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HomeMy WebLinkAboutATCH D_Transportation_580 Dubuque_ISMND      TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS ATTACHMENT D to the 580 Dubuque Avenue Project Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration   580 Dubuque Avenue Transportation Analysis Prepared for: Lamphier-Gregory January 18, 2022 Hexagon Transportation Consultants, Inc. Hexagon Office: 4 North Second Street, Suite 400 San Jose, CA 95113 Phone: 408.971.6100 Hexagon Job Number: 21TD01 Client Name: Lamphier-Gregory 580 Dubuque Avenue January 18, 2022 Page | 1 This report includes an analysis of Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) and an evaluation of potential impacts to transit, pedestrian, and bicycle facilities for the proposed Office/Research & Development building at 580 Dubuque Avenue in South San Francisco, as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). 580 Dubuque Avenue January 18, 2022 Page | 2 Project Description This report presents the results of the CEQA transportation analysis (TA) conducted for the proposed Office/ Research & Development (R&D) building at 580 Dubuque Avenue in South San Francisco, California. The project proposes to construct approximately 295,000 square feet of Lab/ R&D and office space (inclusive of a 4,000 square feet café) adjacent to the new South San Francisco Caltrain station. The development is consistent with the proposed 2040 General Plan update, which plans for higher- density, transit-oriented uses at and around the project site. Structured parking would be provided in four stories below grade, with approximately 350 parking spaces. Vehicular access to the project would be provided via Dubuque Avenue. 580 Dubuque Avenue January 18, 2022 Page | 3 CEQA Analysis VMT Analysis Pursuant to SB 743, the CEQA 2019 Update Guidelines Section 15064.3, subdivision (b) states that vehicle miles travelled (VMT) will be the metric in analyzing transportation impacts for land use projects for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) purposes. The City of South San Francisco has adopted certain thresholds of significance based on the project type to guide in determining when a project will have a significant transportation impact. For non-retail land use projects, a significant impact would occur if the VMT would be above the threshold, which is defined as 15% below the regional average. The City of South San Francisco provides screening criteria for development projects. The criteria are based on the type of project, characteristics, and/or location. If a project meets the City’s screening criteria, the project is expected to result in less-than-significant impacts, and a detailed CEQA VMT analysis is not required. The City’s policy states that projects within ½ mile of an existing or planned high-quality transit corridor or major transit station should be presumed to have no impact on VMT. However, this presumption would not apply if the project FAR is less than 0.75, includes parking that is higher than required by the City, is inconsistent with Plan Bay Area, or replaces affordable residential units with a smaller number of market-rate units. The project site is located adjacent to the South San Francisco Caltrain Station. The project is proposing an FAR of 3.19, fewer than required parking spaces, is consistent with the land use zoning that is proposed under the City’s 2040 General Plan Update and would develop a vacant site. Therefore, a detailed VMT analysis would not be required. The project would also implement a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program as required by the Municipal Code, which requires all non-residential projects that would generate more than 100 daily trips to implement various trip reduction measures to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips (SOV) and achieve a minimum 28% alternative mode use. The project would also provide parking that is less than the parking required by the code to encourage employees and visitors to use transit, given its proximity to the Caltrain station. Cumulative Impact Analysis According to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR), a finding of a less-than-significant project impact would imply a less than significant cumulative impact. Also, the project is consistent with the South San Francisco General Plan. Shape SSF 2040 is an update to the City’s currently General Plan that is currently in progress. The project aligns with the updated land use controls currently proposed under the 2040 General Plan Update, which plans for higher-density, transit-oriented uses at and around the project site: reimagining the area as a new urban corridor accessible to pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders. Therefore, the project would be considered as part of the cumulative solution to meet the General Plan’s long-range transportation goals and would result in a less-than- significant cumulative impact. Transit, Pedestrian and