Fairfax adopts mitigated negative declaration for Creek Road Bridge seismic retrofit

The Fairfax Town Council on July 1 adopted the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Final Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) and mitigation monitoring program for the Creek Road Bridge seismic rehabilitation project.

Public Works Director Kristen Arnold presented the project, which addresses seismic vulnerability of the 1929 bridge by installing deck anchors, retrofitting columns and beams, repairing expansion joints and performing concrete patching to prevent deck separation and catastrophic failure in a major earthquake. The initial study identified potential environmental impacts from in‑stream work but concluded those impacts could be reduced to less‑than‑significant levels with mitigation.

Key mitigation measures include timing in‑stream work to the dry season (June 1–Oct 15), installing a cofferdam and stream diversion system to keep fish out of the immediate work area during operations, implementing a fish salvage and rescue plan in coordination with applicable state and federal permits, and a construction‑period traffic control plan (with emergency‑access coordination). Staff noted the creek reaches are known to support steelhead and prepared targeted mitigation to protect migration and juvenile fish.

Council members asked technical questions about how the diversion would work, how residents would be notified about detours and bridge closures, and whether the bridge was eligible for historic listing. Staff and the environmental consultant said the bridge is old (built 1929) but was not found eligible for listing on the National or California registers under the applicable criteria; they also described the traffic control measures and neighborhood notification planned in construction phases.

The council adopted the IS/MND and mitigation monitoring and reporting program and approved the project. Staff will implement the mitigation measures during final design and construction, coordinate required permits (NMFS, RWQCB, etc.) and issue public notices regarding closures and circulation changes.