A. CONCLUSIONS OF THE FGEIS

Transcription

1 Chapter 11: Traffic and Parking A. CONCLUSIONS OF THE FGEIS The FGEIS found that the Approved Plan will generate a substantial volume of vehicular and pedestrian activity, including an estimated 1,300 to 1,700 peak hour vehicle trips in 2009 and an estimated additional 850 to 1,250 vehicle trips in This represents an increase of approximately 5 percent over traffic volumes that would have been expected in the future had the events of September 11 not occurred. When added to the volume of traffic generated by background development projects, the Approved Plan will have significant traffic impacts at up to 18 of the 40 locations analyzed for year 2009 conditions and up to 25 of the 40 locations in 2015 (based on criteria set forth in the CEQR Technical Manual, significant impacts include increases in average vehicle delays as short as 1 to 5 seconds). A potential set of street direction changes near the Project Site was also evaluated, including the following: making Vesey one-way eastbound between Route 9A and Church ; narrowing the roadway width of Greenwich within the Project Site and widening its sidewalks; making the truck entrance ramp into the underground parking garage along the north side of Liberty into a two-directional ramp that will also allow cars parked under the site to exit via this ramp rather than having only the single exit along Vesey ; and retaining Albany as a one-way eastbound street rather than making it one-way westbound as was analyzed for the Approved Plan. Some locations improved while others will be adversely affected; the overall impacts were generally similar. Subsequent to the completion of the FGEIS, a Northern Service Alternative was evaluated, with the same amount, type, and location of development on the Project Site, but with an improved ability to proceed with the initial phase of development construction of the Freedom Tower on the northern part of the Project Site since parking and delivery vehicle access will be provided in advance of the entire underground parking garage and truck delivery area being completed. The significant traffic impact findings were also very comparable to those analyzed in the FGEIS. The amount of parking to be provided under all of the alternatives discussed above 1,200 spaces overall on the Project Site plus nearby off-street parking facilities was found to be sufficient to address site redevelopment needs. For each of the site plan alternatives considered, Greenwich and Fulton s will be extended through the Project Site and serve significant traffic volumes in the southbound and westbound directions, respectively. Greenwich will provide access to the Memorial and Museum s front door and be mostly used by taxis and tour buses at this major access point. Route 9A will serve as the major regional access route since it is the major north-south arterial in the area and connects the Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel, Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, and FDR Drive with the site. Entrance to the underground parking garage will be from Vesey. For conditions with an at-grade arterial design along Route 9A, exits will occur onto Liberty. For conditions with 11-1

2 World Trade Center Memorial and Redevelopment Plan Environmental Assessment for Proposed Refinements the Route 9A short bypass tunnel design, garage exits could be made directly onto the main road of northbound Route 9A. The majority of the significantly impacted intersections could be mitigated via standard traffic capacity improvements, such as signal phasing and timing modifications, parking regulation changes, enforcement, and intersection approach channelization and lane striping changes. In 2009, up to one intersection could only be partially mitigated for the Approved Plan, while two others could not be mitigated at all (Route 9A at Vesey and at the entrance to the Brooklyn- Battery Tunnel). In 2015, one to five intersections could be partially mitigated for the Approved Plan while two to three could not be mitigated at all (the same two locations identified above plus the intersection of Route 9A and Fulton only for the at-grade arterial design of Route 9A). For the alternative with street direction changes, there will generally be one partially mitigated intersection plus up to four unmitigated intersections with the at-grade arterial design for Route 9A and just one to two unmitigated intersections with the short bypass tunnel design. In 2015, up to five intersections could be partially mitigated while five intersections could not be mitigated at all with the at-grade arterial design and just two being unmitigated with the short bypass tunnel design (Route 9A at Chambers and at the entrance to the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel). B. PROPOSED REFINEMENTS POTENTIALLY AFFECTING TRAFFIC AND PARKING The Proposed Refinements incorporate the street direction changes made for the FGEIS street network following completion of the DGEIS, and were used in the FGEIS s analyses. Specifically, for the FGEIS, Vesey between Route 9A and Church was converted to one-way eastbound, a median cut-through was included at the intersection of Route 9A and Fulton so that westbound Fulton traffic could turn left onto Route 9A southbound, and Greenwich between Barclay and Vesey was closed to general traffic. The FGEIS also included access modifications to the site s garage. Under the Proposed Refinements, Liberty would consist of a four-lane section with two lanes per direction between Route 9A and Church beginning in At the Liberty intersections with Route 9A, Greenwich, and Church, all possible turning movements would be permitted; there would be no turn prohibitions. An interim service option has been analyzed for the Freedom Tower and Tower 2 including truck access on the north side of Tower 2 for year 2009 conditions. Truck screening would occur on Liberty, similar to Northern Service Option 2 analyzed after the FGEIS. Permanent auto access to parking for these northern buildings would be provided beginning in 2009 on the south side of Vesey between Washington and Greenwich s below the Performing Arts Complex. As in the FGEIS, bus drop-offs and pick-ups would continue to occur along Greenwich, and buses would park in the main garage after discharging passengers. In 2015, truck and bus access to the underground garage level would occur at a single location on the south side of Liberty approximately 150 feet east of Route 9A. Autos would be able to access the garage at the same location, or access Freedom Tower parking (similar to the Northern Service Option analyzed subsequent to the FGEIS) on the south side of Vesey below the Performing Arts Complex. All vehicle types can enter the main garage from eastbound or westbound Liberty westbound left-turns would be permissible and facilitated by a left-turn only lane. 11-2

