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HomeMy WebLinkAbout3811; El Camino Real Widening Cultural Resource Report; El Camino Real Widening Cultural Resource Report; 2007-09-04archaeology history architectural history ethnography September 4,2007 Mr. Shawn Shamlou Dudek & Associates 605 Third Street Encinitas, Califomia 92024 Re: Cultural Resource Report for the El Camino Real Widening Project, Carlsbad, San Diego County, Califomia. Dear Mr. Shamlou, This letter report summarizes a cultural resource study conducted by ASM Affiliates, Inc. (ASM) for the widening of El Camino Real from Tamarack Avenue to Chestnut Avenue in Carlsbad, San Diego County, Califomia. The smdy included a records search conducted at the South Coastal Information Center and San Diego Museum of Man, and a pedestrian survey of the project. No cultural resources were identified within the project area as a result of this study. Project Description The City of Carlsbad (City) proposes to improve the section of El Camino Real from Tamarack Avenue north to Chestnut Avenue. El Camino Real is a major north/south roadway serving as a vital parallel circulation element to Interstate 5 (1-5) for the Cities of Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside. As various developments including subdivisions have occurred in the project vicinity, developers have been required to widen El Camino Real to full prime arterial standards. This section of roadway, from Tamarack Avenue to Chestout Avenue, is one of the few remaining sections of the El Camino Real that has not been widened to its full width of six travel lanes with three northbound and three southbound lanes. The proposed roadway improvements would result in a total width of 126 feet including: • 8-foot-wide bike lanes on both sides of the roadway • three southbound lanes, 12 feet wide each • three northbound lanes, 12 feet wide each • an 18-foot-wide landscaped median island • 5 ?/2-foot-wide sidewalks on both sides of the roadway • 4 ^/2-foot-wide native planted area (including a native planted swale) on both sides of the roadway In the middle section of the roadway, the roadway would transition between the previously discussed typical section to a modified width of 116 feet including: • a 6 '/z-foot-wide bike lane on the west side of the roadway • a 5-foot-wide bike lane on the east side • three southbound lanes, 12 feet wide each • a 14-foot-wide landscaped median island • three northbound lanes, 11 Vi feet wide each li Mr. Shawn Shamlou September 4, 2007 Page 2 of 13 • 5 y2-foot-wide sidewalks on both sides of the roadway • 4 y2-foot-wide native planted area (including a native planted swale) on both sides of the roadway The project proposes to keep the existing vertical profile of the road, and construction is anticipated to extend approximately nine months. Additional characteristics of the proposed project are described below. Intersection Improvements. A traffic study was prepared for the subject project in April 2006 (LLG 2006). The purpose of the report was to analyze the operations at the two intersections along this segment of El Camino Real, for the existing conditions and Year 2030 conditions. The report then identified intersection improvements required to achieve acceptable level of service (i.e., LOS D). These intersection improvements were consequently incorporated into the project design. The 2030 traffic forecast analysis shows that in 2030, the El Camino Real/Tamarack Avenue intersection would result in an LOS F during AM and PM peak hours (LLG 2006). As such, the project plans include an additional northbound and southbound thru lane on El Camino Real, and an additional northbound left- turn lane on El Camino Real at its intersection with Tamarack Avenue. This improvement would improve the LOS at this intersection to LOS D or better in the AM peak hour and LOS C in the PM peak hour. Accommodating the additional northbound and southbound lanes, just north of the intersection, would consist primarily of re-striping the existing roadway, as sufficient width exists within the current roadway geometry. Associated signal modifications to accommodate the new lane configuration would also be provided. At the EI Camino Real/Chestnut Avenue intersection, the project would result in the removal of the existing free right turn islands located at the northwest and southwest comers of the intersection and replace these with standard curb returns, pedestrian ramps, and associated signal modifications to accommodate the road widening improvements. These intersection improvements must satisfy Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, and therefore, ramps that meet ADA gradient criteria would be constmcted near the northwest and southwest comers to connect the improvements to existing sidewalks. Storm Drains. Currently, the roadway in the APE exhibits erosion on the embankment on the east side, pavement