Save Niles Canyon

Caltrans held the second Route 84 (Niles Canyon Road) Stakeholder meeting on 27 March 2013 to review their concept for the rebuilding of the Alameda Creek Bridge
over Alameda Creek.  The bridge is currently 2 lanes with no bicycle or pedestrian accommodation and reduced speed limits are posted.  The initial plans for
this rebuilding had been developed prior to the dissolution of their original 3
Phase project plan for widening Niles Canyon Road but had not previously been
presented to the public.

In summary Caltrans developed 4 scenarios for rebuilding the bridge but have
selected one which they see as preferred and according to statements made
during the Stakeholder meeting they would not pursue the other three. At the
time (4/8) of posting this report the visual depictions of the 4 bridge rebuild
scenarios are not available however Caltrans indicated they intended to post
them on their Route 84 Project Webpage.

A key aspect of each of the 4 scenarios for the bridge rebuild was Caltrans
intention to do so in a manner which allowed for a 45 MPH vehicle speed limit.
This aspect drew considerable discussion especially when representatives from
Stakeholder groups suggested Caltrans engineer a scenario which provides for a
lower speed limit- 35 MPH. Such a scenario might also reduce environmental
impact. Caltrans staff explained that they must build to their highway
standards which call for a speed limit consistent with the rest of the road. It
was pointed out that there are other sections of the road where speed limits
are below 45 MPH.

As the meeting closed Caltrans indicated they would accept the suggestion for consideration.

The next Stakeholder meeting will likely be planned for late summer 2013- July or August.

Unofficial meeting notes are posted to this webpage for information.

http://www.wisdomwitch.com/savenilescanyon/?attachment_id=929 – Agenda & Handout

http://www.wisdomwitch.com/savenilescanyon/?attachment_id=934 – Unofficial Mtg Notes

On Wednesday 27 February Caltrans held a Stakeholders meeting as the first step in their Clean Slate approach to implementing safety improvements to Niles Canyon Road. Save Niles Canyon (SNC), along with other Stakeholders attended. The meeting was primarily focused on the process Caltrans intends to follow as they re-group after the 2011 lawsuit stopped their work on the previous Phase 1 safety improvement project. During the meeting Caltrans staff were informative and cordial as they outlined their current plans / thinking on what needs to be done to make the Niles Canyon Road-Route 84 scenic highway safer for vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. Most of the project work outlined by Caltrans staff was drawn from the Road Safety Assessment (RSA) reports issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) based on the review and analysis they conducted in 2012. The material discussed at the Dec 10, 2012 public meeting set the stage for the agenda. The handouts and meeting notes from this meeting are posted for your ready reference. Caltrans has proposed another Stakeholder meeting tentatively for 27 March.

To start the meeting Caltrans listed what they saw as the common themes which came from the 10 December 2012 meeting and subsequent public comments on the FHA’s RSA reports. SNC was one of 12 groups which sent an 11 page letter of comments to Caltrans on the RSA reports. Alameda Creek Alliance spearheaded that letter. For example there was public concern expressed about any additional tree removal and members of the public felt that more effort should be given to traffic calming measures in conjunction with speed management /enforcement.

Caltrans staff then outlines the four part process they intend to follow.

The first step is to initiate five short term Countermeasures to improve safety. These five measures require no environmental review, require no special budget allocations and were agreed upon by all the Stakeholder representatives who attended the meeting. An example is to eliminate the passing zones adjacent to low-speed curves.

Second Caltrans will propose a three part project which will include specific solutions at two locations which are viewed as needing safety upgrades. In particular the Rosewarnes Union Pacific (UP) Bridge and the Farwell UP Bridge / Palomares Road will be addressed. The modifications to these locations along the canyon road were identified in the FHA RSA reports as medium-term countermeasures for safety improvement. In addition the project package will include a proposal to use steel-mesh netting on steep slope areas to prevent rockslides.

Third Caltrans will propose a five part project package which will be a mix of short and medium term countermeasures. Among the steps in this package is a proposal to remove fixed objects adjacent to the canyon road. A large number of trees are identified as fixed objects. Caltrans stated that they want public review and comment on any tree removal proposal and the stakeholder representatives agreed with that thinking. This package will include intersection improvements at the Route 84/Pleasanton/Sunol Road intersection. When this was discussed the Sunol representative asked for some more immediate relief from commuter cut through in their town and Caltrans indicated they would arrange to visit Sunol sooner and meet with the community to discuss the possibilities.

