3F. Traffic - laschools.org

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3F. Traffic - laschools.org
3F. Traffic
3F.1
INTRODUCTION
This chapter discusses the potential impacts on transportation facilities and parking
resulting from the proposed project. This analysis is based in part on the results of a traffic
impact analysis conducted by Crain & Associates for the project. The complete traffic study is
provided as Appendix G of this Draft EIR.
3F.2
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
3F.2.1 Local and Regional Access
The transportation facilities in the study area comprise a grid network of streets and
highways. The Hollywood Freeway (US-170) provides regional access to the project site. Eastwest surface street access includes Sherman Way, Vanowen Street, Kittridge Street, Hamlin
Street, Victory Boulevard, Oxnard Street and Burbank Boulevard. North-south surface street
access is available via Coldwater Canyon Avenue, Whitsett Avenue, Bellingham Avenue, Laurel
Canyon Boulevard, Colfax Avenue, Lankershim Boulevard, Tujunga Avenue and Vineland
Avenue. These facilities are described more fully below.
•
The Hollywood Freeway (State Highway Route 170) is located approximately 0.1
miles west of the project site, with the nearest full interchange at Victory Boulevard.
North of the project site, access to Interstate 5 can be made from the Hollywood
Freeway. To the south of the project site, the Hollywood Freeway interchanges with
US Highway 101 and State Highway 134. At this interchange, State Highway Route
170 becomes US Highway 101.
•
Sherman Way is an east-west Class II Major Highway to the north of the project site
that varies between 79 to 85 feet in roadway width. Sherman Way is striped with two
travel lanes in each direction at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and three travel lanes in
each direction at Coldwater Canyon Avenue. Left-turn channelization is provided.
On-street parking is generally available on this street.
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•
Vanowen Street is an east-west Secondary Highway to the north of the project site.
This roadway is approximately 62 to 66 feet wide, and has two travel lanes and a leftturn lane in each direction. Parking is generally permitted on Vanowen Street
•
Kittridge Street is an east-west facility which forms the northern boundary of the
project site. Kittridge Street is controlled by a traffic signal at its intersection with
Laurel Canyon Boulevard. Near the project site, one lane of travel is permitted in
each direction. On-street parking is generally available on Kittridge Street. Kittridge
Street is discontinuous at the Hollywood Freeway and forms a T–type intersection
with Saint Clair Avenue.
•
Hamlin Street is an east-west collector street that runs as the southern parallel to
Kittridge Street. Hamlin Street is controlled by a traffic signal at its intersection with
Laurel Canyon Boulevard. Hamlin Street is also discontinuous at the Hollywood
Freeway and forms a T–type intersection with Saint Clair. In the project vicinity,
Hamlin Street forms the southern boundary of the project site and has one travel lane
in each direction.
•
Victory Boulevard is an east-west Class II Major Highway that divides Valley Plaza
Shopping Center into two sub-areas. This roadway is approximately 80 feet wide
with two through lanes and on-street parking during the majority of the day. Parking
restrictions during peak hours allows for a third travel lane with left-turn
channelization.
•
Oxnard Street is an east-west Secondary Highway to the south of the project site that
varies in roadway width between 63 to 66 feet wide in the project vicinity, and is
striped with two through lanes and a left-turn lane in each direction. On-street
parking is generally available except at Coldwater Canyon Avenue.
Left-turn
channelization is provided at major intersections.
•
Whitsett Avenue is a north-south Secondary Highway, located to the west of the
Hollywood Freeway. Whitsett Avenue is about 63 to 69 feet in width in the vicinity
of the project site and provides two travel lanes per direction, plus left-turn
channelization at key intersections. Additionally, in the vicinity of the project onstreet parking is permitted on both sides of the street.
•
Bellingham Avenue is a north-south roadway that runs through the Valley from Sharp
Avenue in Sun Valley to the north and jogs before terminating at Valleyheart Drive
south of the Ventura Freeway. Bellingham Avenue ends in a cul-de-sac immediately
north of the project site. It resumes as a City-designated street as a driveway through
the surface parking lot in the western portion of the site and becomes a public street
south of Hamlin Street. Bellingham Avenue is controlled by a traffic signal at its
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3F. Traffic
intersection with Victory Boulevard. The facility varies from about 17 to 18 feet
wide and provides two travel lanes in each direction. Parking is permissible on most
sections of Bellingham Avenue.
•
Laurel Canyon Boulevard is a north-south designated Class II Major Highway that
forms the eastern boundary of the project site. This facility varies from about 71 to
83 feet wide and provides two to three travel lanes in each direction in the vicinity of
the project site, with left-turn channelization at major intersections. Laurel Canyon
Boulevard also provides a striped bicycle lane in both the northbound and southbound
directions, as well as on street parking.
•
Colfax Avenue is a north-south designated Secondary Highway located to the east of
Laurel Canyon Boulevard.
This facility extends northerly where it becomes
Lankershim Boulevard at Victory Boulevard. At Oxnard Street, Colfax Avenue
varies in width between 30 to 55 feet and provides one travel lane and left-turn
channelization in each direction. At Burbank Boulevard, its width ranges from 61 to
69 feet and provides two travel lanes and left-turn channelization in each direction.
Parking is allowed along some segments of Colfax Avenue.
•
Tujunga Avenue is a north-south Secondary Highway located east of the project site.
This facility varies in width between 46 to 63 feet. Tujunga Avenue generally
provides two travel lanes in each direction, except at Burbank Boulevard where it is
striped for one lane per direction. Parking is permissible on Tujunga Avenue.
•
Lankershim Boulevard is a north-south Class II Major Highway located east of the
project site. South of Victory Boulevard, this facility extends southeasterly to
Cahuenga Boulevard in the City of Los Angeles where it becomes a local street. In
the project vicinity, the roadway measures 70 feet or more in width, and is striped
with two lanes in each direction. Left-turn channelization is also provided on the
street. Parking is permissible on most sections of Lankershim Boulevard.
