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

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) Evaluationtraffic flow along Post Road. However, vehicles exiting Donald Avenue would operate at LOS F during themorning and evening peak hours in 2020 and 2025. Donald Avenue is not a through street, but a drivewayto several commercial properties on Post Road, including a restaurant and a health and fitness center. TheLOS F applies only to vehicles exiting Donald Avenue turning left to Post Road northbound. This drivewayis expected to operate like other unsignalized driveways along Post Road. Before the traffic signal could beremoved, a formal approval process for removing the signal would have to be completed by RIAC andapproved by RIDOT as part of the full design process for this location.Effects on Freeway Segments and Ramps – 2020/2025The results show that there would be no freeway segment or ramp merge and diverge area capacity constraintson the Airport Connector or Route 37 and that there would be no locations that would degrade to LOS E or LOSF as a result of Alternative B4.Significant Impacts: Based on the surface transportation impact analysis, under Alternative B4, there would beno substantial reduction in the LOS of roads serving the Airport and its surrounding communities. AlternativeB4 would improve traffic circulation surrounding the Airport, specifically with the proposed improvements toAirport Road and Main Avenue, and the Airport gateway improvements on Post Road.Parking Impacts – 2020/2025Alternative B4 would have the same effects on parking as Alternative B2. In addition to the No-Action Alternativeand 2015 Alternative B4 parking impacts, by 2020 Alternative B4 would increase the parking supply on-Airport byconstructing a new 2,000-space long-term commercial parking Garage G on part of the existing long-term parking lotadjacent to Strawberry Field Road. The three-story garage would result in a net increase of approximately1,300 long-term commercial parking spaces, as 700 spaces from the existing Long-Term Parking Lot would be lost tothis construction. Employee parking would be consolidated in Long-Term Parking E.Public Transportation Impacts – 2020/2025Alternative B4 would result in minor changes to some of the RIPTA bus routes in the Study Area. The routesthat serve the Airport directly (Routes 14, 20, and 66) would see minor changes in circulation patterns on theAirport. The routes that currently use Post Road to access the Airport (Routes 14 and 20) would use the newPost Road “Gateway Entrance” instead. Routes 1 and 20, which operate on Post Road north of the Airport,could see minor changes such as relocated bus stop locations along that section of Post Road. Route 8, whichoperates on Main Avenue, could see similar changes as a result of the realignment of that road in 2015. OtherRIPTA routes that operate in the area (Routes 3 and 29) would be unaffected by Alternative B4.The RIDOT Park-and-Ride lot on the north side of Airport Road at Evergreen Avenue would be relocated as part ofAlternative B4. This relocation would take place by 2015 to accommodate upgrades to the Runway 16 End RSA.Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Impacts – 2020/2025None of the designated Statewide Bicycle Routes or Neighborhood Bicycle Routes in the Study Area would beaffected by Alternative B4.Chapter 5 - Environmental Consequences 5-140 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH05_Environmental_Cons_JUL_2011.doc