Old Arcata Road Rehabilitation & Pedestrian/Bikeway Improvements

Old Arcata Road Rehabilitation & Pedestrian/Bikeway Improvements

The Old Arcata Road Rehabilitation & Pedestrian/Bikeway Improvements Project (Project) would improve motorized and non-motorized transportation and user safety in Bayside, California (Figure 2-1). The Project would repave Old Arcata Road, include bike lanes on both sides of the roadway alignment, and improve and extend an existing shared use walkway along the west side of Old Arcata Road from approximately 600 feet south of the Buttermilk Road Roundabout and extending south to approximately 300 feet beyond the Jacoby Creek Road intersection. The total Project length is approximately one mile. 2.1 Project Background In 2016, City Staff identified the need to address the lack of adequate bicycle and pedestrian facilities along Old Arcata Road within city limits (SHN and Omni Means 2017). The need for improvements was later substantiated during a City-led community design charrette process, which included the identification of deficiencies and potential improvements of the roadway. The results of the community design charrette led to the development of a Project Study Report (PSR) (City of Arcata 2017), and City Council selection of a preferred alternative in November 2017. In 2018 the City secured partial funding for Project development and construction through State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The City first prepared an Initial Study/Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration (ISMND) to comply with CEQA’s environmental analysis and disclosure requirements. The ISMND was circulated between January 20, 2021, and February 22, 2021. The ISMND identified the likely environmental consequences associated with the Project, and recommended mitigation measures to reduce potentially significant impacts. See Appendix E for the Final ISMND and Response to Comments. The Notice of Completion and ISMND were filed with the Office of Planning and Research State Clearinghouse on January 15, 2021, and the ISMND was made available for public review on January 20, 2021. The Notice of Intent was submitted to the Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder January 19, 2021 and was published in the Mad River Union on January 20, 2021. The review period ended at 5:00 pm on February 22, 2021. The document was made available for review at the City of Arcata website at https://www.cityofarcata.org/720/Old-Arcata-Road-Design-Project. The ISMND was distributed to local, State, and federal responsible and trustee agencies, and a notice of availability was distributed to regional tribal governments. Written and voicemail comments were received from 39 individuals, agencies, or organizations. As described in Section 1.8 – Areas of Controversy and Key Issues to be Resolved, comments included statements for and against the Project, including the proposed roundabout at the intersection of Jacoby Creek Road and Old Arcata Road. Given the fair argument raised regarding disagreement with the ISMND’s findings specific to potential impacts to historic resources and Bayside’s potential standing as a historic district despite the ISMND’s finding of no significant impacts to historical or other resources, the City decided to prepare an EIR for the Project. The Draft EIR was initially made available for a 45-day public review on August 9, 2021. The review period ended at 5:00 pm on September 27, 2021. The City received numerous comments and prepared responses to all comments received during the public circulation period in the Final EIR. The Final EIR was issued and publicly posted on November 23, 2021. Following posting of the Final EIR, the inadvertent omission of wetland impacts was discovered on December 1, 2021, and the City Council’s planned certification of the EIR was subsequently postponed, pending the completion of the recirculation process as outlined in Section 15088.5 of the CEQA Guidelines, reflected herein. 2.2 Purpose and Need The purpose of the Project is to improve connectivity and safety on an existing roadway for non-motorized and motorized travelers in Bayside, California and increase the use of active modes of transportation. The Project is intended and designed to serve current City population. The Project was initially developed during a community-driven design charrette process for preliminary design concepts (SHN and Omni Means 2017). Project benefits include heightened driver awareness, particularly at the intersection of Jacoby Creek and Old Arcata Roads, and filling the gap for non-motorized travel between the Jacoby Creek School and Jacoby Creek Road. The Project would also reconstruct or rehabilitate the existing roadway pavement in order to extend its useful life. Many of the existing walkways, driveways and curb ramps within the Project corridor are non-compliant with current accessibility codes and standards and create a barrier to pedestrian mobility. In addition, there is a lack of pedestrian facilities and connectivity between Hyland Street and Jacoby Creek Road, and a lack of pedestrian facilities on Hyland Street (sidewalks). The existing roadway pavement (travel lanes and bike lanes) is extremely deteriorated and considered to be in “poor” condition with an average pavement condition index (PCI) of 61.6 (NCE 