APPENDIX S REVISED PAGES OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "APPENDIX S REVISED PAGES OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS"

Cora O’Neal’
5 years ago
Views:

1 APPENDIX S REVISED PAGES OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS

2 The capacity of the toll plaza was estimated based on data from numerous studies as well as traffic counts conducted at the toll plaza in December, There are four main types of toll lanes currently utilized on Bay Area bridges including: 1) Manual Payment/Fastrak Lanes These are the typical cash collection lanes manned by toll collectors but these lanes also accept Fastrak (electronic toll collection) and as more motorists sign up for Fastrak the capacity of manual payment lanes in the bay area has been increasing. Previously lanes that accept only manual payment (no electronic toll collection) have been shown to have a maximum capacity of about 375 vehicles per lane per hour (vplph). 7 However as the number of motorists with Fastrak increases the capacity of the combined manual payment/fastrak lanes has been increasing. 8 Studies indicate that with a high enough percentage of toll payment by Fastrak these lanes could theoretically carry a maximum capacity of 700 vehicles per hour. However, traffic counts conducted in December indicate that the maximum capacity of these combined manual payment/fastrak Lanes are currently about 4,225 vph vplph. This is consistent with the current percentage of Fastrak users at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge toll plaza during the peak periods (about 54 percent) which is still relatively low when compared with other facilities such as the Golden Gate Bridge which currently has over 70 percent of the tolls collected by Fastrak during the AM peak period. 9 2) Exclusive Fastrak Lanes in a standard toll plaza are estimated to have a capacity of 1,200 vehicles per hour per lane based survey conducted of numerous toll plazas. 10 However, based on traffic counts of the existing Fastrak Lanes at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge the current capacity is about 1,050 vplph. This is primarily due to the fact that there is currently only one freeway travel lane feeding into the two Fastrak lanes which restricts the amount of traffic coming into those lanes. 3) Open road toll (ORT) lanes are Fastrak Lanes where the toll booths have been removed and the lanes redesigned to allow vehicles to maintain freeway speeds through the toll plaza. These were recently installed on the Benicia-Martinez Bridge. Due to friction from maneuvering in advance of the toll plaza these lanes carry less than a typical freeway lane but have been shown to have capacities of between 1,500 and 1,800 vphpl. 3,8 7 Simple Approach to Estimating Toll Plaza Delays, Journal of the Transportation Research Board No 2047, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington D.C., Peak Period Fastrak Usage on State-Owned Bridges, Obtained from the Fastrak Website ( on December 19, Golden Gate Bridge Fastrak Usage , Obtained from the Golden Gate Bridge Website ( on December 19, Electronic Toll Collection Systems: Curbing Gridlock, Pietrzyk, M.C., Vol. 2, p. 474; National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1994 Abrams Associates 8 Point Molate Casino Resort Project

3 EXISTING CAPACITY OF THE RICHMOND-SAN RAFAEL BRIDGE TOLL PLAZA The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Toll Plaza currently has a capacity of approximately 4,225 vphvplph. This is based on the current seven-lane toll plaza configuration and the capacities presented in Section 1.5. Table 9 presents the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge volumes used in the toll plaza capacity analysis. The toll plaza currently has two exclusive Fastrak lanes that each has a capacity of about 1,050 vplph. The plaza also has one carpool lane (that also accepts manual and Fastrak payments) and four additional manual payment/fastrak lanes. As described in Section 1.5, these lanes have been determined to have a current capacity of 4,225 vph vplph under the current level of Fastrak use (54 percent). As seen in Table 9, the existing traffic volumes under existing conditions are well within the capacity of the toll plaza as it is currently configured. EXISTING CONDITIONS - INTERSECTION LEVELS OF SERVICE Based on a review of the DMJM Harris Study existing traffic volumes it was determined that there was a mistake on the northbound through volume at Intersection #21 (Richmond Parkway at Gertrude Avenue). This volume was corrected based on traffic counts conducted in March of 2009 and the traffic data at the adjacent intersections. This resulted in improved level-of-service at this intersection. It should also be noted that three new study intersections (Richmond Parkway at Pittsburg Avenue, Goodrick Avenue, and the I-80 Carpool Ramps) were added to the existing conditions analysis based on the potential for project impacts at these intersections under cumulative traffic operations. The results of the exsiting intersection LOS analysis are included in Table 11. Please note that the special event conditions were analyzed for both the weekday PM peak hour conditions as well as the Saturday peak hour conditions. The detailed level-of-service calculations are included in the appendix. 2.3 REGULATORY CONTEXT STATE OF CALIFORNIA The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has jurisdiction over state highways, federal highways, and interstate highways. Therefore, Caltrans controls all construction, modification, and maintenance of state highways, such as U.S. 101 and I-580. Any improvements to these facilities to accommodate the previously referenced LOS standards would require Caltrans approval. Abrams Associates 23 Point Molate Casino Resort Project

