The following summarizes the information provided in the traffic report prepared by Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc. entitled, Traffic Impact Analysis Report, Proposed 162-Unit Residential and 6,850 Square Foot Retail/Commercial Mixed-Use Development at 6245 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, dated July 2008. This traffic report is included in Appendix H to this Draft EIR.

ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

The project site is located at the northeast corner of Crescent Heights Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard, in the Wilshire Community Plan area of the City of Los Angeles. The area surrounding the site to the north is developed predominantly with single- and multi-family residential uses, although the frontages of the key arterial roadways in the area, including Wilshire Boulevard, San Vicente Boulevard, and Fairfax Avenue, exhibit primarily commercial and retail development. The City of Los Angeles/City of Beverly Hills border is located approximately one-half mile west of the project site. The Farmer’s Market/The Grove retail center, and the CBS Television City studio complex are each located less than one mile to the north of the intersection of Fairfax Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard. Pan Pacific Park, Hancock Park, and the La Brea Tar Pits/Page Museum complex are also located nearby, to the east of the project site.

Area Transportation Facilities

The project area is well served by both regional and local transportation facilities, including several major and secondary arterials and a relatively well-developed local street grid. Regional access to the project vicinity is provided primarily by three nearby freeways, although no direct access to the project site is available via these facilities. The nearest freeway is the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10), located approximately two miles to the south of the project site. Local access to the area is available from this freeway via ramps at Fairfax Avenue and La Brea Avenue. Additionally, the San Diego Freeway (I-405) is located approximately six miles west of the project site, and the Hollywood Freeway (US-101) is located approximately five miles to the northeast, and although both of these freeways provide access ramps to the local street system, neither offer direct access (ramps) to any of the key arterials serving the area.

Streets and Highways

Major and Secondary Highways

Wilshire Boulevard is an east-west Major Highway that forms the southern boundary of the project site. Wilshire Boulevard is a key thoroughfare through the western portion of Los Angeles, providing access between Ocean Avenue in the City of Santa Monica and Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. Although somewhat distant from the Santa Monica Freeway, which generally runs parallel approximately two miles to the south, Wilshire Boulevard provides a highly utilized alternate route to the I-10 freeway,

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serving the West Los Angeles and Westwood communities of the City of Los Angeles, the City of Beverly Hills, and the Mid-Cities area of the City of Los Angeles along the way. In the project area, Wilshire Boulevard exhibits a variable width due to localized dedications and widenings, but generally provides three peak hour travel lanes per direction, plus dedicated left-turn lanes (or a median two-way left turn lane) at most intersections, and exclusive right-turn only lanes at some key locations. On-street parking is generally prohibited along the north side of Wilshire Boulevard through the study area, except within some of the widened areas. Morning (7:00 to 10:00 AM) and afternoon (3:00 to 7:00 PM) parking restrictions are evident along the southern side of the roadway, allowing for the third through lane in the eastbound direction during peak periods.

Crescent Heights Boulevard is a north-south oriented Secondary Highway that provides the western boundary of the project site. Crescent Heights Boulevard provides local access between approximately Sunset Boulevard in the Hollywood/West Hollywood area on the north and Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile community on the south; the roadway is discontinuous as “Crescent Heights Boulevard” between Wilshire Boulevard and Olympic Boulevard, although the Wilshire Boulevard and Olympic Boulevard termini of Crescent Heights Boulevard are connected by McCarthy Vista (Wilshire Boulevard to San Vicente Boulevard) and Carrillo Drive (San Vicente Boulevard to Olympic Boulevard). South of Olympic Boulevard, Crescent Heights Boulevard continues south as a Collector Street until it is downgraded to Local Street status between 18th Street and its southern terminus just north of the I-10 freeway. North of Sunset Boulevard, Crescent Heights Boulevard continues as Laurel Canyon Boulevard through the Santa Monica Mountains and into the San Fernando Valley, where it continues through the Studio City, Valley Village, and North Hollywood communities to terminate at Roscoe Boulevard in the Sun Valley community. Through the project area, Crescent Heights Boulevard typically provides two through lanes in each direction and left-turn channelization is generally not provided in the project vicinity, as numerous left-turn prohibitions are evident at key intersections. Limited on-street parking is permitted on some portions of this street in the project vicinity, although many segments of the roadway exhibit time restricted and/or permit-only parking, or peak hour parking prohibitions (7:00 to 9:00 AM for southbound travel and 4:00 to 7:00 PM for northbound travel).