3 Chapter 11: Traffic and Parking Other refinements include: Westbound Cedar would terminate at Greenwich and resume in the westbound direction for one block between northbound Washington and Route 9A, where its access to Route 9A would consist of right-turns only; Washington south of the Project Site would be southbound south of eastbound-only Albany and northbound for one block between Albany and Cedar s; and Washington north of Vesey would be northbound to Barclay and used mainly for 7 WTC deliveries. Dey /Way and Cortlandt /Way would not be extended west of Church for vehicular traffic in these analyses; they would be used by pedestrians only. Traffic volume networks were developed for the Proposed Refinements for conditions in 2009 and 2015, both with Route 9A at-grade arterial and short bypass tunnel design alternatives. The Proposed Refinements trip generation rates and total site percentage traffic increases were the same as those for the FGEIS. However, the traffic assignments and diversions for the FGEIS were modified for the Proposed Refinements due to the changes in street directions in the site layout previously discussed. Generally, any differences in the volume networks between FGEIS and the Proposed Refinements would occur south of Chambers and west of Broadway, with no significant volume changes at analysis locations along Canal, Worth, Chambers, and Rector, or at the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel AUTOS Freedom Tower office-generated autos would access the Freedom Tower parking garage similar to the FGEIS Northern Service Option. Auto trips would approach from all directions, converge at Vesey along northbound or southbound Route 9A, and turn onto eastbound Vesey to turn right into the garage between Washington and Greenwich s on the south side of Vesey. Autos would exit this garage by turning right onto eastbound Vesey and then turn south on Greenwich to Fulton to either northbound or southbound Route 9A, or would proceed eastbound on Vesey to Church (and either north on Church toward the Holland Tunnel, turn left at Barclay to northbound Route 9A, or continue east on Vesey to the Brooklyn Bridge or the FDR Drive northbound via the Battery Park underpass). Non-office autos would park at off-site facilities using the same traffic assignments as the FGEIS, with the exception of maneuvers in the vicinity of Liberty. A small amount of offsite autos would use westbound Liberty to access Route 9A AUTOS Autos can access the site in two ways. Autos destined to the Freedom Tower parking garage would access the site as described above. Office-only auto trips to the main garage would approach the site on northbound Church, southbound Greenwich, or northbound or southbound Route 9A, turn onto Liberty, and turn right or left into the main garage on the south side of Liberty between Route 9A and Greenwich. Autos would exit the Freedom Tower garage as described above. Autos would exit the main garage by turning right onto Liberty, continuing through Greenwich to Church, and predominantly turn left on Church and turn left again onto Fulton in order to access northbound and southbound Route 9A. A small portion of autos would proceed south on Greenwich to Rector, or would continue east on Liberty to Broadway and go south to State and Battery Place to access the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel or the northbound FDR Drive via Water. In the Route 9A short bypass tunnel alternative, 11-3

