HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.1 Attch 5 Responses to Env Comments July,2014
City of Dublin
Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Project
Response to Environmental Comments
Introduction
The City of Dublin issued a Negative Declaration for this project on June 16,
2014, to ensure California Environmental Quality Act compliance. The proposed
Master Plan would update and replace the City's existing Bikeways Master Plan
adopted in 2007. The proposed project also includes a number of amendments to
the City of Dublin General Plan and several Specific Plan documents to ensure
consistency between the proposed Master Plan and these various documents.
The project includes the entire City of Dublin located within Alameda County.
The Negative Declaration was published and circulated for a 30-day review.
Three comment letters were received:
• Comment 1: Leonia Meima
• Comment 2: Kristi Marleau
• Comment 3: Dublin Unified School District
Following is a response to these comments.
Letter 1: Leonia Memia
Comment 1.1: What can be done to work with Pleasanton and Caltrans to
provide bicycle lanes over the I-580 freeway interchanges at Hacienda Drive and
at Tassajara Road?
Response:Bicycle lanes over the I-580 freeway interchanges at Hacienda Drive
and Tassajara Road are included in the Plan as proposed bicycle improvements.
To move forward with 1-580 bikeways recommended in the bicycle plan, close
coordination between the City of Dublin and the City of Pleasanton will be
necessary to create a successful project that meets the needs of both jurisdictions.
Having that strong working relationship will likely also help in securing grant
funding and implementing the project, as it demonstrates support from both
agencies. The two cities could jointly apply for competitive grant funding to
implement the project.
ATTACHMENT 5
page 2
The other critical piece for coordination is with Caltrans. Reaching out to
Caltrans staff members who are very involved with bicycle and pedestrian issues
will be a key first step. This will help alert them to the process and help clarify
needs and expectations from Caltrans' end.
Comment 1.2: The commenter asks what can be done to shift the priority status
of bike lanes on the two overpasses.
Response: Efforts to fund, develop and implement the I-580 bikeways will
require collaboration between the City of Dublin, City of Pleasanton and
Caltrans. Initially the three agencies could jointly apply for funding to
conduct a bikeway feasibility study, and based on the results of the study,
apply for competitive grant funding to implement the recommended bikeway
projects.
Comment 1.3: What can be done to get Caltrans to prioritize bike lane
development on the overpass?
Response: See response to Comment 1.2
Letter 2: Kristi Marleau
Comment: The commenter is pleased to see the Plan nearing approval stage. The
commenter would like to see bicycle lanes on Dublin Boulevard, but this may
need to wait until a future master plan update. The commenter would like to see
more progress made on bicycle lane striping and a safer downtown.
Response: These comments are noted.
Letter 3: Dublin Unified School District
Comment 3.1: The commenter agrees with the Initial Study, that the proposed
project would not generate a change in local school enrollment but there could be
potential impacts to student attending schools in the vicinity of pedestrian and
bicycle improvements. The commenter requests that during construction of
future improvements, consideration be given to campus scheduled to minimize
potential disruption to bicycle and pedestrian patterns and vehicle transportation
patterns at during peak drop-off periods during the school year.
Response: This comment is noted. The City of Dublin Public Works
Department will coordinate with the School District and affected school(s) to
avoid or minimize potential disruption during construction of projects.
Comment 3.2: The commenter respectfully requests that the DUSD be added to
the City's list of organizations contacted in the course of similar studies in the
future to add another layer of potentially new or more significant impacts to
students and school sites not otherwise anticipated.
page 3
Response: This comment is noted. The Dublin Unified School District is
already included on the City of Dublin's contact list to receive all CEQA
environmental documents.
page 4
ND Comment Letters
From: Andrew Russell <Andrew.Russell @ dub[in.ca.gov>
Subject: FW: Bike Paths
Date: July 1, 2014 12:09:20 PM PDT
To: Ferd Del Rosario <Ferd.delrosario @dublin.ca.gov>, Obaid Khan
<Obaid.Khan @dublin.ca.gov>
Cc: Gary Huisingh <Gary.Huisingh @dublin.ca.gov>
FYI. Comment 1
From: Leonie Meima [mailto:lmeima @me.com]
Sent: Tuesday,July 01, 2014 10:22 AM
To: Andrew Russell
Cc: Tim Sbranti; Timat timsbrantidotcom; Chris Foss; Linda Smith; Gary Huisingh
Subject: Re: Bike Paths
Andrew,
Thank you for this summary.
