 f:k Name/Title: i hur 1. Dao, Deputy Director, ACTA Telephone: 510/893-3347 Reference: California Code of Regulations, Title 14, (State CEQA Guidelines) Sections l5082(a), 15103, 15375. B-1 East West Connector Project Project Description The East-West Connector Project (proposed project) is a 2.6-mile long roadway project between Interstate 880 (1-880) on the west and Mission Boulevard (State Route 238) on the east in south Alameda County, California (Figure 1). The proposed project would improve east-west access by widening two existing roadways (Decoto Road and Paseo Padre Parkway) from 4 lanes to 6 lanes, constructing a new 4-lane roadway segment, and making other improvements along the alignent. The primary project objectives are to reduce local traffic congestion and driving time, and to provide an important east-west link in the transportation network in south Alameda County. The project can be described in three segments: construction of the new roadway segment, widening the existing Paseo Padre Parkway, and widening the existing Decoto Road. Each segment may be constructed concurrently, but each would be able to operate as an independent segment. The new roadway segment would be l.3-mile, four-lane roadway alignent that would extend from the intersection of Mission Boulevard (SR 238) and Appian Way on the east to Paseo Padre Parkway on the west. Construction of the alignent would require grade separation at the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) tracks, with the new roadway depressed below the tracks' grade; crossings of Alameda Creek and the Alameda County Flood Control Channel with concrete, pier-supported girder bridges at three separate locations; realignent of Quarry Lakes Drive to connect to the new roadway; and other intersection improvements. Storm drainage improvements discharging to Alameda Creek would be constructed concurrently with this segment, including a new trunk line within the south side of the roadway and other features to improve the capacity of the existing system serving southern Union City. The second segment would widen a O.4-mIle segment of Pas eo Padre Parkway, between Decoto Road and the proposed new roadway, from four lanes to six lanes. The existing Paseo Padre Parkway/Wyndham DrivelWaugh Place intersection would be signalized, and the median would be landscaped. The third segment would widen a 0.9-mile segment of Deco to Road, between Paseo Padre Parkway and Cabrillo Court, from four lanes to six lanes. The Decoto Road/Brookmil Drive intersection would be signalized and re-configured to provide dedicated turn-lanes. B-2 Probable Environmental Effects The proposed project would likely result in environmental impacts for the following issue areas. Aesthetics . Air Quality . Biological Resources . Cultural Resources . Geology and Soils . Hydrology and Water Quality . Land Use and Planning . Noise . Transportation/Traffic . Public Services and Utilities Probable Permits and Approvals Required The proposed project may require permits and/or approvals from the following federal, state and local agencies, and/or private entities. U.S. Ary Corps of Engineers . U.S. Fish and Wildlife . National Marine Fisheries Service . California Dept. of Transportation . California Dept. of Fish and Game . Regional Water Quality Control Board . Alameda County Flood Control District . Cities of Fremont and Union City . Bay Area Rapid Transit . Union Pacific Railroad B-3 Santa Rosa 128 128 Dixon 80 12 113 Vacaville Rohnert Park 29 121 Napa Sonoma Fairfield Petaluma 80 Suisun 12 116 City Rio Vista Is 101 37 Vallejo 680 1 Novato Benicia 160 Bay Pointe 4 Bethe Pittsburg Martinez Antioch Richmond Concord Mill Valley 24 Walnut Creek 4 Berkeley Oakland Danville San Francisco 680 San Ramon San Leandro 580 Livermore Hayward Project Location Pacifica 238 92 2484 1 Union City Fremont San Mateo 0 10 2484 880 Redwood City miles Palo Alto Milpitas 35 280 Cupertino Saratoga San Jose Los Gatos 35 101 1 00703.07 NOP (09-07) Figure 1 Project Location B-4 EAST WEST CONNECTOR PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT Notice of Preparation Distribution List October 12, 2007 Alameda County Board of Supervisors County of Santa Clara Dept. of Planning and Development County of Alameda Board of 70 West Hedding Street Supervisors East Wing, 7th Floor 1221 Oak Street, #536 San Jose CA 95110 Oakland, CA 94612 City of Hayward Planning Department City Planning Commissions 777 B Street Hayward CA 94541 City of Fremont Planning Commission 39550 Liberty Street City of Newark Fremont, CA 94538 Planning Division 37101 Newark Boulevard City of Union City Planning Commission Newark CA 94560 34009 Alvarado-Niles Road Union City CA 94587 City of San Leandro Community Development Department Planning Services Division Alameda County 835 East 14th Street San Leandro CA 94577 Alameda County Planning Department 224 W. Winton, Room 111 City of Union City Hayward, CA 94544 Public Works Administration 34009 Alvarado-Niles Road Alameda County Flood Control District Union City CA 94587 399 Elmhurst Street Hayward, California 94544-1395 City of Fremont Engineering Division Alameda County Public Works Agency 39550 Liberty Street Development Services Dept. Fremont, CA 94537 399 Elmhurst Street Hayward, California 94544-1395 Schools New Haven Unified School District Bordering Cities and Counties Attn: Patricia Jaurequi 34200 Alvarado Niles Road County of Contra Costa Union City, CA 94587 Public Works Department 255 Glacier Drive Fremont Unified School District Martinez CA 94553 Attn: Gary Leatherman 4210 Technology Drive Fremont, CA 94538 B-5 East West Connector Project - Notice of Preparation Distribution List October 12, 2007 Local Agencies Union Sanitary District 5072 Benson Road Alameda County Water District Union City, CA 94587 Attn: Paul Piraino 43885 S. Grimmer Blvd. Fremont, CA 94538 Native American Groups East Bay Regional Park District Native American Heritage Commission Planning/Stewardship Department 915 Capitol Mall, Room 364 2950 Peralta Oaks Court Sacramento, CA 95814 Oakland, CA 94605 Bay Area Association of Governments State Agencies 101 Eighth St. Oakland CA 94607 State Clearinghouse PO Box 3044 Metropolitan Transportation Comm. Sacramento CA 95812-3044 101 Eighth Street Oakland, California 94607 California Department of Transportation District 4 Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District P.O. Box 23660 Attn: Central Dispatch Oakland CA 94623-0660 1600 Franklin Street Oakland, CA 94612 California Department of Fish and Game Attn: Janice Gan Union City Transit and Paratransit P.O. Box 850 Wilson Lee, Transit Manager Tracy CA 95378 34009 Alvarado-Niles Rd Union City, CA 94587 California Department of Fish and Game Bay Delta Region (3) Altamont Commuter Express 7329 Silverado Trail Attn: Brian Schmidt Napa CA 94558 949 East Channel Street Stockton, CA 95202 San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board Alameda County Congestion 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400 Management Agency Oakland CA 94612 Attn: Beth Walukas 1333 Broadway, Suite 220 Bay Area Air Quality Management Dist. Oakland, CA 94612 Planning Division 939 Ellis Street San Francisco Public Utilities Comm.