4 World Trade Center Memorial and Redevelopment Plan Environmental Assessment for Proposed Refinements autos exiting the main garage can either use Liberty or exit directly into the northbound Route 9A tunnel TAXIS Taxis can be assumed to travel via the same general routing as used in the FGEIS. A two-way Liberty would not affect Freedom Tower taxi trips, but a portion of departing Memorial, retail or restaurant taxi trips, either pick-ups or drop-offs, could use westbound Liberty to access Route 9A TAXIS Office taxi trips departing Towers 4 and 5 would use westbound Liberty to access Route 9A. Other taxi trips between 2009 and 2015 would not be affected by a two-way Liberty TRUCKS Trucks would make deliveries similar to the Northern Service Option 2 analyzed post-fgeis, but use temporary elevators at Tower 2 on the south side of Vesey. Security screening would occur at the Liberty main garage entrance ramp, and trucks would then proceed east on Liberty, north on Church, west on Fulton, north on Route 9A, and east on Vesey to the Tower 2 truck elevators TRUCKS Trucks that delivered to the Tower 2 elevators in 2009 would use the main garage in 2015, along with all other deliveries. Trucks would approach the site predominantly on Route 9A and turn onto Liberty to enter the garage. Exiting trucks would turn right onto Liberty to Church, travel north to Fulton, turn left, and travel north or south on Route 9A. A small portion of trucks would continue north on Church to westbound Barclay or out of the primary study area, or east on Liberty to Broadway. For the Route 9A short bypass tunnel design, trucks exiting the main garage can either use Liberty or exit directly into the northbound Route 9A tunnel BUSES Buses would access the Memorial generally the same way as assumed in the FGEIS, by turning onto Vesey and dropping off passengers on Greenwich. However, after drop-offs, buses would proceed to the Liberty garage by turning right onto westbound Liberty and left into the garage. To pick up passengers, buses would turn right onto eastbound Liberty, left onto northbound Church, left predominantly onto Fulton with a small portion continuing north on Church to Barclay, and turn south onto Greenwich. After picking up passengers, buses would mostly turn right on westbound Liberty to return to Route 9A, while a small percentage would turn left on eastbound Liberty to Church. The direct garage access to the northbound Route 9A short bypass tunnel would not be used by buses since buses exiting the garage will need to travel on local streets to retrieve passengers BUSES Buses would circulate the same way in 2015 as described above for

5 Chapter 11: Traffic and Parking C. PROBABLE IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED REFINEMENTS Since the Proposed Refinements would permit westbound traffic movements along Liberty between Church and Route 9A, similar to the pre-september 11 condition, a portion of vehicles that used alternate routes to access Route 9A northbound for points north of the site and Greenwich for points south of the site under the FGEIS s analyses were assumed to divert to westbound Liberty. Specifically, vehicles that used a Church /Fulton route to access northbound Route 9A were assumed to divert to westbound Liberty from Church /Trinity Place to access northbound Route 9A. This would result in a small number of trips (approximately 25 to 30 vehicles per hour (vph)) being diverted from northbound Church onto westbound Liberty. Similarly, some vehicles that were assumed to use Greenwich as a southbound route through the Project Site in the FGEIS were assumed to divert to westbound Liberty to access southbound Route 9A. However, because the majority of background trips diverted to southbound Greenwich in the FGEIS would be destined to points south and east of the Liberty intersection, very few vehicles would be expected to divert from southbound Greenwich to westbound Liberty with the Proposed Refinements. A nominal amount (15 20 vph) of background trips on southbound Greenwich could be expected to divert onto westbound Liberty to southbound Route 9A. The total background trip diversions to westbound Liberty from southbound Greenwich and northbound Church s would range from 40 to 50 vph. Because the westbound connection to Route 9A would only extend from Church and a direct connection to Broadway or the Financial District would not be provided, only low to moderate background volumes are estimated to divert to westbound Liberty. TRAFFIC VOUME CHANGES BETWEEN THE FGEIS AND THE PROPOSED REFINEMENTS 2009 BUILD TRAFFIC VOLUMES WITH ROUTE 9A AT-GRADE Due to relocation of the ramp on Liberty, there would be both positive and negative changes in Route 9A northbound and southbound volumes between Vesey and Liberty for 2009 compared with the FGEIS. The range of volumes described here and in sections that follow refers to the range of traffic volumes that are projected for the AM, midday, and PM peak analysis hours. Southbound Route 9A Compared with the FGEIS, southbound Route 9A traffic volumes between Vesey and Liberty with the Proposed Refinements would increase slightly by up to about 15 vph. There would be little change because ingress to the ramp would still be provided reasonably close to Route 9A. Northbound Route 9A There would be a slight decrease of approximately vph in northbound Route 9A traffic volumes between Liberty and Vesey s. Although the relocation of the ramp on Liberty would cause most vehicles exiting the garage to divert north along Church to Fulton or Barclay to Route 9A instead of Route 9A northbound directly, westbound 11-5

