Improvements for Transportation Impacts
As part of the final acceptance of a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA), the City of Murrieta will review and approve all required transportation improvements and fair share contributions necessary to mitigate any transportation-related deficiencies caused by a proposed development. These required improvements must be included as conditions of approval for the project and are in addition to any other improvements mandated by other City departments.
Transportation improvements identified in a TIA will be separate from any existing transportation fee programs, such as the Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF), unless the necessary improvements are already included in such a fee program. If a proposed mitigation measure is covered by an existing fee program, payment into that program will be deemed an appropriate contribution.
Fair Share Contributions and Implementation Requirements
Fair share contributions outlined in the TIA and included in the project’s conditions of approval must be provided before a building permit can be issued. Additionally, any physical improvements required by the TIA must be completed before project occupancy. These improvements aim to mitigate the direct and cumulative impacts of the proposed development on the transportation network.
Level of Service (LOS) Improvements
For project-level transportation impacts, mitigation measures should focus on maintaining or restoring the pre-project traffic operations (i.e., achieving a "no project" level of service). The following types of improvements may be considered to address these impacts:
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Signal Timing Adjustments – Optimizing signal timing and coordination to improve traffic flow and minimize delays at impacted intersections.
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Lane Restriping – Modifying existing lane configurations to increase capacity and enhance operational efficiency.
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New Lanes or Intersection Enhancements – Adding lanes, turn pockets, or other geometric improvements to alleviate congestion and improve intersection performance.
Cumulative Impact Mitigation
For cumulative traffic deficiencies, project applicants must contribute a fair share toward achieving an acceptable level of service for the impacted roadway or intersection. If the impacted location is part of an existing traffic impact fee program, such as TUMF, payment into that program will be considered an adequate contribution.
If the proposed project contributes to a cumulative impact but is not the sole cause of the deficiency, the applicant’s responsibility will be determined based on a fair share computation. The fair share calculation ensures that each contributing project pays its proportionate cost of necessary transportation improvements.
Fair Share Contribution Calculation
The fair share contribution for necessary improvements will be determined using the following formula:
Fair Share = Project Trips / (Project Trips + Future Development Trips)
Where:
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"Project Trips" represent the peak-hour vehicle trips generated by the proposed development.
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"Future Development Trips" represent vehicle trips generated by other foreseeable developments contributing to the identified transportation deficiency.
For intersections, fair share calculations should be based on the peak hour during which the deficiency occurs. For roadway segments, the analysis should use daily trips. If a project degrades traffic operations during both morning and evening peak hours, the peak hour with the highest project burden should be used for the fair share assessment.
Additionally, if the project applicant determines that it is feasible to reduce the project’s transportation impacts through design modifications, they may revise the project description to incorporate such changes as an alternative mitigation approach.
By ensuring that required transportation improvements and fair share contributions are properly implemented, the City of Murrieta can maintain efficient traffic operations and accommodate future growth while minimizing adverse impacts on the transportation network.
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