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Home My WebLink AboutPW Freitas Pkwy. Interchange ReportCITY OF SAN RAFAEL Department of Public Works AGENDA ITEM NO: 13 MEETING DATE: September 18, 1995 REPORT O MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL SUBJECT: Rep on reitas P ay / US 101 Interchange Improvements J SUBMITTED BY: '�/! APPROVED BY: (Ate Director of Public Works (AJP) City Manager File Ref: 05.01.45 Recommendation .07.02.32 1 recommend the City Council accept the Summary Report on Freitas Parkway / US 101 Interchange Improvements developed by the Resource Advisory Group Background On November 21, 1994 the City Council approved the formation of a Resource Advisory Group to study subject interchange and report back with their consensus recommendation. The Resource Advisory Group involved all stakeholders in the development of the alternative design concepts, including members from the community, businesses, public transit providers and City representatives. CH2M Hill was retained to facilitate the study process and provide technical assistance to the Resource Advisory Group. Following is a list of team members: NAME AFFILIATION Bob Bonebrake Marin Lagoon Homeowners Association Hermaine Boyadjian Terra Linda Homeowners Association Shirley Fisher North San Rafael Coalition of Residents Jeanne Mann Quail Hill Homeowners Association Matt Denko Autodesk Peter Galli Northgate Mall Bob Holmes Marin Association of Realtors Art Brook County of Marin - Public Works Paul Cohen City Councilmember Jean Hasser City of San Rafael - Planning Nader Mansourian City of San Rafael Fife No. .... 2-51x..1 Council Meeting ._------ q_ _j_8„�,, Disoosition A Andy Preston City of San Rafael - Public Works Jerry Champa Caltrans - Headquarters Geometrician Katie Yim Caltrans - District 4 Alan Zahradnik Golden Gate Transit Summary The Resource Advisory Group met five times during the course of this study. The first work task was to identify issues and concerns. These issues and concerns involved topics of safety, capacity, pedestrian, cost, aesthetics and scheduling. Then a goal was established based on the issues. The Group developed the following study goal: To modify the interchange/ intersection to cost-effectively accommodate vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians by: • providing adequate capacity without adversely affecting other streets and highways • improving safety • providing acceptable access • minimizing confusion The next three meetings were used to develop the alternatives and come up with a consensus recommendation. Many alternatives were developed given both the constraints from existing physical conditions and those from conventional engineering design standards. Alternatives were eliminated based upon the criteria developed by the Group. A preferred concept emerged and was refined to become recommended concept CLE. Concept CLE meets the goals established and appears to be a workable solution to the immediate area's traffic concerns. The estimated cost of construction is approximately $5,000,000, not including design, mitigation, or construction management costs. Currently, funds available in the Northgate Traffic Mitigation Fund are not sufficient to construct this project. The process for building concept CLE would involve Caltrans oversight and would take approximately five years. A detailed Summary Report is included in the Council's package and a copy is available for public review in the Department of Public Works, Engineering Division. A detailed presentation by CH2M Hill will be made at the Council meeting on the preferred concept. STATE W CALIFORNIA— ALISR053. TRANS"IATXW AND HOWING AG6NCT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION BOX 2366fl OAKLAND, CA 946234660 (310) 28614" TDD (310) 286.4434 Mr. David M. Bernardi Director of Public Works City of San Rafael 1400 Fifth Avenue P. O. Box 151560 San Rafael, CA 94915-1560 Attention: Mr. Andrew Preston Dear Mr. Bernardi: ADDENDUM TO SRCC #13 (9/18/95) om "Wo". ciftwnw September 15, 1995 Rost -It- brand fax transmittal memo 7'6Tt I • at was I - CAL D8PL U F*x1-fYS74-9-<-;-SW Fox" (,,-).-4,6-6,-,1 Thank you for providing the opportunity for Caltrans to participate in the Community Advisory Group Study to develop the locally sponsored Route 101/Freitas Parkway Interchange Reconstruction Project in the City of San Rafael. During the past six months, five Advisory Group meetings were held with representatives from the City, Caltrans, Marin County, GGBH&TD and local business, and residents. A conceptual alternative, Concept CLE, was identified and will be presented to the City Council on September 18, 1995 for approval. While Caltrans agrees with and supports the proposed project concept, there are several unresolved issues which will require further study when the project proceeds beyond the conceptual stage. I have defined these issues as follows and suggest that they be brought to the attention of the City Council when the preferred conceptual alternative is presented for their approval: 0 Draft stage construction plans were discussed during the study, including a proposal to close the existing northbound loop on-ramp at the Interchange for approximately 9 months to one year. The closure of the northbound loop on-ramp will have adverse impacts on traffic in the area. It was recommended by the Advisory Group that the northbound loop on-ramp to Route 101 remain open during construction and Caltrans supports that recommendation. • During the course of the study, an issue related to the necessity to widen the existing Freitas Parkway Overcrossing structure to accommodate future traffic volume and current design standards was raised several dines. While the study consultant believed that no widening of the structure would be necessary, this is to inform the City that the cost of the proposed project concept will be increased if widening of this structure is required to provide shoulders