AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT

This chapter describes the physical and socioeconomic setting of the proposed SFOBB East Span Seismic Safety Project and provides the baseline used to evaluate potential impacts. The project area encompasses land between the western portal of the Yerba Buena Tunnel and the SFOBB Toll Plaza on the Oakland Touchdown area (Figure 2-2 in Appendix A). The project area includes additional land on Yerba Buena Island (YBI) to allow for construction activity related to the project. In the Bay, the project area includes sufficient area to accommodate all of the proposed alignments and allow for construction-related activity as described in Chapter 2.

In some locations, the project area extends beyond the physical limits described above, where there is potential for environmental impacts to occur beyond those limits. Project area boundaries are described within individual sections of this chapter where they differ from the boundaries shown on Figure 2-2 in Appendix A. Where the term "Region" is used in this chapter, it refers to the entire nine-county Bay Area and the I-80 Transbay corridor.

The following technical studies containing detailed information were conducted to prepare the environmental impact statement for the SFOBB East Span Project.

"Air Quality Study Memorandum," March 1998

"Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Report," September 1998

"Biological Assessment," September 1998

"Community Impact Assessment," September 1998

"Extended Study Report, Archaeological Resources," June 1998

"Finding of Adverse Effect: Built Environment," July 1998

"Finding of Effect for Archaeological Resources," July 1998

"Hazardous Wastes Assessment," September 1998

"Historic Property Survey Report," July 1998

"Location Hydraulic Study," September 1998

"Natural Environment Study," September 1998

"Noise and Vibration Study," September 1998

"Draft Relocation Impact Report," September 1998

"Traffic Circulation, Access and Parking Assessment," September 1998

"Visual Impact Assessment," September 1998

These studies are available for review at the locations listed in the Preface of this document. (Note: because the Extended Study Report, Archaeological Resources and Finding Of Effect for Archaeological Resources contain confidential information about the locations of archaeological resources, they are not available for review.)

This section describes existing land uses in the project area and identifies and analyzes existing and projected social conditions in the project area so that the economic, demographic, service and fiscal impacts of the East Span Project can be evaluated.

Socioeconomic and demographic data are presented for the U.S. Census Tracts that are within the project area and that could be potentially affected by the East Span Project. Census Tract 4017 in Oakland includes the Oakland Touchdown area; Census Tract 179.02 includes YBI and Treasure Island (TI). To provide context for census tract data, they are compared to data for the cities of Oakland and San Francisco (YBI and TI are part of the City of San Francisco). Because the SFOBB is a regional facility, some demographic data are also presented at the county level. Figure 3-1 in Appendix A shows the Oakland and YBI/TI census tract locations in the project area.

U.S. Navy. The Navy owns 47 hectares (115 acres) of land north of the East Span on YBI, as well as a small area to the south of the span at the eastern tip of the island (see Figure 3-2 in Appendix A). The Navy also owns the 163-hectare (403-acre) TI and the causeway connecting the two islands. These properties form the U.S. Navy Naval Station Treasure Island, which has operated since the 1940s. The base is now closed and as part of the Base Reuse and Closure (BRAC) process being implemented by the Department of Defense, the U.S. Navy is in the process of transferring these properties to the City and County of San Francisco (CCSF).

On YBI, U.S. Navy property encompasses all land to the north of the existing span and an additional portion south of the span lying roughly east of where Macalla Road passes underneath the span. (See Figure 3-2 in Appendix A showing property ownership on YBI.) The land uses on U.S. Navy property are primarily residential. Quarters 1 through 7 were built in the early 1900s as officers’ quarters. Several of the buildings on YBI have been listed or are eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. These properties are described in Section 3.10. With the exception of caretakers, the housing is now vacant.

In addition to these single-family residences, two apartment buildings, consisting of a total of 100 units, are located on the west edge of Macalla Road as it ascends from the TI causeway towards the westbound entrance ramp to the SFOBB (shown on Figure 2-16-1 in Appendix A). The units are currently vacant; however, 90 units are designated for use as residences by the Treasure Island Homeless Development Initiative (TIHDI), a CCSF program to rehabilitate housing for the homeless.

The infrastructure buildings on YBI consist of a vacant fire station (Building 213), located below Quarters 1 through 7 on the west side of Macalla Road, and a former torpedo house and mine assembly building (Building 262) located at the easternmost tip of the island.

On TI, approximately 30 military buildings are in the process of being demolished or are identified for future demolition. The remaining land uses include residential, educational, administrative/industrial buildings, recreational facilities, and infrastructure.

U.S. Coast Guard. The remaining property on YBI is owned by the USCG. It encompasses about 13 hectares (32 acres). The focus of USCG operations is a narrow half-mile strip of land at the eastern edge of the island. From this location, the USCG performs a variety of functions, including 24-hour search and rescue, law enforcement, and buoy repair and maintenance. Vessel traffic service is performed from a large communications tower at the top of YBI. Because of its search and rescue and law enforcement responsibilities, it is essential that the USCG be located at a waterfront site where boats can quickly accelerate to full speed. It is also very important for the unit to be centrally located in order to maintain adequate response times to emergency calls in the central and southern Bay.

Residential facilities are provided for about 100 USCG personnel who live on-site. The Bachelors Enlisted Quarters (BEQ) encompasses 60 rooms in a group of four buildings. There are also five single-family homes on the island for the families of admirals, captains, and commanders.

USCG administrative facilities on YBI consist of the following buildings:

• Building 40 - located at the entrance of the UCSG facility. It is a two-story building used for reserve training and USCG auxiliarist functions;

• Building 75 - vacant;

• Building 270 - vacant;

• Station and group command offices located adjacent to the BEQ;

• A group of two- and three-story buildings located south of the buoy maintenance and repair area; and

• Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) located at the top of the YBI hill on the main deck of a prefabricated metal building.

Industrial buildings are located at the southern end of the island. Maintenance, repair, and painting of buoys for the entire Bay Area are done in this area.

Recreational facilities on the island consist of an outdoor tennis court located next to Building 75.

The SFOBB touches down in the City of Oakland on a spit of land north of Port of Oakland facilities and west of the I-80/I-880/I-580 Interchange (distribution structure). The land in this area is owned by a number of public agencies, including the City of Oakland, the State of California, and the U.S. Army. (Refer to Figure 3-3 in Appendix A.)

The State of California owns the right-of-way where the current I-80/SFOBB alignment is located. This property extends approximately 50 meters (164 feet) from the outer boundaries of the westbound and eastbound I-80 alignments and includes a median area between the two alignments.

The SFOBB Toll Plaza is located approximately 200 meters (655 feet) west of the distribution structure and extends across the westbound I-80 alignment. Toll plaza administrative facilities, maintenance buildings, a tow-truck operations base, and the SFOBB Traffic Operations Center are located south of the toll plaza within the median area. Toll plaza workers also park in this area.

A Caltrans maintenance road extends the length of the project area within the Oakland Touchdown area on the south side of I-80. The roadway continues under the SFOBB and provides access to the north side of the bridge. Burma Road is also located on the south side of the touchdown. It extends from Maritime Street to the west end of the touchdown and is roughly parallel to the maintenance road. Burma Road was constructed by the U.S. Army and is now used by the Port of Oakland under a lease agreement. This roadway is blocked to public vehicular access about 1.6 kilometer (1 mile) from the west end of the touchdown. At this point, traffic is diverted onto the Caltrans maintenance road.

Various Caltrans storage, repair, and maintenance facilities are located between the Caltrans maintenance road and Burma Road, at the west end of the touchdown. The Caltrans Bay Bridge Substation and the Key Pier Substation, which were used during the era when the bridge carried trains, are also located in this area and are currently used for Caltrans maintenance activities. An East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) final dechlorination treatment station and outfall are also located in this area. The outfall extends 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) into the Bay.

An undeveloped open storage area for Caltrans construction materials and maintenance activities extends for about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) between the Caltrans maintenance road and Burma Road. This property is owned by the City of Oakland. A billboard owned by the Port of Oakland is located within this area. It is designated for community non-profit organizations and Oakland Airport-related media.

Four additional Caltrans buildings are located south of the SFOBB Toll Plaza and the maintenance road. The buildings are used for storage, maintenance, and repair of materials associated with general maintenance of the bridge.

