Folsom City Council has approved a resolution Tuesday evening, authorizing the city manager to execute an amendment to the contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for the Mangini Ranch Trails Project. The approval, under Resolution No. 11229, will bring the addition of two Class I trail segments to the project, enhancing the city’s trail network.
The Mangini Ranch Trails Project, part of the Folsom Plan Area Specific Plan (FPASP), aims to develop over 30 miles of trails. Currently, approximately five miles of trails are already constructed within the FPASP. The new amendment will add roughly three miles of trails designed to connect parks, schools, and neighborhoods in the Mangini Ranch area, bounded by Alder Creek Parkway, Old Placerville Road, East Bidwell Street, and White Rock Road.
The council originally awarded a contract to Kimley-Horn and Associates in September 2021 to prepare design and engineering plans for the project. The new amendment, which adds $31,734 to the original contract, will bring the total contract amount to $211,974. This amendment will include two additional Class I trail improvement areas: one extending north of the SMUD substation to connect to the existing Class I trail to the east, and another running parallel to the railroad tracks from south of Grand Prairie to White Rock Road.
A topographic survey will be conducted to complete the design for the railroad track crossing, while the extension south to White Rock Road will utilize scaled aerial imagery. The funds for these additions are part of the fiscal year 2024-25 Capital Improvement Plan, which has allocated a total budget of $3,380,240 for the Mangini Ranch Trails Project.
The Parks and Recreation Department emphasized that sufficient funds are budgeted and available for the cost of this amendment. The city previously certified an Environmental Impact Report for the FPASP, and the Mangini Ranch Trails Project remains consistent with these plans, exempting it from further California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review.
Additional funding for Placerville Rail Trail project
Folsom Council also reviewed a second resolution to authorizing the city manager to execute an amendment to another contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for additional National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental studies for the Folsom Placerville Rail Trail Project. The approval, under Resolution No. 11228, includes an appropriation of $71,600 for these additional studies.
The Folsom Placerville Rail Trail Project is a key element of the City of Folsom’s Bikeway Master Plan. The project aims to create a Class I bike trail extending from the Humbug-Willow Creek Trail near Mercy Hospital to White Rock Road, with eventual plans to reach Placerville. The current phase will provide approximately 1.25 miles of trail improvements from Creekside Drive to Iron Point Road, largely following the Southern Pacific Placerville Branch right-of-way.
Kimley-Horn and Associates were initially contracted in 2017 to prepare environmental analyses and design plans for the project, which received federal grant funding through the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG). Compliance with NEPA is required due to the use of federal funds.
In June 2019, Caltrans approved the Preliminary Environmental Study for the project, identifying the necessary environmental studies. However, changes in Caltrans’ requirements for biological resources studies mean much of the original work needs updating. The amendment will fund the completion of these studies and the necessary consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State Historic Preservation Officer.
The cost for these additional services is $71,600, bringing the total contract amount with Kimley-Horn to $384,167. The funds will come from the Transportation Development Act Fund, which has sufficient resources available.
The project, included in the city’s Capital Improvement Plan with a Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget of $3,233,838, will see its budget updated to $3,305,438 following the approval. The Parks and Recreation Department supports the amendment, emphasizing its importance for meeting current environmental standards and advancing the project.
Environmental reviews will be conducted in compliance with both NEPA and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), ensuring the project meets all necessary regulatory requirements.