Bicycle Analysis Pedestrian: Sidewalks and crosswalks are provided on most streets in the immediate vicinity of the proposed project. Sidewalks exist along the east side of Dubuque Avenue, on Grand Avenue and Airport Boulevard. A metal staircase on the northeast corner and a crosswalk across the east leg of the signalized Dubuque Avenue/E Grand Avenue intersection currently provide connections for pedestrians 580 Dubuque Avenue January 18, 2022 Page | 4 from areas east of the Caltrain tracks and downtown areas to the Caltrain station. As part of the South San Francisco Caltrain Reconstruction Project that is currently in progress, an underpass is being constructed that would provide a direct connection for pedestrians and bicyclists between areas to the west and east of the Caltrain tracks. This underpass would also provide a connection to the new Caltrain station platform. As the project is located adjacent to the Caltrain station, the new underpass would provide an alternative pedestrian connection between the project, downtown destinations, and areas to the east of the Caltrain tracks. A significant impact would occur if the proposed project conflicted with applicable or adopted policies, plans or programs related to pedestrian facilities or otherwise decreased the performance or safety of pedestrian facilities. The South San Francisco General Plan requires project proponents to provide sidewalks and street trees as part of frontage improvements for new development. The project would provide a clear walkway between the existing sidewalk on Dubuque Avenue and the main building entrance that would be provided on the north side of the building. A pedestrian walkway with landscaping and lighting would be constructed along the western edge of the property along the access road that would run parallel to Dubuque Avenue. The project will coordinate with Caltrain/Joint Powers Board (JPB) who currently own the parcels to the south and east of the project site to provide pedestrian access between the project site and the Caltrain station in a permittable and accessible manner. The project is anticipated to have a less-than-significant impact on the existing and planned pedestrian facilities. Bicycle: Bicycle access to the project site is currently limited as there are no bike lanes on Dubuque Avenue. In the vicinity of the project, Class II bike lanes are located on Airport Boulevard (north of Miller Avenue), along Poletti Way, Gateway Boulevard (between E Grand Avenue and Airport Boulevard), along Sister Cities Boulevard, and along Oyster Point Boulevard (east of Gateway Boulevard). An impact to bicyclists would occur if the proposed project disrupted existing bicycle facilities or conflicted with or created inconsistencies with adopted bicycle system plans, guidelines, and policies. According to the South San Francisco Bicycle Master Plan, Class III Bicycle Routes are proposed along Dubuque Avenue between E Grand Avenue and Oyster Point Boulevard. Class III Bicycle Routes are recommended on roadways frequently used by bicyclists that do not have the necessary right-of-way (ROW) for installing bicycle lanes. Bicycle Routes are identified by either signs or shared lane markings and they typically have a shared wide outside lane for vehicles and bicycles. Because additional ROW from the project site is not necessary to implement the planned bicycle facility along Dubuque Avenue, the project would not conflict with existing and planned bicycle facilities. Therefore, the impact to bicycle facilities would be less-than-significant. Transit: The City of South San Francisco, in partnership with Caltrain is currently reconstructing the South San Francisco Caltrain station, which is expected to be completed by November 2021. The reconstructed station includes a new median platform, underpass entrances connecting to downtown and East Grand Avenue, and a shuttle loading area along Poletti Way. Combined with the Caltrain Electrification project, the reconstructed station is expected to see increased service levels, which has been included in Caltrain planning. Since the project is located adjacent to the Caltrain station, it is expected to generate trips via transit services. According to OPR guidelines, the addition of new transit riders should not be treated as an adverse impact as such development also improves regional flow by adding less vehicle travel onto the regional network. Therefore, the project is anticipated to have a less-than-significant impact on transit facilities and services. Safety A project safety impact is considered significant if the proposed project would provide inadequate design features that present safety concerns within the project site or on the adjacent streets. Vehicles would access the project site from an existing driveway on Dubuque Avenue that would also provide 580 Dubuque Avenue January 18, 2022 Page | 5 access to the Caltrain station parking lot. The existing site access roadway would be reconstructed along the western property