2017). Old Arcata Road is the primary backbone for the Bayside (southern Arcata) transportation network and pavement failure would result in significant social and economic impacts to the community, including residents and businesses. Old Arcata Road acts as an alternative route and oversized load route for Highway 101, provides access to important facilities such as the Sunnybrae Middle School, Jacoby Creek Elementary School, and the Bayside Post Office, provides access to unincorporated areas, and may serve as a future Humboldt Transit Authority bus route for public transportation. The 2016 Caltrans EIR for the Eureka-Arcata Route 101 Corridor Improvement Project evaluated Level of Service for the Jacoby Creek Road and Old Arcata Road intersection for both 2013 and 2041. Level of Service is a standard to measure operating level (e.g., wait time for turning and maneuverability) and does not evaluate other safety conditions, such as speed, collisions, or pedestrian safety and access. While the 2013 Level of Service meets current standards, the 2041 Level of Service, especially for turning left onto Old Arcata Road from Jacoby Creek, was found to be very poor (Level of Service C for AM Peak Hours and Level of Service F for PM Peak Hours). Additionally, the Caltrans EIR noted that in 2008, a roundabout was installed at Indianola Cutoff and Old Arcata Road, which effectively and substantially reduced traffic speeds in the vicinity of this intersection (Caltrans 2016). 2.3 Goals and Objectives The goal of the Project is to link critical activity centers within the Bayside community, including schools, neighborhood facilities, and residential areas. The Project seeks to accommodate the expected volume and diversity of users, which includes a range of ages, experience levels, speeds, trip purposes, and mobility modes. The Project includes the following objectives: – Rehabilitate and reconstruct the roadway pavement, and improve traffic striping and signage – Improve intersection safety at the intersection of Old Arcata and Jacoby Creek Roads, as well as other intersections within the Project corridor – Extend pedestrian connectivity from Jacoby Creek Road intersection to Buttermilk Road intersection, and provide for safer routes to schools for students and families – Increase multimodal transit use by improving bicycle and pedestrian facilities via shared use pathways, re-striped bicycle lanes, improved and extended sidewalks, and enhanced cross walks – Decrease speed, calm traffic, improve traffic operations, and increase safety at the intersection of Jacoby Creek and Old Arcata Road, an area identified by the Bayside community as unsafe particularly for pedestrians and bicyclists due to speeding vehicles and an uncontrolled intersection – Create a “gateway” at the southern entrance to Arcata – Improve subsurface storm drainage infrastructure and accommodate additional City underground utility improvements as needed (water and sewer) – Maintain consistency with City policies in the Transportation Element of the General Plan and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan for alternative transportation, and recommendations provided by the Transportation Safety Committee – Improve traffic operations and pedestrian safety at Hyland Street near Jacoby Creek School – Implement a project that does not require permanent right of way acquisitions – Minimize potential environmental impacts to the extent feasible, particularly in the Coastal Zone – Apply accepted traffic engineering standards to guide selected roadway and safety improvements The Project is primarily located within the limits of the City of Arcata (Figure 2-1). The proposed roundabout and other roadway improvements at the Jacoby Creek Road intersection, along with its eastern and southern approaches (on Jacoby Creek Road, and Old Arcata Road, respectively) are located within the jurisdiction of Humboldt County. The Coastal Zone boundary is located on the eastern edge of Old Arcata Road (Figure 2-2). The primary permitting jurisdiction resides with the Local Coastal Programs of both the City of Arcata and Humboldt County for their respective portions of the Project. Work would generally occur within the existing City of Arcata or Humboldt County right of ways. Necessary permissions will be received for any work outside existing right of ways. The Project corridor along Old Arcata Road and Hyland Street is primarily bound by private residences, including medium-high density residential, rural residential, and low density residential housing. The Jacoby Creek Elementary School and Mistwood Education Center are located along the Project corridor, as are small businesses (zoned Commercial Mixed), a U.S. Post Office, and the Bayside Community Hall. The area between Highway 101 and Old Arcata Road includes Agricultural-Exclusive properties within the City of Arcata, in the Gannon Slough and Jacoby Creek bottomlands. Several small Public-Facility parcels are located adjacent to the Project corridor, including community gardens. 