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Chapter 1

Proposed Project

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The City of Santa Clarita, with oversight from the California Department of

Transportation (Caltrans), under NEPA delegation responsibilities pursuant to 23 U.S.C.
327, is proposing to construct a 1,100-foot-long Golden Valley Road bridge over the

Santa Clara River. The project is located within Santa Clarita in Los Angeles County,

California (Figure 1-1). The Golden Valley Road Bridge Project (Federal Project
Number LA0B103) is located east of the recently extended Newhall Ranch Road and

north of Soledad Canyon Road (Figure 1-2). The proposed bridge would connect

Newhall Ranch Road and Soledad Canyon Road.

The proposed project conforms to both the RTP and the RTIP. It is included in
Destination 2030: 2004 Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTP) Appendix

I, Project Lists, on page I-31 and the Final Adopted 2006 Regional Transportation
Improvement Program (RTIP) on page 32, of the Los Angeles County Local Highways

Section as Santa Clarita project LA0B103 - Construct Golden Valley Road from Soledad
Canyon to Newhall Ranch Road. 0 to 6 lanes. Less than 0.5 miles - includes bridge over

Santa Clara River (SCAG 2006a). Both the RTP and RTIP were approved by federal

agencies on October 2, 2006, and the USDOT adopted a Clean Air Act conformity
determination for the RTIP on that date (USDOT 2006).

The project has already received CEQA clearance as part of the Riverpark housing

development, the City Council of Santa Clarita certifying the Final Environmental Impact

Report (FEIR) SCH #2002091081, including the mitigation monitoring and reporting
program, and adopting a statement of overriding considerations on May 24, 2005.

Caltrans reviewed the FEIS and sent notice to the City on March 15, 2007, finding the
document to be consistent with the proposed bridge project under assessment within this

NEPA document. Caltrans concurred with the cities’ level of documentation under
CEQA and is responsible for NEPA determination.

Golden Valley Road Bridge EA Page 1-1
City of Santa Clarita