Draft Environmental Impact Report - California Off Highway Vehicle ...

3.1 Transportation and Traffic
A traffic impact is considered significant if it renders an unacceptable LOS on a street segment, at a
signalized intersection, or at a stop‐sign controlled intersection or if it worsens already
unacceptable conditions. Local jurisdictions and Caltrans adopt minimum LOS standards for use in
traffic studies and environmental impact reports. For the purposes of this analysis, an impact
would be significant if it would be inconsistent with the following plans and report:
The City of Oroville 2030 General Plan, Policy P2.1, states that the City will allow a minimum
operating standard of LOS D throughout the city.
The Butte County General Plan2030, Policy CIR‐P6.1, states that the LOS for Butte County–
maintained roads within unincorporated areas of the county but outside municipalities’ SOI
shall be LOS C or better during the p.m. peak hour. Within a municipality’s SOI, the LOS
shall meet the municipality’s LOS policy.
In Caltrans’s SR 162 TCR, the 20‐year concept for SR 162 is a two‐lane conventional
highway from the Glen County line to Wilbur Road, east of SR 99. East of Wilbur Road, the
20‐year concept is a four‐lane conventional highway. The identified concept LOS in this
area is LOS D.
Based on the documents reviewed, this analysis uses an LOS D operating threshold for SR 162 and
the majority of Larkin Road within the study area. Larkin Road is within the Oroville city limits
adjacent to the airport and the Oroville SOI extends farther south on Larkin Road to the
Thermalito Afterbay. Beyond this point, Larkin Road and the Hamilton Road/Larkin Road
intersection are within Butte County jurisdiction and County LOS C standard policy would apply.
Implementation of the General Plan, including construction and operation of the headquarters
facilities, would have significant environmental impacts related to transportation and traffic if
traffic generated by the project would cause roadway or intersection LOS to exceed these
identified standards.
At intersections controlled by side‐street stop signs, a supplemental analysis is also typically used
to determine whether a signal is warranted. Minor street traffic can experience significant delays
when accessing a major street; however, side‐street delays at any single approach are typically not
considered significant unless side‐street volumes are large enough to meet peak‐hour thresholds
(or warrants) for installing a traffic signal. Warrants for peak‐hour traffic signals as presented in
the California Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (Caltrans 2010)
were used as thresholds for this analysis.
The General Plan would not affect airport operations, and therefore, would cause no change in
related safety risks. This issue is not discussed further in this DEIR.
The General Plan does not include any roadway design changes involving curves or dangerous
intersections, or any changes in land use. Circulation to the project site is provided by existing
streets and highways. Access to the project site is proposed via a new connection to the existing
Larkin Road/Airport Park intersection, which has adequate sight distance and would be designed
Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area
Draft EIR 3.1-11 February 2012