3. Local Transportation Analysis Requirements
This section outlines the requirements for a local transportation analysis that may be needed alongside the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) evaluation for land use projects in Glendale. The analysis assesses the effects of a development project on the local circulation network, emphasizing access and circulation near the project site. It will address traffic operations, safety concerns, design features, site access, and internal circulation.
A local transportation analysis is mandatory for projects expected to generate at least 50 net-new peak hour vehicle trips, utilizing trip generation rates from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) or local sources if available.
Before initiating a local transportation analysis, the project applicant must submit a scoping memorandum to the City for approval. This memorandum should detail the assumptions and proposed study components outlined in the following subsections.
3.1. Study Area
The study area must encompass signalized and unsignalized intersections that meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Project driveways.
- Intersections at both ends of the block where the project is situated or within 500 feet of the main project driveways, whichever is closer.
Additionally, the analysis must consider any residential streets connected to the studied intersections. Residential streets are classified as local or collector streets as per the Circulation Element. City staff may also identify any additional intersections or roadway segments for evaluation.
3.2. Data Collection and Study Periods
Traffic volume data for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians must be collected during the two-hour peak periods on weekdays, specifically the AM (7:00 AM to 9:00 AM) and PM (4:00 PM to 6:00 PM) periods. A Level of Service (LOS) analysis for these periods must be conducted at all study intersections. Moreover, twenty-four (24) hour daily vehicle counts should be obtained for all roadway segments within the study area, and these counts must be included in the appendix of the analysis report.
Existing traffic counts may be utilized if they are less than twelve (12) months old and if recent development has not significantly altered the traffic volumes. Approval from City staff is required for using existing traffic counts.
Traffic counts should be conducted on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday during school sessions and should avoid weeks with major holidays. During the scoping process, City staff may mandate additional analysis periods and traffic counts based on the project’s unique traffic patterns, such as proximity to schools or event centers.
3.3. Study Scenarios
The analysis should evaluate intersection and roadway segment LOS for the following scenarios:
- Existing Conditions
- Opening Year Conditions
- Opening Year Plus Project Conditions (adding project-generated traffic to Opening Year volumes)
- Cumulative Conditions (usually based on the year aligned with the cumulative Glendale Model, determined in consultation with City staff)
- Cumulative Plus Project Conditions (adding project-generated traffic to cumulative traffic volumes)
3.4. Future Traffic Volume Forecasting Methodology
Upon establishing the cumulative analysis year with City staff, traffic volumes for the opening year and cumulative year must be developed. Future volumes should be forecasted using outputs from both base year and future year versions of the Glendale Model. Volumes must be interpolated for intersections and roadway segments not included in the model.
City staff must approve any alternative methods for forecasting future volumes, such as using general growth rates. The City may require specific approved projects to be included in the Opening Year forecasts, depending on staff discretion.
3.5. Trip Generation, Distribution, and Assignment
The project-generated vehicle trips should be estimated using the most recent edition of the ITE Trip Generation Manual or approved local trip generation rates for unique land uses, if available. Appropriate trip reductions may be applied for internal capture, proximity to transit, or transportation demand management (TDM) strategies. If a project is located in a high-quality transit area, a reduction of up to five (5) percent can be applied to the trip generation estimate. Any TDM strategies integrated into the project must also be factored into the trip generation estimate. However, it’s important to note that TDM reductions related to VMT impact mitigation cannot be applied unless unacceptable traffic operations have been identified.
A summary table should provide projected weekday daily, AM peak hour, and PM peak hour trip generation estimates for the proposed project. This table should include trip generation rates, factors, sources, and delineate inbound and outbound trips.
Trip distribution must be developed, with project trips assigned to study intersections and roadway segments based on existing travel patterns and the relative locations of complementary land uses or via a select zone run from the Glendale Model (in consultation with City staff). A figure showing the percentage of trips to and from the project along the surrounding roadway network must be included, along with a figure illustrating peak hour project-only trips at the driveways, study intersections, and roadway segments based on the trip distribution.
3.6. Operations Analysis Methodology
The analysis of peak hour intersection LOS must evaluate Existing, Opening Year, Opening Year Plus Project, Cumulative, and Cumulative Plus Project conditions using the latest edition of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) methodology. For residential streets, the daily volume/capacity (V/C) ratios should be calculated based on the daily volume capacities specified in the current Circulation Element.
3.7. Level of Service Standards
The City of Glendale aims to maintain acceptable operations at intersections and roadway segments according to the LOS standards outlined in the General Plan Circulation Element. The local transportation analysis should identify intersections and roadway segments performing below acceptable levels under no project and/or plus project scenarios, alongside potential improvements to enhance performance.
A traffic operations issue arises for study intersections if the proposed project results in any of the following:
- An intersection that operates at acceptable LOS begins operating at an unacceptable LOS (according to Circulation Element standards).
- The average delay at a study intersection that is already operating at an unacceptable LOS increases by 5.0 seconds or more due to project traffic.
For study segments, the analysis should identify segments that exceed capacity under no project and/or plus project conditions, determining if the project-generated daily traffic leads to a residential street exceeding its capacity.
3.8. Other Analysis Requirements
In addition to LOS analysis, the local transportation assessment must include:
- Site Access and On-Site Circulation: Review site access and circulation for vehicles, heavy vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians, identifying areas needing improvement.
- Driveway Sight Distance: Analyze sight distance for all signalized and unsignalized driveways, pinpointing any deficiencies.
- Parking Analysis: Compare the project's proposed parking supply with parking requirements and expected peak parking demand (using ITE parking rates). For mixed-use projects, assess the viability of shared parking arrangements. Additionally, evaluate bicycle parking supply against code requirements (if applicable).
- Vehicle Queuing: Assess inbound and outbound vehicle queuing at project driveways, noting any on-site deficiencies or conflicts with circulation. The adequacy of turn pocket storage lengths at off-site study intersections must also be evaluated based on 95th percentile queues. On-site queuing analysis is particularly crucial for projects featuring a drive-thru component.
The project applicant should conduct any further analysis deemed necessary by City staff, as determined during a scoping meeting. This could encompass passenger loading demand analyses, freight loading demand analyses, and truck turning templates.
3.9. Cross-Jurisdictional Analysis
If a project impacts another jurisdiction—such as Caltrans, the County of Los Angeles, LA Metro, or neighboring cities—coordination with that jurisdiction may be required. City of Glendale staff will provide guidance and necessary contact information for these other jurisdictions.
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