La Pata Avenue Gap Closure and
Camino Del Rio Extension
American Society of Civil Engineers
March 15, 2011
Harry Persaud, AICP, PMP
1
Project Location
2
Project Location
3
Project Background

La Pata Avenue included on Orange County Master Plan of
Arterial Highways (MPAH) since 1963

La Pata and Camino Del Rio shown on City of San Clemente
General Plan since 1982 and Talega and Forster Ranch Specific
Plans
The existing La Pata Avenue built in the 1970s as a "dead-end"
landfill access road


Project initiated in 2005. Three years of coordination with City
and resident groups resulted in an alignment responding to
concerns of proximity, light and glare, and aesthetics.
4
Project Location
5
Project Purpose and Objectives

Implement Orange County MPAH, Circulation Elements of San
Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, and Specific Plans for Talega and
Forster Ranch

Provide north/south access for local traffic

Improve access to schools, commercial areas, and recreational
amenities

Improve emergency access

Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and greenhouse gas emissions
6
Project Purpose and Objectives
(continued)

Facilitate local inter-community circulation

Provide increased network capacity to support the forecast travel
demand for the 2035 design year

Minimize impacts to utility transmission infrastructure

Minimize impacts to existing residential land uses

Minimize impacts to the natural environment
7
Proposed Project Alignment
8
Proposed Project

Widen La Pata Avenue from three to five lanes from Ortega Highway
to the existing road terminus at the Prima Deshecha Landfill (PDL) –
a distance of 9,600 feet

Construct four new lanes from the existing PDL terminus to Calle
Saluda – a distance of 10,100 feet

Extend Camino Del Rio, as a four-lane roadway, from its existing
terminus to the proposed Avenida La Pata – a distance of 1,700 feet

Estimated Total Cost: $77,368,000
9
Proposed Project

Lighting will be provided along Camino Del Rio, on La Pata between
Calle Saluda and Camino Del Rio, and on La Pata north of the landfill
entrance to the project limits.

Sidewalks will extend along Camino Del Rio to La Pata and on the west
side of La Pata from Calle Saluda to Camino Del Rio and from Vista
Montana north to the project limits.

Bike lanes will be provided along both La Pata and Camino Del Rio.
San Clemente’s off-road bike path east of La Pata will be extended
north to the city limits.

The roadway project requires grading of 9 million cubic yards.
3 million cubic yards are required to balance the roadway. The
remaining 6 million cubic yards are required to stabilize a large
landslide complex. All earthmoving is balanced on site.
10
Alternatives
11
Environmental Issues Addressed

Aesthetics

(Views)

Air Quality
(including Green House Gases)




Biological Resources
Cultural Resources
Geology and Soils



(landslides)

Hydrology and Water
Quality

Hazards and Hazardous
Materials
Land Use and Planning
Noise
Public Services and
Utilities
Recreation
(Multi-use Trails)
Traffic and Circulation
12
Engineering Challenges and Solutions





Community Impacts
Electric Transmission Facilities
Prima Deshecha Landfill
Geology
Water Quality
13
Design Challenges & Solutions









Talega
Community Workshops
Horizontal & Vertical Alignment Refinements
7% Grade Design Deviation
Berms to reduce visual impacts
Forster Ranch
Trailhead parking
La Pata Trail Over-crossing
Rubberized Asphalt to Reduce Noise Impacts
14
Electric Transmission Facilities
Solution




Early Coordination Workshops with SDG&E
and SCE
7% Grade Design Deviation
Tower relocation Plan Coordinated with
SDG&E
Facility Access Plans Incorporated into
Design
15
Prima Deshecha Landfill Solution




Design Addresses Existing Access Requirements to
Zone 1
Design Addresses Future Access Requirements to
Zone 4
Three Bridge Structures eliminate need for
signalized intersection access
Grade separations will maintain access to and
between Zone 1 and Zone 4
16
Landslides in
Project Area
17
Landslide C Remediation Concept

