This page has been intentionally left blank. This page has been intentionally left blank. SCH: PROPOSED MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION Pursuant to: Division 13, Public Resources Code Project Description The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), in cooperation with the Gateway Cities Council of Governments and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 7, proposes to develop and implement an auxiliary lane on Eastbound State Route 91 within a 1.4-mile segment from the southbound Interstate 710 (I-710) interchange connector to eastbound State Route 91, to Cherry Avenue. The Study Area includes Eastbound State Route 91 (Post Miles [PM] R11.8/R13.2) and is located in the City of Long Beach and adjacent to the City of Paramount, California. Determination This proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration is included to give notice to interested agencies and the public that it is Caltrans’ intent to adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for this project. This does not mean that Caltrans’ decision regarding the Project is final. This Mitigated Negative Declaration is subject to change based on comments received by interested agencies and the public. All Project features (including standard practices and specifications) are considered in significance determinations. Caltrans 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 Project would have no effect on aesthetics, agriculture and forest resources, cultural resources, energy, land use and planning, mineral resources, population and housing, recreation, tribal cultural resources, and wildfire. In addition, the proposed Project would have less than significant effects to air quality, biological resources, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, public services, transportation, and utilities and service systems. With incorporation of the mitigation measures identified in Appendix A, the proposed Project would have less than significant effects to noise, and geology and soils. ____________________ ______________________ Ron Kosinski Date Deputy District Director District 7, Division of Environmental Planning California Department of Transportation This page has been intentionally left blank. Table of Contents PROPOSED MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION ............................................................. I LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES .............................................................................................III CHAPTER 1 – PROPOSED PROJECT ..................................................................................... 1 1.1 NEPA Assignment ......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Purpose and Need ......................................................................................................... 7 1.4 Independent Utility and Logical Termini .....................................................................15 1.5 Project Description.......................................................................................................15 1.5.1 Project Alternatives ...........................................................................................16 1.5.2 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Discussion .................24 1.6 Permits and Approvals Needed ...................................................................................26 CHAPTER 2 – AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES, AND AVOIDANCE, MINIMIZATION, AND/OR MITIGATION MEASURES ....................................27 Topics Considered but Determined Not to be Relevant ................................................27 Cumulative Impacts .........................................................................................................30 2.1 Human Environment ....................................................................................................35 2.1.1 Environmental Justice .......................................................................................35 2.1.2 Utilities/Emergency Services ............................................................................39 2.1.3 Traffic and Transportation/Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities .........................41 2.1.4 Visual/Aesthetics ...............................................................................................77 2.1.5 Cultural Resources ............................................................................................88 2.2 Physical Environment ..................................................................................................97 2.2.1 Water Quality and Storm Water Runoff ............................................................97 2.2.2 Geology/Soils/Seismic/Topography ...............................................................104 2.2.3 Paleontology ....................................................................................................108 2.2.4 Hazardous Waste/Materials .............................................................................111 2.2.5 Air Quality ........................................................................................................115 2.2.6 Noise and Vibration .........................................................................................130 2.2.7 Energy ..............................................................................................................155 2.3 Biological Environment .............................................................................................161 2.3.1 Plant Species ...................................................................................................161 2.3.2 Animal Species ................................................................................................163 2.3.3 Invasive Species ..............................................................................................170 Eastbound State Route 91/Atlantic Avenue to Cherry Avenue Auxiliary Lane Improvements Project Initial Study/Environmental Assessment December 2020 i Table of Contents CHAPTER 3 – CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) EVALUATION .... 173 3.1 Determining Significance under CEQA .....................................................................173 3.2 CEQA Environmental Checklist .................................................................................174 3.3 Climate Change ..........................................................................................................212 CHAPTER 4 – COMMENTS AND COORDINATION ..............................................................233 CHAPTER 5 – LIST OF PREPARERS ...................................................................................237 CHAPTER 6 – DISTRIBUTION LIST ......................................................................................241 LIST OF TECHNICAL STUDIES ............................................................................................ 247 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................... 248 APPENDIX A. AVOIDANCE, MINIMIZATION AND/OR MITIGATION SUMMARY APPENDIX B. TITLE VI POLICY STATEMENT APPENDIX C. CONSULTATION LETTERS AND RESPONSES APPENDIX D. SPECIES LISTS Eastbound State Route 91/Atlantic Avenue to Cherry Avenue Auxiliary Lane Improvements Project Initial Study/Environmental Assessment December 2020 ii Table of Contents List of Tables and Figures Tables Table 1: Growth Forecast in the County and SCAG Region ....................................................... 9 Table 2: Traffic Volumes for Existing and Forecast Conditions (No Build Alternative) ................ 9 Table 3: Level of Service Criteria – Freeway and Ramp Segments ...........................................11 Table 4: Level of Service for Existing and Forecast Conditions (No Build Alternative) ...............13 Table 5: Summary of Accident Rates in Project Area (2016-2018) ............................................14 Table 6: Current and Future Projects ........................................................................................31 Table 7: 2017 Minority Populations ...........................................................................................36 Table 8: Median Household Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2017 inflation-adjusted dollars) .37 Table 9: Affected Utilities ..........................................................................................................39 Table 10: Emergency Service Facilities ....................................................................................39 Table 11: Primary Roadways ....................................................................................................42 Table 12: Level of Service for Existing and Forecast Conditions (No Build Alternative) .............45 Table 13: Summary of Accident Rates in Project Area (2016-2018) ..........................................49 Table 14: Predominant Type of Accident Collisions (2016-2018) ..............................................49 Table 15: Primary Collision Factor (2016-2018) ........................................................................50 Table 16: Intersection