3F.2.2 Existing Area Traffic Conditions
Crain & Associates, in association with City of Los Angeles Department of
Transportation (LADOT) staff, identified six intersections in the project vicinity to be analyzed
with regard to the potential traffic impact of the project. These intersections include the
following:
•
Vanowen Street and Laurel Canyon Boulevard
•
Kittridge Street and Laurel Canyon Boulevard
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•
Hamlin Street and Laurel Canyon Boulevard
•
Victory Boulevard and Bellingham Avenue
•
Victory Boulevard and Laurel Canyon Boulevard
•
Victory Boulevard and Colfax Avenue/Lankershim Boulevard
These intersections surround the project site or are on routes to the school (as determined
by the projected attendance area), and as such, are the intersections most likely to be directly
impacted by traffic generated by the project. The intersections are shown in Figure 3F-1 on page
3-115.
Traffic count information for existing conditions was obtained from recent manual traffic
volume counts conducted by Crain & Associates. In accordance with the Memorandum of
Cooperation between LAUSD and LADOT, counts were conducted on December 11 through 13,
2001 for the 6:30 to 8:30 A .M. period in order to analyze the impacts of the school project for the
morning peak period. Peak-hour volumes for each intersection were determined by finding the
four highest consecutive 15-minute volumes for all movements combined. This procedure
provides the highest existing volumes, as it is based on the peak hour for each intersection
independent of other intersections. Figure 3F-2 on page 3-116 depicts the existing (2001)
morning peak-hour traffic volumes at the six study intersections.
Based on consultation with the LADOT, an analysis of current traffic conditions was
conducted at the six study intersections that were identified as most likely to be directly impacted
by traffic generated by the proposed project. Due to the early afternoon departure time for most
public schools, the standard P.M. peak hour of traffic would not be affected by the project; and
thus, the traffic analysis focuses on the A .M. peak hour only.
The traffic counts described above were used to determine existing traffic flow
conditions. Other data pertaining to intersection geometrics, on-street parking restrictions and
traffic signal operations were obtained through field surveys of the study locations. The traffic
analysis was then performed through the use of the Critical Movement Analysis (CMA)
technique.
The CMA methodology used for the analysis and evaluation of traffic conditions at each
study intersection is based on procedures outlined in Circular Number 212 of the Transportation
Research Board.70 In the discussion of the CMA method for signalized intersections, procedures
70
Interim Materials on Highway Capacity, Circular Number 212, Transportation Research Board, Washington,
D.C., 1980.
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N
SCALE NOT PROVIDED
Source: Crain & Associates 12/27/01
Figure 3F-1
Study Intersections
PROJECT
SITE
N
SCALE NOT PROVIDED
Source: Crain & Associates 12/28/01
Figure 3F-2
Existing (2001) Traffic Volumes
AM Peak Hour
3F. Traffic
have been developed for grading the operational quality of an intersection in terms of the "Level
of Service" (LOS) that describes different traffic flow characteristics. LOS A to C operates quite
well. LOS D typically is the level for which a metropolitan area street system is designed. LOS
E represents volumes at or near the capacity of the street that might result in stoppages of
momentary duration and fairly unstable flow. LOS F occurs when a facility is overloaded and is
characterized by stop-and-go traffic with stoppages of long duration.
A determination of the LOS at an intersection, where traffic volumes are known or have
been projected, can be obtained through a summation of the critical movement volumes, which
are the highest combination of conflicting movements that must be accommodated at the
intersection. Once the sum of critical movement volumes has been obtained, the values in Table
3F-1 on page 3-118 can be used to determine the applicable LOS.
"Capacity" represents the maximum volume of vehicles in the critical lanes that has a
reasonable expectation of passing through an intersection in one hour, under prevailing roadway
and traffic conditions. For planning purposes, capacity equates to the maximum value of LOS E,
as indicated in Table 3F-1 on page 3-118. The CMA values used in this study were calculated
by dividing the sum of critical movement volumes by the appropriate capacity value for the type
of signal control present or proposed at the study intersections. The LOS values are defined as a
range of CMA values and shown in Table 3F-2 on page 3-119.
By applying this analysis procedure to the study intersections, the CMA value and the
corresponding LOS for existing traffic conditions were calculated. Those values for existing
(2001) A .M. peak hour conditions are shown in Table 3F-3 on page 3-119.
3F.2.3 Public Transit
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), with its
extensive network of bus routes throughout Los Angeles County, is the primary service provider
in the San Fernando Valley and has several routes that serve the project area. The Metro Red
Line, having been recently extended to include a station in North Hollywood, provides regional
access to the project site. In addition, the Metrolink also has a Ventura County Line that serves
the San Fernando Valley area.
Described below are the public bus routes that operate within close proximity to the
project site. Most of these routes provide regional access to the project site and could be used by
employees, students, or visitors to the school site.
•
The Metro Red Line has recently been expanded to include a North Hollywood
Station at Lankershim Boulevard and Chandler Boulevard. From the project site, the
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3F. Traffic
Table 3F-1
CRITICAL MOVEMENT VOLUME RANGES FOR DETERMINING LEVELS OF SERVICE
Maximum Sum of Critical Volumes (vph)
LOS
Two Phase
900
1,050
1,200
1,350
1,500
A
B
C
D
E
F
Three Phase
855
1,000
1,140
1,275
1,425
Not Applicable
Four or More Phases
825
965
1,100
1,225
1,375
Notes
1. For planning applications only (i.e., not appropriate for operations and design applications).
2. Computerized traffic signal coordination systems, such as the Adaptive Traffic Control System (ATCS), increase
these values by approximately 10 percent.
Source: Crain & Associates, January 2002.
North Hollywood Station can be easily reached via MTA Line 426. The Red Line
connects the North Hollywood Station to the Union Station in Downtown Los
Angeles where additional transfers can be made to other parts of the Greater Los
Angeles area. Metro stations along the Red Line are located along Hollywood
Boulevard, Vermont Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard. Transfer to the Blue Line is
also available at the 7th Street/Metro Center Station in Downtown Los Angeles.
•
Metrolink’s Ventura County Line, the commuter rail service operated by the Southern
California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), has a Ventura County Line that serves
the project study area. This Commuter rail service operates weekdays, and provides
peak period service between the Moorpark Station in Ventura County and Union
Station in Downtown Los Angeles. The Ventura Line serves the Burbank-Glendale
Pasadena Airport Metrolink Station and, when used in conjunction with one of
several MTA bus routes, serves the study area as well. The Ventura County
Commuter Rail Line currently provides eastbound service to Los Angeles in the
morning, and westbound service to Ventura in the afternoon.