2.5 Project Components The Project includes intersection and pedestrian safety improvements along Old Arcata Road. As described in more detail below, the Project includes road resurfacing, a paved walkway, sidewalks and curb ramps, crosswalks, speed humps, lighting, signage, a retaining wall, and stormwater drainage and infrastructure improvements. New pavement would extend into residential and commercial driveways along Old Arcata Road to ensure smooth transition between existing and new pavement elevations. Construction of a new sidewalk along approximately 375 feet of Hyland Street is also included in the Project. Particular constraints within the Project alignment may warrant adjustments to the standards to address site specific issues. Refer to Figure 2-3 through Figure 2-6 for an overview of key Project components. Briefly, the Project includes the following components: – Repaving along Old Arcata Road and Adjacent Bike Lanes – New and Replacement Pedestrian Walkways – Crosswalks and Speed Humps – Improvements Near Jacoby Creek Elementary School – Jacoby Creek Road Roundabout – Landscaping – Lighting – Utility Improvements The Project would terminate approximately 300 feet south of the proposed Jacoby Creek Roundabout along Old Arcata Road. The Jacoby Creek Road pavement improvements would terminate approximately 400 feet east of the proposed roundabout. Drainage improvements on Jacoby Creek Road would terminate approximately 650 feet east of the roundabout. The Project is being designed in accordance with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, 7th Edition (2018). In addition, the Project would be designed in accordance to other specific applicable standards, including the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD; CA MUTCD 202`); the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design; the 2019 California Building Code and portions of the Caltrans Highway Design Manual, 7th Edition (2020). The design for the proposed roundabout geometrics, including bike ramps, follows the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) design standards (FHWA 2010). Design standards applied to proposed Pedestrian-Actuated Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacons (RRFB) follows the MUTCD Interim Approval for Optional Use of Pedestrian-Actuated Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacons at Uncontrolled Marked Crosswalks (IA-21). As part of the Project design process, the City would conduct a design-level geotechnical and pavement investigation for the Project. The City will finalize 100% designs in accordance with the recommendations made in the Project's geotechnical and pavement investigation report. 2.5.1 Repaving Along Old Arcata Road and Adjacent Bike Lanes Old Arcata Road would be repaved between the approximately 600 feet south of the Buttermilk Road to the proposed new roundabout at the Jacoby Creek Road intersection. Repaving would extend approximately 300 feet beyond the new roundabout along both Jacoby Creek Road and Old Arcata Road. The existing roadway width, alignment, and footprint would generally remain the same between the Buttermilk Road Roundabout and Hyland Street, including 10-foot wide travel lanes and adjacent five-foot wide bikes lanes. A left hand turn lane for northbound traffic is proposed at the Jacoby Creek School parking lot at the Hyland Street intersection. South of Hyland Street, the existing roadway alignment would be shifted east up to five feet to accommodate a new six-foot wide walkway, described below. The existing asphalt roadway would be rehabilitated by overlaying the existing surface and/or grinding-out and replacing the existing surface. Excavation would not extend into the native subgrade, except in isolated areas where deeper excavations may be required to remediate poor soil/subgrade conditions. The pavement overlay will be three to six inches thick. Portions of most existing driveways, including the Bayside Post Office driveway, would also be repaved throughout the Project Area. 2.5.2 Striping, Signage and Vehicle Control The repaved Old Arcata Road and Jacoby Creek Road segments would include required striping and signage in order to comply with California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) requirements. 2.5.3 New and Replacement Pedestrian Walkways The existing walkway between the Buttermilk Road Roundabout and Hyland Street would be replaced to a width of approximately six feet. South of Hyland Street, the existing roadway alignment would be shifted east up to five feet to accommodate a new six feet wide walkway. The six feet wide walkway would be separated from the roadway by a five feet wide vegetated strip that would also be designed to convey stormwater where practical. Areas of new asphalt roadway would be constructed over 12 to 16 inches of base material and a similar depth of excavation. 2.5.4 Crosswalks and Speed Humps Existing cross walks and speed humps would be upgraded coincident with repaving. New Replacement of existing speed humps would be located north of the Hyland Street intersection and south of Jacoby Creek School to improve safety and provide vehicular speed control. A raised crosswalk in front of Jacoby Creek School at the Hyland Street intersection would remain. Crosswalks would also be integrated into the new Jacoby Creek Road Roundabout, discussed below. All crosswalks across Old Arcata Road and Jacoby Creek Road are proposed to include user activated warning lights (e.g., LED enhanced signs or rectangular rapid-flashing beacons[RRFB]). The crosswalks would also include detectable warning surfaces, which will be cast in wet concrete during construction and secured with anchors. 