South of the Oakland Touchdown Area. The Port of Oakland extends from the south side of the Oakland Touchdown area and continues south along the San Francisco Bay shoreline to the Inner Harbor between the cities of Oakland and Alameda. The Port is a highly developed area of industrial, maritime, transportation, and commercial activities. Its deep-water berths and container cranes are supported by a network of warehouses, roadways connecting to freeways, and intermodal railyards. The Port also operates numerous non-maritime-related activities along its 30 kilometers (19 miles) of shoreline, including commercial real estate, two airports, park refuges, and industrial parks.

The U.S. Army owns the property on the south side of the Oakland Touchdown area, including Burma Road. Army property extends from near the end of the touchdown eastward and includes land on the east side of Maritime Street. Until recently, the Oakland Army Base Military Traffic Management Command Center was operated within this property. Within this property, the Port of Oakland (Port) operates the Bay Bridge public terminal on the shoreline south of the toll plaza. The terminal is currently undergoing renovation to allow it to service container cargo traffic. The Army notified the Port in July 1998 that it no longer requires this property, and the Port now has four months to officially respond with an offer to purchase the property.

A container freight storage area is located between Burma Road and the Caltrans maintenance road, south of the toll plaza. AMNAV, a private shipping company, is located on the south side of Burma Road and uses Pier 8 (adjacent to the Bay Bridge public terminal) for tug services. Burma Road continues eastward where it intersects with West Grand Avenue. West Grand Avenue provides access to and from I-80. A large shipping container storage area is located on property west of this intersection.

North Side of the Oakland Touchdown Area. The strip of land on the north side of the East Span is designated as a Resource Conservation Area in the City of Oakland General Plan. The first 50 meters (164 feet) of land to the north of the bridge is owned by Caltrans; beyond this boundary, the land is owned by the City of Oakland. The Resource Conservation Area consists of tidal lowlands and mudflats that flood each day with the incoming tide. The Resource Conservation Area continues nearly 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) eastward from the touchdown before turning northward towards Emeryville.

The first 1.6-kilometer (1-mile) stretch of shoreline in Emeryville, known as the Emeryville Crescent, provides sensitive habitat for a variety of wildlife and special status species. The study area for the SFOBB seismic safety project ends at Radio Point Beach, roughly 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) from the western end of the touchdown and approximately 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the Emeryville Crescent.

Yerba Buena Island. The Draft Naval Station Treasure Island Reuse Plan ("Draft TI Reuse Plan") has been developed for the Office of Military Base Conversion, CCSF, and the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency in anticipation of the closure of Naval Station Treasure Island. According to the Draft TI Reuse Plan, development on YBI may include up to 300 units of attached and detached single-family residential units as well as live/work units and artists cottages. It would also include "visitor-oriented" facilities such as lodging and conference facilities. A majority of the land will remain in open space as the island’s steep terrain limits the intensity of development.

Development intended for the southern half of YBI, owned by the USCG, will improve base facilities and amenities, including new residential and light industrial uses. USCG does not currently have a master plan in place.

Treasure Island. Due to present underutilization and revenue-producing potential, TI is expected to be subject to intense development over the next 20 years. The CCSF is currently preparing an EIR for TI and YBI to evaluate environmental impacts of proposed development on the property to be conveyed to the CCSF from the U.S. Navy. A market assessment in the Draft TI Reuse Plan concluded that "publicly oriented recreation and entertainment attractions" have been identified as particularly well-suited for the site.

In addition to these types of uses, the Draft TI Reuse Plan also considers land uses that would accommodate community facilities, major utilities, film production studios, and opportunities for non-profit institutions. New housing and shoreline open space on TI are also allowable uses.

The Port of Oakland, Caltrans, and the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) all have plans for development on the Oakland Touchdown area.

Port of Oakland. The San Francisco Bay Area Seaport Plan (Seaport Plan) identifies long-range plans by the Port of Oakland to expand its operations. The plan, prepared by BCDC and the MTC in 1996 and amended in 1997, calls for expansion of Port facilities over the next 20 years. Before port expansion can proceed using Bay fill, marine terminal projects must meet the criteria specified in Section 66605(c) and (d) of the McAteer-Petris Act, administered by BCDC. Expansion plans are designed to meet the projected 2020 cargo volumes estimated in the Seaport Plan. A Record of Decision (ROD) has been signed to proceed with development of the Port of Oakland’s Joint Intermodal Terminal (JIT).

To meet anticipated demand, the Port is seeking acquisition of 175 hectares (433 acres) of land from the Department of Defense (DOD). There are currently three avenues available to the Port in seeking a conveyance of this property. The Base Reuse and Closure (BRAC) process would convey the bulk of the land to the Port, but would reserve a 6.5-hectare (16-acre) portion at the western end of the Oakland Touchdown area for development by the EBRPD as a public park. A second option is to utilize an agreement between the Port and the Army dated 1949, which states that all lands west of Maritime Street shall be reverted to the Port if the Army notifies the Port that it no longer needs the land and if the Port enters into an agreement to purchase the lands at fair market value. The Army notified the Port in July 1998 that it no longer requires this property, and the Port now has four months to officially respond. A third option is to allow the land to be conveyed to the California State Lands Commission, which is responsible for maintaining the shoreline for the Public Trust. Under the Burton Act, this land is designated to be developed for Port purposes.

Caltrans/Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) Permit 11-93. As part of the Cypress Replacement Project/I-880 Flyover, Caltrans is required to provide Bay access at the Oakland Touchdown area. These access areas, or overlooks, are required by BCDC to maximize public access to the western end of the Oakland Touchdown area. However, EBRPD and the Port have plans to develop a much larger public park in the same area (see below). BCDC also requires, as a permit condition, a bikeway to be located adjacent to eastbound I-80. A conceptual bikeway alignment would follow the Caltrans maintenance road and provide access to proposed scenic overlooks. If location of the conceptual overlooks and bikeway alignments prove infeasible, permit conditions require Caltrans payment of a fee in lieu of constructing the improvements.

Caltrans has interests in using a portion of the Oakland Touchdown area for maintenance access to the SFOBB.

East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD). The EBRPD Advanced Planning Division is reviewing lands at the Oakland Touchdown area for potential acquisition and stewardship to develop an approximately 6.5-hectare (16-acre) public park to the south of the existing alignment. The Port of Oakland has committed to work with EBRPD in the creation of this park. If the Port were to expand its facility in the future, the Port proposes to relocate the park to the new shoreline once the placement of fill is complete.

The seven public agencies with jurisdiction over or interest in land use in the project area are the U.S. Navy, CCSF, BCDC, City of Oakland, Port of Oakland, USCG, and the EBRPD. This section reviews their existing policies and planning documents and identifies the guiding principles that relate to the proposed project.

U.S. Navy. The U.S. Navy is in the process of transferring the property known as Naval Station Treasure Island to the CCSF as part of the BRAC process. CCSF is currently operating under a caretaker agreement to facilitate a transition of management and maintenance of the property. The transfer of property will be completed over the next few years.

The City and County of San Francisco. The CCSF is projected to acquire ownership of TI and portions of YBI in the year 2003. A caretaker agreement between CCSF and the Navy is currently in place. The caretaker agreement defines levels of maintenance on TI during the transfer and conveyance process and defines funding and service responsibilities. The Draft TI Reuse Plan serves as the guide for future activities on TI and CCSF-owned portions of YBI.

The Guiding Policies for Land Use identified in the Draft TI Reuse Plan are as follows:

• Provide for new civilian uses that contribute to the economic well-being of the islands and San Francisco by generating jobs and revenues;

• Limit uses to those that can be accommodated primarily by ferry; and

• Allow flexibility to respond to market opportunities and changes in technology over time. Attract initial uses and users that facilitate or are compatible with the development of desired long-term uses.

The Draft TI Reuse Plan identifies the following broad categories of uses to promote the above-stated policies: Publicly Oriented Uses, Open Space and Recreation, Institutional Uses, and Residential Community.

The City of Oakland. Envision Oakland is the title of the 1997 Draft Land Use and Transportation Element of the Oakland General Plan. This document contains policies and actions for implementation of the community’s vision for Oakland. Envision Oakland includes land use designations for the Oakland Touchdown area and adjacent areas.

• The land immediately adjacent to the north of the existing touchdown is designated as Resource Conservation Area;

• The land immediately adjacent to and south of the existing touchdown is designated as General Industrial/Transportation; and

• An unspecified site within the land to be released by the Army as part of the Oakland Army Base Reuse and Closure Process, located on the southern half of the Oakland Touchdown area, has been proposed as Park and Open Space.

Transportation policies found in Envision Oakland reflect the City’s priority to maintain exceptional access to and through Oakland for the wide variety of transportation modes that have historically existed within the city.