•
MTA Route 426 provides peak period service between the Chatsworth area and the
Wilshire/Western Red Line Station in the Mid-Wilshire District of Los Angeles.
Passengers may board or disembark at any designated Route 426 stop from
Chatsworth through Hollywood. In the vicinity of the project site, this route operates
along Victory Boulevard and Laurel Canyon Boulevard. Weekday service in the
eastbound and westbound direction accesses the project site area from 5:50 A .M. until
8:30 A .M. and then again from 3:38 P.M. until 4:48 P.M. with 15 minute headways
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3F. Traffic
Table 3F-2
LEVEL OF SERVICE AS A FUNCTION OF CMA VALUES
LOS
A
B
C
Description of Operating Characteristics
Uncongested operations; all vehicles clear in a single cycle.
Same as above.
Light congestion; occasional backups on critical approaches.
Congestion on critical approaches, but intersection functional. Vehicles required
to wait through more than one cycle during short peaks. No long-standing lines
formed.
Severe congestion with some long-standing lines on critical approaches.
Blockage of intersection may occur if traffic signal does not provide for
protected turning movements.
Forced flow with stoppages of long duration.
D
E
F
Range of CMA
Values
<0.60
>0.60<0.70
>0.70<0.80
>0.80<0.90
>0.90<1.00
>1.00
Source: Crain & Associates, January 2002.
Table 3F-3
CRITICAL MOVEMENT ANALYSIS SUMMARY
EXISTING (2001) TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
A.M. PEAK HOUR
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Intersection
Vanowen Street & Laurel Canyon Boulevard
Kittridge Street & Laurel Canyon Boulevard
Hamlin Street & Laurel Canyon Boulevard
Victory Boulevard & Bellingham Avenue
Victory Boulevard & Laurel Canyon Boulevard
Victory Boulevard & Colfax Avenue/Lankershim Boulevard
CMA
0.750
0.365
0.361
0.358
0.623
0.663
LOS
C
A
A
A
B
B
Source: Crain & Associates, January 2002.
throughout the day. Service southbound and northbound access the area from 8:20
A .M . until 9:15 A .M . and then resumes at 4:28 P.M . through 6:45 P.M .. Service is
limited and passengers will only be received and discharged at specific bus stops.
•
MTA Line 164 primarily travels along Victory Boulevard between Hidden Hills and
Burbank, and directly serves the project site near Laurel Canyon Boulevard.
Weekday service in the eastbound direction operates from about 6:00 A .M. to 11:15
P.M ., and provides 25-minute headways throughout most of the day.
Weekday
service in the westbound direction operates from about 5:15 A .M. to 11:00 P.M., and
provides 20-minute headways throughout most of the day. Line 164 also operates
weekends and holidays.
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•
MTA Line 165 primarily travels along Vanowen Street with a bus stop located on
Vanowen Avenue at Laurel Canyon Boulevard. MTA Line 165 provides local bus
service from Hidden Hills from the west to the Burbank Regional Transportation
Center to the east. Weekday service in the eastbound direction is provided from
about 5:45 A .M. to 8:00 P.M., with 20 to 30 minute headways. Weekday service in the
westbound direction is provided from about 5:00 A .M. to 8:00 P.M. with 20 to 30
minute headways throughout most of the day. Line 165 also operates on the
weekends and holidays.
In addition to serving the project site, the above bus routes provide the opportunity to
connect with the Metro Red Line subway system or the Metrolink commuter rail system. Both
systems are key linkages to Downtown Los Angeles’ Union Station, the regional bus and rail
transit hub. When transfer opportunities are considered, many areas within the Los Angeles
region are linked via public transit to the project vicinity. Thus, some of the vehicle trips
generated by the project, especially by employees, middle school students, and visitors to the
campus could be reduced by the utilization of public transportation. However, for purposes of
determining project impacts (as discussed in a later section), a worst-case assumption was made
that middle school trips would be auto-oriented.
3F.2.4 Parking
As shown in Figure 3F-3 on page 3-121, the project site currently contains 751 parking
spaces in four parking lots, including:
•
Lot A: 300 spaces in the retail parking lot fronting Laurel Canyon Boulevard;
•
Lot B: 102 spaces in the rear retail parking lot;
•
Lot C: 110 spaces in the parking lot north of the Sears Auto Center; and
•
Lot D: 239 spaces in the parking lot at the northeast corner of Saint Claire Avenue
and Hamlin Street.
The parking occupancy rates for each parking lot are shown in Table 3F-4 on page 3-122.
Parking lots A, B, and C currently support the parking demand for the existing onsite retail uses
to be removed as part of the project. The parking demand on Lot D is generated by the Sears
department store located on the block south of the project site and the use located on the
northeast corner of Victory Boulevard and Saint Claire Avenue (formerly a department store, but
currently operated by a large call center). The main parking lot serving this use has been
recently restriped to provide 300 parking spaces, but the lot does not fully accommodate the
parking demand of the department store and call center and the parking demand spills over into
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LOT B
LOT A
LOT D
LOT C
187 SPACES
312 SPACES
LOT F
LOT E
307 SPACES
LOT G
CALL CENTER
N
SCALE NOT PROVIDED
Source: Crain & Associates July 2002
Figure 3F-3
Parking Lot Locations
3F. Traffic
Table 3F-4
SUMMARY OF PARKING LOT OCCUPANCY
Lot A
(300 spaces)
Time a
No.
%
WEEKDAY DATA b
7:00 a.m.
4
1%
10:00 a.m.
84
28%
12:00 p.m.
117
39%
2:00 p.m.
141
47%
WEEKEND DATA c
7:00 a.m.
7
2%
10:00 a.m.
104
35%
12:00 p.m.
189
63%
2:00 p.m.
207
69%
Lot B
(102 spaces)
No.
%
Lot C
(110 spaces)
No.
%
Lot D
(239 spaces)
No.
