HomeMy WebLinkAbout19 DPEIR FOR OCTA 2006 03-20-06
AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: MARCH 20, 2006
TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: CITY OF TUSTIN RESPONSE TO DPEIR FOR OCTA 2006 lRTP
SUMMARY
City Council authorization is requested for the City of Tustin's response to the subject Draft
Program Environmental Impact Report (DPEIR) for the Orange County Transportation Authority
(OCTA) 2006 long Range Transportation Plan (lRTP) (Attachment A).
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council authorize staff to forward the attached response letter to the Orange County
Transportation Authority.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are no fiscal impacts associated with this action.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
OCTA updates its long range plan every four years. The 2006 lRTP is a multi modal
transportation strategy that addresses improvements to the County's transportation network
based on input from stakeholders, including local jurisdictions and others. The horizon year for
the lRTP is 2030.
The Community Development and Public Works Departments have reviewed the subject Draft
PEIR. Staff believes that it is in the City's interest to be on record regarding this matter and
has prepared correspondence expressing the City's concerns regarding the Draft PEIR (see
Attachment A). Staff requests that the Tustin City Council review and consider these
comments and, if acceptable, authorize their formal transmission to the Orange County
Transportation Authority.
Scott Reekstin
Senior Planner
Elizabeth A. Binsack
Community Development Director
Attachment:
A. Draft Comment Response letter
S:\CddlCCReports\DEIR OCTA 2006 LRTP.doc
ATTACHMENT A
Draft Comment Response Letter
March 21,2006
Glen Campbell
Senior Transportation Analyst
Orange County Transportation Authority
550 South Main Street
P.O. Box 14184
Orange, CA 92863-1584
SUBJECT: REVIEW OF DRAFT PROGRAM EIR FOR THE 2006 OCTA LONG
RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN
Dear Mr. Campbell:
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the Draft Program Environmental
Impact Report (DPEIR) for the 2006 Orange County Transportation Authority Long Range
Transportation Plan. The City of Tustin Community Development and Public Works
Departments have identified the following comments and concerns:
1. There is an ongoing Central County Corridor Major Investment Study (CCC MIS)
which includes the extension of SR-57 to the south to improve north-south
capacity in the County. The City of Tustin remains concerned with alternatives
that eliminate the SR-57 extension and focus further improvements to SR-55,
generating impacts to the City of Tustin including traffic impacts at interchanges,
construction detours, etc. (See previous comment on the NOP.)
2. The Preferred Plan within the LRTP indicates there will be added lanes for the
SR-55 between the SR-22 and 1-405, but the extension of the SR-57 to the 1-405
is only part of the "Unconstrained" Plan. The City of Tustin does not support this
aspect of the Preferred Plan and believes all north-south capacity
enhancements, including the extension of the SR-57, must occur before any
consideration is given to added lanes on the SR-55.
3. The recently completed Riverside County/Orange County MIS (RC/OC MIS)
studies various corridors for increasing capacity between the two counties.
Some alternatives consider end connections near the City of Tustin. There
needs to be assurance that the continued path of vehicles onto the arterial road
system from these "end points" be addressed and fully mitigated (See previous
comment on the NOp¡. It is noted that a part of the Preferred Plan is to
"Continue regional street capacity improvements." The City of Tustin wants to be
assured that sufficient funding will be available to address local arterial impacts
that may result from improvements under the RC/OC MIS.
Mr. Glen Campbell
OCT A 2006 LRTP DPEIR
March 21, 2006
Page 2
4. One improvement under the Preferred Plan within the LRTP is the
synchronization of traffic signals across jurisdictions. This improvement should
include funding for training and staff to operate the proposed systems. Providing
only the traffic signal coordination infrastructure/equipment is not sufficient to
achieve and maintain the best operations.
5. The extension of Newport Avenue southerly to Edinger Avenue should be
included as a specific Master Plan of Arterial Highways (MPAH) project within the
LRTP document. This is a project of regional significance.
6. There is only one Mitigation Measure ("MM") identified for "Transportation and
Circulation" impacts in the Program Environmental Impact Report ("PEIR) for the
2006 OCTA LRTP. This MM focuses on short-term construction impacts related
to implementation of the identified improvements. There should also be an
assurance that any long-term impacts (i.e., potential arterial roadway impacts
associated with the RC/OC MIS) that result from improvement projects are also
addressed.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on the DPEIR for the 2006
Long Range Transportation Plan. The City of Tustin would appreciate receiving the Final
EIR documents with the responses to our comments when they become available.
If you have any questions regarding the City's comments, please call Scott Reekstin,
Senior Planner, at (714) 573-3016 or Terry Lutz, Principal Engineer, at (714) 573-3263.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth A. Binsack
Community Development Director
cc: William A. Huston
Tim D. Serlet
SA:environmental etc\OCTA 2006 Long Range Transportation Plan DEI A Letter.doc