6 World Trade Center Memorial and Redevelopment Plan Environmental Assessment for Proposed Refinements Liberty background traffic and a portion of site-generated volumes would counteract the loss in egress volumes. Also, due to the shift of the ramp and the new westbound link from the site to Route 9A on Liberty, tour buses could access the ramp from southbound Greenwich by turning right onto Liberty and then left into the ramp, instead of circulating west on Cedar and north on Route 9A to access the ramp as assumed in the FGEIS. The new routing would cause a decrease of approximately vph turning right from northbound Route 9A at Liberty. Greenwich Along Greenwich between Vesey and Liberty, there would be an increase of up to 10 vph compared with the FGEIS, with a portion of Greenwich traffic now turning southbound right onto Liberty. Church Along the Church corridor between Liberty and Barclay, there would be an increase of approximately vph compared with the FGEIS. The right-turn only egress from the main garage on Liberty would cause the northbound left turn from Church onto Fulton to increase by approximately vph. Liberty Since the ramp with the Proposed Refinements would be mid-block between Route 9A and Greenwich, there would be an increase of approximately vph traveling eastbound along Liberty between Route 9A and Church. Specifically, the Liberty eastbound through movement at Greenwich and eastbound left-turn movement at Church would increase by approximately vph and vph, respectively. The new westbound direction of Liberty would carry approximately vph with the Proposed Refinements, with most vehicles turning left into the site garage. Fulton and Barclay Most of the vehicles from the ramp on Liberty would use Fulton to access northbound and southbound Route 9A, and a smaller portion of those exiting vehicles would use Barclay to access northbound Route 9A. Compared with the FGEIS, Fulton volumes between Church and Route 9A would increase by approximately vph. Furthermore, along Barclay between Church and Route 9A, there would be an increase of approximately vph. Vesey Due to differences in the garage configurations between the FGEIS and the Proposed Refinements, there would be slight volume shifts along Vesey. For the Proposed Refinements in 2009 and 2015, the Freedom Tower garage would provide parking to Freedom Tower employee autos, similar to the Northern Service Option. In 2009 only, temporary truck access would be provided along the south side of Vesey mid-block between Greenwich and Church s below Tower 2, as previously discussed. As a result, there would be an increase of approximately 5 25 vph along Vesey between Route 9A and Church. 11-6

7 Chapter 11: Traffic and Parking 2015 BUILD TRAFFIC VOLUMES WITH ROUTE 9A AT-GRADE Due to assignment revisions of vehicles entering and exiting the relocated ramp on Liberty, there would be both increases and decreases in Route 9A northbound and southbound volumes between Vesey and Liberty in 2015 compared with the FGEIS. Southbound Route 9A There would be up to approximately 95 fewer vph turning from southbound Route 9A onto Vesey. Up to approximately 35 vph of the diverted left-turn traffic would access the ramp by traveling southbound along Route 9A and turning left onto Liberty, while the remaining volume would access the ramp via an interior route southbound along West Broadway/Greenwich to Liberty westbound. Northbound Route 9A On northbound Route 9A, there would be approximately fewer vph between Liberty and Fulton. The volume drop would result from two circulation changes: 1) the exit ramp right-turn volumes onto Route 9A in the FGEIS would be replaced by lower volumes from westbound Liberty with the Proposed Refinements a reduction of approximately vph; and 2) approximately vph would divert from the northbound Route 9A through movement to the northbound right-turn movement onto Liberty, to access the ramp. Between Fulton and Vesey, the Route 9A northbound through movement and right turn onto Vesey would decrease by approximately vph and vph, respectively. Greenwich Along Greenwich between Vesey and Liberty, there would be an increase of approximately vph for the Proposed Refinements as compared with the FGEIS, with a portion of Greenwich traffic now turning right onto westbound Liberty. Church Along the Church corridor between Liberty and Barclay, there would be an increase of approximately vph as compared with the FGEIS. The new routing due to relocation of the ramp on Liberty would cause the northbound left turn from Church onto Fulton to increase by approximately vph. Liberty Since the ramp would be mid-block between Route 9A and Greenwich, there would be an increase of up to 325 vph traveling eastbound along Liberty between Route 9A and Church. Specifically, the Liberty eastbound through movement at Greenwich and eastbound left-turn movement at Church would increase by approximately vph and vph, respectively. Westbound Liberty would carry up to about 325 vph with most vehicles turning left into the ramp. Fulton and Barclay Under the Proposed Refinements, most of the vehicles exiting the ramp on Liberty would use Fulton to access northbound and southbound Route 9A, or Barclay to access northbound Route 9A. Compared with the FGEIS, Fulton volumes between Church and Route 9A would increase by up to about 170 vph. Along Barclay between Church and Route 9A, there would be an increase of approximately vph. 11-7