%
Total
Vehicles
Total %
Occupancy
2
11
16
20
2%
11%
16%
20%
6
56
64
70
5%
51%
58%
64%
3
110
116
96
1%
46%
49%
40%
15
261
313
327
2%
35%
42%
44%
0
22
23
19
0%
22%
23%
19%
2
48
66
83
2%
44%
60%
75%
3
27
28
32
1%
11%
12%
13%
12
201
306
341
2%
27%
41%
45%
a
The parking survey examined parking occupancy rates for various time periods to account for peak demand
times for different users. Specifically, the peak time for the call center (the heaviest parking user) is captured in
the 7:00-8:00 A.M. time period. Weekday retail usage is covered by the 2:00-3:00 P.M. time period. The
weekend analysis was conducted for representative parking levels for retail usage.
b
Weekday data derived from parking counts taken on Thursday, March 7, 2002.
c
Weekend data derived from parking counts taken on Saturday, March 9, 2002.
Source: Crain & Associates, March 2002.
Lot D. The maximum spillover parking demand into Lot D is 116 parking spaces. The relevant
parking areas are owned and operated by the Valley Plaza Improvement Association, with use
dictated by covenants or other arrangements between the property owners, for the benefit of the
retail property owners and tenants of the buildings on the project site and within the center.
Thus, spillover parking from one parking lot within the shopping center can be accommodated
by another parking lot within the center.
To the south of the site, the Valley Plaza Shopping Center consists of retail uses,
including the Sears department store, and the previously mentioned call center. Site-adjacent
parking for this retail area is labeled as Lots E, F, and G in Figure 3F-3. The combined number
of parking spaces provided in these lots totals 801 spaces. At the time Valley Plaza was
constructed, the City required 2 spaces per 1,000 square feet of retail use. The current retail site
parking equates to approximately 2 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet. However, as discussed
above, there is currently a spillover of approximately 116 parking spaces onto Lot D within the
project site.
If the Valley Plaza Shopping Center is renovated for new tenants at a future date, the City
could impose current parking code requirements for the retail area. Current parking codes
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3F. Traffic
require 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet of retail space. For example, if the Sears building were to
be renovated, the City could require another 324 spaces be provided as a condition of the
renovation. In spite of the typically high density of employees associated with a call center, the
City continues to only require 2 spaces per 1,000 square feet for telemarketing facilities.
3F.3
APPLICABLE REGULATIONS
The project is subject to the requirements of the City of Los Angeles Department of
Transportation (LADOT) for issues related to local streets and access to the site from those
streets. If project-related traffic would affect conditions at either of the two freeways in the
project area, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) would also have jurisdiction.
3F.4
IMPACTS AND MITIGATION
3F.4.1 Methodology
The analysis of traffic impacts was conducted in accordance with the Memorandum of
Cooperation (MOC) between LAUSD and LADOT. 71 The MOC was developed jointly by staff
of LAUSD and LADOT to facilitate the review and approval of site plans and environmental
documents for new schools in the City of Los Angeles. The MOC addresses the following key
points:
71
•
Site design issues which should be considered by project architects in designing the
schools;
•
Standardized approach to the application of LADOT traffic impact study guidelines,
including standardized trip generation for each school type; and
•
Consistency in the scoping and review of site plans and traffic studies in a timely
manner.
Memorandum of Cooperation between Los Angeles Unified School District and the City of Los Angeles
Department of Transportation, June 15, 2001.
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3F. Traffic
3F.4.2 Criteria for Determining Significance
The criteria used to determine the significance of an impact are based on the model initial
study checklist in Appendix G of the State CEQA Guidelines. The proposed project may result
in significant impacts if it would:
•
Cause an increase in traffic which is substantial in relation to the existing traffic load
and capacity of the street system. Using the LADOT standard, a project impact
would be considered significant if any of the following conditions are met:
–
The vehicle to capacity (V/C) ratio increase is equal to or greater than 0.040 if
final LOS is C;
–
V/C ratio increase is equal to or greater than 0.020 if final LOS is D; or
–
V/C ratio increase is equal to or greater than 0.010 if final LOS is E or F.
•
Exceed, either individually or cumulatively, a level of service standard established by
the County Congestion Management Agency for designated roads or highways.
•
Substantially increase hazards due to a design feature or incompatible uses.
•
Result in inadequate parking capacity.
3F.4.3 Project Impacts
Impact F1: Cause an increase in traffic which is substantial in relation to the existing
traffic load and capacity of the street system. This is a less than significant impact with
incorporation of mitigation measures.
Traffic impacts on the existing street system are evaluated based on the increase in traffic
from the project when added to ambient conditions. The traffic analysis presents the projectrelated traffic generation, ambient traffic conditions, and the resulting traffic conditions on the
local roadway network.
Project Traffic
Traffic generation for the project was compared to traffic that would be generated by
existing uses on the project site. The project would generate approximately 719 net trips,
including 369 inbound and 350 outbound trips during the A .M. peak hour. The geographic
distribution of project-generated trips was determined based on the street network, surrounding
land uses, and the relative distribution of population and employment from which prospective
students and employees of the project would expect to be drawn. The distribution of the student
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3F. Traffic
population that would be served by the project was determined using data from the project’s
target search area shown in Figure 2-1 in Chapter 2, Project Description. The traffic distribution
pattern for project traffic is generally 34 percent to the north, 38 percent south, 16 percent to the
east, and 16 percent to the west as shown in Figure 3F-4 on page 3-126 and Figure 3F-5 on page
3-127. Approximately 11 percent of the trips are north on the Hollywood Freeway and
approximately nine percent of the trips are southbound on the freeway
Future Traffic Conditions
The North Hollywood area of the City of Los Angeles has several projects either in
planning stages or under development, as shown in Table 3F-5 on page 3-128. In some cases,
the development of these projects as contemplated may not proceed due to economic or other
factors. Nevertheless, the analysis of future traffic conditions includes traffic that may be
generated by these potential projects. Briefly, the methodology for estimating future traffic
volumes is as follows: First, current traffic volumes are determined by traffic counts (as
described in a preceding section). Next, a traffic growth factor of 2.0 percent compounded
annually is applied to develop "baseline" volumes for the approved study year of 2005. Traffic
expected to be generated by "related projects" is then added to the baseline traffic volumes to
form the basis for the 2005 "Without Project" condition. Finally, project traffic, calculated
previously, is analyzed as an incremental addition to the 2005 “Without Project” volumes to
arrive at the 2005 "With Project" condition.
