RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AGENCY - J. GUERTIN

Hold public hearing and adopt resolution to approve a Controlled Access Agreement between the County and Caltrans for a realigned four-lane route corridor for the portion of State Route 25 from 0.1 miles north of San Felipe Road to the Pajaro River.

SBC FILE NUMBER: 105

RESOLUTION NO: 2017-127

PROJECT INFORMATION

BACKGROUND

The State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is planning to widen Highway 25 to a four-lane expressway within a new alignment corridor between San Felipe Road and the U.S. 101 interchange in Santa Clara County. The California Transportation Commission adopted the route alignment on October 19, 2016 with Resolution HRA 16-02. A Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for route adoption was certified on June 6, 2016 and serves as the planning document. The FEIR was limited to the route alignment and did not include construction of the project. The County did provide comments that are included in the FEIR. Section 100.22 of the CA Streets and Highways Code requires the Board of Supervisors to hold a public hearing for the approval of a Controlled Access Highway Agreement.

ANALYSIS

As part of the Highway 25 widening development process, Caltrans is required to adopt a Controlled Access Highway Agreement with San Benito County. The design and new alignment of Highway 25 to four-lanes will modify the current County roads configurations in such a way that controlled access is required. The State has prepared a Controlled Access Agreement and a plan map for the Controlled Access Highway as it affects certain existing County roads (see attached Exhibit A). As reflected in the plan map, certain existing sections of Highway 25 will be reconfigured as frontage roads. Two County roads, Hudner Lane and Grant Line, which currently intersect with SR 25, will no longer have a direction connection. The intersection at Shoreline Road will be reconstructed. A new interchange will be constructed at the Route 156 intersection.

The approval of the Controlled Access Agreement requires that the Board of Supervisors hold a public hearing in accordance with the State Streets and Highways Code. A copy of the draft Controlled Access Highway Agreement as prepared by Caltrans is attached. Staff has reviewed the proposed highway alignment as approved by Caltrans and concurs with the Controlled Access Agreement. The County would be accepting control and maintenance over each of the relocated and reconstructed County roads, frontage roads, and other local roads constructed as part of the project. The design and construction of the new SR 25 alignment will require additional environmental review. 

1. Hold public hearing;

2. Adopt resolution approving a new Controlled Access Agreement between the County and Caltrans for a realigned four-lane route corridor for the portion of State Route 25 from 0.1 miles north of San Felipe Road to the Pajaro River.