Fourth Caltrans will propose replacement of the Alameda Creek Bridge. This step was an element in the now defunct three part Route 84 Safety upgrade however Caltrans ideas for the replacement were not previously publicized for comment.

The second, third and fourth steps will require Caltrans to meet California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements.

Caltrans stated that they intend to monitor the improvements made in step one before implementing the next three steps. When asked they stated their monitoring period would not exceed three years however upon further questions by Stakeholders they indicated they are flexible on the monitoring time period and it can be longer. Stakeholders suggested a 5 year minimum.

Next steps- Caltrans asked if the stakeholder representatives could attend another meeting in a month so that a presentation on the Alameda Creek Bridge replacement could be made. As noted the plans for the bridge replacement (project four above) were being worked on at the time the Caltrans agreed to settle the lawsuit and cease their road widening activities therefore public comment was not obtained. The stakeholder representatives agreed to tentatively meet on March 27 with Caltrans about the bridge replacement matter but this meeting would not be a substitute for full CEQA review.

Caltrans anticipates the next Stakeholder meeting to discuss the second and third projects to occur during the summer of 2013.

Posted to this webpage are the handouts from the 27 February meeting and Notes Prepared by Mike Dubinsky who attended on behalf of the Save Niles Canyon Group

The handouts are:

• Caltrans Agenda, Countermeasures listing, Canyon Map and list of Stakeholder representatives
• List of Stakeholder Representatives who attended the 27 Feb meeting
• Public comments on the FHA Road Safety Assessment reports- 1 Jan 2013 Letter from Coalition of Groups alligned with Alameda Creek Alliance
• Notes prepared by Mike Dubinsky who attended the 27 Feb Meeting on behalf of SNC

About 100 citizens, A Fremont City Council member and representatives from several legislators’ offices attended the December 10, 2012 meeting arranged by
Caltrans to obtain initial public input on the Report of the Federal Highway
Administration and the Final Quantitative Road Safety Analysis Study Report concerning
safety on Niles Canyon Road (NCR) between Niles and Sunol.  The official titles of the reports are:
1.Road Safety Assessment (RSA), SR84 – Niles Canyon Corridor Alameda Co., California,
May 2012. (40 pages) It was prepared by the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) at the request of Caltrans.

2.Final Quantitative Road Safety Analysis Study Report- An Integrated Value Analysis (VA)/Road Safety Review Process, SR 84 – Niles Canyon Road Corridor, August 2012. (222 pages) It was prepared by an outside consultant group under contract to Caltrans.

Both of these reports along with other current materials pertinent to the ongoing
Caltrans review of safety in the Niles Canyon Road Corridor can be found at Caltrans’ webpage.   http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist4/nilescanyon/

The meeting was moderated by Ron Kiaana, the Caltrans Project Manager for the SR-84
Niles Canyon Safety Improvements Project. A copy of the PP presentation used by Mr. Kianna is posted at the listed webpage.  Besides a brief review of the history of the project, especially for the last two years, Mr. Kianna made the following points.

• Caltrans was operating from a clean slate. The previous three phase set of project plans were set aside
• Caltrans intended to work with residents and local jurisdictions every step of the way in a transparent manner.
• The RSA & VA reports list several levels of safety improvements which can be pursued in a phased manner.

A significant portion of the meeting was allocated to the attendees to voice
their views on the two reports. Residents from Fremont/Niles, Sunol, Union
City, The Sunol Citizens Advisory Committee, Save Niles Canyon, Citizen’s Committee
to Complete the Refuge, Save our Sunol, LEAF and the Alameda Creek Alliance
presented comments. Three central themes emerged from the attendee’s comments:
a) the reports identified specific locations along the NCR which could benefit
from some safety upgrades; b) Caltrans should initially consider applying a
number of appropriate safety upgrade suggestions, i.e. least disruptive and
most economical, from the 2 reports (the Short Term Improvement Measures); and
c) Caltrans needs to monitor the impact of the appropriate short term measures
over time, e.g. ten years, before considering additional more complex fixes.

In summary the meeting was viewed as positive by those in attendance however a lingering concern remains given the past attitude and approach used by
Caltrans.  This lingering concern was highlighted when a Niles resident asked Caltrans if one of their short term improvement measures- Relocate select
fixed objects immediately adjacent to roadway- included cutting down trees.
Caltrans responded that it did but only trees within a short distance of the
roadway.  However Caltrans (Ron Kiaana) promised to discuss all such steps with the public prior to taking any action.

