04 ATTACHMENT 2 - Laserfiche WebLink

DRAFT 3. Circulation Element for additional parking, as well as for landscaping and trails. This additional parking will serve businesses and the future Firehouse Arts Center on Railroad Avenue. The City operates apark-and-ride facility at the intersection of Johnson Drive and Stoneridge Drive just east of I-680 which provides parking for 85 cars and five motorbikes. Demand for this facility exceeds capacity. In order to provide additional opportunities for carpooling and the use of transit and shuttles, a study is underway to locate additional park-and-ride sites. Other possible lots, including a site on the Bernal Property, should be evaluated by the City and Caltrans to determine exact locations, acreage, improvements, and operating procedures prior to their purchase or lease for City and Tri-Valley residents. Existing TrafFic Conditions In 2006, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission released its ranking of commute period bottlenecks along freeways. This study looked at the entire nine county Bay Area and found that Interstate 580 ranks as the second most congested route in the morning peak hour in the Bay Area and is the most congested route in the evening peak hour. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission indicates that expansion of the regional and local economy, including the Tri-Valley, creates this congestion increase. Areas of recent development that contribute to this congestion include Dougherty Valley, Tassajara Valley, North Livermore, East Dublin, and other smaller developments. Table 3-5 indicates freeway peak-hour traffic volume. In February 2002, Caltrans completed the I-680 to I-580 southbound to eastbound flyover, which alleviated a previous bottleneck and safety concern. Its construction increased the capacity through the interchange but also has created additional vehicular demand on I-580. In the evening peak hour, the existing four-lane eastbound I-580 is unable to accommodate this additional traffic, resulting in more congestion throughout the corridor. This congestion has started to spill back onto the I-680 corridor to a point where the congestion now extends both the morning and evening commute periods well beyond one hour. The congestion of the regional traffic system impacts Pleasanton's local roadway circulation. As the freeway system becomes congested, motorists search for faster routes, such as using local roadways to bypass the freeway congestion. The result is additional vehicles in the Pleasanton circulation network with non-Pleasanton destinations and origins. This is most readily apparent at the local freeway interchanges. In June 2003, the City of Pleasanton in conjunction with Caltrans and the City of Dublin installed eastbound ramp metering at the Hopyard Road, Hacienda Drive, and Santa Rita Road interchanges. Metering of vehicles attempts to limit the number of vehicles taking regional trips on Circulation Element 012908 clean 3-10 Ciry Council 012908