The Port of Oakland. The Port of Oakland is beginning development of a reuse plan to guide port expansion in the Oakland Army Base area. That reuse plan will include policies to guide development within the project area. The Port has plans for expansion that include utilizing some of the area south of the Oakland Touchdown area as a staging and storage area for shipping containers.

U.S. Coast Guard. Although the USCG regularly prepares master plans for its various facilities, the USCG facility on YBI does not currently have a master plan in place. Finalization of a draft master plan prepared in September 1995 is pending the results of the TI BRAC process, and the final design for the East Span Project. Once the final design for the East Span Project have been chosen, the amount of land required from the USCG property can be determined. The completed master plan for the USCG properties will be based upon land remaining available for development.

East Bay Regional Park District. The EBRPD Master Plan (December 17, 1996) does not discuss specific areas within the East Bay. Instead, it presents the policies and procedures to be used for acquisition and stewardship of any lands to be placed under EBRPD management. As noted in Section 3.1.2, the lands at the west end of the Oakland Touchdown area are currently being reviewed by the EBRPD Advanced Planning Division for potential acquisition and stewardship. The EBRPD has gone on record with BCDC stating its intention to develop a park on the Oakland Touchdown area.

The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) prepared the San Francisco Bay Plan (adopted 1969, amended 1987) which outlines policies to guide future uses of the Bay and shoreline and the maps that apply these policies to the present Bay and shoreline.

The Bay Plan makes the following recommendations which are applicable to the current project:

• Filling in the Bay should only be allowed for purposes that provide substantial public benefits and only if there is no reasonable alternative.

• Any route over the Bay will be subject to: (a) placement on structure, not fill; (b) provide navigational clearance; (c) ancillary facilities should avoid new fill if possible; and (d) new structures should consider mass transit facilities (Transportation Policy 4).

• Sedimentation resulting from dredging projects should be limited by: (a) placement on dry land; (b) placement as fill in approved fill projects; (c) barging or piping to suitable disposal sites in the ocean; or (d) if no other alternative is feasible, dumping in designated parts of the Bay (Dredging Policy 1).

• Maximum feasible public access to the waterfront should be provided and permanently guaranteed.

• Public access should be provided to some natural areas to permit study and enjoyment.

• Access to the waterfront should be provided via walkways and trails.

• Portions of YBI released from use by USCG and Navy should be redeveloped for recreational use.

• If and when the Oakland Army Base and Naval Supply Center in the City of Oakland are not needed by the military, the area should be developed for port and related industrial uses.

• New or remodeled bridges should be designed to permit maximum viewing of the Bay and its surroundings by motorists and pedestrians. Guard rails and bridge supports should be designed with views in mind.

• Towers, bridges, or other structures should be designed as landmarks. Such landmarks should be low enough to assure continued visual dominance of the hills around the Bay.

BCDC has also issued Permit No. 11-93 to Caltrans for work on the Cypress Replacement Project. This permit, in response to BCDC’s policies regarding maximum feasible public access, requires Caltrans, as mitigation, to create a public access pedestrian/bicycle pathway system connecting the cities of Emeryville and Oakland with the Touchdown area. These public access improvements are described in concept in the permit granted by BCDC for that project. The permit stipulates that these public access improvements are conditioned on the feasibility of construction; should construction prove infeasible, the permit provides that financial compensation would be accepted in lieu of constructing these improvements.

Demographic information for the two census tracts within the project study area is presented below. Detailed demographic information for the nine-county Bay Area region can be found within the Community Impact Assessment technical report.

Both YBI and TI are owned by the U.S. Government. With the exception of barracks on TI, most of the housing stock consists of apartments. Most of the units are currently vacant.

The housing stock in Census Tract 4017, which includes the Oakland Touchdown area, was 62 percent renter-occupied according to the 1990 Census. Average household size in this census tract was 2.8 people per household. The closest housing to the Oakland Touchdown is situated approximately 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) away.

Within the YBI/TI census tract, based on 1990 Census data, 35 percent of the population was under the age of 16 and 0.2 percent was aged 65 or older, which reflects the use of housing for military personnel and their families. In 1990, Oakland had 22 percent of its population aged under 16 and 12 percent of its population was 65 or older.

The ethnic composition of YBI/TI, according to the 1990 Census, consists of 65 percent Caucasian, 16 percent African-American, and 15 percent Asian. Data for Census Tract 4017, which contains the West Oakland neighborhoods closest to the SFOBB, indicates that 63 percent of the population is African-American. The Caucasian and Asian populations of Census Tract 4017 comprise 16 and seven percent of the area, respectively.

The characteristics of the current TI and YBI labor force (after base closure) have not been documented. Census data for 1990 indicate that 72 percent of those employed at that time on TI and YBI were in the armed services. It was assumed that the remaining 28 percent is the civilian labor force employed at the base.

Almost 30 percent of the labor force in West Oakland was employed in craft or laborer positions. According to a 1995 survey, there were approximately 488 businesses/employers in West Oakland. At the time of the survey, the largest employer in the West Oakland community was the United States Postal Service. One of the larger employers, the Oakland Army Base is scheduled for closure in 2001, and a reuse plan for the site is currently being developed. The West Oakland Census Tract 4017 unemployment rate in 1990 was 24 percent.

In 1990, the YBI/TI area had five percent of its population living at or below the poverty line. This relatively low figure is primarily due to military pay rates. With average household and per capita incomes approximately 50 percent lower than values for the Oakland as a whole, Census Tract 4017 in West Oakland exhibited characteristics of a low-income community in 1990. The proportion of the neighborhood living below the poverty level was 21 percent.

Primary sources of the CCSF General Fund are various taxes and state subventions. Approximately 22 percent of the 1996-97 General Fund came from property taxes, ten percent from business taxes, and seven percent from sales taxes. The remainder comes from other taxes such as motor vehicle and utility taxes, hotel taxes, traffic fines, departmental fees, and major federal and state subventions for social service and healthcare programs.

According to the Mayor's 1996-97 budget, 35 percent of the General Fund was allocated to public safety activities, 22 percent was for human welfare and neighborhood development, 19 percent went to community health, and the remainder was allocated to a variety of programs and activities, including general administration, culture and recreation, public works, transportation, and commerce.

CCSF recently developed plans for the redevelopment of TI and portions of YBI currently owned by the Navy. A large investment in infrastructure is required to support redevelopment, and CCSF has not established a way to fund the front-end investment required to encourage private investment on the islands.

The city share of property tax which goes into the Oakland General Fund is less than 22 percent. The largest share of property tax collected in Oakland goes to Alameda County, special districts, and school districts. In the 1996-97 budget, 59 percent of the General Fund was allocated to police and fire activities, nine percent went to public works and neighborhood development, and ten percent was for culture and recreation.

Water Supply. The San Francisco Water Department (SFWD) supplies water to TI and YBI via steel pipes attached to the West Span. Backup water supply is provided via the East Span by the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) from a connection with EBMUD’s system in Emeryville. The water reaches reservoirs on the islands via a steel pipe attached to the bridge. Both sources provide potable and fire protection water. The CCSF has asked EBMUD to continue to supply water to TI and YBI since it assumed management of the islands from the Navy.

EBMUD is also responsible for water supply at the Oakland end of the bridge. It has supply pipes to the SFOBB Toll Plaza, Caltrans maintenance buildings, and throughout the Oakland Army Base property to the south of the Caltrans right-of-way.

Sewer and Sewage Treatment. All wastewater generated on TI and YBI is treated at the sewage treatment plant located at the northeast corner of TI.

Sewage service and treatment in the East Bay are provided by EBMUD. The treatment plant is located just south of the distribution structure. A major EBMUD sewer outfall line parallels the bridge approach to the south. Other EBMUD facilities include an effluent pump station near the toll plaza, a dechlorination facility south of the eastbound lanes approximately 183 meters (600 feet) east of the existing bridge takeoff point, and an outfall drop structure adjacent to the shoreline where the outfall transitions to the water. (Refer to alignment drawings in Appendix A.)

Storm Drains. At the Oakland Touchdown, the storm drain system consists of pipes and various outfalls along the perimeter of the spit, which discharge directly into San Francisco Bay. The storm drain system consists of pipes and various outfalls along the perimeter of TI and YBI, which discharge directly into San Francisco Bay.

Electrical Infrastructure. Electrical power is provided to TI and YBI via a Navy-owned 34.5 KV submarine cable connected to the Navy’s Davis Substation located at the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center (FISC) in Oakland.