8 World Trade Center Memorial and Redevelopment Plan Environmental Assessment for Proposed Refinements Vesey Due to differences in the garage configurations between the FGEIS and the Proposed Refinements, there would be slight volume decreases along Vesey. As a result, there would be a decrease of approximately vph along Vesey between Route 9A and Church BUILD TRAFFIC VOLUMES WITH ROUTE 9A SHORT BYPASS Route 9A Compared with the FGEIS, northbound Route 9A traffic volumes between Liberty and Vesey along the at-grade section would increase slightly by up to approximately 40 vph. However, there would be a decrease of approximately vph exiting the site garage directly into the northbound Route 9A bypass tunnel section. Other volume differences between the FGEIS and the Proposed Refinements would be similar to those discussed in the 2009 at-grade alternative. Greenwich and Church For these streets, any volume differences between the FGEIS and the Proposed Refinements would be similar to those described in the 2009 at-grade alternative. Liberty Since the ramp would be mid-block between Route 9A and Greenwich, there would be an increase of approximately vph traveling eastbound along Liberty between Route 9A and Church. Specifically, the Liberty eastbound through movement at Greenwich and eastbound left-turn movement at Church would increase by approximately vph and vph, respectively. Fulton and Barclay Compared with the FGEIS, Fulton traffic volumes between Church and Route 9A would increase slightly by up to approximately 10 vph. Along Barclay between Church and Route 9A, there would be an increase of approximately vph. Vesey Similar to the Route 9A at-grade alternative, there would be an increase of approximately 5 25 vph along Vesey between Route 9A and Church BUILD TRAFFIC VOLUMES WITH ROUTE 9A SHORT BYPASS Route 9A Volume changes between the FGEIS and the Proposed Refinements for Route 9A southbound would be the same as those for the 2015 at-grade alternative. Compared with the FGEIS, northbound Route 9A traffic volumes between Liberty and Vesey along the atgrade section would increase slightly by up to approximately 40 vph. However, there would be a decrease of approximately vph exiting the site garage directly into the northbound Route 9A bypass tunnel section because of direct access to interior sections of Lower Manhattan via eastbound Liberty. 11-8

9 Chapter 11: Traffic and Parking Greenwich and Church For Greenwich, volume differences would be similar to those for the 2015 at-grade alternative. Along the Church corridor between Liberty and Barclay, there would be an increase of approximately vph, compared with the FGEIS. The new routing due to relocation of the site garage on Liberty would cause the northbound left turn from Church onto Fulton to increase by up to approximately 45 vph. Liberty The Liberty eastbound through movement at Greenwich and eastbound left-turn movement at Church would increase by approximately vph and vph, respectively. Westbound Liberty would carry up to about 235 vph, with most vehicles turning left into the site garage. Fulton and Barclay Compared with the FGEIS, Fulton traffic volumes between Church and Route 9A would increase slightly by up to approximately 45 vph. Along Barclay between Church and Route 9A, there would be an increase of approximately vph. Vesey Similar to the Route 9A at-grade alternative, there would be a decrease of approximately vph along Vesey between Route 9A and Church. LEVELS OF SERVICE, SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS AND MITIGATION COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE FGEIS AND PROPOSED REFINEMENTS Since the differences in the volume networks between the FGEIS and the Proposed Refinements would occur south of Chambers and west of Broadway, with no significant volume changes at analysis locations along Canal, Worth, Chambers, and Rector, or at the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, there would not be any changes in levels of service or impacts along those corridors. Future traffic levels of service in 2009 and 2015 with the Proposed Refinements were calculated using the methodologies presented in the FGEIS, and compared with the FGEIS for both the Route 9A at-grade arterial design option and the Route 9A short bypass tunnel option. YEAR 2009 CONDITIONS WITH ROUTE 9A AT-GRADE ARTERIAL DESIGN The analyses conducted in the FGEIS indicated that there would be intersections significantly impacted, while for the Proposed Refinements, intersections would be significantly impacted. This means that there is no material difference regarding the number of impacted locations. These analyses are summarized in Table 11-1 only for the intersections within the core area bounded by Chambers to the north, Rector to the south, Broadway to the east and Route 9A to the west (there would be no volume differences, and therefore no potential impact differences, for the rest of the FGEIS s traffic study area). As shown in Table 11-1, there would be no intersections with significant new impacts in 2009 as a result of the Proposed Refinements. In the AM and midday peak hours, the intersection of Greenwich and Fulton would no longer be significantly impacted with the Proposed 11-9