Fairfax Avenue is another north-south oriented Secondary Highway. Fairfax Avenue is located just east of the project site and provides key surface street access from Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood in the north to just south of I-10, where it terminates at its intersection with La Cienega Boulevard near the City of Culver City. In the project area, Fairfax Avenue is generally striped to provide two through lanes in each direction plus a two-way left-turn lane that provides exclusive left-turn channelization at key intersections. On-street parking is generally provided on the west side of Fairfax Avenue within the project area, although parking is typically prohibited along the east side of the street.

6th Street is an east-west oriented roadway, located approximately one block north of the project site. It is designated as a Secondary Highway east of Fairfax Avenue and a collector street west of Fairfax Avenue. 6th Street provides service between San Vicente Boulevard on the west near Beverly Hills, to downtown Los Angeles, where it becomes the westbound half on a one-way couplet with 5th Street between Beaudry Avenue and Central Avenue. East of Santa Fe Avenue, 6th Street becomes Whittier Boulevard, and

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continues east/southeast into the City of Brea in Orange County. In the project area, east of Fairfax Avenue, 6th Street generally provides two through lanes in each direction, plus left-turn only channelization at key intersections and an intermittent two-way left-turn lane. West of Fairfax Avenue, 6th Street is striped for two travel lanes, but daytime permit parking and/or time-limited parking (two to four-hour metered and unmetered parking) along both sides of the street reduce the effective capacity to a single lane per direction during off peak periods.

San Vicente Boulevard, in the immediate project vicinity, travels generally in a north-south orientation from its northern terminus at Sunset Boulevard in the City of West Hollywood to the intersection of La Cienega Boulevard/Burton Way, where it continues in the southeast direction to its terminus at Venice Boulevard in the Mid-Cities area of the City of Los Angeles. A second portion of San Vicente Boulevard also exists between Federal Avenue in West Los Angeles and Ocean Avenue in the City of Santa Monica, although the roadway is discontinuous between Federal Avenue and Sunset Boulevard. San Vicente Boulevard is designated as a Major Highway/Modified Major Highway throughout its length, with the exception of a single block between Pico Boulevard and Venice Boulevard, where it is downgraded to Secondary Highway status. Within the general project vicinity, between approximately Burton Way and Pico Boulevard, San Vicente Boulevard exhibits three lanes of travel in each direction, and left-turn channelization is provided at most major intersections within a large landscaped median island. Between Sunset Boulevard and Burton Way, the roadway exhibits two travel lanes in each direction plus left-turn channelization at key intersections. On-street parking throughout the study area is generally restricted between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM, although permitted vehicles are exempted.

McCarthy Vista is a Modified Secondary Highway that is essentially an extension of Crescent Heights Boulevard, connecting Wilshire Boulevard on the north with San Vicente Boulevard on the south. McCarthy Vista provides two travel lanes and on-street parking throughout its length, and left-turn channelization is provided within the large landscaped median island.

Local and Collector Streets

Drexel Avenue is a short east-west oriented Local Street located approximately one-quarter mile north of the project site that provides service between Ogden Drive on the east and San Vicente Boulevard on the west. West of San Vicente Boulevard, Drexel Avenue continues into the City of Beverly Hills as Clifton Way, to its terminus at Canon Drive. Within the project area, Drexel Avenue provides a single travel lane in each direction, and on-street parking is typically allowed on both sides of the street throughout the project vicinity.

La Jolla Avenue is a north-south oriented Local Street located just west of the project site that connects Santa Monica Boulevard within the City of West Hollywood on the north with Wilshire Boulevard on the south. Within the project vicinity, La Jolla Avenue is generally unstriped, but provides a single travel lane in each direction, and on-street parking is generally permitted along both sides of the street.

Ogden Drive is a north-south oriented Local Street that is located a few blocks east of the project site. Ogden Drive provides a connection between Hollywood Boulevard in the Hollywood community on the

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north to Venice Boulevard on the south, although the roadway is discontinuous at several locations along this route, including at Fairfax High School, between Melrose Avenue and Rosewood Avenue, through The Grove/Farmer’s Market and CBS Television City sites between Beverly Boulevard and 3rd Street, through Park La Brea and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art complex between Colgate Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard, and again at Olympic Boulevard/San Vicente Boulevard southeast of the project area. Through the project area, Ogden Drive is striped to provide one lane in each direction, with some on-street parking allowed on both sides of the street.

