75A - PH - RESO SA-GG FIXED GUIDEWAY

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Upon completion of project construction, the build alternatives would allow improved access to Downtown Santa Ana and other high- intensity areas of employment, commercial development, and recreational opportunities. Improved transportation service would enhance visibility and access to existing economic activity centers, including those businesses that would be temporarily affected by project construction and areas targeted for redevelopment. As stated on page 3 -202 of the EA/DEIR, access to businesses would be maintained during operating hours. In addition, the second sentence in the second to last paragraph on page 3- 202 of the EA /DEIR has been revised to state that signage would be posted to alert customers that businesses are open during construction and wayfinding to businesses whose access is disrupted. Signs would also be posted alerting nearby businesses of temporary lane reductions, weekend or nighttime closures, and /or detours. Pages 3 -218 and 3 -219 of the EA/DEIR include a Traffic Management Plan and a Noise and Vibration Control Plan to reduce construction effects. Construction would be completed in coordination with Downtown stakeholders and the business community in order to minimize potential impacts from construction, such as coordinating nighttime or weekend work. In addition, early construction plans call for the Downtown portion of the alignment to be constructed at the beginning of the construction process to limit impacts to businesses. It is not anticipated that the proposed project would affect existing vacant properties and the increased accessibility upon implementation of the proposed project is not anticipated to cause future property vacancies. Acquisitions are shown in Table 3.3 -5 on page 3 -23 of the EA /DEIR and in Response 8 -5. The proposed project would result in three full acquisitions and six partial acquisitions; Streetcar Alternative 2 would result in six full and ten partial acquisitions; IOS -1 would result in four full and two partial acquisitions; and IOS -2 would result in five full and six partial acquisitions. The amount and type of private property acquisitions were found to result in less- than - significant impacts. (2) Traffic Congestion. Section 3.10 (Traffic and Parking) of the EA/DEIR includes a detailed analysis of potential traffic impacts. In summary, the traffic analysis was prepared in accordance with requirements of City of Santa Ana and the Orange County Congestion Management Plan. The traffic analysis also considered the requirements of the City of Garden Grove. An intersection analysis was completed that accounted for streetcar operations in mixed -flow traffic. All intersections assessed for the proposed project would operate at similar or improved level of service (LOS) as the No Build Alternative. Intermediate stations are estimated to have minimal traffic impacts as only the stations at the project alignment termini provide parking. Therefore, the Locally Preferred Alternative would not result in adverse effects related to intersection congestion. A roadway segment capacity analysis was also completed because the proposed build alternatives would operate in mixed -flow traffic in the central and eastern portion of the Study Area. The build alternatives would not cause additional roadway segments to experience capacity deficiencies beyond those identified in the No Build Alternative. Therefore, the Santa Ana Garden Grove Fixed Guideway Project REAIFEIR P a g el 192 January 2015 75A -250