I280 Parallel Evacuation Routes

I280 Parallel Evacuation Routes

This Project maintains two wildfire evacuation access routes which provide parallel access to Interstate 280 (“I280”)—the Magdelena-Eastbrook Route and the Elena-Taffe Route and reduces the volume of flammable vegetation along the routes to limit the uncontrolled spread of fire. The Los Altos Hills County Fire District (“District”) in coordination with the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council, the Town of Los Altos Hills, the Santa Clara County Roads and Airports Department, and Caltrans will perform vegetation fuel management activities along Magdalena Avenue, Camino Hermoso Drive, West Loyola Drive, Rolly Road, Kenbar Road, Sunhills Drive, Eastbrook Avenue, Taaffe Road and Elena Road in Los Altos Hills, CA 94022. The evacuation routes to be addressed are shown on Attachment 1 and described below. As shown in Attachment 1, the two routes provide parallel access to I-280, and both serve to move potential evacuees to alternate interstate entrances in the event the closest one is unavailable. The vegetation fuel management for Magdelena-Eastbrook Evacuation Route will include parts of six roads along the evacuation route: Magdalena Avenue, Camino Hermoso Drive, West Loyola Drive, Rolly Road, Kenbar Road, Sunhills Drive, and Eastbrook Avenue. The north end of the project is located at the intersection of Magdalena Avenue and Ravensbury Avenue (37.34964, -122.11142) and the south end of the project is located at the intersection of Sunhills Drive and Mora Drive (37.33935, -122.10096). The treatment area of Magdalena Avenue, from the intersection of Ravensbury Avenue to the intersection of Camino Hermoso Drive, is 1.26 linear miles, 2.52 miles for treatment on both sides of the roadway. The treatment area of Camino Hermoso Drive, from the intersection of Magdalena Avenue to the intersection of West Loyola Drive, is 0.18 linear mile, which equates to 0.36 miles when accounting for treatment on both sides of the road. The treatment area of West Loyola Drive, from the intersection of Camino Hermoso Drive to the intersection of Eastbrook Avenue, is 0.91 linear miles, 1.8 miles for treatment on both sides of the roadway. The treatment area of Rolly Road, from the intersection of West Loyola Drive to the intersection of Kenbar Road, is 0.11 miles, 0.22 miles for treatment on both sides of the roadway. The treatment area of Kenbar Road, from the intersection of Rolly Road to the intersection of Sunhills Drive, is 0.09 miles, 0.18 miles for treatment on both sides of the roadway. The treatment area of Sunhills Drive, from the intersection of Mora Drive to the intersection of W. Loyola Drive, is 0.2 miles, 0.4 miles for treatment on both sides of the roadway. The treatment area of Eastbrook Avenue, from the intersection of Mora Drive to the intersection of Magdalena Avenue, is 1.01 miles, 2.02 miles for treatment on both sides of the roadway. The total treatment area for the Magdelena-Eastbrook Evacuation Route is approximately 3.76 miles in length or 7.52 miles for treatment on both sides of the route. The vegetation fuel management for Elena-Taffe Evacuation Route will include two roads along the evacuation route: Taaffe Road and Elena Road. The treatment area of Taaffe Road in its entirety is approximately 0.88 miles long, meaning 1.76 miles of roadside to be treated, from Altamont Road and Taaffe Road - 37°21'40.3"N 122°09'05.9"W to Taaffe Road and Elena Road - 37°21'59.3"N 122°08'24.3"W. The treatment area of Elena Road portion is approximately 1.55 miles long from the intersection of Elena Road and L Barranca Road - 37°22'09.7"N 122°08'46.0"W to the intersection of, Elena Road and Moody / El Monte Road - 37°21'30.5"N 122°07'46.9"W meaning 3.1 miles of roadside to be treated. The total treatment area for the Elena-Taffe Evacuation Route is approximately 2.43 miles in length or 4.9 miles for treatment on both sides of the route. The total treatment of both routes is approximately 6.5 miles in length or approximately 13 miles for treatment on both sides of the routes. Hand crews will use chainsaws and other mechanized and non-mechanized hand tools to remove understory vegetation and dead or downed material, prune trees and woody vegetation, and remove small, immature trees (less than 8 inches in diameter). Blue Gum Eucalyptus trees of up to 12 inches in diameter may be removed. Mowers and chippers may also be used, but only on existing roadways and established turn outs. All noninvasive treated material will be chipped and scattered in the Project area up to a depth of 3 inches. Remaining material will be removed and disposed of off-site. Vegetation fuel reduction will primarily occur on public right of way controlled by the County of Santa Clara, Caltrans or the Town of Los Altos Hills, within 50 feet of the centerline of the road, within 30 feet of structures adjacent to roadways in the Project area, or within 100 feet of structures if necessary to address extra hazardous fire conditions. With appropriate landowner permission as necessary outside the public right of way, the Project will also include fuel reduction on private property adjacent to Project roadways within 30 feet of structures or within 100 feet of structures if necessary to address extra hazardous fire conditions.

Los Altos Hills

Santa Clara

San Francisco Bay Area

Santa Clara