For Transportation Commission Meeting [October 6, 2021]
TO: Honorable Chairperson and Commission
APPROVAL: Michael Tahan, Interim Public works Director
FROM: Justin Schlaefli, Consultant Engineer, TKE Engineering
Title
Traffic Impact Analysis - Dutch Brothers Coffee & Express Wash on the Southwest Corner of Valley Boulevard and Riverside Avenue.
(ACTION ITEM)
Body
BACKGROUND:
In July 2021, the Project Scoping Agreement for the Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) was approved. The project is a Dutch Brothers Coffee & Express Wash Project (hereinafter referred to as Project). The project applicant proposes to construct a 950 square-foot (SF) Dutch Brothers Coffee with drive-through window and an express wash with a 130-foot wash tunnel. The project site is currently occupied by the vacant 10,000 SF Hometown Buffet and is located on the southwest quadrant of Riverside Avenue and Valley Boulevard in the City of Rialto, California.
The first TIA was submitted on August 30, 2021, and it was reviewed with review comments prepared. On September 10, 2021, a revised second TIA was submitted and subsequently reviewed.
Consistent with City of Rialto TIA guidelines, study intersections were identified to include freeway interchanges within two (2) miles that were designated to take more than 40% of total traffic from the project and intersections which project traffic contributed 50 or more peak hour trips. This included two (2) intersections as listed below:
1. Gateway Plaza at Valley Boulevard
2. Riverside Avenue at Valley Boulevard
This site appears to comply with zoning on the property.
The site location is shown on Page 4 of the TIA, which is included as Attachment 1, while the site plan is shown on Page 6 of the TIA, which is included as Attachment 2.
Truck Turn Templates are on page 24 of the TIA which is included as Attachment 3.
The site will be accessed through an existing signal at Gateway Plaza and Valley Boulevard.
The trip generation rate for this land use was determined using the 10th edition of the ITE “Trip Generation” manual.
Trips are shown on Page 11, Table 5-1 of the TIA, which is included as Attachment 4. Project daily trips from this development are estimated at 674 passenger car equivalent (PCE) net new trips with the AM/PM peak hour being 103/62 net new trips. An adjustment to trip generation was made due to the existing Restaurant building/use to be demolished.
Study intersection historical counts were collected in February 2020 and June 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in conjunction with a 2% growth rate (compounded annually) to reflect 2021 conditions. Newer counts were conducted where historic data was not available. The data was collectively normalized to include recent area studies. These adjustments are documented in Appendix B to the TIA.
The TIA identified an unacceptable level of service “E” in the PM peak hour at the intersection of Riverside Avenue and Valley Boulevard. However, no significant impact was identified as a result of the project.
A queueing analysis was required for both study intersections. The analysis is contained in Section 11.0 of the TIA. This analysis showed excessive queues exceeding storage at multiple locations as shown on Page 28, Table 11-2 of the TIA, which is included as Attachment 5.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
The TIA did not disclose any level of service-based impacts when accounting for the conversion of the existing use. Nonetheless, as discussed in the TIA, improvements are recommended at the intersection of Riverside Avenue/Valley Boulevard in order to improve the existing deficient storages at the intersection. The recommended improvements consist of restriping the number two (2) eastbound through lane to a shared through/right-turn lane. In addition to the restriping and associated signal modification improvements, it is recommended that the signal at Riverside Avenue/Valley Boulevard be improved through the installation of a Pan/Tilt/Zoom (PTZ) camera with remote connection from the camera and signal controller to the City, Public Works Department as well as associated signal re-timing improvements necessary to improve and balance queues at the intersection.
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED (VMT):
A VMT screening analysis is summarized in the TIA. As discussed in the TIA, VMT is a function of travel volumes multiplied by distance. Therefore, provision of needed services in a community may be found to reduce VMT as patrons have a shorter distance to travel. As such, OPR and SBCTA VMT Guidelines identify that Project types falling under the screening criteria includes the following:
• K-12 Schools
• Local-serving retail less than 50,000 square feet
• Local parks
• Day care centers
• Local serving gas stations
• Local serving banks
• Local serving hotels (e.g. non-destination hotels)
• Student housing Projects on or adjacent college campuses
• Local-serving assembly uses, Community Institutions
• Local serving community colleges
• Affordable or supportive housing, Assisted living facilities, Senior housing
• Projects generating less than 110 daily vehicle trips
The proposed project is considered a locally serving retail project falling in these screening criteria. Therefore, the project is expected to have a less than significant transportation impact based on VMT criteria. No mitigation measures are proposed.
Conclusion
This project will be accessed at the existing traffic signal at Gateway Plaza and Valley Boulevard. No improvements are proposed at this location.
Intersections studied are projected to operate consistent with City of Rialto guidelines. However, excessive queuing was noted at the intersection of Valley Boulevard and Riverside Avenue. Due to the excessive queuing, it is recommended that the eastbound through lane be restriped as a through/right turn lane to reduce queues and provide additional capacity for that movement. In addition, improvements including remote communications to the intersection and installation of a PTZ camera are recommended.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff requests that the Transportation Commission:
• Provide recommendations related to approval.
• Recommend approval of the conversion of the eastbound through lane to eastbound through/right turn lane at the intersection of Valley Boulevard and Riverside Avenue.
• Recommend approval of the installation of a PTZ camera with associated communications improvements allowing for the remote monitoring and re-timing of the intersection of Valley Boulevard and Riverside Avenue.
• Recommend payment of applicable DIF fees
• Recommend approval to the Planning Commission.