REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Adopt a Resolution for the Certification of the Environmental Impact Report, Adoption of the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the Fair Oaks Avenue Overhead Bridge Rehabilitation Project and Approval to Proceed with Project
Report
BACKGROUND
The Fair Oaks Avenue Overhead Bridge (bridge) is located on Fair Oaks Avenue between Kifer Road and Evelyn Avenue. The bridge crosses over Hendy Avenue, railroad tracks owned by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain), and is adjacent to an apartment community. A Location Map is included as Attachment 1.
The bridge was constructed in 1967 and was seismically retrofitted in both 1981 and 1993. Caltrans regularly inspects the bridge, and evaluates structural integrity and functionality. As of May 2013, Caltrans records indicate that the bridge has severe deck cracking and spalling; as well as inadequate sidewalk width, barriers and approach railings. The bridge is considered safe for driving but in need of a substantial rehabilitation.
The Fair Oaks Avenue Overhead Bridge Rehabilitation Project (project) will rehabilitate the bridge to address several identified structural deficiencies and will expand bicycle and pedestrian amenities. The rehabilitated bridge will maintain its current automobile capacity of two travel lanes in each direction, however, the project will widen existing bicycle lanes from 5 feet to 6 feet and will add a sidewalk on the east side of the bridge. Currently, the bridge does not have a sidewalk and pedestrians use the pedestrian overcrossing (POC) structure over the Caltrain tracks. The project proposes to remove the POC, which itself has several inadequacies. The ramps on the POC are too steep to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the southern entry point to the POC can be challenging for pedestrians to locate. The obscurity of the POC and its access points has made the POC an "attractive nuisance" for gr...
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