2017-046 - Approving Addendum Nos. 1 and 2

Home Browse Search

+� OCTA I Santa Ana/Garden Grove Fixed Guideway Project J Visual Irrpact Analysis Re-evaluation Technical Memo Memo Dab: Thursday, July 14, 2016 Project Santa Ana/Garden Grove Fixed Guideway Project To: Mary Shavalier/Program Manager, OCTA From Clint Meyer/Senior Environmental Planner,HDR Subject: Visual Impact Analysis Reevaluation prepared in support of Minor Design Modifications for the Santa Ana/Garden Grme Fixed Guideway Project HDRperformedasupplemental Visual impact analysis on the preliminary engineering (30% design) for the Orange County Transportation Authoritys (OCTA) Santa Ana/Garden Grove Fixed Guideway Project (Project). The purpose of this analysiswas to identify any changes to visual effects that were pre viouslydisclosed in the adopted Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact (EA/FONSI) (2015), due to several design modifications with the advancement of engineering since the Project(and conceptual design) was approved in 2015. Project Background Construction and operations of the Project (the adopted Locally Preferred Alternative, or "LPA') defined at a conceptual engineering level, was approved by the FTA in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), dated March 10, 2015 pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The approval of the project was based on findings of the Revised Environmental Assessment (EA) (January 2015). The City of Santa Ana, the Lead Agency under the California Environmental QualityAct (CEQA), certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (State Clearinghouse #2010051060) in January 2015. OCTA subsequently adopted the Final EIR as a Responsible Agencyunder CEQA. The project has since advanced with the completion of the 30% design in May2016. OCTAas the lead in design and implementation of the Project, is proposing minordesign modifications to the LPA as defined in the Revised EA/Final EIR as approved by FTA and OCTA. The modifications comprise of physical and operational improvements, and are partlyderived from value engineering and riskworkshops conducted in 2015, as well as design coordination with the Cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove. The modifications are not anticipated to result in changes to the maintenance plan for the Project. Minor Design Modifications The minordesign modifications that have been determined to potentiallyaffectvisual resources and require further evaluation in this memo are described below: • AConcrete BoxGirder bridge instead of Tied -Arch bridge at Westminster Avenue; • A double track bridge insteaclofa single track bridge across the SantaAna River (SAR). The position ofthe bridge would be north instead ofsouth ofthe existing historic bridge location; 11 Page