Draft Environmental Assessment
Draft Environmental Assessment12th Street – Avenue A to Avenue BU.S. Department of the InteriorBureau of ReclamationYuma Area OfficeYuma, ArizonaJuly 2010
Draft Environmental Assessment12th Street – Avenue A to Avenue BCity of Yuma, ArizonaPrepared forUnited States Department of the InteriorBureau of ReclamationYuma Area Office7301 Calle Agua SaladaYuma, Arizona 85364Prepared byHDR Engineering, Inc.3200 East Camelback RoadPhoenix, Arizona 85018155 West 14th StreetYuma, Arizona 85364July 2010 Version 3.0
City of Yuma155 West 14th StreetYuma, Arizona 85364Draft Environmental Assessment12th Street – Avenue A to Avenue BProject No. 67332July 2010Version 3.0This draft environmental assessment has been prepared in accordance with provisions and requirements ofTitle 40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 1500 et seq. relating to the implementation of the NationalEnvironmental Policy Act of 1969.
Contents1.02.03.0Introduction . 11.1Need for the Proposed Action . 11.1.1 Improve Connectivity between Avenue A and Avenue B . 21.2Purpose of the Proposed Action . 3Description of the Proposed Action and Alternatives . 42.1Location . 42.2Alternatives Considered in Detail . 42.2.1 No-Action Alternative . 42.2.2 Proposed Action . 72.2.3 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated . 72.3Conclusion . 8Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences. 113.1Aesthetics . 113.1.1 Affected Environment . 123.1.2 Environmental Consequences/Impacts . 123.1.3 Best Management Practices . 133.2Air Quality. 133.2.1 Affected Environment . 133.2.2 Environmental Consequences/Impacts . 143.2.3 Best Management Practices . 153.3Biological Resources . 153.3.1 Affected Environment . 153.3.2 Environmental Consequences/Impacts . 203.3.3 Best Management Practices . 213.4Cultural Resources . 213.4.1 Affected Environment . 223.4.2 Environmental Consequences/Impacts . 233.4.3 Best Management Practices . 243.5Geology and Soils . 243.5.1 Affected Environment . 243.5.2 Environmental Consequences/Impacts . 253.5.3 Best Management Practices . 253.6Hazardous and Solid Waste. 263.6.1 Affected Environment . 263.6.2 Environmental Consequences/Impacts . 263.6.3 Best Management Practices . 263.7Water Resources . 273.7.1 Affected Environment . 273.7.2 Environmental Consequences/Impacts . 28Draft Environmental Assessment, 12th Street – Avenue A to Avenue B ProjectProject No. 67332 July 2010iii
4.05.06.07.0iv3.7.3 Best Management Practices .283.8Land Use and Ownership.293.8.1 Affected Environment .293.8.2 Environmental Consequences/Impacts .293.8.3 Best Management Practices .303.9Noise Levels .303.9.1 Affected Environment .303.9.2 Environmental Consequences/Impacts .333.9.3 Best Management Practices .343.10 Indian Trust Assets .343.10.1 Affected Environment .343.10.2 Environmental Consequences/Impacts .343.11 Socioeconomics .343.11.1 Affected Environment .343.11.2 Environmental Consequences/Impacts .353.11.3 Best Management Practices .363.12 Environmental Justice .363.12.1 Affected Environment .373.12.2 Environmental Consequences/Impacts .383.12.3 Best Management Practices .413.13 Environmental Commitments .423.14 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources .433.15 Cumulative Impacts .44Consultation, Coordination, and Public Involvement.464.1Consultation and Coordination .464.2Public Scoping Meeting .464.3Public Open House .474.4Comment Period and Public Hearing .49List of Preparers .51References.52List of Acronyms and Abbreviations .54Draft Environmental Assessment, 12th Street – Avenue A to Avenue B ProjectProject No. 67332 July 2010
TablesTable 2-1. Typical design characteristics of the Proposed Action . 7Table 3-1. Federally listed species for Yuma County excluded from further analysis and reasons forexclusion. 17Table 3-2. Special-status species . 18Table 3-3. Previous projects identified within 1 mile of the area of potential effects . 23Table 3-4. Sites identified within 1 mile of the area of potential effects . 23Table 3-5. Demographic data . 35Table 3-6. Low-income and minority populations . 37Table 4-1. Comments received at November 2008 open house . 48FiguresFigure 2-1.Figure 2-2.Figure 3-1.Figure 3-2.Project vicinity. 5Proposed Action design . 9Project area land use . 31Census block groups . 39Draft Environmental Assessment, 12th Street – Avenue A to Avenue B ProjectProject No. 67332 July 2010v
AppendixesAppendix A – Special-Status SpeciesAppendix B – Cultural Resource InformationAppendix C – Soil Survey MapAppendix D – Agency CorrespondenceAppendix E – Public InvolvementviDraft Environmental Assessment, 12th Street – Avenue A to Avenue B ProjectProject No. 67332 July 2010