cracking and weathering, and bumps/sags. Storm water from the storm drains currently outlets at erosive velocities into a ditch east of the roadway. Storm drains within the APE would be replaced and/or improved.. The project includes the placement of erosion protection in the ditch and/or constmction of check dams within the ditch to remedy the issue. The pavement for the roadway would be overlaid with asphalt concrete and/or replaced with a full stmctural section as necessary. Brow ditches are proposed along the west side of El Camino Real to prevent hillside stormwater from flowing over the sidewalk and onto El Camino Real. The proposed locations are at Stations 513+50 and 536+00. The sizes of the brow ditches would vary from approximately 12-inch minimum depth to 24- inch maximum depth. Lighting. Overhead lighting is proposed as part of the project. Lighting would be installed per applicable City standards for wattage and spacing. Each light pole would produce up to 22,000 lumens and would be staggered at 300-foot intervals along both sides of the project section of El Camino Real. Bus Stops. One existing North County Transit District (NCTD) bus stop located on the west side of El Camino Real just south of Chestnut Avenue would be relocated as part of the project, although the specific location is in the process of being determined in concert with North County Transit District. It is assumed that the chosen location would not be located outside of the project Area of Potential Effects m m m m m m Mr. Shawn Shamlou September 4, 2007 Page 3 of 13 (APE). A second bus stop exists along the east side of El Camino Real north of Tamarack Avenue. No improvements or alterations to this bus stop are proposed. Utilities. Depending on the availability of funding, the existing overhead power hnes along the west and east sides of El Camino Real may be undergrounded as part of the project. Should funding be available at the time of constmction, possibly as a joint cost sharing effort with SDG&E, the City would underground these electrical utihties. If a funding source for undergrounding is not located, the existing power poles along the west side, north of APN 207-090-20, Station 526+00, are proposed to be relocated 5 to 10 feet to the west. The relocation or undergrounding of these poles is necessary to accommodate the proposed street widening. Grading. Minor grading would occur along the west side of El Camino Real to accommodate constmction of proposed retaining walls, which are described below. Additional grading behind and at the top of the retaining walls would occur to constmct brow ditches and drainage facilities. The proposed grading at the top of the walls would be contoured to a 1.5:1 or 2:1 inclination to blend into the natural look of the existing terrain. The proposed grading would range from 5 to 8 feet in height above the top of wall. Both minor grading and major grading would occur on the east side of the project. Minor re-grading is required at two locations (at approximately Station 512+50 and Station 517+00) to stabilize the existing fill slope adjacent to the east edge of the roadway, which also represents the west edge of the existing drainage channel. These two locations are situated approximately in the middle third of the APE and represent distressed areas where slope failure (Station 512+50) and sloughing (Station 517+00) have occurred. The existing slope height at these areas varies from 5 feet or less to approximately 15 feet with the height generally increasing toward the north. Both of these areas would be over-excavated and reconstmcted with reinforced earth or equal methods in accordance with the geotechnical report for the project to stabilize the slope and re-establish the initial slope inclination. Major grading is proposed along the northern segment of the east side of El Camino Real, predominantly across Assessor Parcel Numbers 167-230-24 and 167-230-25. Slope heights would range from 30 to 50 feet with the height increasing toward the south. The proposed grading will be contoured to a 1.5:1 or variable slope inclination and be graded in such a fashion as to replace die in-kind driveway access to the property. Retaining Walls. Retaining walls are proposed on the west side of El Camino Real in the approximate midpoint of the APE. A portion of the proposed retaining walls would be located outside of the project ROW, therefore, property acquisition of 6,946 square feet (0.16 acre) would be required on Czajkowski property (within parcel numbers 207-180-08, -09, -10, and -12), which is located approximately 2000 feet south of the El Camino Real/Chesmut Avenue intersection. The height of the retaining walls would vary from 6 feet to a maximum of 15 feet high. The specific wall types would be Caltrans cast-in-place concrete or masonry block cantilever with fascia for walls less than 10 feet in height. These have a concrete spread footing and