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Caltrans aims to fix the flooding, drainage and vehicle and pedestrian hazards on El Camino Real in Burlingame caused by the massive eucalyptus trees but to do so needs to reclaim areas property owners are currently using, officials told the City Council this week.
Improving poor pavement conditions, sidewalks that do not meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards, local drainage and flooding issues, crosswalks that need upgrades and visibility issues while saving as many eucalyptus trees as possible are the main goals of the El Camino Real Renewal Project that stretches for 3 miles from East Santa Inez Avenue in San Mateo to Millbrae Avenue. However, to complete the project, Rommel Pardo, Caltrans senior project manager, identified 214 areas where private residences have encroached on the project that will need to be addressed.
“We are now entering another milestone regarding right-of-way and encroachment and will require some outreach above and beyond our regular course of business,” Pardo said during a presentation to the City Council Wednesday, July 5.
Matthew Goetz, Caltrans district land surveyor, said El Camino Real was a county road until around 1909, when the state was authorized to take control of it for a state highway.
The public right-of-way is the road, sidewalk and planting area. However, Goetz said there are also driveways, retaining walls and other objects that have been placed or constructed in the right-of-way that obstruct the projects plans.
Caltrans identified around 150 areas in Burlingame, 214 in total, where property owners encroached on the public right-of-way. Caltrans transportation engineer Isaac Mai said it’s possible many property owners did this unknowingly.
Of the 214 areas, 78 encroach the project within 2 feet, 52 areas encroach from 2 to 5 feet and 83 areas encroaches more than 5 feet. Encroaching objects include driveways, parking spaces, landscape, mailboxes, patios, retaining walls, fences and stairs, Mai said.
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Caltrans plans to have workshops for the property owners affected by the encroachment. They will focus on educating and explaining the process to those property owners.
The plan is to work with property owners case by case to find the best solution for the public, property owners and to keep the projects scheduled on time, Pardo said.
The project won’t be widening El Camino Real for traffic lanes but the goal is to create better sidewalks, and to allow for healthier tree growth, Mayor Michael Brownrigg said.
To ensure the healthy tree growth and provide a safer road, Caltrans and the city also plans to underground power utilities in cooperation with Pacific Gas and Electric and other utility companies that use the power lines.
Syed Murtuza, Burlingame Public Works director, said the city plans to bring the PG&E and Caltrans together to coordinate how to best schedule the simultaneous projects.
The design phase is set to be completed by 2024, the same year construction is scheduled to begin. Completion is estimated by 2026.
In August, Caltrans will have an informational booth about the project at the Burlingame on the Avenue Event. By mid-September 3D renderings of the design will be completed.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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