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and the California Air Resources Board. Therefore, the FEIS <br />should describe how the new plan relates to this project." <br />Response <br />Staff representatives of both the Southern California Association of <br />Governments and the South Coast Air Quality Management District <br />were contacted to determine how the new AQMP applies to this <br />project. Their response was that the AQMP addresses only <br />transportation projects of statewide or region -wide significance, such as <br />freeway and highway projects, new transportation corridors, mass transit <br />proposals, etc. Local roadway improvements, such as the proposed <br />Bristol Street widening, are not specifically addressed in the AQMP. <br />Conformity criteria for local highway projects, such as the Bristol Street <br />widening project, have not yet been developed. <br />3. "EPA's scoping letter of 21 January 1986 recommended that for <br />each alternative the DEIS address potential changes in - <br />population and commercial growth and changes in Vehicle Miles <br />Traveled (VMT) associated with growth. The DEIS does briefly <br />mention that 'Increasing the capacity of existing transportation <br />facilities generally influences and accommodates growth (V -3)." <br />However, the traffic and air quality analysis fails to take <br />potential increases in VMT into account. Predictions of <br />improved air emissions for all pollutants examined (except NOX) <br />are based on increased travel speeds alone. The FEIS should <br />factor projected increases in VMT into the analysis of potential <br />impacts to air quality." <br />Response <br />The traffic prediction model, upon which the assessment of air quality ~" <br />impacts was based, assumed that future traffic volumes along Bristol -M <br />Street would be approximately the same, with or without the proposed <br />improvements. The proposed improvements will expand the traffic "R <br />carrying capacity and efficiency of Bristol Street and for a short period <br />of time, local commuters may experiment with the improved Bristol <br />Street as an alternate north south route. Such changes in normal <br />commuting patterns are possible, but cannot be quantified with any <br />acceptable level of accuracy, and may, in fact, not occur. It is <br />acknowledged that, should commuters temporarily or even permanently <br />alter their normal north south travel to drive greater distances in order <br />to use an improved Bristol Street, total VMT would increase, and <br />traffic speeds may not increase as much as predicted. These effects <br />would alter the future air quality conditions projected in the DEIS. <br />V -16 <br />