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Identification of a Locally Preferred Alternative for the <br />Santa Ana - Garden Grove Fixed Guideway Project <br />August 5, 2014 <br />Page 4 <br />Fourth Street versus Fifth Street <br />LPA RECOMMENDATION <br />Since the close of the public review period, the City's consultant team has prepared an LPA <br />Decision Report (Exhibit 1). This report evaluates the AA and comments relevant to the LPA that <br />were received during the release of the ENDEIR and the public review. Based on the findings in <br />the report, the recommended alternative is Streetcar Alternative 1 as referenced in the resolution <br />(Exhibit 2). This recommendation is based on several factors: <br />• Strong community support for a streetcar system <br />• Highest ridership <br />• Serves greatest number of transit dependent households <br />• Least right -of -way acquisition compared to Streetcar Alternative 2 <br />• Lower cost compared to Streetcar Alternative 2 <br />• Most transit - supportive land uses <br />• Larger economic development potential <br />• Ease of constructability compared to Streetcar Alternative 2 <br />Additionally, three options for parking along Fourth Street were considered: parking on both <br />sides, parking along the north side only without south -side parking, and elimination of on- street <br />parking. The LPA Decision Report recommends that parking remain along both sides on Fourth <br />Street per parking Scenario A, which will require that the diagonal parking along the south side be <br />changed to parallel parking. <br />The report also recommends selection of Site B for the operations and maintenance facility along <br />Fifth Street west of Raitt Street. Staff concurs with the findings of the LPA Decision Report and <br />recommends Streetcar Alternative 1 as the LPA with Site B selected as the operations and <br />maintenance facility location. <br />CONSTRUCTABILITY <br />Construction of streetcar systems differs significantly from that of light rail systems or other <br />dedicated rail transportation systems. Construction of streetcar systems has minimal impact on <br />vehicle and pedestrian access and requires fewer pavement cuts, allowing businesses to continue <br />without major disruption. Downtown segments of two to three blocks can be completed in two to <br />three months per segment and noncontiguous segments can be constructed at the same time. <br />Construction will be completed in conjunction with Downtown stakeholders and the business <br />community in order to minimize potential impacts from construction, such as coordinating work at <br />night and on weekends. <br />55C -4 <br />