CCMIN091598 - Laserfiche WebLink

Mr. van Gelder said the model does not assign the traffic any differently depending upon how many lanes, left turns, etc. The current traffic counts, number of lanes, etc. goes into the volume capacity calculations and the level of service is determined. The same process is done for a five year or for the approved plan, but the traffic count is estimated. This plan does not always work because of fluctuations in traffic. The model calculates everything shown in the General Plan as an improvement in transportation whether it is funded or not. Mr. Pico asked if the Isabel extension to Stanley had been calculated in the model. Mr. van Gelder said staff has looked at the cut through traffic figures. Staff could review the impact on Vineyard traffic and/or Stanley traffic. Mr. Pico felt this extension will become heavily traveled by vehicles coming from Tracy trying to avoid the 1-580/1-680 interchange. He asked if, when the level of service is over 100%, is traffic forced to go onto other streets? Mr. van Gelder said a good example of 100 % capacity is downtown Main Street. He explained how the model reassigns traffic to other pathways if one street is filled to capacity. He said the model could be revised to show intersections where the level of service has been accepted even if it is high. Mr. Pico wanted to see the intersections with levels of services that were 100 % and where the excess traffic is going. Mr. van Gelder said every traffic model, especially the regional ones, are demand models. The models are not designed to redistribute the traffic. A model could be redesigned to redistribute the traffic at 100%, 140 %, etc. and there are other things that change the trip generation. Mayor Tarver said if there is 125 % of capacity the model would just extend the time it takes to get through the intersection. There is no place to move the traffic. Mr. Pico said the level of service downtown is not at F but yet the traffic from the high school to Bernal is stored for 15 minutes per day. Mr. van Gelder said when the traffic stores for an hour the level of service is F. Mr. Pico said at this point in time people will find other routes to travel. He hoped to have a model that would portray a real picture as to what the City will look like at buildout, not a model that just tells the present traffic situation. Mr. van Gelder said such a model could be created. It depended upon how much Council was willing to invest. Pleasanton City Council Minutes 12 09/15/98