For Transportation Commission Meeting [April 3, 2019]
TO: Honorable Chairperson and Commission
APPROVAL: Robert G. Eisenbeisz, P.E., Public Works Director/City Engineer
FROM: Azzam Jabsheh P.E., T.E., Associate Civil Engineer
Title
Focused Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) -Fuel Station and Convenience Market on the Southeast Corner of Riverside Avenue and Santa Ana Avenue.
(ACTION ITEM)
Body
BACKGROUND:
On April 16, 2018, the first scoping agreement was submitted for the proposed development at the southeast corner of Riverside Avenue and Santa Ana Avenue. On April 18, 2018, a 2nd Scoping Agreement was submitted. The proposed project is the construction of an 18 fueling position fuel station, and a super convenience market with drive thru. There will be 16 gasoline pumps and 2 diesel pumps for fueling. The first TIA was submitted on September 24, 2018, and it was reviewed with review comments prepared. On January 23, 2019, a revised second TIA was submitted to address review comments made on the first TIA. On March 18, 2019 a 3rd TIA was submitted addressing comments on the second review. The estimated completion is in 2020.
The site location is shown on Page 3 of the TIA in Figure 1, which is included as Attachment 1, while the site plan is shown on Page 4 in Figure 2 of the TIA, which is included as Attachment 2.
The site proposes two driveways. One driveway is on Santa Ana Avenue, designed as full access and located approximately 130 feet east of Riverside Avenue. The other driveway is on Riverside Avenue, located approximately 270 feet south of Santa Ana Avenue, designed as right in/right out only. Both driveways will be used for cars and trucks. The driveways are dimensioned at 50-feet wide with radius returns. Both sides of Riverside Avenue and Santa Ana Avenue are developed with curb and gutter but Riverside Avenue will require additional dedication and improvement for the ultimate 6-lane configuration. Both the south side of Santa Ana Avenue and the east side of Riverside Avenue lack sidewalk in the area of the project but will be conditioned to construct sidewalk and standard street improvements adjacent to the site.
The estimated project trips were determined using data from ITE Trip Generation, 10th Edition, based upon Land Use 960 - Fuel Station with Super Convenience Market. The project trips are shown on Page 22, Table 3 of the TIA, which is included as Attachment 3. Project daily trips from this development are estimated at 3,803 trips with the AM/PM peak hour being 463/379 trips after pass-by trip and internal capture reductions are factored in. These are the additional new trips, not total trips from the site. The driveways will have the total trips (including the pass-by and capture trips) of approximately 5,071 trips with 617/505 AM/PM trips.
The provided intersection volume counts were collected in May of 2018. The project was presented to the Design Review Committee for preliminary review on March 22, 2018, and again for preliminary review on August 15, 2018. The project has not been to DRC as an action item but the request is to receive conditions and recommendations by the Transportation Commission.
This site appears to comply with zoning on the property.
The TIA identified three intersections operating at an unacceptable LOS in 2020 with the project and with cumulative projects. The TIA identifies LOS deficiencies at three intersections, including Riverside Avenue/I-10 Eastbound ramps, Riverside Avenue/Slover Avenue, and Riverside Avenue/Santa Ana Avenue. Additionally, included in the report is the required widening of Riverside Avenue to a divided six-lane facility. There is currently a moratorium on median island construction on Riverside Avenue allowing sufficient time for the Planning Division to complete a General Plan Amendment designating Riverside Avenue as a 6-lane arterial roadway. Although this project would normally be conditioned to construct a median island to prevent left turn movements into and out of the driveway on Riverside Avenue, the current moratorium suspends this requirement, although the analysis includes the fair share cost.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
The TIA analysis used 10th Edition ITE trip rates for the anticipated land use. The TIA analyzed forecast peak hour intersection operations to determine potential impacts on peak hour level of service for the anticipated 2020 opening year.
There has been discussion on the proposed number of fueling positions. The site plan shows three diesel pump islands and four access lanes and the applicant indicates that this amounts to two dual fuel positions that allow trucks fill tanks on both sides at the same time. With four positions (three dual fuel and one left side only) the estimated trips, after pass-by, would increase by 1,852 daily trips and 208/171 AM/PM peak hour trips.
The TIA report includes other proposed projects in the area and identifies intersection impacts considered significant based on City policy. The identified impacts can be mitigated with proposed improvements.
