Santa Cruz Route 17 Drainage Improvement

Project Description

The project proposes to replace or repair 13 drainage culverts between post miles 0.0 and 12.5 on State Route 17 in Santa Cruz County. Multiple culvert structures within the project limits are in various states of disrepair and, if not addressed, could lead to failure or damage to the roadway along State Route 17. The project would repair or replace culverts that have deteriorated due to age and would not construct new culverts at new locations. Additionally, improvements to drainage systems would help to minimize the discharge of sediment into the San Lorenzo River watershed. Reducing the sediment load in the receiving waters of the San Lorenzo River watershed will allow Caltrans to comply with a regulatory order called a sedimentation/siltation Total Maximum Daily Load, which is imposed and enforced by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Project Benefits

Purpose

The purpose of the project is to maintain and improve the drainage systems in poor condition to reduce maintenance needs and protect State Route 17 from potential closure due to culvert failure. Additionally, improvements to drainage systems would help to minimize the discharge of sediment into the San Lorenzo River watershed.

Need

The Drainage System Report identified numerous damaged culverts within the designated project limits that are in poor condition due to corrosion and deformation. If deteriorated culverts are not rehabilitated or replaced, the roadway will eventually settle and be susceptible to failure due to the erosion of the soil below the pavement. The culverts within the project limits have the potential to act as source points for excess sediment discharge into the San Lorenzo River watershed. Excessive sedimentation due to anthropogenic watershed disturbances has led to a decline in the health of San Lorenzo River watershed ecosystems and interfered with beneficial uses of the river. As a result, a regulatory order called a sedimentation/siltation Total Maximum Daily Load imposed by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board requires that Caltrans minimize sediment loading to the receiving waters of the San Lorenzo River watershed. This can be accomplished in part via the rehabilitation of deteriorated culverts.

Estimated Funding Breakdown

 

Proposed Project Schedule

 

Project Contact

Lara Bertaina, Senior Environmental Scientist
Phone: (805) 779-0792
Email: lara.bertaina@dot.ca.gov

Madilyn Jacobsen, Project Manager
Phone: (805) 835-6328
Email: madilyn.jacobsen@dot.ca.gov

Public Information Office, Caltrans District 5
Phone: (805) 549-3138
Email: info-d5@dot.ca.gov

Documents

• Initial Study with Mitigated Negative Declaration/Environmental Assessment with Finding of No Significant Impact - January 2024 (PDF 6.8 MB)
• Notice of Determination

Title VI Information

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) assures that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance, as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and Federal Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations).

Caltrans will make every effort to ensure nondiscrimination in all of its programs and activities, whether they are federally funded or not, and that services and benefits are fairly distributed to all people, regardless of race, color, or national origin. In addition, Caltrans will facilitate meaningful participation in the transportation planning process in a nondiscriminatory manner.

• Title VI Brochure (English, PDF)
• Title VI Brochure (Spanish, PDF)
• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Caltrans Information)