4 each of the alternatives. LOS E is considered the minimum acceptable level of service for I-580 according to the Contra Costa Countywide Comprehensive Transportation Plan and the County s Congestion Management Plan (CMP). BACKGROUND PLUS PROJECT - CAPACITY OF THE RICHMOND-SAN RAFAEL BRIDGE TOLL PLAZA As described in Section 2.2 the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Toll Plaza currently has a capacity of approximately 4,225 vphvplph. This is based on the current toll plaza configuration and the capacities presented in Section 1.5. Table 9 presents the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge volumes used in the toll plaza capacity analysis for background conditions. The toll plaza currently has two exclusive Fastrak lanes, one carpool/manual payment/fastrak lane, and four additional manual payment/fastrak lanes. As seen in Table 9, the background traffic volumes each alternative would be within the capacity of the toll plaza as it is currently configured. Based on this analysis there would be no significant impacts to the toll plaza under background conditions with any of the alternatives. As described in Section 1.5, any increases in toll plaza capacity would need to be accompanied by an associated increase in receiving capacity on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge (i.e. marking the bridge for three travel lanes). However, none of the background plus project LOS or capacity results indicated that improvements to the bridge or the toll plaza would be required. It should also be noted that there is ongoing marketing plan being conducted by Caltrans and the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) for the Fastrak system. This marketing plan informs motorists of the benefits of Fastrak, explains and improves the ease of signing up for the program and, provides incentives for using the system. The Fastrak marketing plan is comprised of three components: 1) Marketing, Advertising and Public Awareness Campaigns, 2) Retail Distribution of Toll Tags, and 3) Other Value-added Uses of Toll Tags (San Francisco Airport Parking Application). 16 As a result of the ongoing Fastrak marketing program, the percentage of Fastrak users is expected to continue to grow which will increase the capacity of the combined manual collection/fastrak lanes and the toll plaza itself. This factor further ensures that the existing toll plaza will have the capacity to accommodate any of the alternatives under background plus project conditions. Figure 8 shows the percent increase in Fastrak use over the past eight years during the peak periods for the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and for comparison we have also shown the percent increase Benicia-Martinez Bridge (which has high-speed open road tolling). 6 As seen in Figure 16 Strategic Plan for the Fastrak Electronic Toll Collection System, Bay Area Toll Authority, Oakland, CA, May Abrams Associates 35 Point Molate Casino Resort Project

