This project involves widening and modification of the Mathilda Avenue bridge at Evelyn Avenue and the Caltrain tracks to address deficiencies identified by Caltrans. Caltrans inspects bridges statewide on a bi-annual basis and identifies structural and functional deficiencies. The current bridge design does not meet bridge pier clearance standards, deceleration lane design standards ("gore point"), shoulder width standards, and bridge railing standards. These deficiencies create potential hazards to the public, and present a potential liability issue for the City.

City staff have successfully secured federal funds (80%/20% local match) for removing the deficiencies and improving traffic circulation on the bridge. As part of the proposed bridge improvement, staff recognized the added benefit of reconfiguring the off ramp to Evelyn Avenue to allow full access to Evelyn from southbound Mathilda Avenue. This improvement can service the anticipated increase in traffic from southbound Mathilda Avenue to downtown Sunnyvale. At this time, several design options have been explored and staff is refining design concepts.

At the request of the City Council, this agenda item is to allow public comment on the proposed project during the preliminary engineering stage. In addition to this opportunity, staff has and continues to actively engage stakeholders in the project, including the Downtown Stakeholders Advisory Committee, the Charles Street neighborhood association, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

Staff recommends that the City Council elicit public input on the proposed project.

Land Use and Transportation Element C3, Attain a transportation system that is effective, safe, pleasant and convenient.

Land Use and Transportation Element C3.4, Maintain roadways and traffic control devices in good operating condition.

Land Use and Transportation Element C3.1.4, Study and implement physical and operational improvements to optimize roadway and intersection capacities.

Land Use and Transportation Element N1.5, Support a roadway system that protects internal residential areas from City-wide and regional traffic.

Land Use and Transportation Element C3.5, Support a variety of transportation modes.

The Department of Public Works is pursuing a capital project for the rehabilitation of the Mathilda Avenue overpass structure at Evelyn Avenue. The structure is a primary arterial street that spans over two Caltrain tracks and Evelyn Avenue. There are also two connector ramps to and from Evelyn Avenue, which also span over the Caltrain tracks. The existing bridge was built in 1965 and underwent seismic retrofits in 1981 and in 1993. According to the latest Caltrans bridge inspection report done in April 2000, the bridge was evaluated with a Sufficiency Rating of 79.7, and was found to be "functionally obsolete". The bridge is also on the Federal Highway Administration’s Eligible Bridge List (EBL).

The City Council considered informational reports on the project proposal and staff’s intent to pursue bridge rehabilitation funding at its December 19, 2000 and April 30, 2002 meetings. Council also received a project update at a October 16, 2001 study session. A field review meeting was held with Caltrans staff to review the project concept in detail, observe site conditions, and firm up the scope of preliminary engineering. Staff has subsequently secured funding for preliminary engineering through the Federally funded Highway Bridge Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (HBRR) program, and a funding commitment is in place for construction funding. Staff, working with a design consultant, has also continued to refine design concepts and identify design issues.

The low Sufficiency Rating of this structure is primarily due to serviceability and functional obsolescence and also its safety reduction factor. The structure is currently striped for six lanes, three in each direction, with no median shoulders and no outside shoulders. The existing lane configuration and merge lanes are not sufficient to handle the average daily traffic demand (47,500), and the bridge curb to curb width is less than the minimum required for 6-lane traffic. In addition there is no protective barrier for the westerly most bridge column at the westbound left turn lane on Evelyn Avenue. The structure also has key safety deficiencies, such as insufficient barrier rails and inadequate transition railings on the main overpass structure, and inadequate barrier transition ("gore point") at the westbound Evelyn off ramp structure.

Staff has done an evaluation of the functional performance of the structure and has recommended improvements in order to bring the structure to the minimum required performance level and remove the bridge from the EBL. Conceptual layouts of improvement proposals, and preliminary cost estimates have also been prepared.

In summary, the scope of work for the rehabilitation of this bridge centers on the following:

• Structure widening to improve the inadequate deck width, widen shoulder widths and create bicycle space.
• Eliminate a gore point and improve deceleration for the off ramp.
• Provide proper column clearance from Evelyn Avenue.
• Upgrade barrier rails.
• Upgrade pedestrian accomodations.

As part of the gore point improvement, the Evelyn Avenue offramp will be reconstructed south of Evelyn Avenue to provide full access to both directions of Evelyn Avenue. Staff identified this reconfiguration as a means to improve access to downtown Sunnyvale, and to address anticipated capacity deficiencies at the southbound Mathilda to eastbound Washington Avenue intersection at the time of completion of approved downtown development.

City staff are continuing to work with Caltrans. Alternatives have been refined with the current cost estimate holding at $14.4 million. The reduced cost still exceeds the maximum federal contribution of $ 10 million. Caltrans has given direction that design should proceed prior to applying for a high cost project. The current schedule calls for design to be completed in December 2003, and submittal of the high cost project application in February, 2004. A review with staff of Caltrans and Federal Highway Administration HBRR Program administrators occurred July 31, 2002 and confirmed this schedule and approach.

Primary project design issues identified to date are right of way acquisition/tree removal, Charles Street neighborhood compatibility, and bicycle and pedestrian access. These issues and the current staff direction are summarized below.