1.0IntroductionThis environmental assessment (EA) has been prepared in accordance with the NationalEnvironmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the United States (U.S.) Department of the Interior’sBureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) guidelines. It summarizes the environmental effects ofimplementation of the 12th Street – Avenue A to Avenue B Project (Proposed Action). The City ofYuma plans to improve and enhance the existing transportation level of service (LOS) within thelocal community with the Proposed Action.The project area is located along the east–west midsection line of Section 29 in Township 8 South,Range 23 West (Gila and Salt River Base and Meridian Series United States Geological Surveytopographical map), within the Yuma city limits. The Proposed Action would provide a new minorarterial roadway connection by widening and improving 12th Street and by providing a connectionbetween Avenue A and Avenue B through the bridging of the East Main Canal, which currentlydivides 12th Street west of 14th Avenue. Connections and improvements to existing utilities andinfrastructure such as sidewalks, curb and gutter, drainage, and multiuse paths along 12th Streetwould also be completed as part of this project.Because a portion of the Proposed Action is located on Reclamation-managed land (the East MainCanal), it is subject to review and determination under NEPA (40 Code of Federal Regulations[C.F.R.] Parts 1500 et seq.) and Reclamation’s NEPA Handbook (Reclamation 2000). Reclamation isconsidering the issuance of a “Right-of-Use” authorization to the city of Yuma, to cross land held infee or right-of-way (East Main Canal) by Reclamation.This EA describes the Proposed Action, alternatives to the Proposed Action, and potential impactsrelated to implementation of the Proposed Action. In addition, it sets forth the consultation and publicinvolvement process used in the preparation of this EA.Throughout this EA, the term “project limits” is used to represent the construction footprint (area ofdisturbance), while the term “project area” also includes surrounding land outside of but adjacent tothe project limits. The term “project study area” encompasses both the project limits and project area.The term “project vicinity” is used to denote a more expansive landscape context.1.1Need for the Proposed ActionThe City of Yuma’s Proposed Action is needed to improve the connectivity between Avenue A andAvenue B by: increasing east–west transportation capacity along 12th Street across the East Main Canalimproving emergency service access and alternative routesimproving multiuse path connectivity and recreational accesscomplying with the City of Yuma’s General Plan (2002) and Major Roadway Plan (2005) andthe Yuma Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (YMPO’s) 2006–2029 Regional TransportationPlan (RTP), which was approved in March 2007Each of these project needs is discussed in the following subsection.Draft Environmental Assessment, 12th Street – Avenue A to Avenue BProject No. 67332 July 20101
1.1.1Improve Connectivity between Avenue A and Avenue BCurrently, 12th Street is discontinuous between Avenue A and Avenue B because no bridge crossesthe East Main Canal. As a result, 12th Street does not currently function as a local arterial streetbecause it dead ends at the canal. In the project study area, east–west arterial road crossings of theEast Main Canal are limited to 8th Street (which is located ½ mile north of 12th Street) and16th Street (which is located ½ mile south of 12th Street).The project improvements would allow 12th Street to function as an arterial road, provide anadditional east–west arterial road connection between Avenue A and Avenue B, improve the overallarea’s traffic capacity, relieve current traffic congestion, and improve emergency service access. Inaddition, improvements to sidewalks, sidewalk ramps, and curbs—which would be designed to meetAmericans with Disabilities Act standards—would enhance pedestrian mobility along the12th Streetcorridor.The following bullets discuss the proposed project improvements in more detail: Increase East–West Transportation Capacity Across the East Main Canal and YumaAdditional east–west arterial road capacity is needed in the project area (City of Yuma 2005).Currently in the project area, crossings of the East Main Canal are limited to the four-lane