SU0013451 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

5.0 IMPACT OVERVIEW The primary issues with respect to cumulative effects of this development are traffic, noise, public services, air quality, water resources, cultural resources and loss of foraging habitat. Traffic/Circulation Cumulative traffic projections for the study area were derived from travel demand forecasts generated by the San Joaquin County Council of Governments (Dickson, 1991). The cumulative traffic levels provided represent year 2010 conditions as established by a traffic model created for the County of San Joaquin. A traffic model is a computer-driven program which simulates traffic growth on the street for a given horizon year based on the expected amount and type of land use developed by that year. Twenty year horizon traffic model data is generally best for analyzing broad traffic changes as opposed to a specific intersection turning movement analysis. This is because assumptions regarding future land use must continually be revised and substantial changes in the street network can significantly alter the traffic circulation patterns. Reliably predicting specific turning movements within the limited street network of the project's study area cannot adequately be determined based on area-wide traffic projections. In addition,the traffic model data is predominantly presented in daily volumes which does not directly lend itself to peak hour analysis. Instead,a discussion of the general traffic volumes and street network within the proposed project study area follows. General traffic projections within the study area indicate several road improvements would be required by 2010. According to the model output, average daily traffic volumes along Peltier Road will be about 32,700 vehicles between I-5 and SR-99,compared to approximately 2,000 vehicles currently. The large increase in traffic volumes would be due in large part to proposed formation and expansion of new towns in the northern portion of the County. In order to accommodate the expected level of traffic, Peltier Road would have to be widened to at least four lanes. Average daily traffic volumes on State Route 12 are projected to increase from approximately 9,000 trips to 22,600 daily trips. In order to accommodate the increase it would also require four travel lanes. Lower Sacramento Road traffic volumes will increase from about 5,000 daily vehicle trips to 10,500 vehicle trips. On Davis Road, north of State Route 12, traffic volumes are projected to increase from 2,000 daily trips to approximately 5,000 trips. With two lanes Lower Sacramento Road and Davis Road would function adequately with up to 12,000 daily trips, and the existing roads would accommodate the expected increases. The proportion of trips contributed by the proposed project to the street network under cumulative conditions would be extremely low and in some areas nearly immeasurable. The improvements needed for future traffic volumes would address impacts the proposed project would create. However, at the intersections of Lower Sacramento/Forest Lake and Peltier/Davis (which provide direct access to the project site), cumulative intersection improvements will have to maintain the project's accessibility. 5-2