In the Oakland Touchdown area, there are several electrical power lines. South of the existing SFOBB, there is a 480 KV and a 12 KV overhead line mounted on poles and owned by Caltrans and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. From the substation, the 12 KV line extends underground onto the existing SFOBB. North of the existing SFOBB, there is an underground 5 KV line running along I-80. A 34.5 KV submarine cable, owned by the Navy and the City and County of San Francisco (CCSF), crosses under the existing SFOBB and proceeds to YBI and TI.

Telecommunications Infrastructure. Telecommunications service is provided to TI and YBI from San Francisco via a conduit system located on the West Span of the SFOBB.

Pacific Bell owns fiber optic cables and telephone lines located south of the existing SFOBB on YBI and in the Oakland Touchdown area and on the existing SFOBB. Three mobile phone sites are located on YBI, owned by GTE Cellular, PacBell Mobile Services, and Cellular One.

Natural Gas Infrastructure. Natural gas is provided to YBI and TI by PG&E from Oakland via a 254 millimeter (10-inch) diameter high-pressure submarine gas main.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has jurisdiction over I-80 and the SFOBB for matters involving both traffic and emergency services. Calls from the east and west segments of the bridge are taken by CHP offices in Oakland and San Francisco, respectively. Municipal police departments are not responsible for State bridges and roads unless they are asked to participate in a specific joint investigation or action.

The Oakland CHP office is located at 3601 Telegraph Avenue, close to the interchange of I-580, 24, and I-980, and approximately 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) east of I-80 and the approach to the SFOBB. The CHP office in San Francisco is located on Eighth Street adjacent to the on- and off-ramps for the bridge. In addition, there is a police station on TI which was taken over from the Navy and has been operated by the San Francisco Police Department since late 1997.

The delivery of fire and emergency services coverage within the project area is shared by several jurisdictions due to the complexity of access to the various segments of the SFOBB and the YBI Tunnel. Fires or medical emergencies on the westbound East Span are covered primarily by the Oakland Fire Department, with assistance from the Emeryville Fire Department. Two Oakland fire stations and one Emeryville fire station are available to handle emergencies on the East Span.

In 1997, there were 68 calls to the Oakland Fire Department from the SFOBB to report vehicle fires and other fires, injury accidents, and other medical emergencies.

The San Francisco Fire Department’s (SFFD) Fire Station #48 on TI has primary responsibility to cover incidents on the upper deck (westbound) of the SFOBB from the tunnel to the San Francisco anchorage and on the lower deck (eastbound) from YBI to Oakland. Additional coverage is provided by two SFFD stations on mainland San Francisco which cover the lower (eastbound) deck west and inside the YBI Tunnel.

There is a school on TI which is part of the San Francisco Unified School District. It includes grades kindergarten through 8. In Oakland, there are several private and public schools in Census Tract 4017, but the closest school is approximately 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the Oakland Touchdown. In addition, there is a child development center at the Oakland Army Base which may remain in operation at its current location after the base closes in 2001.

There are a variety of recreation facilities on TI, including a 103-slip marina in the lagoon between TI and YBI, a fishing pier, parks, ball fields, tennis courts, and a golf driving range. There are a number of indoor recreation resources formerly operated by the Navy. The only recreation area on YBI is a tennis court on the USCG property.

Radio Point Beach is located north of the bridge approach and west of the SFOBB Toll Plaza, at the end of Radio Road. BCDC requirements for the Cypress Replacement Project/I-80 Flyover Project (Permit 11-93) include an extension of the Bay Trail via a road south of the eastbound bridge roadway. A lookout area on the south side of the SFOBB takeoff point is to be developed and connected by bicycle and walking path to a lookout area at the north side of the SFOBB to the west of Radio Point Beach.

Environmental justice concerns reflect the potential of a project to adversely affect a low-income or minority community to a greater extent than other segments of the population. Federal policies, including Executive Order No. 12898 (Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low Income Populations) and FHWA guidance documents, require that relevant neighborhoods be determined as "minority" or "low-income" based on U.S. Census demographic data.

The U.S. Department of Transportation and FHWA have issued guidance on complying with Executive Order 12898 during the environmental review process. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Final Strategy for implementing the executive order was published in the Federal Register on June 29, 1995. The objectives can be summarized as: 1) improve the environment and public health and safety in the transportation of peoples and goods and the development and maintenance of transportation systems and services; 2) harmonize transportation policies and investments with environmental concerns, reflecting an appropriate consideration of economic and social interests; 3) consider the interests, issues, and contributions of affected communities, disclose appropriate information, and give communities an opportunity to be involved in decision-making.

In addition to complying with the executive order, the Department of Transportation is committed to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which provides that no person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity of receiving Federal financial assistance. (See Appendix L.)

A neighborhood is considered minority or low-income if it contains any readily identifiable groups of minority persons and/or low-income persons who live in geographic proximity to the project. According to U.S. Census data, the overall population in San Francisco in 1990 was 53 percent minority. Therefore, the TI/YBI neighborhood would not be defined as minority because its population is approximately 40 percent minority. According to the 1990 Census, the minority population is about 68 percent for the City of Oakland. The West Oakland neighborhood that contains the touchdown for the project, Census Tract 4017, includes a minority population of 84 percent, identifiably higher than the city as a whole. The neighborhood, therefore, is considered minority. Although the residential population of Census Tract 4017 is not located adjacent to the project, the minority designator of Census Tract 4017 was considered in the evaluation and reporting of potential environmental impacts of the project. Neither the San Francisco nor Oakland census tract in closest proximity to the project meets the Department of Transportation low-income definition, which uses the Department of Health and Human Services’ poverty guidelines of a median household income of less than $15,150 for a family of four.

This section describes existing and planned transportation facilities in the project vicinity, including the local street and highway system, passenger rail and public transit facilities, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, maritime facilities, and parking facilities. Existing and projected future travel demand are also discussed.

The traffic study area includes I-80 between Yerba Buena Island (YBI) and the toll plaza, the freeway ramps on YBI, and local streets on YBI and in the Oakland Touchdown area.

The existing San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (SFOBB) is a double-deck structure. Eastbound traffic travels on the lower deck and westbound traffic travels on the upper deck. The bridge currently accommodates cars, buses, trucks, and motorcycles. There are five 3.3-meter (11-foot) travel lanes on each deck and no shoulders. The posted speed limit is 80 kmh (50 mph) for both directions.

YBI is directly linked to the SFOBB by a set of freeway ramps that allow access to and from east- and westbound bridge lanes. There are six ramps, including two westbound on-ramps, one westbound off-ramp, one eastbound on-ramp and two eastbound off-ramps. The YBI ramps are shown in Figure 3-4 in Appendix A.

On YBI, there are two main roadways, Macalla Road and Treasure Island Road. Macalla Road connects to Treasure Island Road via an undercrossing beneath the SFOBB. Macalla Road also provides access to the northern part of YBI, including most of the housing and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) station. Treasure Island Road traverses the west side of YBI and provides access to Treasure Island (TI). Figure 3-5 in Appendix A shows the YBI street system.

The I-80 freeway, SFOBB Toll Plaza, and existing bridge touchdown dominate the existing Oakland Touchdown area. Vehicle access to the area is primarily from the distribution structure. Westbound high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes extend to the north and south sides of the toll plaza from I-80, I-580, and I-880. They terminate on the west side of the toll plaza where HOV traffic merges with mixed-flow traffic.

Local roadways providing access to the Oakland Touchdown area include Burma Road, an extension of West Grand Avenue, and Maritime Street. These streets are located outside of the project area; however, they provide access to the Oakland Touchdown area and could potentially be affected by the project. These roadways are generally low volume, but this low volume consists of a high percentage of trucks serving the Port of Oakland and local industry. There are other roads in the area which provide access for Caltrans vehicles to the toll plaza, Caltrans maintenance facility, and auto access to Radio Point Beach and the area to the south of the bridge abutment. Figure 3-6 in Appendix A shows the Oakland Touchdown area roadways, and Figure 3-7 in Appendix A shows the streets outside of the project area that provide access to the touchdown area.

The Draft TI Reuse Plan includes a Draft Circulation Element for TI and YBI. Due to the limited capacity of the on- and off-ramps connecting YBI with the SFOBB, automobile access to the islands is de-emphasized in the Circulation Element. Instead, the focus is on ferry access to the islands and alternative modes of transportation for circulation on the islands such as foot, bicycle, and shuttle buses. A bus shuttle system would provide service from the TI ferry terminal to TI and YBI, along Macalla and Treasure Island Roads.