5 operate at LOS F during certain peak periods under 2025 conditions (weekday a.m. for the southbound off-ramp and weekday p.m. for the northbound on-ramp). This would occur regardless of whether or not the proposed project is implemented. There would continue to be acceptable operations (LOS B or better) during the Saturday p.m. peak hour CONDITIONS - LEVEL OF SERVICE ON THE RICHMOND-SAN RAFAEL BRIDGE Table 9 presents the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge volumes for the Year 2025 that has been used in the LOS Analysis. Table 10 summarizes the a.m. and p.m. peak-hour level of service for the Richmond San Rafael bridge under all scenarios and for each alternative. The mitigated LOS results for cumulative conditions are presented in Table 28. As seen in Table 10 the Richmond- San Rafael Bridge will operate at LOS F during both the p.m. peak hour in the Year 2025 without the addition of the proposed project. This would exceed the LOS E threshold that is considered the minimum acceptable level of service according to the Contra Costa Countywide Comprehensive Transportation Plan and the County s Congestion Management Plan (CMP). As discussed later in Section 3.6, this could be mitigated by marking the bridge for three lanes of traffic in each direction. This would require removal of the emergency lane but would improve the LOS under all cumulative scenarios to LOS D or better CONDITIONS - CAPACITY OF THE RICHMOND-SAN RAFAEL BRIDGE TOLL PLAZA The current configuration of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Toll Plaza currently has a capacity of approximately 4,225 vph. This is based on the capacity presented in Section 1.5 and Table 9 which describes the traffic volumes used in the toll plaza capacity analysis. The toll plaza currently has two exclusive Fastrak lanes, one carpool lane (that also accepts manual and Fastrak payments) and four additional manual payment/fastrak lanes. As described in Section 1.5, these lanes have been determined to have a capacity of 4,225 vph vplph under the current level of Fastrak use (54 percent). As seen in Table 9, the traffic volumes estimated for the Year 2025 conditions will exceed the capacity of the toll plaza as it is currently configured. Abrams Associates 52 Point Molate Casino Resort Project

6 Mitigation Measures it was determined that the project s proportionate share of this improvement would be approximately 9 percent. 1 Implementation of this mitigation would reduce the impact to a less than significant level PLUS PROJECT - CAPACITY OF THE RICHMOND-SAN RAFAEL BRIDGE TOLL PLAZA As noted in the earlier discussion, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Toll Plaza currently has a capacity of approximately 4,225 vph vphpl with the current toll plaza configuration and the capacities presented in Section 1.5. As shown in Table 9 the cumulative (westbound) volumes using the toll plaza will exceed the existing capacity of 4,225 vph vphpl regardless of whether or not the proposed project is implemented. Therefore, as defined by the significance criteria this impact is significant. Project Impact on the Richmond San-Rafael Bridge Toll Plaza: During both the AM and PM peak hours the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge toll plaza would exceed its existing capacity which has been calculated to be approximately 4,225 vph vphpl. Therefore, as defined by the significance criteria this impact is significant. Project Mitigation: Convert two more of the existing manual/fastrak lanes to exclusive Fastrak Lanes. Based on this analysis this would increase the capacity of these toll lanes from about 425 vplph to about 1,050 vplph. This would equate to an increase in capacity of 1,250 vphpl and would increase the overall toll plaza capacity to 5,475 vph vphpl. This would be sufficient to accommodate the forecast cumulative volumes under all project alternatives. It is important to note that this mitigation would require implementation of the above mitigation for the Richmond San-Rafael Bridge (adding one travel lane in each direction by remarking the existing bridge deck). This mitigation requires that the westbound direction of the bridge have a minimum of three receiving lanes to accommodate the increased capacity proposed for the toll plaza. Using Caltrans Methodology for Calculating Equitable Mitigation Measures it was determined that the project s proportionate share of this improvement would be approximately 15 percent. 1 Implementation of this mitigation would reduce the impact to a less than significant level PLUS PROJECT INTERSECTION LEVEL OF SERVICE A detailed analysis was conducted of the project s cumulative impacts on the study intersections with the addition of traffic from the proposed Scotts Valley Casino. The estimated a.m. and p.m. peak-hour trips for the proposed Scotts Valley project were added to the cumulative condition volumes described above. The trips added by the Scott Valley Casino at the project study intersections are presented in Figure 10. The results of the intersection LOS analysis are included in Tables 29 through 33. These tables present the following scenarios with the addition of traffic from the Scott Valley Casino Project: Table 29 - Cumulative Conditions (with no Pt. Abrams Associates 56 Point Molate Casino Resort Project

Traffic Impact Analysis Walton Acres at Riverwood Athletic Club Clayton, NC

Traffic Impact Analysis Walton Acres at Riverwood Athletic Club Clayton, NC 1. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION...1 1.1. Site Location and Study Area...1 1.2. Proposed Land Use and Site Access...2 1.3.