The ambient traffic growth assumed for 2005 was determined by applying a growth
factor of 2.0 percent compounded annually. Based on the trends in traffic growth in the Specific
Plan study area, it was determined by LADOT that a 2.0 percent annual growth factor would be
appropriate. This 2.0 percent growth factor was used to account for increases in traffic volume
resulting from related projects that are not yet proposed or are outside of the study area. This
growth factor was applied to the 2001 traffic volumes to develop an estimate of 2005 baseline
volumes. In addition to this ambient growth, traffic from the related projects identified in
Chapter 2, Project Description, of this Draft EIR could produce additional traffic at the study
intersections.
Traffic volumes expected to be generated from these related projects are
summarized in Table 3F-5.
To determine the 2005 "null" or non-project traffic conditions, the related projects traffic
was combined with the 2001 peak hour traffic increased by the ambient growth factor. The
resulting 2005 morning peak hour traffic estimates are shown in Figure 3F-6 on page 3-129.
These estimates form the basis for determining project traffic impacts on the street system.
Future (2005) morning peak hour traffic volumes with the proposed project traffic volumes are
shown in Figure 3F-7 on page 3-130.
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PROJECT
SITE
LEGEND
N
SCALE NOT PROVIDED
Source: Crain & Associates 3/12/02
Figure 3F-4
Project Trip Distribution
PROJECT
SITE
N
SCALE NOT PROVIDED
Source: Crain & Associates 12/28/01
Figure 3F-5
Future (2005) Traffic Volumes
Project Only Volumes
AM Peak Hour
3F. Traffic
Table 3F-5
RELATED PROJECTS TRIP GENERATION
A.M. Peak Hour
Map
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
a
Description
Inbound
Senior Citizen Housing Comp lex
Service Station w/ Convenience Market
Auto Repair, Office, Auto Storage
Private Elementary School
Fast-Food Restaurant, Laundromat
Burbank Airport Expansion
Burbank Empire Center
Office
Light Industrial
North Hollywood Development Project
North Hollywood New Primary Center #4
North Hollywood New Elementary School #3
Self Storage Facility
Private Elementary School, Preschool
Fast-Food Restaurant, Car Wash, Convenience Mart
Used Car Sales
Auto Body Repair
Synagogue
Continued Use of Commercial Restaurant/Banquet Hall
Retail w/ Multiple Residential Use
Supermarket
East Valley Area New High School #1A
East Valley Area New High School #1B
30
44
37
36
77
368
3,250
137
526
1,135
113
114
(61) a
260
119
23
20
74
0
27
28
318
526
Outbound
54
44
29
21
81
352
1,398
19
72
372
86
80
(13) a
181
115
8
10
59
0
17
18
136
226
Total
84
88
67
57
158
720
4,648
156
598
1,507
199
194
(74) a
441
234
31
30
133
0
44
46
454
752
This related project displaces an existing use, which has higher trip generation, Thus, this related project results
in a net decrease in A.M. peak hour vehicle trips compared to existing conditions.
Source: Crain & Associates, July 2002.
The analysis of future conditions in the study area was performed using the same Critical
Movement Analysis procedures previously described in this section. The results of the analysis
are summarized in Table 3F-6 on page 3-131. As indicated in Table 3F-6, the project would
have a significant impact on two study intersections, including:
•
Vanowen Street and Laurel Canyon Boulevard; and
•
Victory Boulevard and Colfax Avenue/Lankershim Boulevard.
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PROJECT
SITE
N
SCALE NOT PROVIDED
Source: Crain & Associates 12/28/01
Figure 3F-6
Future (2005) Traffic Volumes
Without Project
AM Peak Hour
PROJECT
SITE
N
SCALE NOT PROVIDED
Source: Crain & Associates 12/28/01
Figure 3F-7
Future (2005) Traffic Volumes
With Project
AM Peak Hour
3F. Traffic
Table 3F-6
CRITICAL MOVEMENT ANALYSIS SUMMARY
FUTURE (2005) TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
A.M. PEAK HOUR
Intersection
Vanowen St. & Laurel Canyon Bl.
Kittridge St. & Laurel Canyon Bl.
Hamlin St. & Laurel Canyon Bl.
Victory Bl. & Bellingham Av.
Victory Bl. & Laurel Canyon Bl.
Victory Bl. & Colfax Av./Lankershim Bl.
*
Without Project
CMA
LOS
0.917
E
0.431
A
0.403
A
0.435
A
0.727
C
0.816
D
With Project
CMA
LOS
Impact
0.935
E
+0.018*
0.507
A
+0.076
0.493
A
+0.090
0.445
A
+0.010
0.765
C
+0.038
0.866
D
+0.050*
Denotes significant traffic impact.
Source: Crain & Associates, January 2002.
Project Design Features
As described in Chapter 2, Project Description and Environmental Setting, LAUSD has
committed to project design features to avoid or reduce impacts. The following project design
features address traffic and access:
•
LAUSD shall orient site access patterns so they discourage the use of local residential
streets by school traffic. (LAUSD, 2001.)
•
LAUSD shall provide street dedications and street improvements (including any
required signal) along school site frontages in accordance with City standards.
(LAUSD, 2001.)
Mitigation Measures
F-1
LAUSD shall submit a Traffic Mitigation Plan (TMP) to the City of Los
Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), which shall ensure that
prior to the issuance of any certificate of occupancy, LAUSD shall fund the
following improvements:
–
Vanowen Street and Laurel Canyon Boulevard: Fund a proportionate share of
the cost of the design and construction of the North Hollywood Automatic
Traffic Surveillance and Control (ATSAC) system/Adaptive Traffic Control
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Systems (ATCS) improvement at this intersection.72
The project’s
proportionate share of the cost of the North Hollywood ATSAC/ATCS
System is equal to the average ATSAC/ATCS System cost per intersection.
ATSAC/ATCS improvements shall be guaranteed through a cash payment
system prior occupancy of the school.
–
Victory Boulevard at Colfax Avenue and Lankershim Boulevard: Provide a
fair-share contribution towards widening the west side of Lankershim
Boulevard north of Victory Boulevard to allow for future installation of a
southbound right-turn only lane on Lankershim Boulevard at Victory
Boulevard. Improvements shall be guaranteed through a cash payment system
prior to occupancy of the school.
Residual Impacts
As shown in Table 3F-7 on page 3-133, the implementation of the above mitigation
measures would reduce all intersection impacts to less than significant levels.