The Circulation Element also calls for minor changes in circulation on YBI. The element proposes limited improvements to improve emergency access. Due to the steep terrain and the threat of landslides, most of the streets on YBI, including Macalla Road, would remain in their current configuration. The SFOBB on- and off-ramps would remain in their present configuration. Treasure Island Road would remain the primary access route between the SFOBB and TI.

The SFOBB is the primary motor vehicle link between San Francisco and the San Francisco Peninsula and the East Bay. The westbound approaches are congested during the morning commute period, and the eastbound approaches are congested during the evening peak period. During these times the SFOBB operates at capacity. The SFOBB is also heavily traveled during off-peak travel times. Traffic flow on the SFOBB is vulnerable to congestion due to stalls, accidents, lane closures required for bridge maintenance, and the lack of shoulders for clearing stopped vehicles. There are 274,000 vehicles that use the SFOBB daily. In the morning peak hour, 10,800 westbound vehicles use the SFOBB.

The freeway ramps to and from the SFOBB at YBI typically operate with no more than 200 vehicles during the peak hour. Despite low traffic volumes, the eastbound on-ramp operates at capacity in the afternoon peak hour due to severely restricted design limitations (e.g., tight curves and short merges onto the freeway).

All of the local streets in the project area (YBI, TI, and the Oakland Touchdown area) currently operate with low volumes of traffic. The streets in the Oakland Touchdown area serve primarily truck traffic.

In the future, peak-hour traffic demands on the approaches to the SFOBB are expected to increase. These increases will be due to increased demand for travel between the East and West Bay Area. Traffic volumes for westbound PM peak and eastbound AM peak may increase since there is unused capacity during those peak periods. Also, Average Daily Traffic (ADT) may increase due to unused capacity available during off-peak travel times. However, traffic volumes on the bridge itself are expected to remain fairly constant during the westbound AM peak period and the eastbound PM peak period because the bridge itself constrains traffic volumes.

AC Transit, the provider of transbay bus service, currently operates 37 transbay bus routes between East Bay cities and the Transbay Transit Terminal in San Francisco. Service is provided during daytime and evening hours with most service provided during morning and afternoon commute periods. Transbay buses access the SFOBB via West Grand, Maritime Street, I-580, I-80, and I-880. The buses use the HOV lanes at the toll plaza. West Grand Avenue is a major access route for nine AC Transit Transbay routes. Two bus routes (one transbay; one local) also operate on Maritime Street. There are no public transit routes operating on surface streets in the Oakland Touchdown area. In 1998, AC Transit carried about 13,000 passengers across the bridge per day and between 2,100 and 3,200 in the peak hour.

The San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI) provides local bus service (Route 108) between TI and the Transbay Transit Terminal in San Francisco via the SFOBB. Route 108 operates at hourly headways on weekdays and serves a single bus stop at the TI gate. There are no stops on YBI.

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) provides about 530 daily transbay trains in the corridor. BART carries about 134,000 transbay passengers per day and between 14-15,000 per hour in the peak hours.

Caltrans operates a bicycle shuttle between the MacArthur BART station in Oakland and the Transbay Transit Terminal in San Francisco via the SFOBB. The shuttle carries about 1,500 to 2,000 cyclists per month.

No bicycle or pedestrian facilities currently exist within the project limits, and pedestrians and bicycles are prohibited from using the SFOBB.

Currently, pedestrians and bicyclists have several transit options for travel in the SFOBB corridor.

• BART operates 530 daily transbay trains. The system carries about 260,000 passengers per day. Bicycle ridership on the entire BART system is about 3,500 passengers per day. Bicyclists are prohibited from using the system during commute hours in the peak direction of travel.

• AC Transit operates 37 transbay bus routes that provide 654 daily buses between the East Bay and the Transbay Transit Terminal via the SFOBB. AC Transit intends to outfit all 700 buses serving transbay routes with bicycle racks.

• The Alameda-Oakland-San Francisco Ferry has 13 daily round trips from Jack London Square in Oakland to the San Francisco Ferry Building. The ferry also operates six daily round trips to Pier 39 in San Francisco. The ferries currently carry about 10 to 15 bicyclists per day during the week and higher numbers on the weekends.

• Caltrans Bicycle Shuttle transports bicyclists between the MacArthur BART station and the Transbay Transit Terminal in San Francisco. The shuttle makes four daily departures from Oakland and three departures from San Francisco in the morning and four San Francisco and three Oakland departures in the evening. The shuttle carries about 1,500 to 2,000 bicyclists per month.

Several bikeway and pedestrian facilities have been planned in the East Bay portion of the study area:

• A bikeway is proposed on Maritime Street as mitigation for improvements made by the Port of Oakland. No completion date has been identified by the City of Oakland.

• A bikeway is proposed on Seventh Street to provide access to Portview Park.

• A bikeway on West Grand Avenue between Maritime Street and Mandela Parkway is planned as part of the I-880/Cypress Replacement and the I-80 HOV lanes and Operational Improvement Project.

• A bikeway to be located adjacent to eastbound I-80 is proposed as a Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) permit requirement of the I-880/Cypress Freeway Replacement Project. In concept, it would follow the Caltrans maintenance road and provide access to proposed scenic overlooks at the Oakland Touchdown area as well as connect to the Bay Trail system.

• The Bay Trail is a regional hiking and bicycling trail planned to ring the shoreline of San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. The SFOBB and the region’s other toll bridges are all designated as "spine" trails of the Bay Trail. The spine trails create the backbone of the Bay Trail system, encircling and crossing the Bay and providing a continuous recreational corridor in all nine Bay Area counties. The Bay Trail system is only partially complete.

Figure 3-7 in Appendix A shows these planned improvements.

Two companies provide ferry service between the East Bay and San Francisco. The Blue and Gold Fleet provides weekday and weekend service between the Ferry Building and Pier 39 in San Francisco, Oakland’s Jack London Square, and Alameda’s Main Street Terminal. None of the terminals is located within the project area. The ferries pass below the SFOBB West Span on their route and do not travel through the SFOBB East Span Project area.

Harbor Bay Maritime also provides ferry service between San Francisco and the East Bay. The only East Bay stop is made at Harbor Island in Alameda outside the project limits. These ferries pass below the SFOBB West Span on their route across the Bay and do not travel through the East Span Project area.

The SFOBB traverses the southern portion of Central San Francisco Bay, an area bounded to the north by the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, the west by the Golden Gate Bridge, and the south by the SFOBB. The western portion of the Central Bay is characterized by relatively deep water, high tidal water exchange through the Golden Gate, and strong currents. This area is dominated by rocky shorelines. The eastern portion of the Central Bay is dominated by shallow mudflats.

The San Francisco Bay is used by commercial and recreational maritime traffic. The channel between SFOBB Piers E-2 and E-3 is used by most commercial navigation (the navigation channel is shown on Figure 2-2 in Appendix A). It is approximately 427 meters (1,400 feet) wide with 56 meters (184 feet) of vertical clearance above mean high water. There is no federal navigation channel on the east side of TI. The controlling depth in this area is 7.6 meters (25 feet). The largest commercial vessels using this waterway are tug and fuel barge combinations, derricks, dredges, tour boats, and occasionally small freighters. Larger commercial vessels transit beneath the SFOBB west of YBI. The USCG has established a regulated navigation area for the portion of San Francisco Bay east of TI, precluding vessels of more than 1,450 gross tonnes (1,600 gross tons) or tugs with a tow of 1,450 gross tonnes (1,600 gross tons) or more from meeting, crossing, or overtaking a vessel of similar size.

Two maritime facilities are located within the project area. They are the Port of Oakland’s Bay Bridge Terminal area and the USCG moorings on YBI.

Trucks are a major component on certain study area roadways. I-80 is a major local, regional, and interstate truck route, carrying approximately 11,500 truck trips daily on the SFOBB, or about four percent of the average annual daily traffic (AADT) volume. Local streets, including Maritime Street, Burma Road, and the maintenance roads in the Oakland Touchdown area serve primarily truck traffic associated with the Port of Oakland.

One paved area used for parking is located within the project area on YBI. It is located east of Quarters 1 and can accommodate approximately 315 parking spaces. This area is currently used for special events at the Naval Quarters. Most residents, visitors, and employees prefer to park closer to their destinations. On-street parking within the project area is difficult because the roadways are narrow; however, two on-street spaces are located just south of the SFOBB on Treasure Island Road. Additional on-street parking is located in the residential neighborhoods and at former Navy facilities.