a vertical retaining face. For walls over 10 feet in height, a tieback wall type would be implemented. This type of retaining wall is an anchored wall system that relies on steel bars grouted into the retained slope and a reinforced facing. The anchors are prestressed to provide an active clamping force. The facing is typically constmcted with reinforced shotcrete or cast-in-place concrete, and are constmcted with a "top-down" approach that does not require substantial excavation behind the wail face. The retaining walls are proposed to be built with a boulderscape architectural treatment and landscaping screening. Drainage systems would be included behind the walls to allow proper drainage of the adjacent hillside. m ife Mr. Shawn Shamlou September 4, 2007 Page 4 of 13 Landscape Concept Plan. A Landscape Concept Plan has been prepared as part of the project to provide a transition between the ornamental landscape and natural landscape on either sides of the project reach of El Camino Real. The Landscape Concept Plan takes into account the City's El Camino Real Corridor Development Standards by incorporating a median landscape treatment that continues adjacent median designs. The specific objectives of the design include low water use, minimization of fire hazards, minimization of visual impacts of the proposed retaining walls, and stabiUzation of disturbed slopes. Staging Areas. Staging areas for temporarily storing constmction equipment would be identified during final design of the project, and would be located within previously paved areas within the APE. Existing Conditions Residential development has occurred along both sides of this segment of El Camino Real. Above ground utilities have been constmcted along the length of both sides of the project and a concrete-lined drainage ditch has been constmcted on the west side of the project. There is a small grove of mature eucalyptus trees located at the northwest comer of the project area (Figures 3 and 4). South of the eucalyptus grove, there are a number of private residences with a gravel-covered driveway connecting El Camino Real to asphalt-paved driveways extending to the residences. The portion of the project located south of the residences has steep slopes overlain by a relatively level, heavily vegetated area. A rather large drainage is located along the southem half of the east side of the project. A disced area is maintained along the eastem edge of the drainage. A paved sidewalk runs along the east side of the project, most of which is open space with a mix of native and non-native grasses and low shmbs. The northern portion of the east side of the project is a vertical cutbank. Soil deposits in the project include Marina loamy coarse sand in the far northwestem portion of the project, Gaviota fine sandy loam in the northeastem portion of the project, and Salinas clay loam throughout the remainder of the project. Records Search Results Records searches for the project were prepared by the South Coastal Information Center (SCIC) on March 9, 2006 and the San Diego Museum of Man on March 4, 2006. The records searches included a review of archaeological site locations, bibliographic information, historic maps, and other databases of historic resources. While the records searches identified numerous archaeological resources located within one mile of the project, none of these is identified within the project area itself. The results of the records searches are summarized below (Table 1). Sites on file at the SCIC are assigned with trinomial designations, noted with a CA-SDI- prefix; those that have been assigned a primary number are noted with a P-37- prefix. Sites on file with the Museum of Man are noted witii a SDM-W prefix. The full results of the records search are considered confidential as they identify the location of archaeological sites outside of the current project area. The cover letters for the searches are provided in Appendix A. The remainder of the resuhs will be maintained on file with ASM. Table 1. Previously Recorded Sites Within One Mile of die El Camino Real Widening Project Site Number Site Type RecorderATear Recorded Notes SDM-W-124 Habitation with burials Rogers/n.d. SDM-W-132 Habitation with burials Rogers/n.d. SDM-W-134 Shell midden Van Horn and Murray/1982 SDM-W-136 Habitation Rogers/n.d. SDM-W-137 Habitation Rogers/n.d. Mr. Shawn Shamlou September 4, 2007 Page 5 of 13 m Site Number Site Type Recorder/Year Recorded Notes SDM-W-143 Habitation Rogers/n.d. CA-SDI-I3I78 Isolates Gallegos/1991 3 manos m SDI-209 Shell midden with artifacts Van Horn and Murray/1982 SDI-631 Lithic scatter Wallace/1958 Ground stone and flaked artifacts SDl-4990 Habitation Ike and Kardash/1977 Mitigated m SDl-5077 Habitation Hatiey/1977 Hosp Grove site SDM-W-143/146 Habitation Norwood/1977, Wade/1985 Subjected to data recovery and mm SDl-5213 monitored by Robbins Wade m SDI-5214 Shell midden with