I'm very happy to see the potential for buffered bicycle lanes throughout the city, and plans for bike paths over the two
overpasses. Unfortunately however, it seems that the top priority projects are those which are already reasonably
manageable, i.e. lower cycle risk areas. I do shop at Sprouts,and the biggest challenge getting to and from Sprouts on
bicycle is navigating Dublin Blvd, and the narrow to non-existent bike lanes on portions of that street combined with
the relatively high rate of speed of motorized vehicles along Dublin Blvd. Amador Plaza Road is easy, and not a
problem at all; that said I am in favor of creating official bike paths and landscaped medians along that road.
Crossing the overpasses however, is extremely high risk due to the much higher speed of motorized vehicular traffic on
those routes, and the lack of bike lanes. My questions are as follows:
• If the City of Pleasanton, in coordination with CalTrans, is responsible for these overpasses, what can be done to
motivate these two entities to begin work on overpass bike paths?
• What can be done to shift the priority status of bike lanes on the two overpasses?
• What can we do to get CalTrans to prioritize bike lane development on the overpasses?
I recall seeing an older bike lane plan, and I believe the overpass bike lanes have been in the plans for over a decade
now, which is concerning.
I will study the plans you provided in greater detail, and provide specific feedback at a later date.
Best regards,
Leonie Meima
From: Kristi Marleau <kmarleau @gmail.com>
Subject: Dublin Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Comment 2
Date: July 10, 2014 11 :40:54 AM PDT
To: Ferd Del Rosario <Ferd.del rosario @dublin.ca.gov>
Hello Ferd,
I hope you are doing well. I am very happy to see the Dublin Bicycle and Pedestrian Master
Plan nearing the approval stage. A few thoughts for you: Of course I would love to see
protected bike lanes on Dublin Blvd, but that's a dream I'll hold on to for the next plan update. I
am very excited about the implementation plan that has a lot of the striping projects for other
streets downtown scheduled for FY14-15. I hope that staff will push for that plan to be followed
rather than the very unambitious benchmark of .5mi/year. I would love to see a safer downtown
this year. I also think that the city should adopt the NACTO design guide for these projects.
Thanks to all the staff and consultants for the hard work of putting this plan together.
Kristi Marleau
DUBLIN
DUBLIN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
7471 Larkdale Avenue, Dublin, CA 94568-1599.925-828-2551*FAX 925-479-0689
All Dublin Students will July 14,2014
Become Lifelong Learners
Ferd Del Rosario
SUPERINTENDENT Senior Civil Engineer
Stephen Henke,Ed.D. City f Dublin Comment 3
(925)828-2551 y
Public Works Department
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 100 Civic Plaza
Dublin,CA 94568
Sean Kenney
President y
(650)465-9851 Re: Bicycle &Pedestrian Master Plan
Initial Study/Negative Declaration
Amy Miller
Vice-President Dear Mr. Del Rosario,
(925)577-5666
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Initial Study/Negative Declaration for
Megan Rouse
(925)785-7862 the Cit y of Dublin Bicycle&Pedestrian Master Plan.
Dan Cunningham District staff has reviewed the document and respectfully submits the following
(925)640-8330 comments in response to the Initial Study/Negative Declaration.
Greg Tomlinson 1. In Section 14. "Public Services",Item c. "Schools", the document notes, "There
would be no impact to the Dublin Unified School District, since no dwellings
would be constructed that generate school-aged children. " While it is
recognized the project will not generate a change in enrollment in the District,
there could be potential impacts to students attending schools in the vicinity of
proposed bicycle and pedestrian improvements. While it is understood one of the
project goals upon completion is to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety,we
ask that during construction, consideration be given to campus schedules to
minimize potential disruption to student pedestrian/bicycle patterns and vehicle
transportation/circulation at the sites during peak drop off and pick up times
throughout the school year.
2. Additionally,the District respectfully requests our agency be added to the city's
list of agencies and organizations contacted in the course of similar studies in the
future, to add another layer of review for potentially new or significant impacts
to our students and school sites not otherwise anticipated.
Thank you again for the opportunity to provide comments on the document.
Sincerely,
Patricia Benavidez
Facilities Planner