arterialroads approximately ½ mile north and south (8th Street and 16th Street, respectively) of12th Street.Based on 2007 traffic counts, 8th Street and 16th Street, between Avenue A and Avenue B, carryover 19,000 and 27,000 vehicles per day, respectively. The capacity of such roadways at anacceptable level of service (LOS) D is approximately 35,000 vehicles per day (State of FloridaDepartment of Transportation 2002). LOS is a measure of traffic conditions, with a “report card”system that rates LOS A as free-flowing traffic conditions and LOS F as gridlock.Approximately 100,000 vehicles per day are projected to cross the East Main Canal in 2029within the study area. Without a bridge across the canal on 12th Street, 8th and 16th streets wouldbe forced to accommodate all east–west traffic in the project study area (YMPO 2006). Currently,the parallel arterial streets to Avenues A and B are experiencing morning and evening peak hourtraffic congestion at the 8th and 16th Street intersections. Without improvements to the existingroads, the future demand would exceed capacity by approximately 30,000 vehicles per day (vpd),making traffic conditions overly congested or with gridlock conditions in the area. Although16th Street is planned to be widened to six lanes (YMPO 2007), this widening alone would notmeet the excess travel demand. With the proposed changes, 12th Street can accommodate over1,200 vpd during peak hour traffic (City of Yuma 2005). By widening 12th Street to two travellanes in each direction with a median, or a two-way center turning lane and by building the bridgeacross the East Main Canal, the projected travel demand exceedance on Avenue A and B wouldbe addressed while increasing the LOS by reducing the projected traffic congestion on 8th Streetand 16th Street. Improve Emergency Service Access and Alternative RoutesTo minimize response times, emergency services, such as fire and police, need less congested andmore direct access routes in the area. In the event of an emergency, service vehicles currently use8th Street or 16th Street to cross the East Main Canal and then double back to reach destinations2Draft Environmental Assessment, 12th Street – Avenue A to Avenue BProject No. 67332 July 2010
along 12th Street. A new 12th Street connection would reduce traffic congestion on 8th Street and16th Street and provide another East Main Canal crossing opportunity. This would allowemergency services to establish additional shorter routes, thereby improving response times,especially in the areas adjacent to 12th Street. Improve Multiuse Path Connectivity and Recreational AccessLike arterial road connections in the project area, pedestrian and bicycle connections across theEast Main Canal are limited to the bridges at 8th Street and 16th Street, which are separated by1 mile. Therefore, existing multiuse path connectivity needs improvement to allow access to andfrom the areas west of the East Main Canal. The proposed improvements to 12th Street wouldprovide additional access to the existing recreational infrastructure, add connections to theexisting paths along both banks of the East Main Canal, and provide some of the plannedmultiuse path enhancements planned in the YMPO RTP of 2007. Comply with Future Transportation Planning RequirementsThe City of Yuma’s Capital Improvement Project (CIP) program and the YMPO RTP (City ofYuma 2007) call for the improvements specified in this project. The Proposed Action isCIP # 5.9811, and both the City’s Major Roadway Plan and the RTP call for a minor arterial roadwith a minimum of two lanes in each direction and a center turning lane, as was reflected in theinitial design for this project. Compliance is the result of increasing capacity along 12th Streetand by bridging the canal. However, the initial proposed improvements were modified to onetravel lane in each direction with a median or center turning lane as a result of public input. Thecurrent roadway design and the component of bridging the East Main Canal would still allow theCity to meet planning requirements of offering better service to the community in the study area.1.2Purpose of the Proposed ActionThe purpose of the proposed improvements to 12th Street is to address the needs identified abovewhi
Canal), it is subject to review and determination under NEPA (40 Code of Federal Regulations [C.F.R.] Parts 1500 et seq.) and Reclamation’s NEPA Handbook (Reclamation 2000). Reclamation is considering the issuance of a “Right-of-Use”
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