State Route 198 and Farmersville Boulevard Interchange Beautification Project

State Route 198 and Farmersville Boulevard Interchange Beautification Project

The Project is located at the State Route (SR) 198/Farmersville Boulevard Interchange within California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) right-of-way areas within the city limits of the City of Farmersville in Tulare County. The Project would encompass 2.2 acres of improved space within disturbed Caltrans right-of-way. The gateway monument improvements will be constructed in Caltrans’ right-of-way in previously disturbed open spaces on the north and south side of the SR 198/Farmersville Boulevard interchange that were recently graded when dual roundabouts were installed in 2016. The main design focus would occur on the south side of the interchange and would be graded, landscaped, and improved with the following elements: • A two-level gabion wall that will feature the City’s name on the top wall and the City’s motto on the lower wall. Each wall would be four to six feet tall with three-foot lettering. • Landscaping will include the planting of drought-tolerant trees and shrubs as approved by Caltrans and the City of Farmersville. Alternating colors of gravel and drought tolerant plantings to mimic row crops would be installed throughout the Project surface. • Approximately 4,650 linear feet of irrigation lines in a state-of-the-art bubbler and drip irrigation system will be installed and would use 50 to 75 percent less water than allowed by the Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (WELO). • Two metal art installations featuring agricultural themes of each of the triangular gabion walls (west facing). Installations will be backlit to showcase the design at night. • Installation of LED solar powered rope lighting to illuminate the gabion walls and lettering The north side of the interchange would be graded, landscaped, and improved with the following elements: • A monument sign mounted on a triangular gabion wall with the City’s name, six feet in height with 3-foot high lettering. • The embankment will be covered with colored decomposed granite (DG) to mirror the surface design of the south area and additional serpentine band of blue rock symbolizing flowing water running along the embankment. Earthwork associated with the project as described above will disturb approximately 73,458 square feet of land. Additionally, the project would result in 313 cubic yards (CY) of cut, 5,635 CY of fill with an additional 5,322 CY of import fill being utilized. Development of these areas will consider the inclusion of sustainable techniques below: • The Project is to be designated in compliance with the State’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance. • The proposed irrigation control systems will incorporate soil moisture sensors and rain sensors linked to an automatic control system which would enable the system to match water use to actual irrigation need. The irrigation control system should also incorporate a flow sensor that will shut down irrigation water when unexpected flows occur. • The landscape planting palette is to be based in a xeriscape approach. The palette will exclude invasive plants and include minimal maintenance planting consisting of native and climate appropriate plants which will reduce the need for extensive watering, toxic pesticides, and inorganic fertilizers. • Energy efficient LED light fixtures to be used for site lighting

Farmersville

Tulare

Citywide

Tulare