Introduction
Purpose of the Transportation Impact Analysis Guidelines
The Transportation Impact Analysis Guidelines serve as a comprehensive resource detailing requirements for transportation analysis in the City of Hayward. These guidelines provide structured processes and requirements for assessing the impacts of development projects, City-initiated transportation projects, and amendments to the General Plan on the local transportation system. They achieve this by:
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Establishing Review Procedures and Documentation Standards: These guidelines lay out the procedural steps and documentation required for project review, ensuring consistent and thorough evaluation of transportation impacts. They apply to various project types, including development projects, City transportation projects, and General Plan amendments, aiming to streamline compliance and clarity in transportation planning.
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Defining Screening Criteria, Thresholds, and Monitoring Requirements under CEQA: The guidelines set forth specific screening criteria to determine if a transportation analysis is necessary, alongside the thresholds of significance adopted under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). They also include predefined mitigation measures to address identified impacts and outline requirements for monitoring these mitigations over time.
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Criteria for Local Transportation Analysis (LTA): The guidelines specify when a Local Transportation Analysis (LTA) is needed. The LTA considers project-specific characteristics to determine potential impacts on the local transportation network, ensuring that projects meeting specific criteria undergo further scrutiny.
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Project Attributes and Impact Determination: By outlining key project attributes, the guidelines ensure that factors contributing to local transportation impacts are systematically evaluated. These factors include anticipated changes in traffic patterns, proximity to transit, pedestrian and bicycle access, and anticipated congestion levels.
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Methodologies and Procedures for Impact Mitigation: The guidelines establish a clear framework for identifying and applying appropriate mitigation measures for project impacts. These procedures are intended to guide planners, project developers, and City staff in addressing and alleviating potential adverse effects on Hayward's transportation system.
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
In line with Senate Bill 743 (SB 743), the framework for analyzing transportation impacts under CEQA transitioned on July 1, 2020, from traditional "level of service" (LOS) metrics, which focused on roadway capacity and vehicle delay, to the metric of "vehicle miles traveled" (VMT). This shift represents a change in focus from vehicular congestion impacts to the broader environmental impact of travel distances associated with a project. VMT, in essence, reflects the total distance driven by vehicles as they access destinations, which allows for a more comprehensive assessment of transportation-related environmental impacts.
While SB 743 mandates that VMT be the primary measure for evaluating transportation impacts under CEQA, it does not eliminate LOS as a metric for local operational analyses. The City may still use LOS in contexts outside of CEQA where understanding roadway congestion and capacity remains relevant, particularly for planning day-to-day traffic management and ensuring efficient operational performance on local roadways.
General Plan Goals and Policies
In 2014, the City Council of Hayward adopted an updated General Plan to guide development through 2040, with a strong emphasis on sustainable land use, mobility, and community-oriented growth. The General Plan provides a roadmap for future development, linking transportation policy with overall urban growth strategies. To this end, all development projects, transportation-related City initiatives, and amendments to the General Plan are evaluated based on their alignment with General Plan objectives, supporting Hayward’s larger vision of connected, sustainable urban development.
On June 16, 2020, the General Plan was amended to incorporate VMT as the standard measure for transportation impact analysis in alignment with SB 743 requirements. This update replaced the previously used LOS metric under CEQA, enabling a more environmentally focused approach to transportation planning that encourages efficient and sustainable travel patterns.
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and Future Growth
Hayward’s General Plan aims to support high-density, transit-accessible development by establishing Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Overlay Districts. These districts prioritize intensified, mixed-use development near major transit nodes, such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stations. The TOD approach supports the General Plan’s goals of reducing dependency on personal vehicles, promoting more sustainable urban mobility, and enhancing access to public transportation. This strategy aligns with Hayward's sustainability goals by encouraging more residents to live and work within walking or transit-accessible distance, minimizing VMT and reducing the city’s overall environmental footprint.
Through these guidelines and General Plan policies, Hayward commits to a transportation planning framework that fosters balanced growth, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and promotes a multimodal, inclusive transportation network.
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