In the Oakland Touchdown area, parking for toll plaza and other workers currently exists in the median area between the westbound and eastbound I-80 alignments. Other land uses in the touchdown area have "informal" parking areas because the land is open and flat.

The existing and proposed SFOBB retrofit/replacement structures are required to conform to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Regulations Part 77, "Objects Affecting Navigable Airspace." The conformance requires both obstruction marking and lighting in accordance with FAA Advisory Circular AC70/7460 effective January 1, 1996.

The focus of this visual assessment has been the visual effects of the Retrofit Existing Structure Alternative and the replacement alternative bridge design variations (skyway and signature) and replacement alternative alignments (Alternatives N-2, N-6, and S-4) in terms of visual obstruction, dominance within the viewshed, and design quality in terms of vividness, intactness, and unity. These issues are also considered with respect to the types of viewers that will be affected by the project (residents, office workers, motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and recreational users). As described below, the visual effects of each design variation and alignment are evaluated from 17 viewpoints around the Bay Area, as are the changes that would occur within each of the distinct landscape units which make up the study area. For more information on this visual assessment, the Visual Assessment Technical Report is available at the locations listed in the Preface of this document. The Visual Assessment Technical Report includes a CD-ROM with photographs and an interactive map of visual simulations.

There are several issues which are not evaluated in this study. These include detailed design issues such as color, lighting, railing, walkways, and piers. These design elements of replacement alternatives have not yet been developed in detail.

In addition, the merits of various signature bridge design concepts are not discussed in this report. A separate process was established to evaluate the merits of various signature bridge design concepts. This process began with meetings of the Bay Bridge Design Task Force (Task Force), which considered several design variations for the replacement alternatives. The Task Force was established by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). The Task Force initiated an open request for ideas about the design of the signature portion of the East Span and held numerous public meetings. The Task Force also received an evaluation of various designs by a distinguished panel of engineering and architectural experts (the Engineering and Design Advisory Panel, or EDAP) and elected officials.

The Bay Area is one of the most scenic areas of the world, combining water, islands, urban skylines, bridges, and mountains into vistas both picturesque and impressive. Seven different bridges span the Bay, each one constituting a significant scenic resource in its own right. The Golden Gate Bridge is known around the world for its grace and beauty. However, all seven bridges, including the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (SFOBB), the Richmond-San Rafael, the San Mateo, and the Dumbarton, span significant stretches of open water and are highly visible from vantage points around the Bay. The San Francisco Bay Area extends over 97 kilometers (60 miles) from the Sacramento River Delta in Benicia to the marshlands of Santa Clara County, a total of more than 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles). The Bay is a rich marine resource providing navigable waterways for commerce and habitat for countless species.

The cities of Oakland and San Francisco are located across the Bay from one another, roughly midway between the northern and southern ends of the Bay. For viewers both on and off the water, the area between these two cities is particularly scenic. Four major islands (Alcatraz, Angel, Treasure, and Yerba Buena) are found in this region; Mt. Tamalpais and the hills of Marin County tower to the west, and the skylines of Oakland and San Francisco complement the area’s natural beauty. The preservation of the aesthetic quality of this region is of particular importance to decision-makers and the millions of people who live in and visit the Bay Area each year.

Along with the Golden Gate Bridge, the SFOBB is one of the Bay Area’s most prominent man-made features. See Figure 3-8 in Appendix A.

The SFOBB East Span is a highly visible structure that can be seen from cities on the west side of the Bay (San Francisco, Sausalito) as well as from cities in the East Bay (including Alameda, Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, Albany, El Cerrito, and Richmond). For eastbound motorists, the SFOBB East Span is the gateway into Oakland and the East Bay. While motorists traveling in this direction on the existing East Span have views of the City and Port of Oakland to the south and the hills behind the communities of Berkeley and Emeryville to the north, these views are highly obstructed by the upper deck of the bridge and the steel trusses which line the bridge.

The study area has been subdivided into "landscape units" to facilitate its description and analysis of the project. Landscape units are geographically distinct portions of the study area which have a particular visual character. In the study area, the five landscape units identified are Yerba Buena Island, the main span (cantilever section) of the existing East Span, the Incline Section of the East Span, the Oakland Touchdown area, and the toll plaza. The boundaries of each landscape unit are shown in Figure 3-9 in Appendix A and described in Table 3.3-1. Figures 3-10a-c in Appendix A include representative photographs of the landscape units.

Each landscape unit has a certain visual character based upon the land uses that comprise it. These smaller scale land uses and landforms within each landscape unit are called "visual image types". Visual image types are areas that exhibit a fairly homogeneous visual quality. The visual image types are depicted in Figures 3-10a-c in Appendix A.

Source: Visual Impact Assessment, September 1998.

Viewer groups include those viewers who can expect to see views from the bridge, and those who can expect to see views to the bridge. Viewer groups are defined as those viewers most likely to share similar exposure to and expectations of their view from and to the SFOBB East Span.

Views from the bridge are seen from motor vehicles. Viewer groups include commuters, recreational users, and commercial users.

Commuters. The flow of commuting traffic is primarily westbound (to San Francisco) during the morning period and primarily eastbound (to Oakland and surrounding communities) in the afternoon period.

Westbound traffic on the SFOBB rides on the upper deck of the bridge. Westbound views are partially obstructed by the architecture of the bridge itself, most noticeably by the presence of a 1.2-meter (4-foot) high solid railing that runs along either side of the roadway. The construction style includes steel beams that reach from the upper deck into the cantilever structure at regular intervals, partially obstructing views from automobiles. Nevertheless, commuters have several dramatic views, including the skyline of San Francisco and the Marin Headlands, as they proceed westward.

Eastbound traffic on the SFOBB rides on the lower deck of the span. Views from the lower deck are significantly obstructed for three reasons: the presence of the westbound roadway above, the presence of a 1.2-meter (4-foot) high solid railing that lines either side of the lower span, and the presence of steel beams that span from the upper to lower deck at regular intervals. For motorists commuting in sport utility vehicles, buses, and other vehicles with a higher passenger compartment, visibility is less compromised by the solid railing and the architecture of the bridge.

Recreational Users. Recreational users of the bridge include tourists enjoying the scenery of the Bay, outdoor enthusiasts traveling to points eastward from San Francisco, and people making their way to events or gatherings outside of their working environment. All recreational users are in vehicles as there are no bicycle or pedestrian facilities on the SFOBB.

Commercial Users. Commercial users include truck drivers, delivery personnel, bus drivers, and other people involved in day-to-day commerce in the Bay Area.

Commercial users might make several trips across the bridge on a daily basis. Commercial users would tend to ride in vehicles with a higher passenger compartment and so would enjoy greater visibility from the bridge.

The viewers’ experience of the bridge varies considerably based upon their location, the duration of their view, and the frequency with which they are exposed to views of the bridge. To provide a representative sample of what changes viewers across the San Francisco Bay Area would experience in their viewshed as a result of construction of a new bridge, a cross section of viewers and viewpoints was chosen. Please see Figures 4-5 through 4-12 in Appendix A for photographs of views toward the East Span.

Viewer Groups. Viewer groups identified in this section include commuters, ferry passengers, residents and workers, and recreational users/tourists.

Commuters with views to the East Span exist on both sides of the Bay. Commuters traveling on the interstate highway system in the East Bay on sections of I-80 westbound and I-880 northbound have particularly clear views and would be most sensitive to changes to the East Span.

Ferry passengers primarily include commuters between various points in the East and North Bay and San Francisco. Ferry passengers view the East Span from the Bay surface.

Residential viewers and workers exist on both sides of the Bay. Views vary greatly within this group, based on proximity, view obstruction, and the location and elevation of the residence/workplace. Residents and workers with clear, unobstructed views would be most sensitive to changes to the East Span. In the East Bay, potential viewers may live/work in Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley, Albany, El Cerrito, or Richmond. In the West Bay, potential viewers may live/work in San Francisco or Sausalito.

Recreational users and tourists have abundant opportunities to view the East Span from all around the Bay Area. Activities such as boating, kayaking, windsurfing, and fishing make use of the Bay itself, while activities such as sightseeing, hiking, and walking often incorporate a view of the Bay. These users would typically be very sensitive to changes to the East Span.

