CC 2016-11-22_11a Brisco Interchange Temp Closure UpdateMEMORANDUM
TO: CITY COUNCIL
FROM: TERESA MCCLISH, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
BY: NATE STONG, PROJECT ENGINEER, OMNI-MEANS
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF STATUS OF THE BRISCO INTERCHANGE
TEMPORARY CLOSURE
DATE: NOVEMBER 22, 2016
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the City Council provide staff direction regarding the continued
temporary closure of the Brisco Interchange northbound ramps for an additional six-
months.
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
The cost of the test closure was originally estimated to be $100,000. Costs to date are
approximately $110,000. Reopening the northbound ramps at Brisco Road is estimated
to be $12,000. The additional costs can be funded in the project budget. The Brisco
Road-Halcyon Road/U.S. 101 Interchange project is part of the Critical Needs Action
Plan.
BACKGROUND:
The Brisco Road-Halcyon Road/U.S. 101 Interchange project has been underway
since the late 1990s. Currently the project is in the Project Approval and Environmental
Determination (PA&ED) phase with three project alternatives under review: Alternative
1, Alternative 4C Roundabout (RAB), and no-build. Caltrans returned comments on the
project report in June, 2016. On July 26, 2016, the City Council approved and
authorized the Mayor to execute Amendment No. 13 to the Consultant Services
Agreement with Wood Rodgers, Inc. for the Brisco Interchange Project to prepare a
noise study to support Alternative 1. The Draft Project Report has been revised to
address Caltrans' comments and will be submitted to Caltrans by the end of
November. It is anticipated that this will enable the draft environmental documents to
be circulated for public review at the end of the year or in January 2017.
Alternative 1 includes the following improvements:
Closes the northbound on and off-ramps at Brisco Road and US 101
Completes intersection improvements at Camino Mercado and US 101
Completes intersection improvements at Grand Ave and US 101
Completes bridge widening on Grand Ave
Item 11.a. - Page 1
CITY COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF STATUS REPORT FOR THE BRISCO INTERCHANGE
TEMPORARY CLOSURE
NOVEMBER 22, 2016
PAGE 2
Alternative 4C RAB includes the following improvements:
Relocates the northbound ramps at Brisco to West Branch Street at Rodeo
Drive
Completes intersection improvements at Grace Lane and Rodeo Drive
connecting Grace Lane to Rodeo Drive so that continuous vehicle traffic uses
Grace Lane instead of Rodeo Drive.
Completes intersection improvements at Grand Ave and US 101 realigning US
101 southbound on-ramp at Grand Avenue with the existing southbound off-
ramp.
Provides an auxiliary lane on US 101 from Brisco Road to Camino Mercado.
On September 8, 2015, the City Council approved a plan for an extended temporary
closure in order to test the Alternative 1 option. The timeline of activities related to the
ramp closure is as follows:
Date Activity
September 29, 2015 US 101 northbound on and off-ramps at Brisco Road
closed.
October 27, 2015 City Council extends closure termination date from
December 7, 2015 to January 11, 2016.
December 17, 2015 City Council revised the test ramp termination date
until July 11, 2016 to allow additional time for
presentation of the ramp closure study data and
discussion by the community.
February 23, 2016 City Council received the Brisco Ramp Closure
Status Report.
June 13, 2016 Caltrans authorized the Brisco Ramp Closure
extension from July 11, 2016 to December 11, 2016.
Caltrans has indicated the ramps may not remain
closed until the start of construction for the Brisco
Road-Halcyon Road/U.S. 101 Interchange project.
October 13, 2016 City submitted rider application requesting time
extension from December 11, 2016 to June 11, 2017.
ANALYSIS OF ISSUES:
On February 23, 2016, the City Council directed staff to determine the feasibility of
keeping the Brisco on and off-ramps closed until the start of construction of the
preferred alternative for the Brisco Road-Halcyon Road/U.S. 101 Interchange project.