for bicyclists and proper turning movements for vehicular traffic at the proposed Redwood Parkway intersection. In addition to the issues previously identified by the Advisory Group, Caltrans is concerned that removal of the new northbound Redwood Parkway on- ramp to Route 101 at this interchange (currently being constructed with the Merrydale over -crossing project) as pi o osed by Concept CLE will convey a "bad planning' perception to the general public. We recommend that a traffic Mr. David Bernardi September 15, 1995 Page 2 operational analysis be conducted of the Route 101/Freitas Parkway Interchange after the ongoing Merrydale Overcrossing project construction is completed to determine the actual need for the proposed reconstruction project. Since the schedule for the proposed reconstruction project is unknown to us at this time, it is also recommended that the City investigate at the appropriate time the possible requirement to reimburse federal funding for the new Redwood Parkway northbound on-ramp costs. We are concerned that the ramp may be removed within a time frame that is not acceptable to FHWA after it is constructed. • When the City is ready to proceed with the environmental studies for this conceptual proposal, Caltrans will provide the necessary oversight with regard to the environmental studies. Although the scope of the conceptual study was to identify one conceptual alternative, Caltrans again suggests that a minimum of two alternatives besides the "No Build" be evaluated during the environmental studies. In addition, a variation to the proposed relocation of the Redwood parkway intersection with Frcitas Parkway is to have this intersection be located directly opposite the proposed intersection of the northbound on and off -ramps. This variation may reduce environmental effects and provide better traffic operational improvements. This intersection will have to be designed, signalized and operated to avoid traffic queuing onto the freeway or blocking the bus stop exit. We look forward to continue to work with the City in the development and design of the Route 101/Freitas Parkway Interchange Reconstruction Project. Again, thank you for the opportunity to provide input into your conceptual study. If you have any questions, please call me at (510) 286-4455. Sincerely, JOE BROWNE District Director B3' AV- KATIE K. W. YlM District Branch Chief Design North Counties cr. Brian -O'Halloran - CH2M Frill 71OR7W SAI2 RA9AEd e0Ad77`I0?Z 09 JR5S7DVrS A &0~W194 ovaac�&� �n S"WkIla vier" "d 7V "M4&0* P 0. Vax 6642 S" Ra#d ea&Amv4z 94903-0642 September 11, 1995 San Rafael City Council 1400 Fifth Street, P.O. Box 151560 San Rafael, CA 94915-1560 Re: Freitas Parkway Interchange Improvements Dear Council Members: The North San Rafael Coalition of Residents Steering Committee supports the Freitas Interchange alternative recommended by the community Advisory Group and encourages you to give high priority to funding and construction of these improvements. This alternative provides a long term solution which answers community concerns for maintaining access to Redwood Highway and Civic Center Drive, decreasing driver confusion, improving safety, and maintaining reasonable traffic flow at peak hours. As you know, several recent traffic studies concluded that the Merrydale Overcrossing Project and new northbound onramp, currently under construction, do not alleviate the dangerous conditions at the Freitas interchange and will not accomodate traffic from existing and future development in this area. The northern San Rafael community was encouraged by the City Council's commitment in 1990 to signalizing the Freitas interchange, as part of the Merrydale Overcrossing Project approval, and by the subsequent efforts by the City and consultants at CH2MHi11 to develop a viable design for improving this complex intersection. The Coalition would particularly like to thank the City for appointing the community Advisory Committee, which over the last 6 months has worked with the City, CH2MHi11, and Caltrans to study this problem in depth and develop a proposal to satisfy conflicting concerns. The process of defining goals and criteria, brainstorming alternatives, and evaluating alternatives according to the shared goals was ably facilitated by CH2MHi11 and led to a spirit of constructive cooperation among the various representatives on the Committee. STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS MEMBERS AT LARGE CASA MARIN -DOROTHY MC CARTHY QUAIL HILL - RUTH AIRTH SUE BEiTTEL RAY FROST JOHN SHELLENBEROER CONTEMPO MAKIN-DORIS MARTINI SAN RAFAEL MEADOWS -TM FEWELL BONNIE BROWN COLLEEN JOHNSON DOROTHY SKUFCA LUCAS VALLEY -TOM EGAN SANTA VENETIA fA - FRANCES NUNEZ CAROL COLBERT GABRIEL LEHRER FRANK SOLOMON MONT MARIN - KATHERINE MILLER SMITH RANCH HOMES - LEONARD RUBIN CAROL DILLON STAN OTT ERWIN WILLUIMS NORTHBRIDGE - RALPH MEROLA TERRA LINDA - HERMINE BOYADJUM SHIRLEY FISCHER JOHN ROJAS JOHN YATES NORTH NOVA ALBION -CARL ATKINSON VILLA MARIN - FRANCES SPANGLE The clearest conclusion from these efforts is that there is no easy, cheap solution. Each of the thirteen alternatives developed by the Advisory Committee, as well as the designs previously developed by CH2MHi11, has definite benefits and deficiencies. We concur with the Advisory Committee that the recommended alternative (CLE) provides the best long term solution for traffic flow through the Freitas Interchange. We strongly advise the City Council to pursue this long term solution rather than fund temporary improvements that do not remedy safety and congestion issues in the long term. We also support Councilman Cohen's suggestion that the community Advisory Group be utilized in theprocess of refining plans for this project, including funding and timing of the project, construction phasing, and aesthetic concerns. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Sincerely, 7 Shirley Fischer for the North San Rafael Coaliton of Residents