Approval of the second amendment to the current agreement will allow Mark Thomas & Company, Inc. to complete necessary surveying work related to right of way acquisition activities, including preparation of final legal descriptions and plats as well as a record of survey for all acquired right of way for the CR 98 Bike and Safety Improvement Project, Phase II (“Project”).

The Project will extend the CR 98 road improvements completed in 2014 between Woodland and County Road 29, southward to the Solano County line. The Project has received federal transportation funding for preliminary engineering and project development, right of way and construction through the Sacramento Council of Governments (SACOG) in the amounts of $2,364,782, $4,180,00, and $8,725,000, respectively.

The Board of Supervisors adopted the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) on April 26, 2022, as the appropriate level of environmental review in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). On November 7, 2022, Caltrans concluded that a Categorical Exclusion was the appropriate determination for the project under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The project schedule initially had the right-of-way phase being completed in 2022, however delays due to design changes, environmental permitting guidelines, and the coordination with existing farmland conservation easements, have slowed the Project’s progress moving forward to complete the right of way acquisition phase. Approval of the amendment to the current agreement is expected to provide enough time to complete all project surveying work for right of way acquisition needs. The scope of work in the agreement that is still to be completed includes: preparation of right of way acquisition maps and legal descriptions; staking of proposed rights of way for appraisal, utility relocation and right of way clearing, preconstruction surveys of previously farmed areas, and construction surveying. Staff anticipate right of way acquisition work to be completed by December 2029.

County staff is satisfied with the contractor’s performance to date and has no concerns with the Contractor’s continued work per the recommended amendment.