A request to keep the ramps closed until July 11, 2020 was submitted to Caltrans on
May 6, 2016. Caltrans responded to this request on June 13, 2016, granting the
request to keep the ramps closed until December 11, 2016. On June 24, 2016,
Caltrans provided written direction that the ramps may not remain closed indefinitely.
Item 11.a. - Page 2
CITY COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF STATUS REPORT FOR THE BRISCO INTERCHANGE
TEMPORARY CLOSURE
NOVEMBER 22, 2016
PAGE 3
The temporary closure of the ramps at Brisco Road has resulted in a redistribution of
traffic and specifically an increased volume on the northbound off-ramp at E. Grand
Avenue and queuing in the morning peak hours, which at times exceeds available
storage of the ramp. Improvements designed for Alternative 1 are intended to mitigate
this impact as discussed above.
Based on the fact that the closure of the northbound off-ramp has resulted in queuing
at the northbound off-ramp to E. Grand Avenue, staff explored a revised closure plan
that keeps the on-ramp closed and opens the off-ramp. The traffic impact of re-opening
just the northbound off-ramp to Brisco Road has been analyzed and recommendations
for changes in lane channelization and signal timing provided to accommodate this
action. This closure plan may be acceptable to Caltrans as a short-term interim phase;
however, comments to date indicate that it would be considered a "project" and require
additional extensive environmental analysis and documentation. It is likely that this
may significantly delay the project report.
An application requesting a time extension of the temporary closure for an additional
six months (to June 11, 2017) has meanwhile been submitted to Caltrans for approval.
As of the date of this report preparation, the City has not received a formal response to
the request; however, Caltrans has indicated verbally that the permit may be extended
to the requested date. Although the additional time would allow the City and Caltrans
to discuss the options available and determine the most prudent path forward, Caltrans
has determined that the ramps will not be able to remain closed until construction. As
project construction funding is not available for four years, and especially since
Measure J appears not to have passed, opportunities to move the project up are
unlikely.
Should the Council direct staff to reopen both northbound ramps, it is estimated that it
would take approximately four weeks to provide advance notice to the public, facilitate
the coordination with Caltrans signal technicians and the City's contractor to remove
the closure. In this case, the permit rider would allow for the additional time needed
and the ramps would likely open by mid-December.
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are provided for the Council’s consideration:
Direct staff to continue full closure until June 11, 2017;
Direct staff to notify the public and re-open both northbound ramps; or
Provide alternate direction to staff.
ADVANTAGES:
Leaving the ramps closed maintains the improved traffic operations on Brisco Road
between El Camino Real and W. Branch Street, as compared to the pre-closure
condition.
Item 11.a. - Page 3
CITY COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF STATUS REPORT FOR THE BRISCO INTERCHANGE
TEMPORARY CLOSURE
NOVEMBER 22, 2016
PAGE 4
Caltrans has stated that closure of the ramps on a long-term basis (until construction of
the Brisco Road Interchange project) is unacceptable without additional environmental
review. The time extension would allow for further analysis and review of the
alternatives by Caltrans and the City.
DISADVANTAGES:
Traffic volumes at adjacent northbound US 101 ramps have increased as a result of
the closure, for example at the northbound off-ramp to E. Grand Avenue where
queuing has been observed to exceed available storage, and at the Camino Mercado /
northbound US 101 ramps intersection. Impacts associated with increased volumes at
these intersections are intended to be mitigated with improvements as described earlier
in this report for Alternative 1. However, these improvements are not currently in place,
and therefore queuing is expected to remain an issue for the temporary closure.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
This project is subject to both the California Environmental Review Act (CEQA) and
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The City is the lead agency for CEQA and
an Initial Study Mitigated Negative Declaration has been prepared. Caltrans is the lead
agency for NEPA which will be an Environmental Assessment with Findings of No
Significant Impact.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The Agenda was posted in front of City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance
with Government Code Section 54954.2.
Item 11.a. - Page 4