P & D CONSULTANTS - 2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Grand Avenue Widening Project Environmental Impact Report Section 6.0 Evacuation and emergency routes may be temporarily blocked during construction associated with buildout of the Land Use and Circulation Elements. These temporary impacts are not anticipated to be significant and are not expected to pose a risk to public health and safety. In the long tern, the transportation improvements in the Circulation Element will beneficially affect evacuation plans. Therefore, buildout of the Land Use and Circulation Elements will not result in significant adverse impacts related to emergency access and evacuation routes. The potential risks associated with the transport of hazardous materials on the project segment of Grand Avenue will not be substantially greater than the existing risk associated with the existing transport of hazardous materials on Grand Avenue and elsewhere in the City. Further, the handling, transport, storage and disposal of hazardous materials are strictly regulated. Therefore, the potential impacts of the proposed Grand Avenue widening related to hazardous materials are not anticipated to be significant. During construction, there is a potential for temporary impacts related to emergency and evacuation plans. However, in the long term, due to improved traffic flows, the widening of Grand Avenue will beneficially affect evacuation plans. Therefore, the proposed Grand Avenue widening, in conjunction with other land use and transportation projects, will not contribute to significant cumulative adverse impacts related to hazards. 6.2.12 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS RELATED TO NOISE Buildout of the Land Use and Circulation Elements would result in short term noise impacts associated with demolition, excavation and other construction activities. These impacts are temporary and can be partially mitigated with controls on construction time periods and equipment use. In the long term, buildout of the Land Use and Circulation Elements would increase noise levels on roads in the City and would adversely impact some sensitive land uses adjacent to these roads. Therefore, the Land Use and Circulation Elements would result in significant cumulative adverse noise impacts. As discussed earlier in Section 3.6 (Noise), noise levels in the Grand Avenue area will increase through 2020, with or without the proposed widening. Noise levels will increase 0.8 dBA by 2020 along Grand Avenue under the No Project and the build alternatives. Therefore, the proposed Grand Avenue widening will contribute to increased noise levels in the future in the Grand Avenue area to the same extent as would occur under the No Project Alternative. 6.2.13 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS RELATED TO PUBLIC SERVICES The transportation improvements under the Circulation Element will require additional street maintenance by the City of Santa Ana and additional crossing guards at intersections to provide for the safety of school children at intersections with heavier traffic volumes. However,'as discussed in Circulation Element EIR, these impacts are not anticipated to be significant. Buildout of the Land Use Element will increase the demand for fire protection, police, school and other government services in the City. The Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) and the Santa Ana Fire Department (SAFD) will need to periodically review their needs and increase staffing and equipment, as the Land Use Element is built out. The increases in housing under the Land Use Element will result in adverse impacts on school services. Although these impacts will be reduced F.IPROJ-ENVIGrand eirlNew Text - GrandlSection 6.0-new.doc Page 6-14