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<br />7A <br />Page 23 <br /> <br />the emissions associated with a higher of fuel sales volume was considered in the air <br />quality analysis, which was revised and is discussed in the Final EIR (see page 3-4, "Air <br />Emissions," and the Master Response to Air Quality starting on page 3-9). The results of <br />the revised analysis conclude that emissions associated with all of these operational <br />factors will be well below all applicable public health thresholds established by <br />BAAQMD. <br /> <br />Item #6: This comment expresses concern that because the traffic analysis did not <br />account for trips from the Stanford project in the near-term, the potential for cut-through <br />traffic on neighborhood streets is understated. As previously described, the Stanford <br />project trips were included in the cumulative analysis. In addition, the trip distribution <br />used in the traffic analysis accounts for some traffic using the local residential streets <br />(Willow and Charter Streets) to access the Costco project site. This analysis identified an <br />impact on the Willow Street roadway segment and no other study segments. <br /> <br />Cut through traffic is expected to increase on Willow and Charter and not on Scott and <br />Flynn because of important physical differences between these streets as well as the <br />relative traffic volumes using them. In the southbound direction, Wiliow and Charter offer <br />full views of the Costco site which, for the assumptions of the Costco traffic analysis, is <br />the destination and/or origin of these trips. Their intersections with Middlefield will both <br />be fully signalized. In the northbound direction, Willow and Charter Street traffic combine <br />north of Stambaugh onto Charter and lead to a four-way stop controlled intersection at <br />Charter and Spring. These streets are relatively straight. In the southbound direction, <br />Scott and Flynn Avenues merge together into one street (Flynn), and are stop sign <br />controlled at the intersection with Middlefield Road. In the northbound direction, after <br />Flynn Avenue separates into Scott and Flynn, these two streets intersect with Spring and <br />are controlled by stop signs. Both of these streets are curvilinear and are less visible <br />from the Costco site than Willow and Charter. They are not the most obvious or "direct" <br />routes. Tube counts, which were conducted on all of these streets, confirm this <br />assumption. In the existing condition, Charter Street carries approximately 10 times <br />more daily trips than Scott and 5 times more daily trips than Flynn. It is expected that <br />Charter would continue to be the dominant route, with VViIlov.J as a secondary route, if a <br />signal is provided (as proposed by the project) at the intersection of Willow and <br />Middlefield Road. <br /> <br />Of further note, the intersection of Woodside and Middlefield Roads is expected to <br />function at a very similar level of service as it does now. The delay associated with an <br />increase in traffic from the Costco project can be offset by improvements to Middlefield <br />Road, which are proposed as part of the project by Costco. Thus, the motivation to "cut- <br />through" and deviate from a main route by taking a residential side street should not <br />significantly increase from the existing condition. Traffic calming measures to address <br />existing conditions remain available to this neighborhood. <br /> <br />Item #7: The local access streets were analyzed to measure the effect that the Costeo <br />project-generated traffic would have in the immediate area surrounding Costco. The <br />other regional roadway segments were not analyzed because the volume of project <br />traffic is expected to be low on those roadways as described herein. The Costco <br />warehouse is an existing operation with an established market base; most people fuel <br />their vehicles while traveling to their destination (instead of making a special trip only to <br />get gas). As a result, the trip surveys of existing Costco stores indicate that the project <br />will generate approximately 80 net new trips during the PM peak hour. As shown in the <br /> <br />5 <br />