2.5.5 Improvements Near Jacoby Creek Elementary School In front of Jacoby Creek School, a new six feet wide sidewalk is proposed on the west side of the road in addition to a left hand turn lane for northbound Old Arcata Road. The on-street diagonal parking would be eliminated to accommodate the sidewalk and turn lane. Some minor modifications to the school parking lot are also proposed, including replacing a portion of the raised landscape island with paved parking stalls. Construction of a new sidewalk along approximately 375 feet of Hyland Street is also included in the Project. Where necessary, curb ramps and gutters would be integrated into the sidewalk design. A new retaining wall would be constructed near the Jacoby Creek Road roundabout. New concrete for the retaining wall, sidewalks, and walkways will be colorized to improve visual connectivity to maintain consistency with the existing rural setting of the community. Stamped and colored concrete will be applied to roadway dividing medians. The retaining wall near the Jacoby Creek intersection would be approximately one foot above the road grade. Depending on the final design grade, a fence (approximately four feet tall) would be attached to the top of the retaining wall for edge protection. The fence would be transparent, most likely coated black chain link. A fence of similar style would also be installed on the opposite side of Old Arcata Road in front of the City pump station. The retaining wall and fencing would not impede views within or adjacent to the Project corridor or otherwise diminish the visual character of the vicinity. The five paved diagonal parking spaces on Old Arcata Road in front of Jacoby Creek Elementary School would be eliminated in order to accommodate the proposed improvements. 2.5.6 Jacoby Creek Road Roundabout A new roundabout is proposed for the intersection at Jacoby Creek Road and Old Arcata Road to improve traffic flow and user safety. Crosswalks, signage, lighting, and paved walkways would be integrated into the roundabout. A new retaining wall would extend along the west side of Old Arcata Road adjacent to the roundabout. The total length of the wall would be 200 feet. Modifications and repaving of the roadway that serves the Bayside Post Office may also be required. The roundabout would be configured to be within existing City and County right of way with no permanent encroachments onto private property (easements may be required for temporary construction, but the Project has been designed to avoid all permanent acquisition of private property). Excavation to accommodate the roundabout and roadway approaches is expected to be approximately two to four feet, although some isolated deeper excavations may be required to remediate poor soil/subgrade conditions. Concrete improvements associated with the roundabout, including the roundabout apron, sidewalk, and walkways would include integral color to darken the concrete and provide a weathered look, designed to blend into the existing community aesthetic and character and avoiding a stark visual alteration. If desired by community members, sculptural pieces may also be installed in the roundabout center, in coordination with the City and other stakeholders. 2.5.7 Landscaping Trees removed during construction will be replaced in other nearby locations. Tree removal would be limited to one or two locations near the roundabout at the intersection of Jacoby Creek Road and Old Arcata Road. Tree removal would not occur on any private property. All tree plantings associated with the Project will include appropriate tree species designed to blend into surrounding mature vegetation. The center of the roundabout will be mounded to a height of approximately three to five feet above grade and landscaped with appropriate vegetation species. Plantings would be consistent with other City roundabouts and public right of ways. The City anticipates using grasses and/or other drought tolerant species. All new plantings would be designed to maximize connectivity with existing landscaping and mature trees. 2.5.8 Lighting The Project would include streetlight installation in conjunction with the new Jacoby Creek Road roundabout. Lighting would be designed to protect wildlife and nighttime views, including views of the night sky. The Project will be designed to be consistent with the City’s design guidelines, Section 9.30.070 (Outdoor Lighting) of the Arcata Land Use Code, and the recommendations of the International Dark-Sky Association, which includes standards for fixtures, shielding, wattage, placement, height, and illumination levels. To comply with these requirements, lighting for the Project will be the minimum lumens necessary, directed downward, shielded, and pedestrian level when feasible. This will ensure lighting is contained within the site and does not cause significant lighting and glare impacts for surrounding land uses and sensitive habitat areas. 