Transportation Impact Analysis Guidelines
State and federal laws mandate that building intensities in the Land Use Element of a General Plan must correlate with the capacity of the Circulation Element. The City requires a Transportation Study (TS) to adequately assess the impact of land use proposals on the current and future circulation system and to ensure compliance with CEQA laws and guidelines.
These TS Guidelines outline both CEQA-based and non-CEQA-based requirements for anyone proposing development in the City. They should be used in conjunction with the City’s Local CEQA Guidelines and Municipal Code to navigate the development review process.
For decades, the TS has been a part of the CEQA process, primarily analyzing project impacts using intersection and/or roadway segment Level of Service (LOS). However, with the passage of SB 743, changes to the TS process are necessary. Specifically, a TS may now be required as a stand-alone document, separate from the CEQA process, providing information necessary for project approval decisions.
The purpose of these TS guidelines is to offer general instructions for analyzing the potential transportation impacts of proposed development projects. They present the recommended format and methodology for preparing a TS.
Application of Guidelines
An applicant seeking project approval must submit the proposed project to the City with a planning and land use approval application. Following a preliminary review by City Staff, the applicant will be informed by the project planner whether a TS is required. The TS should consider changes in both LOS and Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT).
A TS that includes LOS analysis is required if the proposed development is expected to generate more than 100 vehicle trips during either the AM or PM peak hours, or add 51 or more trips during either peak period to any intersection. A traffic study may also be required for smaller projects based on land use and location, at the City's discretion.
Refer to the section "Non-CEQA Transportation Assessment" for details on when LOS analysis is required.
A TS that includes VMT assessment is required for proposed projects that do not satisfy the identified project screening criteria:
- Transit Priority Areas Screening
- Low VMT-generating Areas Screening
- Project Type Screening
Refer to the section "CEQA Assessment - VMT Analysis" for details on these screening criteria.
Projects may be screened from VMT analysis and require LOS analysis, or vice-versa. If insufficient information is available to assess a proposal’s traffic impact, the City Traffic Engineer will decide if a TS is necessary.
Organization of Guidelines
The guidelines document is organized as follows to provide background information, assessment for congestion management/General Plan Consistency (e.g., LOS analysis), and CEQA assessment (e.g., VMT analysis):
- Introduction
- Non-CEQA Transportation Assessment
- CEQA Assessment - VMT Analysis
- CEQA Assessment - Active Transportation and Public Transit Analysis
- Transportation Impact Analysis Format
Our Services are available throughout LA County including Covina city with Zipcode 91723