Impact F2: Exceed, either individually or cumulatively, a level of services standard
established by the county congestion management agency for designated roads or
highways. This is a less than significant impact.
To address the increasing public concern that traffic congestion is impacting the quality
of life and economic vitality of the State of California, the voters approved Proposition 111,
which enacted the Congestion Management Program (CMP). The intent of the CMP is to
provide the analytical basis for transportation decisions through the State Transportation
Improvement Program (STIP) process. A countywide approach has been established by the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the local CMP agency at designating a highway
network that includes all state highways and principal arterials within the County and monitoring
the network's LOS to implement the statutory requirements of the CMP. This monitoring of the
CMP network is one of the responsibilities of local jurisdictions. If LOS standards deteriorate,
then local jurisdictions must prepare a deficiency plan to be in conformance with the countywide
plan.
72
The City of Los Angeles is in the process of implementing traffic signal automation to add additional capacity
(without roadway widenings), reduce delay and reduce the number of stops for traffic on the City’s network of
major, secondary, and collector street system. The ATSAC system utilizes a series of optimized traffic signal
timings to improve flow throughout the traffic signal network. The ATCS system provides for further
optimization of the traffic signal networks using state of the art sensors in the street system and adjusting the
area-wide traffic signal system on a “real-time” basis. The ATSAC system has been determined to increase
capacity of a street system by 7 percent, while the ATCS system adds an additional 3 percent capacity.
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Table 3F-7
CRITICAL MOVEMENT ANALYSIS SUMMARY FOR SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED
INTERSECTIONS WITHOUT AND WITH PROJECT, PLUS MITIGATION
A.M. PEAK HOUR
Intersection
Vanowen St. & Laurel Canyon Bl.
Victory Bl. & Colfax Av./Lankershim Bl.
Without
Project
CMA
LOS
0.917
E
0.816
D
With Project
CMA LOS Impact
0.935
E
+0.018
0.866
D
+0.050
With Project Plus
Mitigation
CMA
LOS
Impact
0.865
D
-0.052
0.828
D
+0.012
Source: Crain & Associates, January 2002.
The traffic impact analysis (TIA) requires that all freeway segments where a project adds
150 or more trips in any direction during the peak hours be analyzed. An analysis is also
required at all CMP intersections where the project will add 50 or more trips during the peak
hour. For the purposes of CMP, a significant traffic impact occurs when the proposed project
increases traffic demand on a CMP facility by two percent of capacity, causing or worsening
LOS F.
As shown previously in Figure 3F-6, only project volumes at the intersections closest to
the site exceed the CMP threshold. At the nearest CMP intersection, Victory Boulevard and
Woodman Avenue, which is more than two miles from the project site, it is estimated that less
than 25 peak hour project trips in either peak hour would pass through this intersection. This is
well below the 50-trip threshold. In addition, no more than 52 project peak-hour trips in one
direction are expected to be added to any freeway mainline segment, which is significantly less
than the 150-trip threshold. Therefore, no additional CMP analysis is warranted. Impacts to
CMP designated roadways would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation is required.
Impact F3: Substantially increase hazards due to a design feature or incompatible uses.
This is a less than significant impact with incorporation of mitigation measures.
Construction
Construction activity associated with the proposed project could result in temporary
congestion and hazards to traffic and pedestrian safety. Construction activities, including utility
connections and roadway improvements, could result in temporary lane closures and sidewalk
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closures on local roadways, although it is not anticipated that the project would result in the
complete closure of any streets. These closures could temporarily affect vehicle and pedestrian
traffic in the area. A mitigation measure is recommended below to ensure the safety of vehicles
and pedestrians on adjacent roadways and sidewalks due to street or sidewalk closure.
Construction vehicle traffic could also result in temporary congestion, with
corresponding hazards to traffic and pedestrian safety. Several truck trips would be expected to
occur on a given construction day associated with hauling activities, removing demolition debris,
equipment deliveries, and construction worker trips.
However, construction-related trips
typically occur during off-peak hours. Construction workers typically arrive at the construction
site prior to the morning peak hour and depart prior to the afternoon peak hour. Construction
truck traffic is generally distributed evenly across the workday. Although construction-related
traffic generally occurs during off-peak hours and the effects would be temporary, a mitigation
measure is recommended below to address potential impacts associated with construction
vehicles.
Mitigation Measures
F-2
LAUSD shall prepare a pedestrian safety plan for construction subject to
review and approval by LADOT. The plan shall include, but not be limited
to, identification of pedestrian walkways, relocation of pedestrian facilities,
and other measures to ensure the protection of pedestrians during
construction.
LAUSD or its general contractor shall monitor the
implementation and effectiveness of the pedestrian safety plan during the
construction phase of the project.
F-3
LAUSD shall prepare a construction staging and parking plan for review and
approval by LADOT prior to commencement of construction. LAUSD or its
general contractor shall monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the
construction staging and parking plan during the construction phase of the
project. It is anticipated that the plan may include the following potential
types of traffic-related mitigation measures, in accordance with normal
LADOT policies, to ensure that disruptions to the adjacent uses and
circulation within the area are minimized:
–
Construction and Employee Parking: Construction-related parking, including
construction employee parking, would be prohibited on public streets and
alleys. As part of the construction staging and parking plan, the contractor
would submit and obtain approval of a construction parking program which
reflects the schedule of construction activities and location of constructionrelated parking. Locations of available parking would be identified. The
contractor would make necessary adjustments with the appropriate trade
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unions to accommodate the parking requirements set forth in the construction
staging and parking plan. Subcontract agreements would be written to prevent
street parking and to require compliance with this measure.
–
Street Circulation and Parking Measures: The contractor may request and
obtain a permit for any temporary lane closures that may be required for
adjacent roadways. The contractor would utilize flagmen for traffic control to
minimize inconvenience and for safety of vehicles and pedestrians.
–
Haul Truck Routes, Queue Areas, and Deliveries: The contractor would
provide an estimate of truck volume and schedule. Schedule adjustments
would be made to minimize the volume during peak traffic hours. Areas
would be designated by LAUSD or its contractor for staging of all trucks. All
earth-moving and ready-mix trucks would be equipped with two-way radios.
The drivers would be linked to a traffic controller at the jobsite who would
contact trucks located at the staging areas. The trucks would follow a Cityapproved route to the project site, without unnecessary waiting.