2 million c.y.
Buttress Fill

9 million c.y.
Excavation


9 million c.y. removal
2 million c.y. buttress fill
3 million c.y. to balance
roadway grading
4 million c.y.
recompaction consistent
with landfill general
development plan
18
Geotechnical Solutions



Identified Remediation Concepts to assure
construction feasibility
Remediation Plan to accommodate roadway
construction and landfill operations
Remediation Concept to balance earthwork on
site.
19
Water Quality Solutions


Six water quality basins to provide load
reductions and detain runoff
Bio-retention planter boxes proposed in
constrained right of way areas
20
Significant Unavoidable Impacts

Traffic:

2016 – I-5 Northbound ramps/Avenida Pico and I-5 Northbound
direct on-ramp from Crown Valley Parkway

2035 Without SR-241 Scenario – I-5 Northbound ramps/Avenida Pico

Improvements currently being planned and funded by M2 will reduce
impacts.

Air Quality: Construction Emissions – CO, ROC, NOX, PM10, and PM2.5

Contributions to regional air quality thresholds

Localized Impacts – Worst Case Assumptions

Noise: Increased traffic on Camino Del Rio forecast to exceed 65 dBA at 6
modeled locations

Several 4-foot noise walls are recommended and will reduce
significant impacts.
21
Visual Simulation Near Calle Gaulteria
Existing
With Roadway
22
Visual Simulation on
Forster Ranch Ridgeline Trail
Existing
With Roadway
23
Aesthetics – Cross Sections
24
25
26
27
28
Traffic - Study Area
29
2016 Daily Traffic Volume
38
39
282
274
6
4
13
33
33
53
Without Project
51
With Project
30
2035 Daily Traffic Volume
Without SR-241
41
54
313
336
8
5
27
38
38
64
Without Project
59
With Project
31
2035 Daily Traffic Volume
With SR-241
43
41
294
5
28
291
8
15
29
51
Without Project
51
With Project
32
Vehicle Miles of Travel

A Comparison of daily vehicle miles travelled
(VMT) within the study area shows the following
reductions as a result of the project.
Scenario
2016
2035 Without SR-241
VMT
- 30,758
- 71,531
2035 With SR-241
- 29,115
33
Noise – Monitored Locations
34
Proposed Noise Mitigation (Del Rio)
35
Projected Traffic Noise Levels
36
Recreation
37
EIR Process
Public & Agency
Review and Comment
NOP
Prepare
Technical
Studies
Scoping Meeting
Public & Agency
Review and Comment
Draft
EIR
Public Meeting
Public & Agency
Review
Final
EIR
San Clemente and
County Planning
Commission Hearings
EIR
Certification
County Board of
Supervisors
Meeting
38
Community Outreach

San Juan Capistrano Transportation Commission – November 10 at 6:00 p.m.

Mission Viejo City Council Briefing – November 15, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

San Juan Capistrano City Council Briefing – November 16, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.

San Clemente Planning Commission Briefing – November 17, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

Public meeting – November 18, 2010 at 7:30 p.m.

Ladera Ranch Civic Council Briefing – November 22, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

Forster Ranch HOA meeting – December 7, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

San Clemente Planning Commission Hearing – December 8, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
39
Project Schedule
Notice of Preparation (NOP)
November 10, 2009
(30 day review period)
Publish Notice of Availability (NOA)
and Public Circulation of DEIR
November 3, 2010
(45 day review period)
DEIR Comment Period Closes
December 17, 2010
Prepare Final EIR
March, 2011
County Planning Commission Hearing
April, 2011
County Board of Supervisors Hearing
FEIR Certification New RFP (NEPA) and (Design)
April, 2011
Design
2011-2012
ROW, Permits, Funding (Road, RMV, M2 State
Federal)
2011-2012
Construction
2013-2015
40
Questions?
41