Newell Road/San Francisquito Creek Bridge Replacement Project

The existing bridge is considered functionally obsolete due to the following:

• Roadway Section—The standard minimum width configuration is two 11-foot wide lanes plus separate 5-foot bicycle lanes (16’ per lane, 32’ total) or two 14-foot “sharrow” lanes that serve as shared bicycle/vehicle lanes (14’ per lane, 28’ total). The existing bridge functions as a two-lane bridge, but only has a curb to curb width of 18 feet.
• Vertical Alignment—Current standards require smooth, gradual vertical curves between grade differences. The existing bridge approach has a steep grade that reduces the length of roadway a driver can see entering or leaving the bridge and reduces the response time for drivers to respond to conditions in front of their vehicle.

• Stopping Sight Distance—At the intersection of Newell Road and Woodland Avenue, the sight distance is limited by the overgrown landscaping, existing bridge barriers and flood walls. 

In addition, San Francisquito Creek has a flow capacity of 7,500 cubic feet per second (CFS).  The bridge abutments encroach into the channel and limit the flow to 6,600 CFS. As such, the structure presents flood risks to the adjacent communities. Replacing Newell Road Bridge is the next step in the series of projects necessary to minimize the flooding risk. Specifically, the SFCJPA completed the San Francisquito Creek Flood Reduction, Ecosystem Restoration, and Recreation San Francisco Bay to Highway 101 Project in October 2018, which improved flood control in areas downstream of Newell Road.

Once Newell Road Bridge is replaced, it will allow SFCJPA and Valley Water to replace Pope / Chaucer Street Bridge which has flow capacity of 5,400 CFS. Pope / Chaucer Street bridge cannot be replaced in advance of Newell Road Bridge, because it would transfer the flooding risk to the downstream communities. Replacing Newell Road bridge will improve the safety for all modes of transportation, provide a designated crosswalk for pedestrians, and will enable the creek channel to convey more creek flow and minimize the risk of flooding to the communities of Palo Alto, Menlo Park and East Palo Alto.

The City of Palo Alto Architectural Review Board will review the project and make a recommendation on the project design. The City of Palo Alto City Council will then issue a decision on the proposed project and the associated environmental analysis. There are five alternatives under consideration for the replacement of Newell Road Bridge. The City of Palo Alto has secured funding for project design and environmental assessment, 88.5% is coming from Caltrans’ Highway Bridge Program and 11.5% from Valley Water.

The bridge replacement alternatives include the following:

1. No project alternative (keep existing bridge as is)
2. New bi-directional one-lane vehicle bridge with traffic signal controls
3. New two-lane vehicle bridge using existing bridge alignment
4. New two-lane vehicle bridge with a partial realignment with Newell Road in East Palo Alto
5. New two-lane vehicle bridge fully realigned with Newell Road in East Palo Alto

The project was able to recommence in 2017, and the five bridge alternatives were analyzed, and their associated impacts compared through a series of technical reports required for the EIR. These reports identified construction and post-construction-related impacts on the surrounding area in terms of traffic, noise, biological assessment, community impact, trees, air quality, etc.

Palo Alto as the lead agency has been managing the consultants, conducting public outreach, and coordinating the project environmental documents. The City of Palo Alto and Caltrans published the Draft EIR(PDF, 35MB) for public comment beginning on May 31, 2019 and ending on July 30, 2019.

The City of Palo Alto and Caltrans considered all comments received during the circulation period and prepared a Final EIR/EA, which includes formal responses to all comments received during the circulation period as well as revisions to the EIR where appropriate in response to the comments. In addition, and as a result of the completion and opening of East Palo Alto bicycle and pedestrian bridge over Highway 101, the City and Caltrans completed a supplemental traffic count on August 28 and 29, 2019 to obtain updated multi-modal counts for the bridge, which could have been impacted by the opening of this bridge. The Comparison of Peak Hour Volumes at Newell Road/Woodland Avenue for Vehicles, Pedestrian and Bikes, Technical Memorandum(PDF, 790KB) prepare by TJKM and dated November 20, 2019 indicates that Traffic impacts would remain less than significant based on the 2019 volume counts.

Notice of Determination – Santa Clara County(PDF, 561KB)
Notice of Determination – San Mateo County(PDF, 290KB)
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Clearance Letter(PDF, 120KB)
CALTRANS Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)(PDF, 239KB)
Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) / Environmental Assessment (EA) - (38 MB)(PDF, 38MB)

Appendix A - Title VI Policy Statement (PDF, 262KB)
Appendix B - Avoidance, Minimization and/or Mitigation Summary(PDF, 352KB)
Appendix C - Notice of Preparation(PDF, 4MB)
Appendix D - Correspondence(PDF, 4MB)
Appendix E - Species Lists(PDF, 440KB)
Appendix F - Comment Letters and Response to Public Comments(PDF, 15MB)
Appendix G - List of Technical Studies(PDF, 175KB)
Draft Environmental Impact Report (34 MB)(PDF, 35MB)

