T.F. Green Airport Improvement Program - FEIS Chapters - PVD

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) Evaluation• Main Avenue at Jefferson Boulevard – This intersection is projected to operate at LOS E during the morningand evening peak hours under the No-Action Alternative in 2025. Under Alternative B2, this intersection isprojected to continue to operate at LOS E during the morning and evening peak hours in 2025. This isprimarily the result of heavy volumes on all approaches where the signal is operating at or near capacity.Alternative B2 would result in LOS E or LOS F conditions at two locations:• Post Road (U.S. Route 1) at Relocated Delivery Drive –Relocating Delivery Drive would create a newunsignalized driveway along Post Road. The only vehicles using Delivery Drive would be Airport deliveryvehicles (approximately 40 vehicles per hour during the morning and evening peak hours in both 2020 and2025). General traffic would be prohibited from entering or exiting the Airport at this location. Becausetraffic volumes on Delivery Drive are low, a traffic signal is not warranted or recommended at thisintersection. Without a signal, vehicles exiting Delivery Drive would operate at LOS F during the eveningpeak hour in 2020 and 2025. However, the LOS F only applies to the 40 vehicles exiting Delivery Drive, notto the vehicles on Post Road (an average of one vehicle every minute and a half). General traffic on PostRoad would not be affected. 362• Post Road (U.S. Route 1) at Donald Avenue – Under Alternative B2, the ramp at Aviation Avenue (oppositeDonald Avenue) would be closed and the existing traffic signal removed. The existing signal is needed inorder to facilitate the flow of Airport-bound traffic from the Airport Connector turning right on Post Road,then left on Aviation Avenue. Once Aviation Avenue is closed, the traffic signal would no longer bewarranted under Alternative B2. Removing the traffic signal would likely improve traffic flow along PostRoad. However, vehicles exiting Donald Avenue would operate at LOS E during the morning peak hour andLOS F during the evening peak hours in 2020. Vehicles exiting Donald Avenue would operate at LOS F duringthe morning and evening peak hours in 2025. Donald Avenue is not a through street, but rather a driveway toseveral commercial properties on Post Road, including a restaurant and a health and fitness center. The LOS Eor LOS F applies only to vehicles exiting Donald Avenue turning left to Post Road northbound. There is noway to improve the projected LOS at this driveway without keeping the existing traffic signal, which wouldnot be warranted under Alternative B2. This driveway is expected to operate like other unsignalizeddriveways along Post Road. Before the traffic signal could be removed, a formal approval process forremoving the signal would have to be completed by RIAC and approved by RIDOT as part of the full designprocess for this location. Should RIDOT choose to retain the traffic signal, traffic operations for vehicles exitingthe driveway would improve and delays along Post Road would continue as they are today.Effects on Freeway Segment and Ramp – 2020/2025The results show that there would be no freeway segment, ramp merge and diverge area, or freeway weavesegment capacity constraints on the Airport Connector or Route 37 and that there would be no locations thatwould degrade to LOS E or LOS F as a result of Alternative B2.362 Of the 40 vehicles, approximately 5 vehicles are expected to turn left and the remaining 35 vehicles are expected to turn right, based on observed trafficmovements. The 40 vehicles per hour average to one vehicle every minute and a half.Chapter 5 - Environmental Consequences 5-131 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH05_Environmental_Cons_JUL_2011.doc