HRRB resists signing Caltrans MOA on Rocky Creek bridge mitigation without design review

Staff briefed the board that Caltrans completed environmental review for a planned Rocky Creek bridge replacement and requested that the HRRB act as a concurring party to a memorandum of agreement (MOA) addressing unavoidable adverse effects and mitigation. Staff said Caltrans asked how involved HRRB wanted to be; staff recommended 100% participation in mitigation development.

Board members pushed back. One member said a concurring role could be read as agreeing to the design without seeing it, and several urged that HRRB should not sign onto an MOA the board has not reviewed. A public commenter with experience working with Caltrans warned that engineers often finalize designs first and then seek mitigation, urging caution. Multiple members suggested sending a letter stating HRRB will not concur with mitigation in lieu of required design changes and that the board does not consent to sign an MOA without seeing proposed designs. Staff agreed to relay the board’s concerns to the Caltrans liaison and to insist that future project materials come to HRRB for review before any signature is requested.