A very complete news report on the meeting can be found in the Fremont Bulletin of December 28, 2012 http://www.mercurynews.com/fremont/ci_22274242/caltrans-proposes-improvements-niles-canyon-road

Caltrans has indicated that they will continue to accept public comments on the two
reports and the meeting presentation until 15 January 2013.  Therefore
you still have an opportunity to provide input should you wish to do so.

The Alameda Creek Alliance, serving as the lead for a Coalition of 12 organizations
sent a letter to Caltrans on 1 January 2013.  A copy of the letter is posted on
the Alameda Creek Alliance webpage. You can access the ACA webpage uisng the link provided under LINKS. Go to the Niles Canyon topic and click on January 2013 Coalition Letter. You are welcome to reference it in any written comments you make to Caltrans.

The next step will be for Caltrans to coordinate a meeting among stakeholders in
the project for late January or early February 2013. Save Niles Canyon group
sends representatives to stakeholder meetings.

Below is a message sent from Caltrans announcing a special public meeting on Dec 10 at the Fremont Senior Citizen’s Center to hear comments on a Road Safety Assessment (RSA)conducted earlier this year on Niles Canyon Road (NCR) from Niles to Sunol.  This date and place is a change from the original meeting time/place.  As you may recall the Caltrans plans for widening NCR were stopped in late 2011 by a court order. The RSA was conducted by the Federal Highway Administration. You can access additional information at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Niles_Canyon/?prop=eupdate

I encourage you to review the FHA reports (they are lengthy) and attend the meeting on the 10th. It is important for Caltrans to know that the public continues to follow and track the NCR activities, especially those directed at possibly doing harm to the scenic highway.
Mike Dubinsky, Save Niles Canyon Group.
______________________________________________________________________
Text of the 11/26/2012 Caltran’s e mail message to Stakeholders:

______________________________________________________________
UPDATE: The date and location of the public
meeting have been changed.  It will now be held on Monday, December 10 at
7:00 PM at the Fremont Senior Center.
Good Afternoon,

Date: July 30
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Location: Niles Elementary School
Address: 37141 Second Street
Fremont, CA 94536

In response to public concern about planned safety projects in Niles Canyon, Caltrans invited an independent panel of traffic-safety experts from the Federal Highway Administration to perform an independent Road Safety Assessment (RSA). Caltrans is now inviting the public to hear the findings of the RSA for State Route 84 in Niles Canyon on Monday, July 30, 2012, at 6:00 PM at the Niles Elementary School.

The RSA team evaluated State Route 84′s current accident data, traffic patterns, and motorist behaviors to determine if safety improvements are needed. The team will present their findings and give their recommendations at the meeting.

Additionally, a Value Analysis Team developed safety-solution concepts based on the recommendations of the RSA that take into consideration community and stakeholder feedback regarding environmental effects. Members of the Value Analysis Team will also report on their follow-up.

This is a great opportunity for the public to hear the results of the RSA and the Value Analysis studies and to provide feedback on these two studies.

The first draft of the Alameda County Countywide Transportation Plan is now available for public review, and — you guessed it — the SR 84 widening project is still on it.  I strongly encourage all of you to submit comments and let the powers that be know that widening Niles Canyon Road is unacceptable, and you want the project removed from the county’s list.  Please also fill-out the ACTC’s questionnaire, and attend one of the scheduled workshops if you can:

Wednesday October 19th — San Leandro, 6:30-8:30pm

San Leandro Senior Community Center—Main Hall (13909 East 14th Street)

Monday October 24 — Oakland, 6:30-8:30pm

East Oakland Senior Center—Multipurpose Room (9255 Edes Avenue)

Thursday October 27 — Union City, 6:30-8:30pm

Union City Sports Center—Classrooms B & C (31224 Union City Boulevard)

Wednesday November 2 — Dublin, 6:30-8:30pm

Dublin Public Library—Community Room (200 Civic Plaza)

Celebrate the Autumn Equinox and our recent successes in protecting and restoring Alameda Creek!

Join the Alameda Creek Alliance staff, board, members, supporters and friends at its annual membership dinner and silent auction on Sunday, September 25, on the grounds of the scenic Chouinard Winery in Stonybrook Canyon near Sunol.

The afternoon and evening will feature a full catered dinner, live blues music, silent auction, updates on Alameda Creek restoration and the battle to save Niles Canyon, and Chouinard wine for sale by the glass and bottle.