lithics Norwood/1977 Shell and lithics SDI-5353 Habitation Van Horn and Murray/1982 a.k.a. the Cliff Site, noted as m ehgible to the National m Register m SDI-5651 Shell midden Hector/1983 SDI-5652 House Edwards/1977 Little information on site record. Preservation was • recommended when the site was recorded. SDI-6135 Habitation Van Horn and Murray/1982 Ground stone, fire-affected m rock, marine shell, and faunal remains SDI-6139 Lithic and shell scatter Romani and naked and ground stone Hawthome/1982 artifacts and marine shell •1 SDI-6140 Shell midden with artifacts Van Horn and Mun:ay/1982 Lithic artifacts «• SDM-W-132 SDI-8303 Habitation Rogers/n.d., GaUegos/1999 Noted as SDI-13129 on top of Rogers site form m SDI-8913 Habitation Romani and Hawthome/1981 Lithic scatter mm SDI-8914 Lithic scatter shell Romani and Hawthome/1981 Basalt flake • SDI-9652 Lithic scatter Van Horn and Murray/1982 SDL9654 Habitation Van Horn and MurTay/1982 Midden with artifacts SDI-9655 Habitation Van Horn and Murray/1982 Well-developed midden with » artifacts SDI-10024 Habitation Rogers/n.d. m SDI-10025 Habitation Hedges/1978 SDI-10609 Habitation Wade/1985 Temporary shell processing camp SDM0610 Habitation Wade/1985 Temporary shell processing camp « SDI-10612 Shell scatter Wade/1985 SDM0746 Shell and artifact scatter Cardenas etal./1986 Destroyed by grading m SDM3089 Shell midden Strud wick/1993 m SDI-13124 Sweathouse Rogers/n.d. Shell midden and artifacts m associated, excavated by m Rogers m SDM37ai Habitation Strudwick and Shell midden with artifacts and II Gallegos/1994 fire-affected rock SDM4259 Shell midden ASM/1996 Small shell midden m SDM4335 Habitation Schroth and Harris/1996 Excavated m SDI-16130 Shell scatter Smidi/2001 SDI-16131 Shell scatter Smidi/2001 m SDH 6132 Shell scatter Sinilh/2001 mm SDH 6133 Shell and lithic scatter Smith/2001 Mr. Shawn Shamlou September 4, 2007 Page 6 of 13 Site Number Site Type Recorder/Year Recorded Notes SDM6137 Shell scatter Smith/2001 Of the sites recorded within a one-mile radius, two are located near the project: SDI-5213/SDM-W-1330, SDM-W-143/146 is a large prehistoric habitation witii recorded burials located north and west of the project area. The site was recorded by Rogers and later updated by Norwood (1977) and Cardenas and Wade (1985). Cardenas and Wade tested the site for the Rising Glen development in 1985. The updated site form notes that 21 1 x2m^ test units were excavated and that, while the site is legally mitigated, it still held research potential. The site was monitored during grading for the Rising Glen development in 1986. SDI-5214/SDM-W-1331 is a prehistoric habitation that includes a large shell midden, lithic and ground stone and ceramic artifacts and one possible milling station. The site record mentions that plowing impacted the land and a large private residence is now present on the property. Fifty-one cultural resource surveys have been conducted within a one-mile radius of the project (Table 2). Of these, five bisected the project area. The previous cultural resource surveys conducted within the study area include the following: Table 2. Previous Cultural Resource Studies Within One Mile of the Project mm NADB Number Surveyor Date Surveyed Results 1125147 Berryman 2000 Positive ^m 1122623 Bissell 1990 Positive 1122045 Brandman 1983 Positive 1125343 Brown 2001 Negative m 1126094 Bull 1976 Negative 1124229 Bull 1977 Positive mm 1120659 Bull 1978 Positive m 1120645 Bull 1979 Positive 1129361 Byrd and O'Neill 2002 Positive 1125018 Cardenas 1985 Positive 1124325 Carrico 1977 Positive m 1120424 Carrico and Phillips 1981 Positive 1122007 Chamberlain 1974 Positive mm 1121394 Eighmey and Wade 1990 Positive m 1122016 Elfend 1984 Positive 1122088 EIP 1974 Positive m 1121016 Gallegos and Pigniolo 1987 Negative w 1120675 Gallegos and Carrico 1984 Positive 1121037 Gallegos and Carrico 1984 Positive Ml 1129136 Gallegos and Strudwick 1991 Indeterminate 1123163 Gross et al. 1990 Positive 1120980 Gross and Bull 1973 Positive 1129586 Geurrero and Gallegos 2003 Positive m 1121122 Hector 1981 Positive m 1121129 Hector 1985 Positive 1128738 Hector 1985 Positive mm 1120681 Hector 1986 Positive 1120716 Kaidenberg 1976 Positive Mr. Shawn Shamlou September 4, 2007 Page? of 13 m NADB Number Surveyor Date Surveyed Results 1120889 Koerper, Langenwalter, Schroth 1986 Positive mm 1124209 Koerper 1986 Positive W 1128089 Kyle 1999 Negative 1121745 McCorkle Apple 1987 Negative mm 1128729 Mitchell 1989 Positive 1122053 Nasland Engineering 1983 Positive m 1123472 Pigniolo and Wahoff 1998 Positive 1121698 Polan 1983 Positive m 1124895 RECON 1976 Negative m 1124940 RECON 1977 Positive 1123272 Schrotii 1996 Positive m 1123273 Schroth and Gallegos 1996 Positive 1124111 Seeman 1982 Positive 1121431 Smith 1989 Negative mm 112358S Smitii 1998 Positive 1122691 Strudwick 1993 Positive 1128314 Tuma 2003 Positive 1121579 Wade and Hector 1986 Positive