Carrillo Drive is a generally north-south oriented Collector Street that provides a continuation of McCarthy Vista and Crescent Heights Boulevard south from San Vicente Boulevard to Olympic Boulevard. Carrillo Drive is striped to provide two travel lanes in each direction. No left-turn channelization is provided on this street and southbound left turns are prohibited at Olympic Boulevard. On-street parking is generally prohibited along both sides of Carrillo Drive, although some on-street parking is allowed on the west side of the street south of San Vicente Boulevard.

Del Valle Drive is an east-west Local Street that only exists as Del Valle Drive for a short distance between McCarthy Vista and Fairfax Avenue. It continues east as 8th Street, a Collector Street, to Crenshaw Boulevard where it changes designation to Secondary Highway status and proceeds through the downtown Los Angeles area, finally returning to Collector Street status as Alameda Street. 8th Street is discontinuous at the I-10 freeway, but continues again as a Secondary Highway from Boyle Avenue to its eastern terminus at Olympic Boulevard east of Mirasol Street. Within the project area, Del Valle Drive provides a single lane for traffic in each direction, and on-street parking is generally restricted to permit parking only from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, while all parking is prohibited on the north side of the street.

Orange Street is a short east-west Local Street immediately north of the project site that exists for a short distance (roughly 2/3 mile) from San Vicente Boulevard to Fairfax Avenue. Within the project area, Orange Street provides a single lane for traffic in each direction, and on-street parking is generally restricted to permit parking only from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on the north side of the street, with 2 hour parking on the south side of the street.

Public Transportation

There are several bus routes in the study area that provide either direct access to the project site, or provide stops within convenient walking distance (i.e., one-quarter mile). Most of these lines are operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), although other transit operators, including Commuter Express, and Antelope Valley Transit, provide service within the study area. Together, these lines offer multiple connection opportunities to the project from the larger regional area, including the Los Angeles communities of Westwood, Brentwood and Pacific Palisades, and the City of Santa Monica to the west; the communities of Cheviot Hills, Rancho Park, and Mar Vista, and the City of Culver City to the south; the Mid-City and downtown areas of Los Angeles to the east; and the City of West Hollywood and the Hollywood community of the City of Los Angeles to the north,

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as well as additional local service throughout the City of Beverly Hills. The key transit lines serving the project site and vicinity are described in more detail below.

MTA Line 20 provides weekday, weekend, and holiday service between downtown Los Angeles and the City of Santa Monica. MTA Line 20 travels primarily along Wilshire Boulevard between Hope Street in downtown Los Angeles and Ocean Avenue in the City of Santa Monica. This line provides stops near the project site, and serves multiple transit stations, including the 7th Street/Metro Center Station (Metro Blue Line, Red Line, and various bus lines) in downtown Los Angeles, and the Metro Red Line Stations at Westlake/MacArthur Park, Wilshire/Vermont, Wilshire/Normandie, and Wilshire/Western. Line 20 is in service through the project area between approximately 5:30 AM and 10:30 PM daily, with typical headways of approximately 10 minutes throughout the day.

MTA Line 720 is a Rapid bus line that provides weekday, weekend, and holiday service between the City of Commerce and the City of Santa Monica, passing through East Los Angeles, downtown Los Angeles, Hancock Park, Westwood, Brentwood and the City of Beverly Hills along its route. Line 720 travels primarily along Whittier Boulevard between the City of Commerce to downtown Los Angeles, where it loops along 5th and 6th Streets to Valencia Street, then moves to Wilshire Boulevard for the remainder of the route to Ocean Avenue in the City of Santa Monica. Line 720 stops are provided in the project vicinity at Fairfax Avenue. Line 720 is in service through the project area between approximately 5:30 AM and 2:00 AM daily, with headways between five and 15 minutes throughout the day.

MTA Line 920 provides weekday service between downtown Santa Monica on the west and the Koreatown community of the City of Los Angeles to the east, providing service to the Westwood, Century City, Miracle Mile, and Hancock Park communities of the City, as well as to the City of Beverly Hills. Line 920 begins along a loop of Virgil Avenue, 6th Street, and Shatto Place, then proceeds west along Wilshire Boulevard to Ocean Avenue in the City of Santa Monica, where it completes its route with a loop along Pico Boulevard, Main Street, and Colorado Avenue. Line 920 provides service through the project area between approximately 6:30 AM and 7:45 PM with a break in the eastbound direction between approximately 10:45 AM and 3:50 PM as well as from approximately 10:15 AM and 3:15 PM in the westbound direction. Currently, Line 920 only operates on non-holiday weekdays, with approximate 10 minute morning and five minute afternoon headways in the project vicinity.

