11 ATTACHMENTS 02-04 - Laserfiche WebLink

Wayne Rasmussen July 25, 2013 )59 Page 8 of 11 QUALITATIVE ROADWAY EVALUATION Qualitative aspects were evaluated for each option such as roadway design and how that induces or limits cut-through traffic, as well as the benefits of providing access to the site through Busch Road and Boulder Street versus just Busch Road. All four alternatives provide access to the EPSP site from the Busch Road at Valley Avenue and Boulder Street at Valley Avenue intersections. Due to the number of trips generated by the EPSP potential land uses, maintaining access from these two intersections is beneficial to disperse traffic loads and allow more compact intersection designs to operate acceptably. Compact intersections have benefits for pedestrians and bicyclist as they reduce vehicle exposure and can create an environment conducive to non-motorized trips, potentially reducing the amount of vehicle traffic needed to be accommodated at the intersections. Option 4 connects both Busch Road and Boulder Street to El Charro Road. The remaining Options connect Boulder Street to Busch Road. The three options without the two connections to El Charro Road will likely need a larger intersection at the Busch Road at El Charro Road intersection to accommodate peak hour turning movements. Under Option 4, the connection of Busch Road to El Charro Road would primarily serve an industrial zoned area and would need to be designed to accommodate the turning movements of large trucks. As this option has industrial land uses to the west of El Charro Road, higher levels of truck traffic could occur on Busch Road than the other options where industrial traffic is focused on El Charro Road. Options 1 and 4 propose a curvilinear alignment of Busch Road. Under Options 1 and 5, the Boulder Street alignment is also curvilinear. There is a concern that direct roadway connections between Valley Avenue and El Charro Road would encourage cut-through traffic,defined as traffic that has neither an origin nor destination within the area of travel, on EPSP roadways not designed to accommodate regional travel. While it is likely that a proportion of traffic on El Charro Road will be through traffic, significant levels of cut-through traffic are not expected on Busch Road or Boulder Street. Traffic traveling southbound on Valley Avenue destined for eastbound Stanley Boulevard is unlikely to achieve significant travel time savings by traveling through the EPSP area. Boulder Street and Busch Road would have less capacity and more locations where traffic is controlled, allowing for local access, than Valley Avenue and Stanley