m 1122598 Wade 1992 Positive m 1121661 Wade 1987 Negative 1121595 Whitehouse and Wade 1990 Positive m 1121643 Wlodarski and Romani 1981 Positive 1128750 Ultrasystems 1983 Positive w 1120239 Unknown 1986 Positive m m m m m m m A review of historic maps of the project area did not reveal any stmctures within the project area. El Camino Real is a major, paved thoroughfare dating from the Mission Era and extending in a continuous route from the Intemational Border to San Francisco; however no known historic sites are recorded within the project area. A search of the GeoFinder database, which includes information from the National Register of Historic Places, Califomia Register of Historic Resources, California State Landmarks, Califomia Points of Historic Interest and other historic property lists was included with the records search results; no such properties were identified. Study Results ASM Archaeologists Drew Pallette and Catherine A. Wright surveyed the area of potential effects on March 27, 2006 and April 5, 2006. For the most part, the project is paved or otherwise developed with utilities and a concrete-lined drainage ditch. Both sides of the project have segments with steep-sided, heavily vegetated slopes and these areas were subjected to purposive survey. The remainder of the project was surveyed at 10-meter intervals. A small grove of mature eucalyptus trees is located in the northwestem portion of the project. This area has been subjected to extensive manual excavation, most likely from children constmcting ramps and jumps for off-road bicycling (Figure 5); the remainder of the grove is covered with a heavy leaf litter. The area that had been excavated was subjected to close inspection, as it was the best indicator of possible subsurface archaeological deposits. One piece of marine shell and one fragment of the end of a large mammal bone were identified in this area. However, no further manifestations of cultural resom-ces were identified even after an intensive study of excavated areas and the resulting backdirt. The west-central and southwest portions of the project are comprised of cut slope extending essentially to the edge of pavement or to the edge of the sidewalk. Portions of this area have swaths of open land on top of the slopes and, when accessible, these were surveyed. For the most part, however, these areas were heavily vegetated and ground visibility was moderate at best. m m Mr. Shawn Shamlou September 4, 2007 Page 8 of 13 The eastern side of the project area consists of a rather deep drainage located approximately 30 feet east of the eastem edge of pavement. A disced area is maintained on the eastem side of the drainage and there is a small section of cut slope at the northern end of the project. Most of the east side of the project area is western-sloping open space with a mix of native and non-native grasses and low shmbs. The more level areas of this portion of the project were subjected to intensive survey; the steep slopes and drainage bottom were purposively surveyed. No cultural resources were identified during ASM's survey of the property. Conclusions and Management Recommendations The results of records searches conducted for the project were positive in that a number of cultural resources were identified within one mile of the project area. One piece of marine shell and one fragment of large mammal bone were identified during the survey but a close inspection of extensive excavations in the area where these were found did not reveal any further potentially cultural remains. However, a number of large habitation sites are located within a one-mile radius of the project. Due to the heavy leaf litter and the presence of large archaeological sites in the vicinity, archaeological monitoring in the eucalyptus grove located in the northwest portion of the project is recommended. This includes the area located on the west side of El Camino Real from the intersection of El Camino Real and Chestnut Avenue and extending south to the first residential development located south of this intersection. If you should have any further questions regarding this report, please do not hesitate to contact me. Respectfully submitted. John President Attachments: Figure!. Project Vicinity Map Figure 2. Project Location Map Figure 3. Eucalyptus grove south of intersection of Chestnut Avenue and El Camino Real, view to south Figure 4. Eucalyptus grove south of intersection of Chestnut Avenue and El Camino Real, view to north Figure 5. Eucalyptus grove south of intersection of Chesmut Avenue and El Camino Real, view to south from inside of grove. Figure 6. Looking south down El Camino Real Figure 7. View from east of El Camino Real looking northwest m il Confidential Appendix A. Records Search Results Mr. Shawn Shamlou September 4, 2007 Page 9 of 13 RIVERSIDE COUNTY SAN DIEGO COUNTY WARNER SPRINGS DIEGO 0 5 10 miles m i m Figure 1. Project vicinity map