Caltrans District 5 Maintenance Station and Equipment Shop Relocation Project
Project Description
Caltrans is moving forward with plans to build and operate a new District 5 Maintenance Station and Equipment Shop on approximately 56.5 acres of state-owned land at 4485 Vachell Lane in San Luis Obispo County (APNs 076-071-021 and 076-071-022). The project will develop about 24 acres of the site, located south of Buckley Road, and will include new buildings, parking for staff and visitors, utility upgrades, and other site improvements.
Several alternatives were considered during project planning, including two Build Alternatives and a No-Build Alternative. After careful evaluation and public review of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Caltrans selected Alternative 2 as the preferred option. This alternative includes constructing new water and sewer utility infrastructure that will connect the facility to the existing City of San Luis Obispo systems. Construction of Alternative 2 will be completed in phases, allowing for a more efficient buildout that aligns with project scheduling, funding availability, and operational needs.
The selection of Alternative 2 was based on key considerations including the project’s purpose and need, cost, construction methods, schedule, and potential environmental impacts.
Once construction is complete and staff have transitioned to the new site, Caltrans will decommission the current Maintenance Station and Equipment Shop at 50 Higuera Street and 66 Madonna Road. Decommissioning will involve removing all equipment, materials, operations, and personnel from those facilities—but will not include the demolition or removal of existing buildings or structures. demolition or removal of existing buildings or structures.
Project Benefits
Purpose
- Construct facilities that meet Caltrans District 5 programming requirements for existing and future Maintenance Station and Equipment Shop operations (building sizing, employee staffing, parking, storage space, etc.)
- Improve daily functions by separating the Maintenance Station and Equipment Shop facilities as industrial type facilities from the conflicting uses of the District 5 Administrative Offices and the Material and Testing Laboratory
- Consolidate the Maintenance Station and Equipment shop facilities to a single location
- Construct a facility in District 5 that provides efficient access to the state highway system.
- Construct a facility that meets the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the California Code of Regulations Title 24.
- Decrease flood risk by relocating the Maintenance Station and Equipment Shop facilities outside or above potential flood zones
Need
The Caltrans District 5 Maintenance Station and Equipment Shop facilities currently consist of a combination of aging and undersized facilities at problematic locations. Past, present, and predicted future problems with these facilities include:
- The current faculties are inadequate in size and function and do not meet the needs for existing staff and equipment,
- Fragmented work locations which make operations activities inefficient,
- Conflicting industrial type and administrative type workspaces,
- Escalating operational costs of maintaining aging facilities,
- Reoccurring flooding events causing damage to buildings and equipment
- Existing buildings do not meet current seismic structural building standards nor modern green building practices, which maximize efficient use of energy and water resources
Estimated Funding Breakdown
| Funding Source | Funding Amount |
|---|---|
| Local | Not Applicable |
| State | $55,593,000 (Phase 1) |
| Federal | Not Applicable |
Proposed Project Schedule
| Process | Date |
|---|---|
| Final Environmental document to be completed | Summer 2024 |
| Right of way acquisition to be completed | Not Applicable |
| Design to be completed | Spring 2026 |
| Advertise | Summer 2026 |
| Construction to begin | Fall 2026 |
| Construction to be completed | Fall 2028 |
Project Contact
Paul Valadao, Project Manager
Phone: 916-764-9123
Email: paul.valadao@dot.ca.gov
Lucas Marsalek, Environmental Coordinator
Phone: 805-458-5408
Email: lucas.marsalek@dot.ca.gov
District 5 Public Information Office
Phone: 805-549-3237
Email: info-d5@dot.ca.gov
Documents
Accessibility Assistance: Caltrans makes every attempt to ensure our documents are accessible. Due to variances between assistive technologies, there may be portions of this document which are not accessible. Where documents cannot be made accessible, we are committed to providing alternative access to the content. Should you need additional assistance, please contact us at (916) 654-2852 or visit https://dot.ca.gov/request-ada-compliant-documents.
Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (PDF - 2.8MB)
Final Environmental Impact Report (PDF - 25MB)
Public Notice - November 2023 (PDF - 296KB)
Notice of Determination - June 2024 (PDF 395KB)
News / Events
A Public Hybrid Meeting (in person and virtual) to discuss the Draft Environmental Impact Report was held Wednesday November 29th, 2023 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Historic Octagon Barn located at 4400 Octagon Way, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
A video recording of the meeting can be watched here: https://youtu.be/MQstLF5HvqM
Notice of Preparation Virtual Meeting Presentation:
A virtual public meeting to discuss the Notice of Preparation for the Draft Environmental Impact Report was held on Monday, April 11, 2022. A narrated video which provides the information shared during the meeting is available at the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCgtXRuB0yw
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 Brochures
Title VI brochures in various languages