The
contractor would have a designated employee controlling the logistics of all
deliveries. A standing rule would be enforced that no unscheduled deliveries
would be accepted. All materials requiring assembly or make-up would be
accommodated on-site, except for rare instances that might arise when such
assembly or make-up cannot occur on-site, such as crane-boom assembly or
dismantling. When feasible, materials being delivered to the site should be
scheduled for the least inconvenience to the public. Timing would be subject
to the approval of the City Engineer.
–
Hours of Excavation Hauling:
Heavy truck hauling associated with
excavation would be scheduled to minimize interference with daytime activity
in the area. The hours for excavation hauling would be determined in
conjunction with the City as part of the construction staging and parking plan.
–
Pedestrian Safety Measures: The contractor would install a construction fence
around the perimeter, complying with City requirements before excavation
begins. A flagman would be available at all times and would be utilized
whenever trucks entering or leaving the project site may impede the flow of
traffic.
Operation
The traffic study reviewed the estimated peak traffic flows on the frontage road to
determine the potential for vehicle queuing impacts. The proposed frontage road along Laurel
Canyon Boulevard will be approximately 500 feet in length and designed for one-way
southbound traffic flow. The road will have adequate width to provide one parking lane and one
travel lane. The northerly ingress point will be located south of Kittridge Street with the
southerly egress point located north of Hamlin Street. The frontage road drop off and pick up
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area will have the capacity to store approximately 20 vehicles along the westerly curb. It is
estimated that the school’s peak vehicle arrival rate will be approximately 20 vehicles per minute
during the beginning and end of each school day. These morning traffic flows indicate that the
morning drop off period will not have queuing impacts because the average drop off time for a
middle school student is much less than one minute per vehicle. Afternoon queues on the
frontage road will be greater because student-loading times are longer than student drop off
times, which could result in a traffic backup. A mitigation measure is recommended below to
address this potential impact.
In addition, the traffic study analyzed the northbound left-turn capacity from Laurel
Canyon Boulevard at the frontage road ingress. The southbound conflicting flows on Laurel
Canyon Boulevard during the 15-minute peak traffic period will provide adequate gaps in traffic
to allow the left-turn demand from the median left-turn lane to enter the frontage road without
significant queuing on Laurel Canyon Boulevard.
As discussed above, Bellingham Avenue ends in a cul-de-sac immediately north of the
project site. It resumes as a City-designated street which serves as a driveway through the surface
parking lot in the western portion of the project site.
Bellingham Avenue becomes a public
street south of the project site south of its intersection with Hamlin Street. The project would
require the vacation of the portion of Bellingham Avenue within the project site. As this portion
of the street does not serve public traffic and does not connect to the portion of Bellingham
Avenue located north of the project site, vacation of this portion of the street would not result in
traffic congestion or any other substantial hazard.
Similarly, a north/south City-dedicated
alleyway traverses the project site between Hamlin Street and Kittridge Street. This alleyway
would also need to be vacated. As this alleyway does not extend beyond Hamlin Street to the
south or Kittridge Street to the north, it does not provide public access to any major roadway.
Thus, vacation of the alleyway would not result in traffic congestion or any other substantial
hazard. As the proposed street and alleyway vacations would not result in any traffic congestion
or other hazard, impacts would be less than significant.
Pedestrian access routes to the middle school are provided by fully improved streets with
full-width sidewalks. Pedestrians crossing Laurel Canyon Boulevard will be able to use the two
existing traffic signals adjacent to the school at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Kittridge Street
and at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Hamlin Street. As Laurel Canyon Boulevard is designated
as a Major Highway by LADOT, the LAUSD will be required to provide a plan for the safe
arrival and departure of students in accordance with the Project Design Feature listed below.
Furthermore, the school administration shall educate parents in how to properly follow the Plan.
If deemed necessary, the school administration will coordinate with school police to enforce the
drop-off, pick-up, and pedestrian safety elements of the Plan. In addition, LADOT requires
implementation of the mitigation measures recommended below. There is also an existing
crosswalk at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Archwood Street that is not regulated by a traffic
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signal. A mitigation measure is recommended below to ensure pedestrian safety at this
intersection.
Project Design Features
As described in Chapter 2, Project Description and Environmental Setting, LAUSD has
committed to project design features to avoid or reduce impacts. The following project design
features address pedestrian safety:
•
A school site shall not be located on major arterial streets with a heavy traffic pattern,
unless mitigation of traffic hazards and a plan for the safe arrival and departure of
students has been provided in accordance with the “School Area Pedestrian Safety
Manual” published by the California Department of Transportation, 1987 edition.
CCR, Title 5, § 14010(e). The Caltrans Pedestrian Safety Manual outlines procedures
to be followed in establishing school routes and crossings, including warning signs
and other traffic control devices.
•
LAUSD shall locate schools on secondary highways or collector streets and not on
major highways wherever possible, as those terms are defined by LADOT. (LAUSD,
2001.)
•
LAUSD shall provide adequate loading areas (drop off and pick up zones), preferably
on site or on multiple sides of the school campus with curb cuts (as required), close to
the school entry point(s), and avoid the need for double parking or use of across-thestreet loading. (LAUSD, 2001.)
•
LAUSD shall provide adequate space for bus loading and unloading with curb cuts
(as required). (LAUSD, 2001.)
Mitigation Measures
F-4
LAUSD’s School Traffic and Safety Education Section shall coordinate with
LADOT’s Citywide Traffic Control Programs Section in the preparation of a
Pedestrian Safety Plan for operation of the proposed school. The plan shall
include all feasible measures to ensure a high level of pedestrian safety. These
measures shall include but may not necessarily be limited to: installation of
traffic controls, pedestrian signal lighting, school warning and speed limit
signs, school crosswalks, pavement markings, passenger loading zones and
school bus loading zones, and crossing guard operations. The plan shall also
include a “Pedestrian Routes to School” map for distribution to all school
attendees with clear guidance on safe pedestrian access to school. Four
months prior to opening the school, the plan shall be finalized.
All
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improvements shall be made to the satisfaction of LADOT prior to issuance of
any certificate of occupancy.
F-5
LAUSD staff shall be present during the afternoon student peak period to
direct traffic flow on the frontage road, in order to maximize the utilization of
the available curb space and to keep traffic flowing.
