3.0 Responses to Comments
The Specific Plan is likely to reduce commuter demand to downtown across many of the bridges identified, because it will address the existing jobs/housing imbalance, thereby locating more housing closer to job centers in the plan area and Downtown Los Angeles. Therefore, more trips can be made by transit, biking, walking, or short car commutes, rather than longer regional trips that pass through the Project Area (but have neither an origin or a destination in the Specific Plan area). 40-71 The comment states, “Acquire relevant information and develop a transportation rather than a traffic assessment for the Study Area, review, assess, and mitigate transportation and transit effects rather than roadway and intersection only. Complete Streets is no substitute for Complete Mobility Provide a revised and updated information base for remodeling the Project Area and Study Area traffic and transit movements.” As illustrated in Figure 4-7 on page detailed on page 4-29 of the Original DEIR, a large expansion of the bike network in the Project Area is proposed, and as detailed on pages 4-46 through 4-48 of the Original DEIR, an extensive transportation demand management (TDM) plan is proposed that will encourage pedestrian, bicycle and transit mobility. Street classifications, as illustrated in Figure 2-2 on page 2-19 of the Original DEIR would provide ample sidewalks and bike lanes to encourage pedestrian and bicycle mobility. Maximum block lengths would be designated for all uses to encourage greater pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, as stated on page 2-14 of the Original DEIR. These facilities collectively would provide complete mobility within the Specific Plan area, and these project features/mitigation measures have been adequately analyzed in the DIER. Therefore, re-modeling, as specified in the comment, is not necessary. All modes were factored into the analysis contained in the Original DEIR, including the transit network, as well as any roadway network modifications to accommodate bike lanes. No additional information is needed for the base year, and no re-modeling is needed. 40-72 The comment indicates that corrections to the Original DEIR text should be made, including the addition of Ave 21/Main, Marengo, and Darwin/Main, and the removal of Daly Street from the list of I-5 ramps in the study area. The comment then states, “Several items are in error and should be modified and augmented. Provide a revised, updated version and re-circulate re-circulate for meaningful review and comments. “Review all traffic counts and verify their adequacy and relevance to the traffic model. “Revise as appropriate and conduct quality controls and assurances for inputs to any model. Provide updated and verified calibration and performance runs and revised Chapter 4 as needed and supplement the Appendices and the overall DEIR.” Daly Street is a ramp in the study area and should be referenced in the DEIR. Avenue 21/Main and Marengo ramps will be added to the description text for I-5. Darwin/Main and Ave 21/Main are the same ramp, and so Darwin/Main does not need to be added. These text corrections do not affect the traffic counts, analysis or overall conclusions in the Original DEIR; therefore, it is not necessary to re-circulate because the analysis is relevant and adequate. 3-120
Cornfield Arroyo Seco Specific Plan FEIR