Res99 RD-99-21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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The Franklin Street Area Plan EIR also evaluated the transportation/traffic impacts anticipated with redevelopment of the Project Site. The EIR concluded that in no case would the Area Plan cause a change in level of service or average delay and that no significant impacts would be anticipated. For the propose Project, the Initial Study concluded that large trucks (i.e., semi-trailers or 18-wheelers) turning right onto Maple Street from E1 Camino Real would encroach into the westbound left turn lane. Smaller single unit trucks and passenger vehicles can negotiate this turn without encroachment into oncoming lanes. However, Redwood City's street design standards require that curb-return radii at intersections on major arterials be designed to accommodate a large truck with a 45-foot turning radius without encroaching into oncoming lanes. In addition, the design standards require the minimum width of approach lanes to be 12 feet for left turn lanes and 14 feet for curb lanes. Although not considered a significant impact because large trucks would rarely use this intersection, the Initial Study concluded that the current site design could result in a traffic hazard. Finding Although significant and unavoidable transportation/traffic impacts were identified in the Franklin Street Area Plan EIR, the Redevelopment Agency Board finds that changes or alterations have been incorporated into the Project which mitigate or avoid the significant transportation/traffic impacts to a point where clearly no significant environmental effect would occur, and there is no substantial evidence in light of the whole record before the Redevelopment Agency Board that the Project, as revised, may have a significam environmental effect. Facts in Support of Finding The City has adopted Mitigation Measures 1 through 4, identified on pages 4E-19 and 4E-20 of the Redevelopment EIR, to ensure the severity of potential transportation/traffic impacts associated with buildout of the Second Amendment area are minimized, and New Mitigation Measure 6, identified on page 3-45 of the Initial Study, to ensure potential traffic hazards of the proposed Project remain less than significant. Implementation of this mitigation measure will ensure that potential traffic hazards at the Maple Street/E1 Camino Real intersection remain less than significant. SIGNIFICANT EFFECT Impact For the propose Project, the Initial Study concluded that the proposed four-leg unsignalized Madison Street intersection with E1 Camino Real would increase the number of uncontrolled conflict points from five (at the present Madison Street "T" intersection) to twelve. Side-street movements from Madison Street would need to wait for gaps in the northbound and southbound directions of E1 Camino Real to turn left or proceed through the intersection. El Camino Real has about 1,730 northbound vehicles per hour and about 1,270 southbound vehicles per hour with two through lanes in each direction. With this magnitude of conflicting volumes, the side-street movements would operate at Level of Service (LOS) F during the peak hours, with very long delays. Although not considered a significant impact because several alternative access points are provided to E1 Camino Real from the Project Site, the current site design could result in a traffic hazard during peak periods. FRANKLIN STREET PROJECT -18- Findings RD99-21