Existing Visual Quality. Representative viewpoints were identified and were used to simulate the proposed project alternatives. This was done to assist in the analysis and documentation of visual resource changes. The location of these viewpoints within the Bay Area is depicted in Figure 3-11 in Appendix A. Potential viewpoints were chosen on the basis of a variety of factors, including: high visibility/close proximity to sensitive viewers; specific views or types of views identified as important by the public, representative of specific viewers or viewer groups, and range of view types available to the public (close proximity to long-distance views).

The existing visual quality for each of the viewpoints identified was evaluated using an approach to scenic quality evaluation that looks for indicators of the level of visual relationships rather than on a judgment of physical landscape components. This approach provides a set of three evaluative criteria developed under the sponsorship of the Federal Highway Administration in previous visual impact studies: vividness, intactness, and unity.

These criteria are defined as follows:

• Vividness is the visual power or memorability of landscape components as they combine in striking and distinctive visual patterns. An example within the study area is the view of the Bay and San Francisco skyline seen from the upper deck of the existing Bay Bridge.

• Intactness is the visual integrity of the natural and man-built landscape of the immediate environs and its freedom from encroaching elements. An example of lack of intactness within the study area is the patchwork of industrial uses on the Oakland Touchdown.

• Unity is the visual coherence and compositional harmony of the viewshed. The viewshed includes all natural and man-made features found within the normal view range. In man-altered landscapes, it frequently attests to the careful design or fit of individual components in the landscape. An example is the way man-made elements such as the Golden Gate Bridge combine with natural features such as San Francisco Bay to provide a coherent image unique to the Bay Area.

The results of this analysis of existing visual quality are summarized in Table 3.3-2.

Source: Visual Impact Assessment, September 1998.

The effects of air pollution on health and other aspects of the quality of life are considered potentially serious by regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Several federal, state, and local regulations and programs have been established to protect and improve air quality in the Bay Area.

Pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act of 1970 and its subsequent amendments, the EPA established ambient air pollutant concentration standards and maximum allowable emission rates for certain individual sources of air pollutants. EPA made each state responsible for attaining ambient air quality standards—National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)—within its borders. A State Implementation Plan (SIP) must be prepared that demonstrates how each state will attain the NAAQS.

NAAQS have been established for seven criteria air pollutants: ozone, carbon monoxide, particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than ten micrometers (PM₁₀), particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 micrometers (PM_2.5), nitrogen oxides, lead, and sulfur dioxide. Primary standards for air pollutants were established to protect public health, while secondary standards were established to protect the public welfare by preventing impairment of visibility and damage to vegetation and property. The federal primary standards are listed in Table 3.4-1. The table also summarizes the attainment status for each criteria pollutant regulated by the EPA.

On the federal level, the Bay Area has been designated as an attainment (meeting standards) or unclassified (i.e., available data do not support a designation of non-attainment or attainment) area for all pollutants, except ozone. In June 1998, the EPA re-designated the Bay Area as non-attainment area for ozone because the area had 11 violations in 1995 and six violations in 1996. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), the local agency in charge of controlling air pollution and attaining air quality standards in the Bay Area, must now develop a plan to meet the national ozone standard by the year 2000.

Under the Clean Air Act, regions that are maintenance areas (i.e., a geographic area that had previously been designated a non-attainment area but now meets the applicable standard) still must demonstrate how they will maintain compliance with the standard. The BAAQMD has prepared a Carbon Monoxide Maintenance Plan that includes information on control measures that will be used to keep the area in attainment for at least the next ten years.

In addition to other SIP and Air Quality Plan activities, federal agencies must also make a determination of conformity with the SIP before taking any action on a proposed project located in a non-attainment or maintenance area. In 1993, EPA published the

General Conformity Rule that indicates how federal agencies are to make such a determination. A similar rule was created to specifically address conformity issues related to transportation activities. The most recent version of the Transportation Conformity Rule is July 1997. In general, transportation projects must not cause or contribute to new violations of air quality standards, worsen existing violations, or interfere with timely attainment of standards. Regional transportation plans (RTPs) and transportation improvement programs (TIPs) must conform to the SIP. Individual projects with federal funding or approval from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) or the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) must come from a conforming RTP and TIP, have been included in the regional emissions analysis for the RTP and TIP or be included in a newly performed regional analysis.

Projects must also be analyzed for their localized air quality impacts in PM₁₀ and carbon monoxide non-attainment or maintenance areas. Guidance for performing PM₁₀ analyses is not yet available.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) coordinates and oversees the activities of California's many local air quality agencies. The CARB is also responsible for incorporating local non-attainment plans into the SIP. The CARB has established state ambient air quality standards, many of which are more stringent than the corresponding NAAQS (see Table 3.4-1 for a comparison of the standards). The CARB and the local air quality agencies operate numerous air quality monitoring stations throughout the state. Data collected at these stations are used to classify areas and air basins as attainment or non-attainment for each criteria air pollutant based on whether the federal and state standards have been achieved.

The California Clean Air Act (CCAA), which became effective on January 1, 1989, provides a planning framework for attainment of California Air Quality Standards. Local air quality agencies in violation of state ambient air quality standards are required to prepare plans for attaining the state standards.

The San Francisco Bay Area has been classified by the CARB as a serious state non-attainment area for ozone. The Bay Area 1994 Clean Air Plan included a comprehensive strategy to reduce ground-level ozone in the Bay Area. This plan was updated in 1997. The Bay Area 1997 Clean Air Plan includes changes in the organization and scheduling of some of the 1994 Clean Air Plan control measures and also includes 12 new stationary and mobile source control measures, as well as two new transportation control measures.

The Bay Area also does not attain state PM₁₀ ambient air quality standards, but attainment programs for PM₁₀ are not yet required. The California Legislature, when it passed the California Clean Air Act in 1988, recognized that PM₁₀ attainment could not be easily obtained. The CCAA did require the CARB to produce a report regarding the prospect of achieving the state ambient air quality standard for PM₁₀. The CARB recommended that certain actions be taken, but did not impose a planning process to require attainment by a certain date.

The primary factors affecting local air quality are the locations of air pollutant sources and the amounts of pollutants emitted, but meteorological and topographical conditions also are important. Atmospheric conditions such as wind speed, wind direction, and air temperature gradients interact with the physical features of the landscape to determine the movement and dispersal of air pollutants. Another important factor is the Pacific Ocean, which moderates temperatures and helps create consistent wind gradients.

The San Francisco Bay Area has complex terrain, relatively strong prevailing winds because of its closeness to the Pacific Ocean, and strong temperature gradients between the coast and inland areas. Consequently, the Bay Area has low potential for accumulation of pollutants near the coast and high potential in sheltered inland valleys. The project is in an area where pollution potential is very low due largely to good ventilation and less influx of pollutants from upwind sources. However, on occasion, the area does experience warm temperatures, calm winds, and pollutant stagnation.

3.4.3 Existing Project Area Air Quality

Monitoring data in the project area are limited. The criteria pollutant monitoring stations closest to the project site are located on Alice Street (near Jack London Square) in Oakland and at the county hospital in San Leandro. Monitored values at these stations may be slightly higher than actual concentrations in the project area since there are so few pollutant sources near the SFOBB. The Alice Street Station measures ozone and carbon monoxide and the San Leandro Station measures for ozone and PM₁₀. Table 3.4-2 summarizes recent monitoring data from these two stations.

The monitoring data show that the area occasionally violates state ozone and 24-hour PM₁₀ standards and, even more rarely, exceeds the federal ozone standard. The Oakland station monitored only one state ozone violation during the three years examined. During the same three years, the San Leandro station had 11 violations of the state ozone standard and three violations of the federal standard. The California 24-hour PM₁₀ standard was exceeded twice. All other pollutant levels were below federal and state standards.

This section describes the affected environment for noise and vibration. This discussion includes how noise and vibration are measured and reported, criteria for assessing noise levels, and measured and modeled noise and vibration levels at Yerba Buena Island (YBI), Treasure Island (TI), and along the Oakland shoreline. A detailed noise impact assessment technical report has been prepared and is available for review at the locations indicated in the Preface.

A number of factors affect sound as it is perceived by the human ear. These include the actual level of sound (or noise), the frequencies involved, the period of exposure to the noise, and the changes or fluctuations in the noise levels during exposure. Levels of noise are measured in units called decibels (dB). Since the human ear cannot perceive all pitches or frequencies equally well, measured sound levels are adjusted or weighted to correspond to human hearing. This adjusted unit is known as the "A-weighted" decibel. All references to noise in this report refer to A-weighted decibel levels, or dBA.