2.5.9 Utility Improvements Utility improvements would include storm drain, sanitary sewer, and water infrastructure improvements. The Project includes improvements to the underground storm drain infrastructure that extends along the length of planned improvements in discrete locations. Improvements include new and upgraded storm drain catch basins, storm drain piping, and storm drain junction boxes. Excavation and trenching depths for storm drain systems will be approximately four feet to six feet max. Work would also include the installation of shallow swales to convey stormwater runoff. Existing sanitary sewer laterals in the public right of way may be replaced with new cleanouts placed at the edge of the right of way if they are found defective upon inspection during the course of road resurfacing. Depth of excavation/trenching for sewer lateral replaced would be approximately three feet (six feet max). Water service connections in the public right of way may be updated, along with resetting and/or installation of water meters within City/Public right of way if they are found defective upon inspection during the course of road resurfacing. 2.5.10 Wetland Establishment If impacts to wetlands are unavoidable, the Project would include onsite wetland creation within the City’s right-of-way between Old Arcata Road and Bayside Road at the compensatory ratios to be required by jurisdictional permitting agencies (Figure 2-2). Groundwater data would be obtained by the City and used to inform wetland design grading depths to ensure wetland hydrology criteria are met. The criteria for meeting wetland hydrology as defined by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is flooding or ponding, or a water table within 12 inches of the soil surface for 14 or more consecutive days five out of ten years (50 percent of the time) (USACE 2010) Wetlands would be established by excavating to a target elevation. 2.6 Project Construction Construction of the Project would involve construction staging, establishing site access, hauling, dewatering, and traffic control. A Temporary Traffic Control Plan would be developed by the contractor and approved by the City prior to Project implementation to ensure flow of traffic along the Project corridor. Following construction, the contractor would demobilize and remove equipment, supplies, and construction wastes. The disturbed areas along the Project alignment would be restored to pre-construction conditions or stabilized with a combination of grass seed (broadcast or hydroseed), straw mulch, rolled erosion control fabric, rock, and other plantings/vegetation. Construction would primarily include trimming and/or removal of trees and vegetation, excavation and grading, concrete and asphalt paving, replacement of sanitary sewer laterals, and trenching and excavation to install new sanitary sewer laterals and storm drainage systems (inlets, pipes, and/or culverts). Construction would also include installation of new lighting, new and upgraded crosswalks and speed bumps, a retaining wall, and signage along the Project alignment. All construction activities would be accompanied by both temporary erosion and sediment control best management practices (BMPs) typically applied to all City projects. It is not anticipated that any temporary utility extensions, such as electric power or water, would be required for construction. 2.6.1 Construction Time, Duration, and Hours Construction would begin as soon as late 2022, extending into 2023. Construction is anticipated to occur over a six to eight month construction window. If feasible, vegetation clearing would occur during the non-bird nesting season, between August 31st and February 1st. Work near wetlands would only occur during the dry season between May and October. Compliance with the requirements contained in the Arcata General Plan Noise Element (Policies N-5d and N-5e) and the Arcata Land Use Code (Section 9.30.050[D][2]), will minimize potential noise impacts from short-term construction activities. These requirements place limitations on the days and hours of construction activities to allow construction schedules to take advantage of the weather and normal daylight hours, and to ensure that nearby residents as well as nonresidential activities are not disturbed by the early morning or late night activities. Hours of construction would be limited to 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday and from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Heavy-equipment related construction activities are not allowed on Sundays. Construction on Sunday or legal and county holidays is not currently anticipated except for emergencies or with prior approval from the City of Arcata. All stationary and construction equipment are required to be maintained in good working order and fitted with factory approved muffler systems. 2.6.2 Construction Equipment A variety of construction equipment would be used to build the Project. This would include, but not necessarily be limited to, excavators, backhoes, front end loaders, scrapers, graders, concrete saws, jackhammers, chainsaws, rollers, asphalt pavers, compactors, air compressors, generators, and pneumatic tools. A variety of trucks including concrete mixers, haul trucks, and water trucks would also be required. Site preparation, including demolition, clearing and grading of the Project site as necessary would require the removal and off-haul of materials. This would include, but not necessarily be limited to, vegetation, concrete, asphalt and fill, and certain existing utilities that would be removed and replaced. 