10 World Trade Center Memorial and Redevelopment Plan Environmental Assessment for Proposed Refinements Table 11-1 Comparison of Locations with Significant Impacts for FGEIS and Proposed Refinements, 2009 Build Condition with Route 9A At-Grade FGEIS Proposed Refinements Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Intersections AM MD PM AM MD PM Signalized Route 9A at Vesey ** ** * ** ** * Route 9A at Fulton ** * Route 9A at Liberty West Broadway/Greenwich at Vesey Greenwich at Fulton Greenwich at Liberty Church at Barclay Church at Vesey Church at Fulton Church at Dey Church at Cortlandt Church at Liberty West Broadway at Barclay Unsignalized Route 9A at Barclay Notes: = the intersection would be significantly impacted. No * = the intersection would be fully mitigated. * = the intersection would be partially mitigated. ** = no mitigation measures available. Refinements, as it was in the FGEIS. The impact would not occur because there would be an additional travel lane along Greenwich between Vesey and Liberty with the Proposed Refinements. During the AM peak hour, the intersection of Route 9A and Fulton would be impacted with overall LOS D as in the FGEIS; however, with the Proposed Refinements, the intersection would be partially mitigated as opposed to having no available mitigation measures as analyzed in the FGEIS. During the PM peak hour, the impacted locations would be similar to those in the FGEIS. The new, unsignalized ramp intersection on Liberty would not be significantly impacted in any of the three peak hours. YEAR 2015 CONDITIONS WITH ROUTE 9A AT-GRADE ARTERIAL DESIGN The analyses conducted for the FGEIS indicated that there would be intersections significantly impacted; nearly the identical number, intersections, would be significantly impacted with the Proposed Refinements. Table 11-2 summarizes this information for locations within the core area

11 Chapter 11: Traffic and Parking Table 11-2 Comparison of Locations with Significant Impacts for FGEIS and Proposed Refinements 2015 Build Condition with Route 9A At-Grade FGEIS Proposed Refinements Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Intersections AM MD PM AM MD PM Signalized Route 9A at Vesey ** ** ** ** ** ** Route 9A at Fulton ** ** ** * * Route 9A at Liberty ** ** ** * * West Broadway/Greenwich at Vesey Greenwich at Fulton Greenwich at Liberty * Church at Barclay Church at Vesey Church at Fulton Church at Dey Church at Cortlandt Church at Liberty West Broadway at Barclay Unsignalized Route 9A at Barclay Notes: = the intersection would be significantly impacted. No * = the intersection would be fully mitigated. * = the intersection would be partially mitigated. ** = no mitigation measures available. In the midday and PM peak hours, the intersection of West Broadway and Vesey would no longer be significantly impacted with the Proposed Refinements it was significantly impacted in the FGEIS analysis because of the decrease in eastbound volumes along Vesey. At the intersection of West Broadway and Barclay under the Proposed Refinements, the westbound approach would have a significant impact, with LOS E and F in the AM and PM peak hours, respectively, whereas it was not significantly impacted in the FGEIS analysis. Under the Proposed Refinements, full mitigation of the impacts could be achieved at this intersection. In the FGEIS during all three peak periods, significant traffic impacts at the intersection of Greenwich and Liberty would be fully mitigated by signal timing modifications. With the Proposed Refinements, the intersection would also require lane striping modifications to be fully or partially mitigated, to overall LOS C or D conditions. The intersection of Route 9A at Fulton and Route 9A at Liberty would be fully or partially mitigated under the Proposed Refinements for all three peak periods; in the FGEIS, no effective mitigation measures were available at these two locations. The new, unsignalized ramp intersection on Liberty would be significantly impacted in the AM and midday peak hours, with the northbound right-turn out of the garage operating at LOS F. The installation of a 11-11

