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

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Draft Findings of Facl and Mitigalion Monitoring Reporting Program (applies to CEQA only) 8.0 FINDINGS REGARDING PROJECT ALTERNATIVES Pursuant to Section 15126 of the State CEQA Guidelines, an EIR must address: .....a range of reasonable alternatives to the project, or to the location of the project, which would reasonably attain most of the basic objectives of the project but would avoid any of the significant effects of the project, and evaluate the comparative merits of the alternatives." As identified in the FEIRIEA, prior to the identification of the Preferred Alternative, a total of five project build alternatives and a no action project alternative had been considered during the Project Study Report (PSR) and early environmental review phase of this project. Through subsequent and continuing meetings with the Cities of Santa Ana and Irvine, Caltrans, and FHW A, only two alternatives were carried forward into the Project Report/Environmental Document (PRIED) phase: the No Action Alternative and the Preferred Alternative - Construct Alton Avenue Overcrossing and HOV Drop Ramps, and Spot Widen Alton Avenue to Secondary Arterial Standards (Preferred Alternative). Other alternatives considered but rejected during either the feasibility study, the scoping process, or later analysis include: . Alternative 3 - Construct Alton Overcrossing and HOY Ramps, Widen Alton Avenue to Primary Arterial Standards on the North Side. . Alternative 4 - Construct Alton Overcrossing and HOV Ramps, Widen Alton Avenue to Primary Arterial Standards on the South Side. . Alternative 5 - Construct Alton Overcrossing and HOY Ramps, Widen Alton Avenue to Primary Arterial Standards on North and South Sides. . Alternative 6 - Construct Alton Avenue Undercrossing and HOV Ramps, Widen Alton Avenue to Primary Arterial Standards on North and South Sides. Alternatives 3 through 6 were withdrawn from further consideration earlier in the planning stage, prior to the FEIRIEA. These alternatives were determined to be either infeasible or cost prohibitive, and they failed to meet one or all of the following project objectives: . Provide an additional roadway crossing of SR-55 linking the Cities of Santa Ana and Irvine. . Provide an additional HOV access at Alton Avenue as identified by OCT A in the Orange County Transitway Concept Design Study, the Caltrans Route Concept Report for SR-55, the 2002 State Transportation Improvement Plan, the 2002 Regional Transportation Improvement Plan (RTfP), and the 2001 Regional Transportation Program (RTP). . Minimize the amount of property acquisitions, acquisition costs, and right-of-way impacts to existing businesses along Alton Avenue. . Minimize disruption to freeway traffic on SR-55 during construction. . Allow maximum flexibility for phased construction over time as demand warrants and availability of funding. . Minimize disturbances to existing and potential contaminant sources from businesses along or adjacent to Alton Avenue. ResMi.llioo.J)l/iO @~Iilg at SR-55 Page 44 of 49 K-32 April July 2005