Buy your tickets now! You can buy tickets via PayPal on the ACA’s web site with one easy click. Purchase your tickets by the end of this week and receive two free drink tickets for the evening!

Tickets are $75 per person. Ticket price includes full dinner, dessert and two drink tickets. You can also send a check for advance tickets to: Alameda Creek Alliance, P.O. Box 2626, Niles, CA 94536.

• Enjoy live music featuring traditional blues and boogie-woogie piano by Sid Morris
• Our scrumptious dinner will be provided by Catering By Gilda
• Explore the beautiful Chouinard winery and grounds; sample fine Chouinard wines by the glass or bottle; and raise a toast to our recent successes in restoring Alameda Creek.
• Gordon Becker, Senior Fisheries Scientist with the Center for Ecosystem Management and Restoration, will give a presentation titled Steelhead in San Francisco estuary trib­utaries: Evidence of a successful keystone species approach to conservation.
• Jeff Miller, Founder and Director of the Alameda Creek Alliance, will discuss the recent victory with the Calaveras Dam project which will provide increased stream flows to restore steelhead, the pending fish ladder construction in lower Alameda Creek, and an update on the battle to stop the Caltrans highway widening project in Niles Canyon.
• Bid on fabulous silent auction items including wildlife tours, whitewater rafting trips, nature photography and artwork, and outdoor gear from Patagonia. Please contact Rich Cimino (yellow billed tours [remove the spaces between the words, then add an "at" sign] gmail.com) if you have an item or event to donate for the auction.

Doors will open at 3:30 pm; dinner will be served at 6:00 pm. Hope to see you there! More details coming soon.

There will be one more Caltrans meeting to discuss Phase II — here are the details:

Niles Canyon Elementary School
37141 2nd Street
Fremont, CA 94536
Thursday, August 4, 2011
7 pm – 9 pm

Please remember to email your Phase II comments to nilescanyonprojects@dot.ca.gov by the deadline on 5:00 p.m., Friday, August 5, 2011.  The Alameda Creek Alliance has some great guidance on its website.

Please find below a cut-and-paste from Caltrans’ invitation to its Open House Meetings regarding Phase II.  Don’t forget to submit your comments to NilesCanyonProjects@dot.ca.gov by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 5, 2011.

We are inviting you to attend one of the three meetings listed below to review the original project designs and the proposed changes. You will have an opportunity at the meeting to officially submit your written comments on the project before the comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Report closes on Friday, August 5, 2011.

Sunol Glen School Auditorium
11601 Main Street
Sunol, CA 94586
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
7 pm – 9 pm
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Union City – City Hall
34009 Alvarado-Niles Road
Union City, CA 94587
Thursday, July 28, 2011
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
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Fremont Main Library
2400 Stevenson Boulevard
Fremont, CA 94538
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
7 pm – 9 pm

Individuals who require special accommodation (American Sign Language interpreter, accessible seating, documentation in alternative formats, etc.) are requested to contact the District Public Affairs Office, at 510-286-4444 at least 5 days prior to the scheduled meeting date. TDD users may contact the California Relay Service TDD line at 1-800-735-2929 or Voice Line at 1-800-735-2922.

Sunday, July 17 – Save the date!

Join the Alameda Creek Alliance and Save Niles Canyon at a benefit for our campaign to Save Niles Canyon on Sunday, July 17 beginning at 5 pm.

Enjoy dinner, drinks and a movie at the Silent Film Museum (37417 Niles Blvd.) in Niles. The feature film is the acclaimed documentary River of Renewal, which tells the story of conflict over the resources of California and Oregon’s Klamath Basin and the struggle to restore the Klamath River salmon runs. Producer Steve Most will attend the screening and answer questions after the film.

Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Ticket price includes dinner of salad and lasagna. Doors open at 5 pm, dinner is at 6 pm, film showing is at 7 pm. Come early for complimentary appetizers and beverages and to view and bid on our fabulous silent auction items. Wine will be available by the glass for a small donation.

Jeff Miller, the Executive Director of the Alliance Creek Alliance, and Save Niles Canyon activists will give a brief update on the fight to protect Niles Canyon before the film.

All proceeds will go toward legal efforts to protect Niles Canyon, specifically to fund our lawsuit challenging the Caltrans highway widening project.

Please RSVP to Rich Cimino (yellowbilledtours AT gmail DOT com) by July 13, and state dinner preference – meat or vegetarian. Please contact Rich to donate a silent auction item, trip or vacation getaway!