The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), in cooperation with the San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG), will prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)/Environmental Assessment (EA) for the I-205 Managed Lanes Project. This project proposes to install managed lanes on I-205 between I-5 and I-580 and could include interchange improvements and transit hubs. Four alternatives and the no-build alternative are being considered.
Caltrans and SCJOG are seeking input on the scope and content of the environmental document in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. The meeting will include a presentation and information about the project, and there will be an opportunity to speak to the project team. If you have any questions about the project or meeting, please contact Scott Guidi, Caltrans Branch Chief, at (209) 479-1839 or by email to scott.guidi@dot.ca.gov.
You can send comments by email to scott.guidi@dot.ca.gov, or by mail to Scott Guidi, Caltrans, District 10, 1976 East Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Stockton, CA 95205.
The San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) and the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS), District 4 and District 10 are developing the I-205 Managed Lanes project to address increased commute times and corridor congestion on I-205 from I-5, through the City of Tracy, and through to the Alameda/San Joaquin County border.
Managed lanes have been successfully used to reduce congestion by controlling the way traffic moves on the highway. Special lanes allocated just for cars with two or more people (HOV), buses, trucks or electric vehicles are one way lane management helps keep traffic flowing. Another example of lane management is to charge a Single Occupant Vehicle (SOV) user fee or toll to help pay for maintenance, transit and construction. Managed lanes take vehicles out of general congestion resulting in overall travel times decreasing and overall travel speeds increasing.
The project will also address increased use of the corridor as an intercity and interstate truck and freight route and increased need for alternative modes of transportation between San Joaquin County and the San Francisco Bay Area such as buses, vanpools, and rideshares. Also under consideration are options reserving the center median for various types of transit (bus and/or rail), as well as potential locations for stations and connections to bicycle/pedestrian facilities, park and ride lots, and other transit systems.
Projects such as this have several parts (or phases) and can take multiple years to complete. The current phase of the project will develop the project design alternatives and complete the required environmental document. The current effort is known as the Project Approval and Environmental Document (PA & ED) phase. It will evaluate alternative designs to best integrate other on-going projects, incorporate new technologies, coordinate transit options, and explore station/transportation hub locations.
The ultimate outcome will be to produce a project that will meet the multiple goals of innovation, satisfying community and stakeholder needs, facilitating goods movement, and best meeting anticipated future funding criteria, while advancing the Governor’s executive orders . Public and stakeholder engagement will help shape the ultimate design of the corridor.
The overarching goal for SJCOG is to improve local, regional, and interregional circulation for all modes of travel between the Central Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. The proposed project, within that framework, has the following primary purposes:
The project is needed to address the following concerns:
Answer: The San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) and the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS), District 4 and District 10 are developing the I-205 Managed Lanes project to address increased commute times and corridor congestion on I-205 from I-5, through the City of Tracy, and through to the Alameda/San Joaquin County border. The project will also address increased use of the corridor as an intercity and interstate truck and freight route and increased need for alternative modes of transportation between San Joaquin County and the San Francisco Bay Area. Projects such as this have several parts (or phases) and can take many years to complete. The current phase of the project will develop the project design alternatives and complete the required environmental document. The current effort is known as the Project Approval and Environmental Document (PA & ED) phase. It will evaluate alternative designs to best integrate other on-going projects, incorporate new technologies, coordinate transit options, and explore station/transportation hub locations. The ultimate outcome will be to produce a project that will meet the multiple goals of innovation, satisfying community and stakeholder needs, facilitating goods movement, and best meeting anticipated future funding criteria.
Answer: Managed lanes have been successfully used to reduce congestion by controlling the way traffic moves on the highway. Special lanes allocated just for cars with two or more people (HOV), buses, trucks or electric vehicles are one way lane management helps keep traffic flowing. Another example of lane management is to charge a Single Occupant Vehicle (SOV) user fee or toll to help pay for maintenance, transit and construction. Managed lanes take vehicles out of general congestion resulting in overall travel times decreasing and overall travel speeds increasing.
Answer: A Project Study Report-Project Development Support (PSR-PDS) was prepared in 2017 that examined widening I-205 to include High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes between the Alameda County Line and I-5, with outside widening west of 11th Street and inside widening east of 11th Street Report. This report is the first step in the project approval process and making the project eligible for later construction funding. It includes surveys of the project area, engineering studies, preliminary project design alternatives, project cost estimates, and defines the work and resources needed to complete the next phase of the project, which is the current work effort.
Additionally, in 2019, SJCOG dedicated a portion of its SB1 formula-based planning funds to complete a Congested Corridor Plan. This plan included the I-205 corridor, as well as the larger connected corridors of I-5, SR 120, and SR 99. This plan was completed to combine several previous planning efforts and to make future projects eligible for funding from the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program. The final plan can be viewed here: Congested Corridor Plan
Answer: Caltrans is the “lead agency” for the project; SJCOG is the project sponsor. However, the project is being coordinated with many agencies, including Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC), the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC), San Joaquin County, the City of Tracy, the Regional Transit District (RTD), and the Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority. The consultant is Kimley-Horn Associates and includes a team of 20 sub-consultants that provide extensive specialized experience.
Answer: The project included both sides of I-205 through San Joaquin County and the City of Tracy from I-5 to the San Joaquin/Alameda County border.
Answer: Besides the original design concepts for a widening and addition of a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, this phase of the project will also consider “managed lanes” that provide tolling options. Also under consideration are options reserving the center median for various types of transit (bus and/or rail), as well as potential locations for stations and connections to bicycle/pedestrian facilities, park and ride lots, and other transit systems.
Answer: Yes; one of the deliverables from this phase of the project is an Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
Answer: The Environment Impact Study is expected to be completed and certified in December of 2023. A project timeline is show below.
Answer: In addition to this website, social media platforms will also be used including Facebook, Twitter, NextDoor, and Instagram. This will enable community members to participate, collaborate, and inform decision making as convenient, without the need to physically attend meetings.
Answer: Several public meetings are expected during the three plus years needed to complete this phase of the project. There are two overlapping outreach efforts anticipated; one will be a general public outreach campaign to assist the public in understanding the project and providing input to the consultant team and SJCOG on some of the design features for the project. The second outreach effort is the required public meetings and hearings that are part of the development and approval of the environmental document or EIR. Currently, the project team anticipates a webinar to introduce the public to the project. This is anticipated in late May 2021. The team also expects a formal Notice of Preparation (NOP) scoping meeting to kick-off the environmental document in May/June 2021. Other meetings are to be determined and will be advertised on the project website, SJCOG’s website, by email and through various social media platforms.
Answer: Yes, two formal committees have been developed. These include an Executive Leadership Committee and a Community Advisory Committee. Updates and materials will also be shared with SJCOG’’s existing standing committees and Board of Directors during the course of the project. These committees will review project progress and periodically provide comments to the project consultant team.
The Executive Leadership Committee will provide high-level policy guidance and assist in identifying legislative, political, and economic challenges and opportunities to be considered by the project team and carried forward into stakeholder and community engagement, and project design. The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) will also help guide the study and provide important connections to the groups of citizens and stakeholders they represent. The CAC is made up of a diverse range of groups and organizations based primarily within the project area. The range of groups include local advocacy groups, economic development, private developers, public agencies, and elected officials.
For further information please contact:
Parag Mehta, Project Manager
Kimley-Horn Associates
4637 Chabot Dr., Suite 300
Pleasanton, CA. 94588
(925) 965-770
Parag.mehta@kimley-horn.com
or
Kim Anderson, Project Public Outreach Lead
Senior Advisor for Regional Planning & Strategic Communications
Regional Government Services
(650) 587-7300 Ext. 30
kanderson@rgs.ca.gov