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

3.1 Transportation and Traffic
and constructed according to Butte County standards. The General Plan does not pose traffic‐
related hazard risks, and these issues are not discussed further in this DEIR.
The General Plan would improve emergency access by creating a new access point from Larkin
Road at the Airport Park intersection, while retaining the existing access as a secondary
emergency access point. This issue is not discussed further in this DEIR.
The General Plan would not involve changes to any type of public transit, bicycle, or pedestrian
facilities, and thus, would not conflict with any related policies or programs or affect the safety of
such facilities. These issues are not discussed further in this DEIR.
3.1.4 Environmental Evaluation
Evaluation Methodology
Operating Standards
The methodology used to analyze existing intersection and roadway operations follows an
approach that is recognized by members of the traffic engineering profession, is consistent with
State CEQA Guidelines, and conforms to Butte County and City of Oroville guidelines for traffic
impact studies. Intersections and roadway segments were selected for analysis based on their
proximity to the Clay Pit SVRA access road and common direction of travel to and from the SVRA.
The 2000 Highway Capacity Manual (Transportation Research Board 2000) presents
methodologies for calculating practical capacity and LOS on roadways and at intersections. At
signalized intersections and intersections controlled by all‐way stop signs, traffic conditions are
described in terms of the average length of the delays experienced by all motorists. Intersection
configuration, traffic volumes, and traffic signal timing are all factors that enter into determining
the length of average delay and the resulting LOS.
The delays experienced at intersections controlled by side‐street stop signs are different.
Motorists waiting to turn must yield the right‐of‐way to through traffic, and the length of delays
can vary on each approach to the intersection. For this analysis the length of delays experienced
by motorists on each approach has been calculated. Intersection operations have been quantified
based on 2000 Highway Capacity Manual procedures, consistent with Butte County, the City of
Oroville, and Caltrans requirements.
Table 3.1‐4 further quantifies roadway segment capacity thresholds as presented in the
Circulation Element of the Butte County General Plan 2030. These thresholds have been used to
identify the operating LOS for roadway segments in the study area.
Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area
February 2012 3.1-12 Draft EIR