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HomeMy WebLinkAboutO.C.T.A. FEAS. STUDY 01-06-86 Orange County Transportation Commission FOOTHILL/EASTERN/I-5 BOTTLENECK ANALYSIS AND TOLL ROAD FEASIBILITY STUDY THE BOTTLENECK ANALYSIS AND TOLL ROAD FEASIBILITY STUDY The Foothill/Eastern/I-5 Bottleneck Analysis study area is about five miles wide, extending from the proposed Eastern Transportation Corridor to the Costa Mesa Freeway (Route 55) and from the Riverside Freeway (Route 91) to south of I-5 (Santa Ana Freeway). The current County Master Plan of Arterial Highways shows a major system con- centration on the Santa Ana Freeway between the Costa Mesa Freeway and the future Eastern Transportation Corridor. The already congested Santa Ana Freeway is the only arterial link between'the existing and new development in South Orange County and the established residential and employment centers in central and north county. Because of lack of parallel high-capacity transportation facilities, future traffic on the Santa Ana Freeway and the Foothill and Eastern Transportation Corridors will be forced to share a ~ommon path along the existing freeway, with probable spillover onto adjacent parallel streets. This particular syste~ configuration has given rise to the term "Bottleneck Problem." The Toll Road Feasibility. Study will be conducted concurrently with the Bottle- neck Study. It will evaluate the possible application of toll financing to the planned new Foothill and Eastern Transportation Corridors, including consideration of the effect of alternative system connections on the viability of toll financing. The Toll Road Feasibility Study will be initiated in September, 1985. Bottleneck Study Area Regional Location Los Angeles Co. USMC N O._,..~1 .2 3 4 5 6 7miles Orange County Bernardino C©. Riverside Co. EASTERN ANSPORTATION CORRIDOR ~ Cleveland \ USMC~ EIToro ~ \ National Forest FOOTHILL TRANSPORTATION ~.,CORRIDOR //San Diego Co. BACKGROUND Previous studies conducted by the Orange County Transportation Commission and the Orange County Environmental Management Agency have identified the Bottleneck Problem. Among these studies are SEOCCS (Southeast Orange County Circulation Study), OCMMTS (Orange County Multimodal Transportation Study), the FTCS (Foothill Transportation Corridor Study), and NEOCCS (Northeast Orange County Circulation Study). In 1975, the need for a roadway extending the Foothill Transportation Corridor to the Garden Grove Freeway was studi6d as part of SEOCCS. Several alternative growth and transportation scenarios for the south county were examined, each representing different degrees of land use and circulation development. The adopted scenario did not'include a Foothill Transportation Corridor nor additional connections to the Costa Mesa Freeway. In 1980, OCMMTS examined multimodal approaches to transportation planning in the county. The study identified the need for improvements in the Bottleneck area to accommodate traffic generated by the existing and approved land uses. In 1981, the County General Plan was amended to include the Foothill and Eastern Transportation Corridors, and the Bottleneck issue was examined. The 1981 Foothill Transportation Corridor Supplemental Analysis Report indicated the need for additional system capacity in the Bottleneck area. In 1982, the General Plan Modernization Program identified three development scenarios. This study concluded that the scenarios similar to the approved land uses would require additional capacity in the Bottleneck area. The study also indicated that the capacity need would be further intensified by con- tinued growth in the presently developed area of Orange County. The Bottleneck Problem was analyzed further as part of the Foothill Transportation Corridor Route Location Study in 1982. This study examined possible new highway connections to address the Bottleneck Problem. Some of these showed heavy travel demand for a new connection, while reducing traffic congestion on the Santa Ana Freeway between the proposed Eastern Transportation Corridor and the Costa Mesa Freeway. As part of its action in selecting a Foothill Transportation Corridor route, the Board of Supervisors directed the Orange County Environmental Management Agency to undertake a formal examination of the Bottleneck Problem. In view of ongoing planning efforts in Orange, Tustin, Irvine, Santa Ana, and the unincorporated county area, and the need for close coordination with the local communities, it was subsequently decided that the Orange County Transportation Commission would conduct the study. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of the Bottleneck Study is to identify the advantages and dis- advantages of alternative solutions to the Bottleneck Problem, as well as a "No Connection Alternative." The objectives of the study are several: · Identify the magnitude and timing of the Bottleneck Problem. · Define and evaluate a range of alternatives to address the Bottleneck Problem, balancing transportation objectives with community and environ- mental concerns. · Determine whether a direct connection of the Foothill and Eastern Trans- portation Corridors to the regional highway system is feasible. · If a connection is feasible, identify possible modifications to the County Master Plan of Arterial Highways. The Bottleneck Study is a feasibility study and not a detailed engineering or environmental impact report (EIR) on a selected alignment or alignments. There are no adopted new major arterial routes or freeway connections planned through the Bottleneck area at this time. This study will provide the basic initial information on whether major new connections are feasible. If the answer is yes, the results of this study can be used if any subsequent detailed route studies are initiated by the agencies involved. FOOTHILL/EASTERN/I-5 BOTTLENECK ANALYSIS AND TOLL ROAD FEASIBILITY STUDY The purpose of the BOTTLENECK STUDY is to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the alternative solutions to the serious congestion problems which will be experienced along the I-5 Corridor as well as along the arterial street system in the study area. The BOTTLENECK STUDY is a feasibility study and not a detailed engineering or environmental impact statement (EIS) study on an alignment or alignments that have already been selected. There are no adopted major arterial routes or freeway connections planned through the bottleneck area at this time. Over the next months, the Preliminary Alternatives will be evaluated and the results reviewed with the Bottleneck Study Policy Committee, the Bottleneck Study Technical Information Exchange group and the public. The objective of the preliminary alternatives evaluation effort is to identify a limited set of more promising alternatives for additional detailed study. ALTERNATIVE CATEGORIES 1. "No Project" This alternative would retain all planned transportation facilities within the Bottleneck area. It assumes that facilities will be developed to the level shown on the Master Plan of Arterial Highways (MPAH) in conjunction with buildout of the County and City General Plans. 2. Freeway Connectors This category includes alternative freeway connectors from the Eastern Transportation Corridor (ETC) and the Foothill Transportation Corridor (FTC) to the Garden Grove and Newport-Costa Mesa Freeways (Routes 22 and 55). The freeway connector would be constructed below-grade where feasible in a depressed section, a tunnel or combination of both to minimize the visual, noise and neighborhood disruption impacts of an operating freeway. It would be sized to meet the ultimate traffic need resulting from the buildout of City and County General Plans. 3. Arterial Connectors This category includes a list of six alternative arterials from which one or more could serve as a major arterial connection between the Eastern Transportation Corridor and Route 55. It is anticipated that the selected arterials will be upgraded above their planned Master Plan of Arterial Highways level and that a combination of upgraded arterials will be required t~significantly relieve Bottleneck congestion. 4. Upgrade of Existing Facilities This category includes two alternatives to relieve the Bottleneck congestion by additions and extensions of the existing and planned freeway system around the Bottleneck Study Area and the addition of lanes to the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5) and Route 55 within the Bottleneck area by widening, restriping and/or double-decking. FOOTHILL/EASTERN/I-5 BOTTLENECK ANALYSIS AND TOLL ROAD FEASIBILITY STUDY PRELIMINARY ALTERNATIVES 1. NO PROJECT 20 FREEWAY CONNECTORS 2A - Santiago Creek and/or Santiago Canyon Road Alignment 2B - Chapman Avenue Alignment 2C - Foothill Alignment - Depressed 2D - Foothill Alignment - Tunnel 2E - La Colina Alignment 3e ARTERIAL CONNECTORS 3A - Katella Avenue - Villa Park Road - Santiago Canyon Road 3B - Chapman Avenue 3C - 17th Street - La Colina Avenue 3D - 4th Street - Irvine Boulevard 3E - Walnut Avenue 3F - Moulton Parkway UPGRADE OF EXiStING FACILITIES 4A - I-5 Double-decking and Route 55 Upgrade 4B - Route 57 Extension to 1-405 and Route 73 FREEWAY 91 ./ ,% ARTERIAL FREEWAY Foothill/Eastern / I-5 Bottleneck Analysis PRELIMINARY ALTERNATIVES