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Authorize the Director of Resource Management to execute a Right of Way Agreement with the City of Vacaville for right of way acquisition for the Foothill Drive Safety Improvement Project
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Resource Management recommends that the Board of Supervisors authorize the Director of Resource Management to execute a Right of Way Agreement with the City of Vacaville for right of way acquisition for the Foothill Drive Safety Improvement Project.
SUMMARY:
The Department of Resource Management (Department) been working for several years on funding and design of the Foothill Drive Safety Improvement Project (“Project”). Foothill Drive is a major east-west collector that connects the City of Vacaville to Pleasants Valley Road for vehicles and cyclists (Attachment A - Location Map). The corridor includes two roadway curves which have generated accidents throughout the decades. To enhance safety, the Project will re-align the two curves to meet modern standards, add bike lanes, and upgrade all the signs and striping.
To modify the roadway curvature, the Department needs to acquire 0.83 acres for new public right of way from the adjacent parcel (APN 0125-060-090) owned by the City of Vacaville. A Right of Way Agreement (Attachment B) between the City of Vacaville and Solano County will facilitate this transfer of property and allow a process for the project to begin construction. The City’s Public Works staff have helped facilitate this project with design comments, field reviews, Agreement draft review, and preparation for an item to go before the Vacaville City Council, scheduled for August 27, 2024.
With the Board’s authorization, the Department will work with City staff to execute the Right of Way Agreement, facilitate the transfer of property, pay $23,585 for the land value and City staff costs, and then proceed toward construction.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs for land value and City staff time associated with the transfer and inspection will be paid out of the Road Fund, with no impact to the General Fund. The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the Department’s FY2024/25 Working Budget.
DISCUSSION:
Foothill Drive is designated by the Solano Transportation Authority as a Route of Regional Significance due to its importance as an east-west regional traffic connector outside of the freeway. It becomes a critical reliever route when Interstate 80 in the Vacaville area becomes heavily congested. Foothill Drive was placed in the Public Works Capital Improvement Plan in 2018 after a review of accidents indicated that the corridor required full lane widths and better curve geometry. Past projects that realigned curves to modern geometries have shown a significant reduction in accident quantities and severity. The passage of the SB 1 and new gas tax revenue that followed generated funding for the project.
Foothill Drive is also an important connection for cyclists that ride west of Vacaville. The Department received a $150,000 grant from the Yolo Solano Air Quality Management District to include bike lanes along the route. The project design was then modified to include the bike lanes within full width paved shoulders.
The project has completed CEQA review and considered issues related to public accessibility, emergency services access, water quality/erosion controls, archaeology, vegetation removal, nesting seasons, and tree planting. The Department solicited and received input from the City of Vacaville, Solano Irrigation District, State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Solano Transportation Authority Bicycle Advisory Committee, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, Sonoma State University Archaeology Research Division, and Pleasants Valley residents.
Solano County owns the western portion of Foothill Drive outside of the City of Vacaville. The County previously acquired right of way along the southern boundary of Foothill Drive but needs to acquire additional right of way from the City’s parcel along northern boundary of Foothill Drive to complete the project. The additional right of way will provide the width necessary to realign the curves, add paved shoulders with bike lanes, install a retaining wall, realign communications utilities, and improve drainage. The 0.83-acre portion of land to be transferred, as shown and described in Agreement Exhibits A and B (Attachment C), is an unused area above the City’s storm water basin. City staff have been cooperative in the right of way acquisition process, and have requested the following be included in the transfer:
1) Add a maintenance access improvement to the City parcel, to improve access to their basin parcel.
2) Pay $13,585 for the value of the land being transferred.
3) Pay $10,000 to reimburse the City for staff costs related to the review, inspection, and land transfer process.
Construction is planned to begin in fall of 2024 with completion in spring of 2025. The road will remain accessible during construction, with temporary traffic controls in place for a portion of the work. With the Board’s approval, Department staff will continue to work with City staff to complete the various steps outlined in the Right of Way Agreement.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to authorize the Director of Resource Management to execute the Right of Way Agreement. This is not recommended because the project is necessary to enhance public safety in the corridor and the Department is ready to move into the construction phase.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Staff from Solano Transportation Authority, Yolo Solano Air Quality Management District, and the City of Vacaville have been involved in the development of the MOA funding plan.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION