SR 05:277 - Laserfiche WebLink

Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council: BACKGROUND In April of 1990, the City Council approved the final PUD development plan for Laguna Oaks. The project was developed in accordance with the adopted Laguna Oaks Specific Plan that included substantial infrastructure improvements, including the construction of an additional two-lane bridge across the Arroyo de la Laguna and road widening for Bernal Avenue. The developer, The De Silva Group, was obligated to construct the new bridge. The original concept for the bridge was to install an interim two-lane bridge south of the existing bridge to accommodate all eastbound traffic, while the existing steel truss bridge was to handle one lane of westbound traffic and a bicycle/pedestrian path. The ultimate improvement for Bernal Avenue considered the removal of the old steel truss bridge and an expansion of the two-lane interim bridge to a five lane bridge with complete pedestrian and bike paths on either side of the bridge. In December of 1993, the City Council modified the bridge project and approved a new concrete bridge with a false steel superstructure which would replicate the existing steel truss bridge for eastbound traffic and retained the existing steel truss bridge for westbound traffic. The construction of the bridge was dependant on obtaining right-of-way from the San Francisco Water Department (SFWD). Rather than acquire the required right-of-way from SFWD and proceed with the construction of the second bridge, the decision was made to wait for the SFWD property to develop and require the developers of the property to dedicate the right-of-way to the City. The bridge construction schedule did not move forward until 2000 when the development agreement for the SFWD property was completed. The process of securing the necessary environmental permits was begun, and the permits were obtained in 2002. Staff proceeded to meet with the De Silva Group in Spring of 2003 to discuss the timing for construction of the bridge. Given the overall length of the construction schedule, Staff decided to pursue the first phase of construction, the removal of the old abutments for the Bernal Bridge in 2003, with the De Silva Group to start construction on the new bridge in 2004. Staff met in late May of 2004 with representatives of the De Silva Group to discuss the current schedule for completion of the bridge. Staff was informed that construction would not start that year because of funding. The De Silva Group was concerned with the high construction costs for the new bridge, and the extent of their obligation to fund the construction. The City Council was asked on August 3, 2004, to consider removal of the false steel superstructure and redesign of the bridge in an effort to reduce costs, and to better complement the existing historic steel bridge. The City Council directed staff to redesign the second Bernal Bridge, eliminating the false steel superstructure, to proceed with moving the sidewalk on the existing bridge next year (2005), and to bring the final design back to Council for approval. SR:05:277 Page 2 of 4