Commuter Rail Extension Alternatives Analysis - Transportation ...

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CALTRAIN EXTENSION TO MONTEREY COUNTYALTERNATIVES ANALYSISRailroad for the Santa Cruz Branch rail line. The Commission is currently considering an amendmentto the RTP to add additional funding for the design and construction of the Pajaro Valley rail station.As further evidence of Santa Cruz County support for the extension of commuter rail service, theSanta Cruz County Transportation Funding Task Force voted on March 13, 2007 to include $10million for construction of the Pajaro Valley station in the sales tax expenditure plan that will beplaced on the 2008 primary or general election voter ballot.U.S. 101U.S. 101 is the primary highway that serves commuters traveling by automobile between MontereyBay and Gilroy, Santa Clara County, and the San Francisco Bay Area. The Transportation ConceptReport for U.S. Route 101 in Caltrans District 5 (October 2001) characterizes U.S. 101:“US Route 101 (Route 101) is the major and historic thoroughfare through the Central Coastareas of California and the principal inter-city connection for numerous communities betweenLos Angeles and San Francisco. The route closely follows El Camino Real of the California’sSpanish Colonial period.”“…The multiple uses of Route 101, the mixture of interregional, regional and local traffic, andthe beauty and environmental sensitivity of the areas through which it courses, in combinationwith projected population growth and new development all present challenges to transportationplanners at every level of government…”“…The District 5 portion of the Route 101 corridor accommodates interregional, regional and urbantraffic and the widest array of trip purposes. Common personal mobility purposes relatedto business, government, recreation, tourism, and daily living, including the journey-to-work,account for a high percentage of trips. The corridor also accommodates goods movementrelated to commerce and manufacturing. Certain segments of the highway experience heavyuse by trucks moving unprocessed agricultural products and livestock. Other segments accommodatenational defense-related traffic, including the movement of troops, equipment, andhazardous materials. The route and corridor purposes entail accommodating this array of corridorusers with a facility that operates in a safe, efficient, and (as much as practicable)environmentally benign manner…”“…The high traffic volumes, strategic location, and environmental setting of Route 101 have resultedin numerous special designations by federal and state governments and their agencies.These designations and classifications provide information regarding the facility itself and itsintended use. They also indicate the availability of special purpose funding related to thedesignation.“The federal functional classification of Route 101 is Principal Arterial. This classification recognizestrip lengths and travel densities that are indicative of substantial statewide and interstatetravel as Route 101 passes through rural areas and delivers trips to and from urban areas.“Route 101 is also part of the National Highway System (NHS) identified in the federalTransportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The NHS is comprised of the InterstateSystem and other urban and rural principal arterials that are essential for interstate andregional commerce and travel, national defense, intermodal transfer facilities, and trade…”“…The federal Department of Defense in cooperation with the Department of Transportationhas also identified Route 101 as a Strategic Highway Corridor Network (STRAHNET) route.STRAHNET is a network of linked highways deemed essential to national defense for facilitatingthe movement of troops and equipment to airports, ports, rail lines and military bases.parsons CHAPTER 2: EXISTING AND FORECAST CONDITIONS 21
CALTRAIN EXTENSION TO MONTEREY COUNTYALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS“The State of California has granted important designations to Route 101. First, the route is onthe Freeway and Expressway System (F&E) whose completion has been declared essential tothe future development of the State, with provision for control of access to the extentnecessary to preserve the value and utility of the facilities.“In addition, Route 101 is on the Interregional Road System (IRRS) and is a designated FocusRoute in the Caltrans Interregional Transportation Strategic Plan (ITSP)…”“…The importance of Route 101 for the movement of goods through the State and nation isindicated by additional federal and state designations. The Route is a designated route on theNational Truck Network under the federal Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA). Thisnetwork is designated for use by larger trucks. Route 101 is also a State Highway Extra LegalLoad (SHELL) Route.“Finally, extensive portions of Route 101 in District 5 are eligible for designation as Scenic Highwaysunder the State Scenic Highway Program….[including] from the Prunedale junction withRoute 156 west in Monterey County to the junction with Route 156 east in San Benito County.”In the Transportation Concept Report, Caltrans divides U.S. 101 from Salinas to San Benito Countyinto segments 8 through 12. Within Monterey County, the agency identifies two specific locationswhere interregional traffic flow is impeded: segments 8 and 10 in Salinas and Prunedale,respectively. Segment 8 suffers from a low existing peak-hour level of service (LOS E) as a result ofcommuter-related traffic. In segment 10, at-grade crossings, lane-crossing left turns, and theintersection with State Route 156 (SR 156) hamper traffic operations. These locations are discussedin greater detail below, as described in Caltrans’ Transportation Concept Report for U.S. Route 101 inCaltrans District 5 (2001). Figure 2-1 summarizes the existing (1998) traffic conditions from theTransportation Concept Report. Estimated 2005 traffic volumes have been included on the graphicfor information.Existing U.S. 101 Conditions and Traffic VolumesU.S. 101’s Segment 8 runs between the north and south city limits of Salinas. It is a four-lane freewaythat serves local, interregional, and commuter traffic. Truck traffic comprises approximately 18 percentof this total due to Salinas’ position in the Salinas Valley as the agricultural and food processingcenter. The 1998 average annual daily traffic count (AADT) for segment 8 was 53,000 and theestimated peak hour volume was 3,150. In 1998, segment 8 operated at an average LOS D duringthe peak-hour and LOS C during the non-peak-hour.Segment 9 runs from the northern city limits of Salinas to the southern portion of Prunedale. It is afour-lane facility, with some portions designated as a freeway and other portions designated as an expressway.Truck traffic comprises approximately 18 percent of the traffic in this segment. The 1998average AADT on segment 9 was 54,300 and the estimated peak-hour volume was 3,312. In 1998,segment 9 operated at an average LOS E during the peak-hour and LOS C during the non-peakhour.Segment 10 runs from the south end of Prunedale to the north end and is designated as a four-laneurban expressway along the entire length. Truck traffic comprises approximately 15 percent of trafficalong this segment. The 1998 average AADT was 55,400 with an estimated peak-hour volume of3,987. In 1998, segment 10 operated at an average LOS F during the peak-hour and LOS C duringthe non-peak-hour.parsons CHAPTER 2: EXISTING AND FORECAST CONDITIONS 22
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Commuter Rail Extension Alternatives Analysis - Transportation ...

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