F-6
LAUSD shall request that LADOT remove the marked crosswalk at Laurel
Canyon Boulevard and Archwood Street. If the cross walk is not removed
prior to the start of school operation, LAUSD shall assign a crossing guard for
this intersection in accordance with LAUSD policies until such time that the
crosswalk is removed.
Residual Impacts
With implementation of the mitigation measures recommended above, impacts related to
access and pedestrian safety would be less than significant.
Impact F4: Result in inadequate parking capacity. This is a significant and unavoidable
impact.
The Initial Study for the proposed project determined that the project would provide
adequate parking capacity for school employees and visitors (refer to Appendix A).
Approximately 144 parking spaces would be provided as part of the project, which is consistent
with LAUSD practice of 2.0 spaces per classroom for secondary schools. The parking capacity
would be sufficient for the projected 95 employees and anticipated visitors. Thus, parking
capacity is adequate for school operations, and school-related parking impacts would be less than
significant.
The project would, however, remove approximately 751 existing parking spaces, which
currently serve on-site retail uses and off-site uses for overflow parking. Approximately 401 of
these parking spaces serve the uses on-site that are proposed for acquisition, while 350 spaces are
used by nearby off-site uses including the Sears department store and a call center facility
(Teletech). As discussed above in Section 3F.2.4, the current usage of the parking areas to be
removed is 51 percent of total capacity (327 parking spaces) during weekdays and 54 percent of
total capacity (341 parking spaces) during the weekend. The off-site call center company
currently uses Lot D at the northeast corner of Saint Claire Avenue and Hamlin Street for
overflow employee parking. The maximum parking demand at this lot is approximately 49
percent of the 239 spaces or 116 parking spaces. Therefore, the removal of Lot D would
displace at a minimum 116 vehicles onto adjacent streets or other nearby parking lots. The loss
of parking spaces and the net effect on parking supply are considered to be significant impacts.
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Project Design Features
As described in Chapter 2, Project Description and Environmental Setting, LAUSD has
committed to project design features to avoid or reduce impacts. The following project design
features address parking:
•
LAUSD shall provide adequate off-street parking for faculty, administration, staff,
students and visitors. (LAUSD, 2001.)
Mitigation Measure
F-7
Prior to any restriction of use or removal of parking serving off-site uses,
LAUSD shall, as part of severance damages, provide payment to the Valley
Plaza Improvement Association or other property owners of the affected
parking equal to the cost of providing replacement parking.
Residual Impacts
As LAUSD would not be able to ensure the construction of replacement parking, or when
it would be constructed, a temporary or permanent loss of parking for off-site uses could result.
As an alternative mitigation measure, LAUSD has considered purchasing land and constructing a
parking structure to provide a sufficient number of replacement parking spaces. However,
LAUSD determined that this would be infeasible due to the level of effort necessary to negotiate
a fair value for the land, obtaining all required permits, and designing and constructing the
parking structure. Thus, the project is considered to have a potentially significant unavoidable
impact on parking supply.
3F.5
CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
Cumulative effects on traffic from ambient growth and the related projects described in
Chapter 2, Project Description and Environmental Setting, have been incorporated in the analysis
provided above. Consequently, cumulative impacts are considered in the traffic model as
indicated in Table 3F-6 “Future (2005) Without Project” conditions. Ambient growth and traffic
from related projects would result in a significant decline in service at three of the analyzed
intersections during the A .M. peak hour. Although the proposed project would contribute to the
decline in service, implementation of the recommended mitigation measures would reduce this
contribution to a less than significant level. Thus, the project contribution to cumulative traffic
impacts would be less than significant.
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Parking and pedestrian safety issues have been assessed within a radius of reasonable
walking distances from the project site. The only related project within a reasonable walking
distance is the proposed LAUSD North Hollywood Primary Center #4 located one block north of
the project site. This project would not result in the displacement of any parking areas or
generate demand for off-site parking. Thus, no significant cumulative parking impact would
result. Construction of the related project could result in temporary congestion and hazards to
traffic and pedestrian safety through construction-related traffic and the potential closure of
sidewalks for utility improvements or relocations. However, the proposed project and the nearby
related project would be required to implement measures to avoid traffic congestion and safety
impacts during construction as required by LADOT. In addition, the projects would also be
required to implement measures to reduce impacts to pedestrian safety during operation as
required by LADOT, including educating parents and students about safe drop-off, pick-up, and
pedestrian practices, and enforcement of pedestrian safety rules when necessary. Thus, no
significant cumulative impacts to pedestrian safety would occur.
Due to the speculative nature of the potential redevelopment of the portion of Valley
Plaza Shopping Center south of the project site and the absence of conceptual plans showing site
access/circulation and clarifying trip generation characteristics of the proposed uses, it was not
feasible to accurately or meaningfully predict the potential traffic impacts from this development
program. However, the traffic analysis is based on a “worst-case” scenario that accounts for
regional traffic growth and the net increase in traffic over existing conditions for those areas of
Valley Plaza Shopping Center south of the project site.
The cumulative traffic impacts
associated with the redevelopment of Valley Plaza are assumed to fall within regional traffic
growth assumptions and the applied “worst-case” scenario for the following reasons:
•
Not all of the related projects accounted for in the cumulative analysis will be
approved and/or built. Further, it is also likely that many of the related projects will
not be constructed or opened until after the proposed project had been built and
occupied.
•
Impacts projected for related projects will likely be, or have been, subject to
unspecified mitigation measures, which would reduce potential impacts.
•
Many related projects are expressed in terms of gross square footage or are
conceptual and based on long-range plans such as master plans that assume complete
development; in reality, such projects may be smaller (i.e., the net new development)
because of the demolition or removal of existing land uses resulting from
development of the related project.
In addition, the analysis assumed a background traffic growth rate of 2 percent
compounded over 4 years to account for regional traffic growth. Thus, the potential cumulative
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traffic impact from the redevelopment of the Valley Plaza Shopping Center has been
incorporated in the analysis of traffic impacts provided above. It is also acknowledged that if
and when a specific proposal for redevelopment of Valley Plaza Shopping Center is formalized
and pursued, a detailed analysis of traffic would be conducted during the CEQA process with
significant impacts subject to all feasible mitigation measures.
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