At the October 16, 2001 study session staff presented two slightly differing alternatives with respect to location of the northern bridge ramp. At this time staff has determined that an alternative that widens the bridge ramp on the west side of the bridge and maintains access to residential property northeast of the bridge is preferred to acquiring residential property. The project concept at this time assumes that temporary construction easements would potentially be acquired to the east and west of the north end of the bridge to accommodate a construction zone. Under this configuration, the final alignment of the bridge will likely necessitate tree removal of a row of pine and redwood trees on the west side. Up to 56 trees would need to be removed. Staff believes that the trade off between tree removal versus the impacts and cost of residential property acquisition and displacement of residents warrants support for the alternative that widens the west side of the bridge. Staff would include replacement trees in the project design as feasible, and believes that additional landscape enhancement opportunities in the general project vicinity could be considered to mitigate the loss of trees. No other trees, including trees located between the bridge structure and Mathilda Place near the Mozart site, are anticipated to be affected by the project.

Charles Street neighborhood issues include sound mitigation, aesthetics, and neighborhood access. A soundwall or other sound mitigation will be considered to create a buffer between the structure and residences. A detailed sound study will be required as part of the environmental clearance for the project. A neighborhood meeting was held on June 26, 2002 with the Charles Street neighborhood association, at which staff presented design alternatives for the configuration of the southbound Mathilda to Evelyn offramp at Charles Street. Three detailed design concepts were presented (Attachment 1) featuring retention of full access to Evelyn from Charles Street, one way (southbound) access to Charles Street, and full closure of Charles Street at Evelyn. Residents in attendance unanimously favored full closure of Charles Street. With this input, staff recommends moving forward assuming this configuration.

Also at the neighborhood meeting, concern was expressed about the aesthetics of the new loop ramp from Charles Street. In response, staff will consider upgraded surface treatments of the ramp and landscaping.

Upgrading and reconfiguration of pedestrian access, and improvement of bicycling conditions on Mathilda Avenue have also been identified as issues by the public and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) is being actively consulted on the project. The BPAC has considered this item in at it’s April, 2001 and July, 2002 meetings and will consider design concept alternatives at it’s August, 2002 meeting. Overall, the currently proposed project concept improves bicycle and pedestrian access by upgrading the overcrossing structure to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards, segregating pedestrian paths from Mathilda Avenue traffic, and providing shoulder space on Mathilda Avenue for bicyclists. Staff, at the request of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, is also investigating the potential for replacement of the overpass configuration with a pedestrian undercrossing. Cost information from a similar project currently nearing final design at the Lawrence Caltrain station places the cost of an underpass in the $ 8.5 million to $ 10 million range, while the estimated cost of reconstructing the existing overpass configuration is approximately $ 600,000 to $ 700,000. Caltrans and FHWA have indicated that the full cost of a pedestrian underpass as an alternative to reconstruction of the existing overpass would not be eligible for HBRR funding, as it does not meet the intent of the HBRR program. The lower cost effectiveness also would significantly reduce the competitiveness of the City’s project against other projects statewide. However, the offsetting cost of not reconstructing the overpass could potentially be applied to a pedestrian underpass if the City were to secure other funding for an underpass.

At the July 16, 2002 meeting of the BPAC, the BPAC voted to support the Mathilda Avenue Bridge Improvement project with the following assumptions:

1. Evelyn Avenue becomes converted to two travel lanes, one two way left turn lane, and bike lanes in both directions to improve access to the Caltrain station (the City has an adopted capital project and a federal air quality grant to complete this project).

2. That a pedestrian walk be installed from California Street to Washington Avenue that meets ADA standards the entire distance.

3. That there be no free right turn lane on Charles Street.

4. That standard width shoulders be provided from California Street to Washington Avenue on Mathilda Avenue.

Staff will continue to work with the BPAC to address issues with bicycle/vehicle merging and overall pedestrian circulation in the area.

The current project schedule calls for retention of environmental consultants in August. Design will proceed over the next year, with design completion anticipated in December, 2003. It is anticipated that Caltrans’ consideration of a high cost project application will take 2-3 months in Winter 2004. Assuming approval of the high cost project application, the current schedule calls for construction beginning in Summer, 2004 and lasting approximately 18 months.

As mentioned above, a number of public outreach opportunities have occurred in the project planning to date, and additional opportunities will occur in the future. The Downtown Stakeholders Advisory Committee considered the project during its deliberations over the Downtown Urban Design Study. The Stakeholders Committee unanimously endorsed the need for the project and recommends its construction. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee considered the project at its April, 2001 and July, 2002 meetings, and will consider the project again at its August, 2002 meeting. Staff has discussed the project with the Charles Street neighborhood association on at least two occasions. The environmental clearance process will also provide additional public comment opportunities on the project.

There is no fiscal impact associated with conducting a public hearing to gather input on the project. The currently estimated project cost is $ 14.44 million. The HBRR program will fund up to 80% of a project’s cost, although Caltrans has indicated that this project could potentially realize a $ 10 million maximum contribution. Assuming that City funds would pay for the local share, the City share would be as much as $ 4.4 million, or approximately 30% of the project cost. Currently, the City budget includes a $ 3,499,300 City local match. Staff is continuing discussions with Caltrans over project funding, and will return to the Council at a later date with a revised project budget once the project scope and outside participation are better defined.

Staff recommends that the City Council conduct a public hearing to gather input on the Mathilda Avenue/Caltrain Bridge Improvement project.

Prepared by:
Jack Witthaus

Transportation and Traffic Manager

Reviewed by:
Marvin A. Rose

Director, Department of Public Works

Approved by:

Robert S. LaSala

City Manager

Attachments:

1. Charles Street design configuration alternatives (.pdf file formats)