AV Route 786 is a commuter bus line that provides inbound morning and outbound afternoon/evening weekday service between the Lancaster/Palmdale and Mid-Cities areas, including service through Century City/West Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, traveling on the SR-14 (Antelope Valley Freeway) and I-405 Freeway between these areas. Route 786 exits the I-405 (San Diego Freeway) at Wilshire Boulevard, travels along Westwood Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard in West Los Angeles, Avenue of the Stars, Constellation Boulevard, and Century Park East in Century City, then returns to Wilshire Boulevard to continue through the City of Beverly Hills to the Mid-Cities and Park La Brea communities of Los Angeles, completing its route with a loop along Fairfax Avenue, Santa Monica Boulevard, and La Brea Avenue. Route 786 provides two “inbound” and two “outbound” runs per day, with inbound stops at Wilshire Boulevard and La Cienega Boulevard, near the project site at

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approximately 7:10 and 8:15 AM, and “outbound” stops at this location at approximately 4:40 and 5:10 PM. A reduced service schedule is also provided on certain holidays.

LADOT DASH Fairfax provides limited weekday and Saturday commuter service between the City of Beverly Hills downtown/Civic Center area and the Park La Brea/Museum Row area near the project site. DASH Fairfax serves Beverly Hills along Robertson Boulevard, Burton Way, Gracie Allen Drive/Beverly Boulevard, and La Cienega Boulevard. This line then continues north on La Cienega Boulevard to Melrose Avenue, along Melrose Avenue to Fairfax Avenue, and then south on Fairfax Avenue to the project vicinity. The DASH Fairfax route circles the project area on 3rd Street, Hauser Boulevard, 6th Street, La Brea Avenue, and Wilshire Boulevard before returning to Fairfax Avenue. In the project vicinity, DASH Fairfax runs between approximately 7:00 AM and 6:30 PM, with headways of approximately 15 minutes throughout the day. Saturday service is available between approximately 9:00 AM and 6:30 PM, again with approximately 15-minute headways throughout the day. The DASH Fairfax line does not provide service on Sundays or holidays.

As described below, although public transportation is readily available to residents and visitors of the proposed project, in order to present the most conservative analysis of the potential traffic impacts of the project, no significant use of public transportation was assumed beyond that nominal amount intrinsically included in the ITE Trip Generation data.

Existing Traffic Conditions

A detailed analysis of existing (2007) weekday AM and PM peak hour traffic conditions was performed at the 11 study intersections listed below (see Figure IV.L-1 through IV.L-3). Traffic volume count data for these 11 study intersections were obtained from recent counts performed by Hirsch/Green, and represent typical mid-week conditions, with no holidays or other significant special events. These intersections were identified, in coordination with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), as the most likely intersections to be impacted by project-related traffic.

1. Drexel Avenue and Crescent Heights Boulevard 2. 6th Street and La Jolla Avenue 3. 6th Street and Crescent Heights Boulevard 4. 6th Street and Fairfax Avenue 5. Wilshire Boulevard and San Vicente Boulevard

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Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-1 Study Intersection Locations Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-2 Existing (2007) Traffic Volumes AM Peak Hour Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-3 Existing (2007) Traffic Volumes PM Peak Hour City of Los Angeles August 2009

6. Wilshire Boulevard and Crescent Heights Boulevard 7. Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue 8. Wilshire Boulevard and Ogden Drive 9. Del Valle Drive and Fairfax Avenue 10. San Vicente Boulevard and McCarthy Vista/Carrillo Drive 11. Wilshire Boulevard and La Jolla Avenue

All of the study intersections are currently signalized, and most exhibit multiple phasing operations, with separate left-turn phases, and/or right-turn indication or “overlap” phases to maximize capacity. Additionally, the study area is part of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation’s (LADOT) Mid- Wilshire signal enhancement project area. The study area is currently operating with the City’s Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control (ATSAC) signal synchronization protocols, and LADOT has recently completed a project to upgrade the area traffic signals with the next-generation Adaptive Traffic Control System (ATCS) traffic signal coordination system. These signal coordination programs enhance the overall capacity of a network of interconnected traffic signals by monitoring the traffic flow from adjacent ATSAC/ATCS intersections and adjusting signal timing and phasing in real time to maximize vehicular throughput and minimize delay.