Very few noises are constant. Most fluctuate in decibel level over short periods of time. One way of describing fluctuating sound is to report the fluctuating noise heard over a specific time period as if it had been a steady, unchanging sound. For this, a descriptor called the Equivalent Sound Level, L_eq, is computed. L_eq is the constant sound level (A-weighted) that, for a given situation and period (e.g., 1-hour L_eq, or 24-hour L_eq), conveys the same sound energy as the actual time-varying sound. The 1-hour L_eq during the noisiest hour is often used to determine if a traffic noise impact exists and to determine abatement measures for roadway noise, while 24-hour cumulative L_eq averaging methods are used to evaluate typical noise exposure in an area.

Roadway noise is dependent on many factors: vehicle type and speed, number of vehicles, roadway surface and gradient, distance from the roadway to the receiver, ground surface (whether hard or soft), and shielding due to structures, soundwalls, hills, the edge of a roadway, and earth berms between a receiver and the road. For example, increases in vehicle speed and/or traffic will increase the noise level.

Roadway surface and gradient will also affect traffic noise. Noise from rough and potholed surfaces can be three to four dBA higher than smooth seal-coated surfaces. A steeper road gradient will primarily affect the level of truck traffic noise. The SFOBB generates higher noise levels than a typical roadway, due to the reverberation of sound and vibration within the bridge structure, and the reflection of noise from the upper deck.

Noise impacts are usually assessed by evaluating the total predicted noise level and evaluating differences between the existing and future noise environments. When evaluating noise increases in the environment, the following relationships to quantifiable increases are used as a basis for assessing impacts.

• Except during carefully controlled laboratory conditions, a change of 1 dBA is very difficult to perceive.

• In the outside environment, a 3 dBA change is considered barely noticeable.

• An increase of 5 dBA is readily perceived as "louder" and is generally required before a change in community response would be expected.

• A 10 dBA increase is perceived as a doubling of noise.

• Caltrans defines an increase of 12 dBA as a "substantial increase."

Although the majority of the project area is over Bay waters, the existing and proposed bridge alternatives cross or are near a variety of existing and future land uses, with varying degrees of noise and vibration sensitivity. These are briefly summarized below.

Yerba Buena Island.

The U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) have former and existing residential units on YBI. These include the Navy’s residential Quarters 1 through 9, two apartment block units (which are mostly currently vacant), and the USCG’s enlisted and officers’ quarters. The USCG also maintains various offices, maintenance and repair facilities, and an outdoor tennis court. All of these existing uses are currently exposed to noise and vibration from the existing bridge traffic. Conceptual future plans for YBI anticipate the closure of the Naval Station Treasure Island, and use of the area by the City and County of San Francisco (CCSF) for residential uses, visitor serving attractions, conference facilities, and open space.

Treasure Island.

The northwestern portion of TI was developed for residential uses and includes recreational facilities. The eastern and southern portions of the island include administrative uses, and one of the buildings is currently used for film production. There is an existing recreational marina. Future land use plans, while not specifically defined to date, include entertainment and visitor attraction facilities; film production and industrial use facilitates; hotel, resort, and conference center uses; and potential residential and research and development uses.

Oakland Touchdown Area.

Noise- and vibration-sensitive uses on the Oakland side of the bridge are limited to informal recreational activities such as fishing and wildlife habitat. Currently, there are no formal public shoreline facilities, although the area is used for fishing access and shoreline viewing. The Port of Oakland and the EBRPD are considering creation and management of a park and shoreline access facilities. In addition, public access, in the form of pedestrian and bicycle access and viewing areas could be developed in this area as a result of previous Caltrans project commitments.

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Noise Abatement Criteria (NAC) for various land use ratings (called activity categories) are given in Table 3.5-1. These noise criteria are assigned to both exterior and interior activities. Noise attenuation provided by most residential structures leads to compliance with the interior NAC if the exterior criterion is attained.

Land uses in the vicinity of the Oakland Touchdown area include industrial and port-related sites, open space lands, wildlife habitat, and potential future park shoreline areas. At YBI, land uses include residences, government offices and buildings, currently unused buildings, and open space. Commercial uses are present on TI. These land uses and exterior NAC correspond to the following FHWA activity categories (exterior uses), according to Table 3.5-1.

• Category B (67 dBA) - Residences, parks, and recreation areas
• Category C (72 dBA) - Developed lands not included in Category B
• Category D (No NAC) - Undeveloped lands

As described in more detail in Section 4.5, if these sound levels are predicted to be approached or exceeded during the noisiest one-hour period, or if the project will result in a substantial (12 decibels or greater) noise increase, noise abatement measures are to be considered and, if found reasonable and feasible, they must be considered for inclusion in the project. A first step in the determination of whether future noise levels will approach or exceed the criteria is to measure noise levels and use this data to establish baseline conditions and calibrate the noise model.

The existing noise environment was characterized through the evaluation of field noise measurements. Long-term measurements (at least 24 hours) were made at representative locations (see Figures 3-12, 3-13 and 3-14 in Appendix A). These included the Navy senior officers’ quarters and a cluster of former Navy residential structures north of the bridge, the USCG officer residences, and facilities south of the bridge. A long-term measurement was also made on the north side of the bridge at the Oakland Touchdown area. Thirty-eight short-term measurements (approximately 15 minutes long) were also made at representative locations and land uses. These included residential locations, the USCG administrative offices, historic non-residential buildings, and public shoreline access, and wildlife habitat locations. Additional "special studies" measurements were made below and near the existing bridge and on the structure near the traffic lanes for use in evaluating bridge noise dynamics and shielding and for evaluation of noise levels that might be experienced on replacement bridge alternatives by bicyclists and pedestrians. The short-term and long-term measurements were used to calibrate the noise model, providing more accurate modeling of existing and future noise levels generated by traffic.

Future peak-hour noise levels were predicted using the "Sound32" noise model. This model is based on the FHWA Noise Prediction Model and uses California Vehicle Noise Emission Levels. Traffic data were developed for the model based on volumes and speed scenarios that would create the loudest peak noise levels. Each scenario was tested, and the "worst-case" traffic speed and volume condition (i.e., 1,600 vehicles per lane per hour traveling at 97 kilometers [60 miles] per hour) was selected for further modeling that created the maximum predicted noise conditions.

Existing vibration measurements were made at five locations, at and near the bridge piers on YBI, and at several points on TI.

Source: Federal Highway Administration 1982

Generally, the field measurements indicated noise levels in excess of 66 dBA L_eq along and near most of the project route. Based on the measured noise levels, noise modeling was performed to predict the highest noise period and level for the peak-noise-hour traffic conditions for the existing bridge. Following is a summary of the results by geographical area. Table 3.5-2 summarizes the results of the long-term (24-hour) noise measurements. Table 3.5-3 lists the measured short-term (generally 10 to 15 minutes in duration) noise levels, while modeled noise levels for the existing bridge and setting are shown in Table 3.5-4. The data in Table 3.5-4 represents the traffic noise during the peak-noise hour using Level-of-Service C-D traffic volumes and speeds (1,600 vehicles per hour per lane traveling at 97 kilometers [60 miles] per hour). The locations of measured and modeled receptors are shown in Figures 3-12, 3-13 and 3-14 in Appendix A.

All of the noise measurements conducted on YBI approached or exceeded the FHWA Noise Abatement Criteria (NAC) for Activity Category B (residences, parks, recreation areas) of 67 dBA L_eq, with the exception of the noise measurements taken at the Coast Guard Officers Quarters (Quarters A, B, and C), located southerly of the bridge, west of the existing Coast Guard station. At that location, noise levels ranged from 60 dBA L_eq to 62 dBA L_eq. Elsewhere, noise levels ranged from 66 dBA L_eq to 74 dBA L_eq. These noise levels were verified by repeating the measurement one or more times at selected locations. 24-hour noise measurements at YBI ranged from 59 dBA (24-hour L_eq) at Location 5 to 72 dBA (24-hour L_eq) at Location 1.

Consistent with the measurements, the noise modeling also showed existing peak noise levels that would exceed the NAC for residential locations (Table 3.5-4). Non-residential land uses, such as the Coast Guard administrative complex, have a NAC of 72 dBA (for Category C land uses). The existing peak-hour noise level at Location 7 is predicted at 69 to 71 dBA, and, thus, would approach the criteria under worst-case conditions.

The measured and modeled noise levels are primarily generated by traffic on the existing bridge structure. Specifically, the stacked configuration of the bridge causes tra