Cajalco Road, Cajalco Expressway, Ramona Expressway Resurfacing
Summary
SCH Number
2025081396
Public Agency
Riverside County
Document Title
Cajalco Road, Cajalco Expressway, Ramona Expressway Resurfacing
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/29/2025
Document Description
The County of Riverside Transportation Department is proposing to resurface a total of 1.16 miles of pavement at three different locations. Cajalco Road between Wood Road and just east of Carpinus Drive, a length of 0.65 miles. Cajalco Expressway, west of Harvill Avenue to 215 Freeway, a distance of 0.29 miles, and Ramona Expressway, 215 Freeway to east of Nevada Road a distance of 0.22 miles.
Cajalco Road The Cajalco Road portion is approximately 0.65 miles of Cajalco Road from west of Wood Road to east of Carpinus Drive. Cajalco Road is a 72-to-104-foot, four lane road with 134 to 220 feet of right of way. The Cajalco Road project will include the removal of existing asphalt concrete and aggregate base for 820 feet, the placement of geogrid layer at full width, class two aggregate base with hot mix asphalt (HMA), partial reconstruction of 370-foot asphalt concrete dike median, the rest of the road within these limits will be cold planing of the pavement and placing HMA pavement with crack seal. Cajalco Expressway The Cajalco Expressway portion of the project starts west of Harvill Avenue to I-215 southbound ramps, approximately 0.29 miles. Cajalco Expressway is a 74-to-106-foot wide, four lane road with 160 to 210 feet of right of way. The Cajalco Expressway project will include partial removal of asphalt concrete and the placement of HMA. The other portion of the road within these limits will be cold planing of the existing pavement and placing HMA pavement with crack seal. Ramona Expressway The Ramona Expressway abuts Cajalco Expressway at the 215 freeway. The Ramona Expressway portion of the project is 0.22 miles and starts at 215 freeway southbound ramps to east of Nevada Road. Ramona Expressway is a 74- to-110-foot, four lane road with 160 to 220 feet of right of way. The Ramona Expressway project will include partial removal of asphalt concrete and placement of HMA. The other portion of the road within these limits will be cold planing of the pavement and placing HMA pavement with crack seal. Reconstruction of existing asphalt concrete dikes within these limits will also be performed. Additional improvements include: • Utility adjustments and cleaning • Reconstruction of asphalt median dikes east of Wood Road • Replace traffic loops, signing and striping of roadway • Reconstruction of 36” corrugated metal pipe on Nevada Road South of Ramona Expressway • Asphalt concrete overside drains • Utility adjustments and cleaning/clearing of existing catch basins and culverts • Reconstruct median island at Harvill Avenue and Cajalco Expressway to alleviate flooding in left turn pocket The project improvements from the east side of bridge that goes over the railroad tracks and freeway to approximately 500 feet west of Nevada Road will require Caltrans permitting/permission. There will be no additional right-of-way or temporary construction easements (TCE) required to construct the proposed improvements. The project improvements will be within the existing footprint of the roadway and will not raise the roadway profile.
Contact Information
Name
Jan Bulinski
Agency Name
County of Riverside Transportation Department
Job Title
Environmental Project Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Communities of Woodcrest and Mead Valley, Riverside Cnty
Counties
Riverside
Regions
Southern California
Other Location Info
Communities of Woodcrest and Mead Valley, Riverside County, CA.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15301(c)
Reasons for Exemption
The project will extend the life of the pavement of the treated roads, which is a benefit to the traveling public. The project consists of maintenance and repair of an existing public road. There is no expansion of use of the road as a result of the project.
The rehabilitation of an existing public road will be conducted by the County, who is a permittee as defined by the Western Riverside Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (WRMSHCP). The project is subject to compliance within the WRMSHCP. The project is outside of designated MSHCP Criteria Cells; however, it is still subject to compliance with the WRCMSHCP. Under Section 7.1 Covered Activities Outside Criteria Area and PQP lands of the MSHCP, necessary operation and maintenance projects, are Covered Activities and are not subject to survey or mitigation requirements outside criteria area and Public/Quasi-Public Lands. These covered
activities are subject to compliance with Best Management Practices as described in Appendix C of the WRMSHCP.
If tree and/or vegetation removal takes place during the migratory bird breeding season (February 1 – September 1), a preconstruction nesting survey will be conducted pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
The County has found that the above-described project is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), based on the following:
Section 15301 (c) – Existing Facilities – The proposed project of pulverizing pavement and paving an existing road with HMA are consistent with Section 15301(c) which exempts existing highways and streets, sidewalks, gutters, bicycle and pedestrian trails, and similar facilities, (this includes road grading for the purpose of public safety). Furthermore, the project does not create additional automobile lanes and involves minimal to no expansion of use of the exiting roadway and associated facilities.
By: Don Copeland, Senior Transportation Planner
County Clerk
Riverside
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.