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Ms. Lindy Chan, Principal Planner City of Redwood City, Planning Services February 28, 2020 Page 5 traffic congestion at intersections where appropriate, and must do so where, as here, such traffic congestion will cause significant impacts on air quality, noise, and safety issues caused by traffic. (Pub. Res. Code § 21099(b)(3).) The Project site is located in an area that has experienced a drastic impact in traffic over the last ten to fifteen years as the City has continued to approve of newer commercial, office, and residential land uses. The Project site's neighborhood, which is located on the periphery of the City's downtown core, is also one of the most heavily traversed areas in Redwood City. According to the City's General Plan, El Camino Real (State Route 82), off of which both the Sequoia High School and the Project sites are located, is one of the few major boulevards in the City, and serves as a regional route connecting San Jose and San Francisco.' El Camino Real already suffers from substantial vehicular congestion, which produces noise, exhaust fumes, and pollution.2 Further, a trend currently exists where commuters along El Camino Real seek less - congested travel paths in the residential neighborhoods to the north and south of the boulevard, resulting in speeding and dangerous traffic conditions in those neighborhoods, including those residential neighborhoods surrounding the Sequoia High School.3 Acknowledging these issues, the City's General Plan provides that El Camino Real "will be updated to facilitate walkable linkages between Sequoia High School, the transportation center at the Caltrain Station, and Downtown Redwood City."4 The construction of and traffic generated by the Project, and especially as modified, will severely exacerbate the already stifling traffic in the general area, and the safety issues posed thereby. These impacts will severely inhibit the District's abilities to operate its educational programs, including at Sequoia High School. The proposed Project is anticipated to impede circulation in the neighborhoods surrounding Sequoia High School, and clog the access roads to, from, and around the District's high school. (See, 5 Cal. Code Regs. § 14010(k), which requires that school facilities be easily accessible from arterial roads.) As discussed, the Project's Parcels A-E and Parcel F are located approximately 0.8 and 0.6 miles southeast of the District's Sequoia High School, respectively. Thus, both Sequoia High School and the Project site will be accessed by the same roads. Per the Initial Study, the proposed Project, before the residential component was almost doubled in size, would cause the traffic volumes at the Project's site to increase by 630 vehicles and 535 vehicles during the AM and PM peak hours, respectively. It is anticipated that the Project will draw hundreds of additional office workers and residents to the area. This substantial influx of new vehicles and residents will severely exacerbate the already stifling traffic in the neighborhood and the safety issues posed thereby, including by further diverting traffic away from El Camino Real and into the residential neighborhoods surrounding Sequoia High School. Redwood City General Plan (October 11, 2010), p. BE -25 z Id. at Figure BE -14; pp. BE -106 and BE -131. ' Id. at p. BE -134. ° Redwood City General Plan (October 11, 2010), p. BE -25