HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-06-15 City Council (7)City
City of Palo Alto
Manager’s Report
1
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING
DATE:JUNE 15, 1999 CMR:275:99
SUBJECT: 85/101 INTERCHANGE PROJECT IN MOUNTAIN VIEW
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council endorse the attached Resolution supporting Mountain View’s
request for additional funding for the Route 85/101 interchange project and calling upon the
Santa Clara Board of Supervisors to designate this project as "high priority."
BACKGROUND
The Route 85/101 interchange in Mountain View is an important transportation facility for
many commuters who work in Palo Alto. The accident rate at this location is 40 percent
higher than statewide averages and traffic congestion at this location continues to worsen.
The Route 85/101 interchange project was included in the Measures A and B sales tax
program approved by Santa Clara County voters in 1996. The project itself is a complex of
four interchange improvements, including: the transition between North Route 85 and
Highway 101, Shoreline Boulevard and Highway 101, Moffett Boulevard and Highway 101,
and Old Middlefield Way and Highway 101. These interchanges are both highly congested
and dangerous, as negotiating them requires many confusing and conflicting vehicle
movements.
DISCUSSION
The estimated cost of the project at the time of the Measure A and B vote in 1996 was $60
million. Since then, escalation in land and construction costs has occurred and Caltrans has
required that a $20 million High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)-only connector between Ronte
85 and Highway 101 be added to the project and funded out of project funds. The estimated
project cost is now $115 million. The HOV connector could, however, be funded at a
subsequent time out of Surface Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) funds rather
than imposed as a cost increase to the original 85/101 Interchange Project. The City of
Mountain View has made efforts to obtain property dedications to reduce right-of-way costs.
The current design has consensus support from Mountain View, Caltrans, and the Santa
Clara Valley Transportation Authority.
Consultants to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors have drafted a Base Case Plan
to allocate revenues from Measures A and B and schedule projects. This draft Plan contains
a recommended budget of $95 million for the Highway 10 l/Route 85 Interchange Project.
This assumes deferral of the HOV connector, additional design review to ensure cost
CMR:275:99 Page 1 of 2
containment, and potential leveraging of other funds to cover any shortfalls that may occur
up to the time of project initiation. The Board of Supervisors will formally adopt a Base Case
Plan on June 29, including project list priority-setting.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Council may wish to not endorse the attached Resolution and, thus, not formally intervene
in the Measure A and B priority-setting process.
RESOURCE IMPACT
No City funds are involved.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Support for the Route 85/Highway 101 interchange project would be an expression of sub-
regional cooperation that could enhance further collaboration with Mountain View and other
nearby communities. This is the only North County project on the Measures A and B list,
even. though a significant portion of sales tax revenue is generated in North County
communities. Due to its proximity to Palo Alto employment sites, the 85/101 interchange is
an important facility for many commuters into the Palo Alto community and to their
employers. Council’s action would signal concern that adequate resources should be
allocated to North County transportation needs.
TIMELINE
The Board of Supervisors meets on June 29 to prioritize projects in the Measure A and B
draft Base Case Implementation Plan, and formally adopt the Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
An Environmental Impact Report will be required for this project.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Resolution regarding the Ronte 85/101 interchange project in Mountain View
PREPARED BY: Joseph Kott, Chief Transportation Official
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
CITY MANAGER APPROVALS---
Go
Director of Planning and
Community Environment
i
HARRISON
Assistant City Manager
cc:Mike Evanhoe, VTA Congestion Management Program
City of Mountain View
CMR:275:99 Page 2 of 2
RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO
REQUESTING THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS TO DESIGNATE THE NORTH ROUTE
85/HIGHWAY i01 INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AS
~HIGH PRIORITY" IN MEASURES A & B AND TO
FUND THE INTERCHANGE ADEQUATELY
WHEREAS, the Route 85/Highway I01 interchange and Highway
i01 between Moffett Boulevard and Middlefield Road in Mountain View
have an accident rate 40 percent above the statewide average; and
WHEREAS, this heavily used portion of Highway i01 contains
multiple substandard and conflicting merge/diverge and weave
sections, contributing to significant traffic delays on these
primary commute routes in the region; and
WHEREAS, traffic congestion from Highway i01 and Route 85
spills over onto the surface streets of residential neighborhoods
and diverts traffic into other cities; and
WHEREAS, improvements to the north Rout~ 85/Highway i01
interchange complex are critically needed to improve safety on
Highway I01 and Route 85, and to reduce congestion throughout the
North County and the region; and
WHEREAS, Santa Clara County citizens have three times voted
for funds to make these improvements and expect them to be
completed with Measure A and B funds; and
WHEREAS, the north Route 85/Highway i01 interchange
improvement project is the only Measure A project in north Santa
Clara County directly impacting five cities and the thousands of
residents, workers and commuters who live near and/or travel on the
Route 85/Highway I01 corridor; and
WHEREAS, thousands of productive hours are lost each day in
the Route 85/Highway i01 commuter bottleneck; and
WHEREAS, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors is
facing the difficult task of prioritizing the many worthwhile
highway improvement projects under consideration;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto does
RESOLVE as follows:
SECTION I. The City of Palo Alto hereby requests the Santa
Clara County Board of Supervisors to designate the north Route
85/Highway I01 interchange improvement project a "high priority" in
Measures A and B and to fund the interchange adequately.
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SECTION 2. The Mayor is authorized and directed to
communicate the City’s position to the Santa Clara county Board of
Supervisors.
INTRODUCED AND PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
ATTEST:APPROVED:
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
Mayor~
City Manager
Director of Planning &
Community Environment
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