REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
April 29, 2025
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Director, Department of Public Works - Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Baker Boulevard Bridge Over Mojave River Bridge Replacement Project
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Certify that the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (State Clearinghouse No. 2025030204) for the Baker Boulevard Bridge Over Mojave River Bridge Replacement Project, in the Baker area, has been completed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act, has been reviewed and considered prior to approving the project, and that the report reflects the independent judgement of the Board of Supervisors.
2. Adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Baker Boulevard Bridge Over Mojave River Bridge Replacement Project, in the Baker area.
3. Adopt the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the Baker Boulevard Bridge Over Mojave River Bridge Replacement Project, in the Baker area, as provided in Section 4 of the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration.
4. Direct the Department of Public Works to file the Notice of Determination in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Baker Boulevard Bridge Over Mojave River Bridge Replacement Project (Project), is funded by Measure I North Desert Subarea Major Local Highways Program (MLHP), administered by the San Bernadino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) for design and environmental. Funding for construction will utilize Measure I MLHP along with state and federal funds under the Surface Transportation Program (STP - local), allocated to SBCTA. The requested administrative actions have minimal financial impacts on the Department of Public Works (Department). Sufficient revenue and appropriation are included in the Department’s 2024-25 Road Operations budget (6650002000 H14278) and will be included in future recommended budgets as necessary.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The San Bernardino County Department of Public Works (County) in cooperation with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), proposes to replace the existing two-lane timber bridge on Baker Boulevard crossing over the Mojave River, with a new four lane structure located near the unincorporated community of Baker in San Bernardino County, California. The purpose of the proposed Project is to improve structure safety and operations through the replacement of the existing bridge and approach roadways. The proposed Project is needed to meet current bridge structural design and safety standards while accommodating future traffic capacity needs. However, the Project itself will not generate an increase in traffic volume or demand.
The existing bridge, originally constructed in 1931, was a simple-supported stringer timber bridge spanning approximately 93-feet over the Mojave River on Baker Boulevard (formerly State Route 31). In 1938, the bridge underwent significant repairs and expansion, including the replacement of all untreated Douglas Fir timber with Redwood. The bridge was lengthened with the addition of nine new spans to the west and eight to the east, extending its total length to approximately 408 feet. Channel excavation was also performed to maintain a minimum clearance of six feet below the bottom stringer.
The proposed project involves demolishing the existing two-lane, 22-span, simple-supported stringer timber bridge and replacing it with a new four-lane structure. The Project is funded by both state and federal sources, requiring compliance with both the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), with Caltrans serving as the lead agency for NEPA compliance and the County as the lead agency for CEQA compliance.
Under CEQA, environmental review must be completed before project initiation. As the lead agency, the County Board of Supervisors is the appropriate authority to adopt the state environmental document. On September 27, 2022 (Item No. 79), the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors (Board) approved on-call Contract No. 22-912 with Dokken Engineering (Dokken) for engineering and other services. This contract was utilized for preparation of an environmental Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the Project.
Dokken prepared a draft IS/MND and a Notice of Intent/Notice of Availability for the proposed IS/MND, which was circulated for a period of 30 days beginning on March 11, 2025, through the Office of Planning and Research, State Clearinghouse. A Notice of Intent was also distributed to responsible and trustee agencies, interested parties, and surrounding property owners, with the completed draft of the IS/MND for the same 30-day period beginning on March 11, 2025. Mitigation measures determined to be needed to reduce potential impacts to the lowest level possible were in included in a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program included as Section 4 of the IS/MND entitled “Summary of Mitigation Measures.”
The Project will meet the County’s and Chief Executive Officer’s goals and objectives of ensuring the development of a well-planned, balanced, and sustainable County and providing for the safety, health and social service needs of County residents by replacing structurally deficient bridges.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-
5455) on April 3, 2025; Finance (Kathleen Gonzalez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4222 on April 10, 2025) and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on April 14, 2025.