2005-099 - Overriding Considerations for the Alton Avenue Overcrossing at the SR-55 Freeway Project

Home Browse Search

Draft Findings of Fact and Mitigation Monitoring Reporting Program (applies to CEQA only) Permanent Impacts . The evaluation of project impacts identified four intersections that operate at a worse level of service (LOS) under the Preferred Alternative, as compared to the No Build Alternative (volume/capacity [V/C] ratios would be higher for the Preferred Alternative than for the No Build Alternative). These intersections would operate at unacceptable LOS (E or F) under the Preferred Alternative. These intersections are Oyer Road/Main Street, Halladay Street/Dyer Road, Halladay Street! Alton A venue, and Red Hill A venue/Alton Parkway. Transit Impacts: Construction of the Alton Avenue overcrossing would provide an opportunity for new or rerouted bus service between Santa Ana and Irvine. Such rerouting would result in better service for transit passengers and more efficient transit operations due to the additional link between Santa Ana and Irvine. Construction of the overcrossing and HOV ramps is also expected to result in additional regional express bus service. This transit route would service South Coast Metro, MacArthur Place, and the Irvine Business Complex (!Be) employment centers. The existence of exclusive HOV ramps would improve transit accessibility to Alton Avenue/Parkway; without the project, buses would use Dyer Road, MacArthur Boulevard, or Sunflower Avenue (east ofSR-SS). . Bicycle and Pedestrian Impacts: Construction of the Preferred Alternative would generally improve opportunities for bicycle and pedestrian circulation by providing a new location for bicycle and pedestrian crossing of the SR-SS. Plans for the overcrossing include painted Class I bicycle lanes and sidewalks adjacent to the roadway east of SR-SS. Temporary Impacts (Construction) . Construction activities at SR-SS and on Alton A venue and Alton Parkway would temporarily affect traffic on these streets and surrounding local streets. Traffic circulation would be temporarily disrupted by trucks and heavy machinery during construction. Construction in Santa Ana along Alton A venue would result in temporary detours due to the proposed widening of the arterial. Only a small portion of Alton Parkway in Irvine would be affected by construction activities, resulting in temporary detours. Bus routes in the project area may be temporarily affected by construction activities. Temporary detours may be necessary during construction on both Alton Parkway and Alton Avenue. Mitigation: Traffic mitigation measures are identified for intersections that would experience more congestion because of the project. These mitigation measures will increase capacity at the intersections so that the LOS can be improved to a level at which the project would not create a significant adverse impact. Because the LOS analysis is a capacity-based analysis, the mitigation measures involve physical improvements that enhance intersection capacity. These improvements include intersection approach widening to accommodate additional turn and through lanes. Implementation of the Preferred Alternative with mitigation measures would improve or maintain the same LOS for intersections that would have unacceptable LOS under the No Build Alternative. Under the No Build Alternative, the intersections that would have unacceptable LOS are: . Dyer Road/Main Street: LOS E (AM) and F (PM) . Halladay Street/Dyer Road: LOS F (AM) . Red Hill Avenue/Alton Parkway: LOS F (PM) ReSB~e~ga'SR-55 Page 38 of 49 K-26 April July 2005