2.6.3 Construction Staging Areas Construction staging areas would be identified during the design phase of work and are expected to occur within the Project footprint, or within paved, graveled or designated, previously disturbed areas. For impact analysis purposes, two staging areas were preliminarily identified—one at the southern end of the Project corridor and the other at the northern end of the Project corridor. Spoils or construction materials would be stored on site within previously designated staging areas only. Excess spoils would ultimately be hauled off-site for disposal and reuse by the contractor. 2.6.4 Construction Dewatering If needed, temporary groundwater dewatering would be conducted to provide a dry work area. Dewatering would involve pumping water out of a trench or excavation. Groundwater would typically be pumped to Baker tanks (or other similar type of settling tank) or into a dewatering bag. Following the settling process provided by a tank or filter, the water would be used for dust control and compaction. Discharge water from Baker tanks would not be discharged into wetlands or any water bodies. 2.7 Operation and Maintenance Following construction, general operation and maintenance activities associated with the proposed Project would be limited to typical roadway maintenance, including annual inspections, trash/debris removal, vegetation management, repaving, and painting. 2.8 Environmental Protection Actions Incorporated into the Project The following actions are included as part of the Project to reduce or avoid potential adverse effects that could result from construction or operation of the Project. Additional mitigation measures are presented in the following analysis sections in Chapter 3, Environmental Analysis. Environmental protection actions and mitigation measures, together, would be included in a Mitigation Monitoring Program at the time that the Project is considered for approval. 2.8.1 Environmental Protection Action 1 – Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) The Project will seek coverage under State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board) Order No. 2009-0009-DWQ, Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges of Storm Water Runoff Associated with Construction and Land Disturbance Activities. The City will submit permit registration documents (notice of intent, risk assessment, site maps, Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), annual fee, and certifications) to the Water Board. The SWPPP will address pollutant sources, best management practices, and other requirements specified in the Order. The SWPPP will include erosion and sediment control measures, and dust control practices to prevent wind erosion, sediment tracking, and dust generation by construction equipment. A Qualified SWPPP Practitioner will oversee implementation of the Project SWPPP, including visual inspections, sampling and analysis, and ensuring overall compliance. 2.9 Required Agency Approvals The following permits and approvals are likely to be required prior to construction. – CEQA compliance – NEPA compliance – City of Arcata Coastal Development Permit – Humboldt County Coastal Development Permit – Humboldt County Grading Permit – Humboldt County Encroachment Permit – North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification – USACE Clean Water Action Section 404 permit 2.10 AB 52 Consultation The CEQA requires lead agencies to determine if a proposed Project would have a significant effect on tribal cultural resources. The CEQA Guidelines define tribal cultural resources as: (1) a site, feature, place, cultural landscape, sacred place, or object with cultural value to a California Native American Tribe that is listed or eligible for listing on the California Register of Historical Resources, or on a local register of historical resources as defined in PRC Section 5020.1(k); or (2) a resource determined by the lead agency, in its discretion and supported by substantial evidence, to be significant according to the historical register criteria in PRC Section 5024.1(c), and considering the significance of the resource to a California Native American tribe. The City had previously engaged with tribal representative through the AB 52 process during the ISMND prepared for the Project. Coordination with the tribes remains active and ongoing. To complete AB 52 required for this EIR, the City again sent notification letters to the Wiyot Tribe, Blue Lake Rancheria, and Bear River Rancheria on June 11, 2021. The three tribes responded, noting tribal cultural resourced had not been identified in the Area of Potential Effect at this time and that the EIR need not address AB 52 specifically. In their responses, the tribes recommended a tribal monitor be present during archaeological testing and data recovery in locations known to be sensitive. This request has been integrated into the Project (see Section 3.4 – Cultural Resources, Mitigation Measure CR-1). The City sent the three tribes an AB 52 closure letter on July 27, 2021. 2.10.1 Project Site Assessment and Special Studies Table 2-1 below depicts studies completed, study topic and study author for the proposed Project. Given Caltrans has funding and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) responsibilities for the Project, all reports included in Table 2-1 have also been reviewed and approved by Caltrans.

Arcata

Humboldt

Northern California

Humboldt