12 World Trade Center Memorial and Redevelopment Plan Environmental Assessment for Proposed Refinements traffic signal would not effectively mitigate the impact, since the signal s timing would have to be closely coordinated with the adjacent Liberty signals at Route 9A and at Greenwich. YEAR 2009 CONDITIONS WITH ROUTE 9A SHORT BYPASS TUNNEL In the FGEIS and with the Proposed Refinements, the 2009 and 2015 short bypass tunnel design analyses only involve a subset of intersections, specifically those on Route 9A from Chambers to the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel and others near the core of the World Trade Center Site. Furthermore, Church intersections and the intersection of Greenwich and Liberty were not analyzed for the short bypass tunnel design alternative in the FGEIS, but are analyzed here because of additional site-generated traffic volumes on those streets. For the plan evaluated in the FGEIS, there would be three to four intersections significantly impacted, while three to five intersections would be significantly impacted (plus two to three intersections on Church ) with the Proposed Refinements. This is summarized in Table Table 11-3 Comparison of Subset Locations with Significant Impacts for FGEIS and Proposed Refinements, 2009 Build Condition with Route 9A At-Grade FGEIS Proposed Refinements Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Intersections AM MD PM AM MD PM Signalized Route 9A at Vesey * * * * Route 9A at Fulton Route 9A at Liberty West Broadway/Greenwich at Vesey Greenwich at Fulton Unsignalized Route 9A at Barclay Notes: = the intersection would be significantly impacted. No * = the intersection would be fully mitigated. * = the intersection would be partially mitigated. ** = no mitigation measures available. In the AM and midday peak hours, the intersection of Greenwich and Fulton would no longer be significantly impacted with the Proposed Refinements, as it was in the FGEIS analysis. The intersection of Route 9A and Fulton would be significantly impacted at overall LOS C and D in the midday and PM peak hours, respectively, with the Proposed Refinements. This new impact would be due to an increase in traffic along Fulton and the modified lane configurations. All impacts at this location would be fully mitigated using the same mitigation measure discussed in the FGEIS. The impacted Church locations that were analyzed for the Proposed Refinements, but not the FGEIS, would be mitigated using the same measures applied in the Route 9A at-grade arterial design option. The new, unsignalized ramp intersection on Liberty would not be significantly impacted in any of the three peak hours

13 Chapter 11: Traffic and Parking YEAR 2015 CONDITIONS WITH ROUTE 9A SHORT BYPASS TUNNEL As stated in the Year 2009 Conditions with Route 9A Short Bypass Tunnel above, because the short bypass tunnel would influence changes in traffic volumes generally along Route 9A and within close proximity of the Project Site, only a subset of intersections have been analyzed. For the analyses completed for the FGEIS, there would be five to six intersections significantly impacted; with the Proposed Refinements, six to seven intersections would be significantly impacted (plus three to four intersections on Church ). This is summarized in Table Table 11-4 Comparison of Subset Locations with Significant Impacts for FGEIS and Proposed Refinements, 2015 Build Condition with Route 9A At-Grade FGEIS Proposed Refinements Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Weekday Intersections AM MD PM AM MD PM Signalized Route 9A at Vesey * * * * Route 9A at Fulton Route 9A at Liberty * * * * * West Broadway/Greenwich at Vesey Greenwich at Fulton Unsignalized Route 9A at Barclay Notes: = the intersection would be significantly impacted. No * = the intersection would be fully mitigated. * = the intersection would be partially mitigated. ** = no mitigation measures available. The intersection of Greenwich and Fulton would be impacted only in the AM and PM peak hour with the Proposed Refinements, whereas under the FGEIS analysis it was significantly impacted during all three analysis periods, and the severity of the impacts would be diminished, requiring less rigorous mitigation measures. Also, in the midday and PM peak hours, the intersection of West Broadway and Vesey would not be significantly impacted with the Proposed Refinements, unlike in the FGEIS, due to the decreases in eastbound volumes along Vesey. The intersection of Route 9A and Fulton would be significantly impacted with overall LOS D in all three analysis periods with the Proposed Refinements, but not in the FGEIS. This impact would be due to an increase in traffic along Fulton and the modified lane configurations. All impacts would be fully mitigated. The intersection of Route 9A and Liberty would be fully mitigated to overall LOS E in the AM peak hour under the Proposed Refinements, but only partially mitigated in the FGEIS. Similarly in the PM peak hour, the intersection of Route 9A and Vesey would be fully mitigated to overall LOS D, but only partially mitigated in the FGEIS. Both intersections would require less rigorous measures to achieve full mitigation. With the Proposed Refinements, the intersection of Greenwich and Liberty would be impacted with overall LOS D or E in all three peak periods due to the increased eastbound volumes on Liberty, but would be fully mitigated. The impacted Church locations that were analyzed for the Proposed Refinements, but not the FGEIS, would be mitigated using 11-13