Appendix A - Title VI Policy Statement (PDF, 403KB)
Appendix B - Avoidance, Minimization and/or Mitigation Summary(PDF, 601KB)
Appendix C - Notice of Preparation(PDF, 3MB)
Appendix D - Correspondence(PDF, 4MB)
Appendix E - Species Lists(PDF, 440KB)
Appendix F - List of Technical Studies(PDF, 15MB)

Air Quality Technical Memorandum(PDF, 4MB)
Supplemental Air Quality Technical Memorandum(PDF, 2MB)
Community Impact Assessment(PDF, 2MB)
Hazardous Material Technical Memorandum Update(PDF, 4MB)
Historical Resources Evaluation Report(PDF, 10MB)
Location Hydraulic Study(PDF, 11MB) 
Natural Environment Study(PDF, 34MB)
Noise Study Report(PDF, 2MB)
Supplemental Traffic Evaluation Report(PDF, 2MB)
Supplement Traffic Evaluation Report Appendices(PDF, 11MB) 
Evaluation of Woodland Avenue/University Avenue and Woodland Avenue/E Crescent Drive Intersections under Existing Bridge Closure Conditions(PDF, 281KB)
Visual Impact Assessment(PDF, 4MB)
Water Quality Assessment Report(PDF, 3MB)
Alternative Screening Analysis Report(PDF, 8MB) (includes TJKM Traffic Study)
Bridge Hydraulics and Evaluation of Proposed Alternatives Technical Memo(PDF, 81KB)
Preliminary Geotechnical Information Memo(PDF, 1MB)
CEQA Document Declaration(PDF, 78KB)
Notice of Availability(PDF, 1MB)
Notice of Completion(PDF, 154KB)
Letter – Notice of Preparation of EIR - Recorded Copy
Presentation – Newell Bridge EIR Scoping Meeting Presentation - September 3, 2015
Letter(PDF, 94KB) – Scoping Meeting - September 3, 2015 [English]
Letter(PDF, 96KB) – Scoping Meeting - September 3, 2015 [Spanish]
Letter(PDF, 7MB) – Notice of Preparation - August 12, 2015 [English]
Letter(PDF, 6MB) – Notice of Preparation - August 12, 2015 [Spanish]

• May 6, 2019 – City Council Meeting
• Staff provided an Informational Report to Council with the status of the project. The staff report is available to the public.
• June 12, 2019 -- Planning and Transportation Commission
  • Meeting Presentation(PDF, 2MB)
  • Staff Report(PDF, 8MB)
• June 18, 2019 – Informational Community Meeting on the Draft EIR
  • Meeting Presentation(PDF, 1MB)
• June 19, 2019 – East Palo Alto Public Works Transportation Committee
  • Meeting Presentation(PDF, 1MB)
• July 18, 2019  –  8:30 a.m. - Architectural Review Board and Caltrans Public Meeting
  • Plans for ARB (study session) / Caltrans Public Meeting(PDF, 14MB) 
• May 7, 2020 - Architectural Review Board
  
  • Agenda(PDF, 172KB)
  • Staff Report(PDF, 2MB)
  • Revised Planning Application Plan(PDF, 23MB), 2020 - Architectural Review Board
• June 1, 2020 -City Council
  • Agenda(PDF, 247KB)
    (PDF, 2MB)
  • Staff Report(PDF, 2MB)

Presentation(PDF, 4MB) - Community Meeting; presentation to Crescent Park Neighborhood of Five Project Alternatives; June 22, 2016
Letter – East Palo Alto City Manager Magda Gonzales; March 11, 2014

Community Meeting; presentation of alternative screening analysis findings; February 27, 2014
Presentation(PDF, 2MB)
Alternative Screening Analysis Report and Traffic Evaluation(PDF, 8MB)

Presentation(PDF, 3MB) - Community Meeting; presentation of eight project alternatives and screening criteria; October 17, 2013
Presentation(PDF, 2MB) - Community Meeting; presentation to prepare an Environmental Impact Report; January 8, 2013

Staff Report ID#2308-1944(PDF, 1MB) - Amendment No. 5 to Newell Road Bridge Design Contract NV5; November 27, 2023
Staff Report ID#12368(PDF, 7MB) - Amendment No. 4 to Newell Road Bridge Design Contract NV5; June 22, 2021
Staff Report ID#11184(PDF, 2MB) - Amendment No. 3 to Newell Road Bridge Design Contract NV5; June 1, 2020
Staff Report ID# 5549(PDF, 1MB) - Amendment No. 2 to Newell Road Bridge Design Contract with NV5; May 13, 2015
Staff Report ID# 3599(PDF, 307KB) - Amendment No. 1 to Newell Road Bridge Design Contract with NV5; June 3, 2013
Staff Report ID# 2501(PDF, 1MB) - Approval of a Contract with NV5; April 9, 2012