boundary. Visitor drop-offs would occur at the entry plaza located at the northwest corner of the project site. Parking access would be provided along the south end of the building. In order to address potential conflict in vehicular movement on the Caltrain access road and internal roads serving the project site, the project will install stop signs at each intersecting point for exiting vehicles (see Figure 1). According to the South San Francisco Municipal Code, the speed limit on Dubuque Avenue is 30 mph. Although the project would not construct any new driveways on Dubuque Avenue, the project should coordinate with the City of South San Francisco to improve sight distance for vehicles exiting onto Dubuque Avenue. Field observations showed that the curved alignment of Dubuque Avenue combined with the fence/retaining wall impacts the visibility of northbound traffic for drivers exiting onto Dubuque Avenue from the Caltrain station parking lot. Additionally, signs attached to the fence and vegetation at the corner of the property to the north obstruct sight distance between southbound Dubuque Avenue traffic and vehicles exiting the shared project and Caltrain driveway under existing conditions. Because the proposed project would add traffic to the existing driveway on Dubuque Avenue, the project would result in a potential safety impact. The following mitigation would improve the safety at the intersection of Dubuque Avenue the shared Caltrain /project driveway. Transportation Mitigation 1: Shared Dubuque Avenue Driveway Safety Improvements. The applicant shall coordinate the following safety improvements for the intersection of Dubuque Avenue and the shared Caltrain / project driveway to provide adequate sight distance between northbound Dubuque Avenue traffic and vehicles exiting the shared Dubuque Avenue driveway. a) The applicant shall coordinate with the City to decrease the speed limit on Dubuque Avenue to 25 mph. b) The applicant shall coordinate with the City to reduce the height of the fence along the retaining wall on Dubuque Avenue to the south of the project site to improve visibility of approaching northbound traffic. Additionally, the applicant shall coordinate with the City and adjacent properties as reasonably feasible to address existing sight distance obstructions at the intersection of Dubuque Avenue and the shared Caltrain / project driveway as follows: c) Coordinate with Caltrain to relocate or reduce the height of the existing “Caltrain Station Parking” sign located on the south side of the shared Dubuque Avenue driveway to provide adequate sight distance between northbound Dubuque Avenue traffic and vehicles exiting the shared Dubuque Avenue driveway. d) Coordinate with the property owner to the north to clear obstructing signs and vegetation from the corner of their property to provide adequate sight distance between southbound Dubuque Avenue traffic and vehicles exiting the shared Dubuque Avenue driveway. With the implementation of these mitigation measures, the shared Caltrain / project Dubuque Avenue driveway would have adequate sight distance and the project would not result in significant safety impacts. 580 Dubuque Avenue January 18, 2022 Page | 6 Emergency Access The proposed project would not reroute or change any of the City streets in its vicinity that would impact emergency vehicle access to properties along Dubuque Avenue. The existing site access roadway that would be reconstructed along the western property boundary would accommodate emergency vehicles. Thus, the project would not result in any emergency vehicle access impact that would be considered significant. Conclusions The project would not result in a potentially significant impact to VMT relative to employee trips as the project site is located within ¼ mile of the South San Francisco Caltrain station. The project would also implement a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program as required by the Municipal Code that requires all non-residential projects that would generate more than 100 daily trips to implement various trip reduction measures to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips (SOV) and achieve a minimum 28% alternative mode use. The project would also provide parking that is less than the parking required by the code to encourage employees and visitors to use transit. Given its proximity to the Caltrain station and reduced on-site parking spaces, the project is expected to achieve a higher than the minimum 28% alternative mode use. The project would not result in any impacts to existing and planned pedestrian and bicycle facilities. With mitigation, the project would not result in any significant safety impacts. The project would not result in any significant emergency vehicle access impacts. 580 Dubuque CEQA Analysis Figure 1 Proposed On-Site Circulation and Stop Signs STOP STOP STOPSTOP LEGEND = Drop-Off Circulation = Caltrain Parking Lot Access = Project Parking Garage Access = Recommended Stop SignSTOP