14 World Trade Center Memorial and Redevelopment Plan Environmental Assessment for Proposed Refinements the same measures applied in the at-grade alternative. The new, unsignalized site garage entrance/exit on Liberty would not be significantly impacted in any of the three peak hours. Finally, in general, additional trips that would be added to the section of Church between Liberty and Barclay for both the Route 9A at-grade arterial design option and the short bypass tunnel design option for 2009 and 2015 would have some adverse effect on levels of service along the corridor, as compared with the FGEIS. Specifically in the 2015 at-grade arterial design option, the northbound Church approach at Fulton would become either newly impacted or more severely impacted, with LOS F in all three peak hours, due to the increased left-turn volume from Church onto Fulton. A similar impact would occur at the eastbound Liberty approach at Church, where the left-turn volume would be substantially increased with the Proposed Refinements. However, the mitigation scheme introduced in the FGEIS to mitigate the Church intersections from Liberty to Vesey would fully mitigate all the impacts along the corridor with the Proposed Refinements. Moreover, along that section of Church, the level of service degradations would be less pronounced in the 2009 analysis year, compared with conditions analyzed in the FGEIS. Comparisons of the short bypass tunnel design option between the FGEIS and the Proposed Refinements are not possible since Church was not analyzed in the FGEIS for the short bypass alternatives. Again, for those scenarios the mitigation scheme for Church would fully mitigate all the impacts along the corridor with the Proposed Refinements. CONCLUSIONS The above analysis leads to the following conclusions regarding traffic and parking conditions: 1) The Proposed Refinements would generate the same volume of traffic and have the same general origin-destination patterns as the alternatives analyzed in the FGEIS. The amount of parking to be constructed with the Proposed Refinements would be the same (1,200 spaces) as with the Approved Plan. 2) There would be some changes in the distribution of traffic at or near the Project Site, primarily volumes expected along Vesey, Liberty, Fulton, Church, and Route 9A between Vesey and Liberty s. Generally, taxi trips would not be affected by the proposed changes. Auto and truck trips destined to the site would approach similar to the FGEIS, but autos and trucks leaving the Project Site from the ramp would exit onto eastbound Liberty, generally turn left onto northbound Church, left onto Fulton, and access northbound or southbound Route 9A. Tour buses would approach the site and drop off passengers similar to the FGEIS. But because of the planned westbound Liberty link between Church and Route 9A, buses would not be forced to merge with Route 9A traffic to enter the ramp; buses would turn right from southbound Greenwich to westbound Liberty. Buses exiting the ramp to pick up passengers would also avoid Route 9A traffic until after their pick-ups; buses would circulate on eastbound Liberty to northbound Church generally to westbound Fulton to southbound Greenwich. Again, because of the westbound Liberty link, tour buses could immediately exit the site onto westbound Liberty to northbound or southbound Route 9A. 3) There would be some shift in the locations where traffic impacts could be significant, and require mitigation consideration, but overall the number of locations impacted and the 11-14

15 Chapter 11: Traffic and Parking severity of impacts would be essentially the same as the Approved Plan. For the 2009 atgrade design option, the Approved Plan would have significantly impacted locations, as compared with with the Proposed Refinements. For the 2015 at-grade design option, the Approved Plan would have significantly impacted locations, as compared with with the Proposed Refinements. A comparison between the short bypass design option analyses would follow a similar trend. 4) The types of traffic mitigation measures that would be needed to mitigate significantly impacted locations would be the same as evaluated and required as mitigation for the Approved Plan analyzed in the FGEIS. 5) The Proposed Refinements would result in approximately the same number and type of unmitigated significant traffic impacts. Including both analysis years and design options and all three peak hours, the FGEIS would have three to seven partially mitigated and eight to 13 unmitigated intersections; the Proposed Refinements would have four to nine partially mitigated and six to 10 unmitigated intersections. The number of partially mitigated locations would slightly increase because some unmitigated locations in the FGEIS would be capable of partial mitigation in the new analysis. Depending on analysis year and peak period, two to three intersections on Route 9A that would be unmitigated in the FGEIS would be partially or fully mitigated under the Proposed Refinements. Overall, compared with the Approved Plan, the Proposed Refinements would not result in additional adverse traffic impacts