The TIA report identifies three intersections in the 2020 plus cumulative traffic condition, including Riverside Avenue/I-10 eastbound ramps, Riverside Avenue/Slover Avenue, and Riverside Avenue/Santa Ana Avenue. These intersections are shown on page 38 and again on page 46 in Table 9 with fair share costs for cumulative conditions with project which is included as Attachment 4. The counts in this study are factored from peak hour counts with factoring adjusted to more closely match actual 24-hour counts collected by the City. The current local DIF fee analysis, which is based on the San Bernardino County Transportation Analysis Model (SBTAM), concludes that Riverside Avenue needs to be a six-lane facility and current counts place the roadway under current conditions as LOS F during peak hours. This TIA states that the roadway segments from I-10 to Jurupa Avenue will exceed LOS E after Riverside Avenue is expanded to 6 lanes (page 39). The General Plan indicates that Riverside Avenue south of I-10 has a permitted LOS of E.
The TIA proposes mitigation of project impacts through payment of a fair share amount toward the cost of future improvements at the affected intersections, including Riverside Avenue/Slover Avenue, Riverside Avenue/I-10 eastbound ramps, and Riverside Avenue/Santa Ana Avenue in the total fair share amount of $3,360,794. It also includes a fair share amount for the future widening of Riverside Avenue estimated at $5,106,172. These fair share amounts appear to be much higher than the amounts established in other previous studies. The TIA accurately identifies the bridge widening over the UPRR is expected to be funded through Federal, State, City and Development Impact Fee funding sources. The City, as a part of the Local DIF study, included detailed cost estimates for intersection and roadway improvements. Any fair share amount for improvements beyond those identified in the proposed Development Impact Fee program would be in addition to the City’s Traffic Development Impact Fees. The TIA provides a fair share cost estimate at a total of $8,466,966. By comparison, the proposed local DIF (which includes the widening of Riverside Avenue) applied to this project at $375.50 per trip, would result in a fee amount of $1,428,026.50 after deductions for pass-by trips. Comparing this amount to the amount determined for the warehouse at the northwest corner of Riverside Avenue/Santa Ana Avenue, which was estimated to generate less trips at 3,151 ADT and 265/284 AM/PM, resulting in a fair share amount of $1,229,651.67 from that project for future improvements. The subject project generated 652 more ADT trips and 198/95 more AM/PM peak hour trips based on two dual diesel-fueling positions. Other projects along Riverside Avenue have had comparable fair share amounts to the amount determined for the nearby project. Staff recommend applying the future fee rate as in determining the appropriate fair share contribution.
It is unclear whether payment of the fair share amount will provide adequate mitigation of the traffic impacts because the deficiencies are identified as “opening day” impacts and it is not possible for the fee program or fair share contributions to fully fund the improvements need to mitigate impacts to a level of insignificance. There is additional concern that the proposed mitigation improvements may not be entirely feasible based upon existing conditions at the intersections without acquiring additional right-of-way. In the near term, traffic will increase and LOS will decline before all of the recommended improvements can be completed.
Conclusion
Staff was provided the first version of the TIA for this Project on September 24, 2018. The second version of the TIA was submitted on January 23, 2019 and a 3rd version on March 18, 2019. This project has roadway improvements adjacent to the project site. Intersections studied are projected to operate at LOS D or better with improvements but the estimated fair share contributions identified in the TIA report are much higher than and inconsistent with fair share amounts determined for other nearby projects. The TIA identifies a total calculated fair share amount of $8,466,966 for the identified intersection improvements and the widening of Riverside Avenue, along with other traffic impact fees and construction of site adjacent roadway improvements are adequate mitigation measures. Since these improvements are identified in the proposed fee program, staff recommends applying the rate used for the fee program, which results in a fair share amount of $1,428,026.50. This amount is in line with what has been collected from other nearby projects on a per trip basis and it also is consistent with the proposed local DIF fee amount. It is noted that the fair share payment includes the widening adjacent to the site so the cost of these improvements would be eligible for fee credit and/or reimbursement.
The project appears to be consistent with zoning and the General Plan.
Staff recommends that the fair amount be established at $1,428,026.50 based on the indication that there will be two dual diesel fueling positions.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff requests that the Transportation Commission:
• Set final conditions and recommendations related to approval.
• Require site adjacent street improvements including dedication of 60-foot half width on Riverside Avenue and on Santa Ana Avenue.
• Accept a fair share contribution of $1,428,026.50 toward future mitigation improvements, Subject to credit and/or reimbursement of costs for improvements included in the widening of Riverside Avenue adjacent to the site.
• Recommend approval to the City Council.