This analysis uses the Critical Movement Analysis methodology for the analysis and evaluation of traffic operations at signalized intersections, as detailed in Circular Number 212 published by the Transportation Research Board.1 This methodology describes the operating characteristics of an intersection in terms of the “Level of Service”, based on intersection traffic volume and other variables such as number and type of signal phasing, lane geometries, and other factors which determine both the quantity of traffic that can move through an intersection (“Capacity”) and the quality of traffic flow (“Level of Service”).

“Capacity” represents the maximum total hourly volume of vehicles in the critical lanes which have a reasonable expectation of passing through an intersection under prevailing roadway and traffic conditions. Critical lanes are defined generally as those intersection movement or groups of movements which exhibit the highest “per lane” volumes, thus defining the maximum amount of vehicles attempting to negotiate through the intersection during a specific time period. The capacity of an intersection also varies based on the number of signal phases for the location; more signal phases generally result in more “lost” or “start up” time, as vehicles exhibit slight driver reaction delays when signal indications change from “red” to “green”. Additional signal phases introduce more signal indication changes, creating more opportunities for lost time during the signal cycle, and reducing the efficiency and thus the capacity of an intersection.

1 Interim Materials on Highway Capacity, Circular Number 212, Transportation Research Board, Washington D.C., 1980.

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The “Critical Movement” indices at an intersection are determined by first identifying the sum of all critical movement volumes at that intersection. This value is then divided by the appropriate capacity value for the type of signal control at the study intersection to arrive at the “CMA value” for the intersection, which is roughly equivalent to the volume-to-capacity ratio for the location.

“Level of Service” describes the quality of traffic flow through the intersection. LOS A through LOS C provide good traffic flow characteristics, with little or no congestion or vehicle delay. LOS D typically is the level for which a metropolitan area street system is designed, and represents the highest level of smooth traffic flow. LOS E represents volumes at or near the capacity of the intersection and can result in stoppages of momentary duration and unstable traffic flow at the upper reaches of this condition. LOS F occurs when a facility is overloaded and is characterized by stop-and-go traffic with stoppages of long duration. The LOS definitions do not represent a single intersection operation condition, but rather correspond to a range of CMA values, as shown in Table IV.L-1, below.

Table IV.L-1 Level of Service as a Function of CMA Value

CMA Value Level of Service Intersection Operation/Traffic Flow Characteristics < 0.600 A No congestion; all vehicles clear in a single cycle. > 6.00 < 0.700 B Minimal congestion; all vehicles still clear in a single cycle. > 0.700 < 0.800 C No major congestion; most vehicles clear in a single cycle. Generally uncongested, but vehicles may wait through more > 0.800 < 0.900 D than one cycle; no short duration queues form on critical approaches. Increased congestion on critical approaches; long duration > 0.900 < 1.000 E queues form at higher end of range. Over capacity; forced flow with long periods of congestion; > 1.000 F substantial queues form. Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc., July 2008.

By applying the analysis procedures described above to the study intersections, including adjustments to account for ATSAC/ATCS traffic signal coordination enhancements, the CMA value and the corresponding LOS for existing traffic conditions were calculated. The existing (2007) AM and PM peak intersection conditions are shown in Table IV.L-2. As summarized therein, most of the study intersections currently operate at generally acceptable levels of service for urban conditions (LOS A through LOS D), although the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue exhibits LOS E operations during the PM peak hour. It should also be noted that, although Table IV.L-2 indicates that many of the study intersections currently exhibit good levels of service during the peak hours, these results should not be construed that no delays or congestion occur at these locations. Observations of existing conditions within the study area in general, and the study intersections specifically, indicate that periodic delays do occur due to high traffic volumes, “downstream” vehicular congestion, and high

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pedestrian volumes. However, the conditions identified in Table IV.L-2 are generally representative of normal traffic conditions in the project vicinity.

Table IV.L-2 Critical Movement Analysis Summary Existing (2007) Conditions

AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour No. Intersection CMA LOS CMA LOS 1 Drexel Ave & Crescent Heights Blvd 0.333 A 0.380 A 2 6th St & La Jolla Ave 0.296 A 0.306 A 3 6th St & Crescent Heights Blvd 0.519 A 0.489 A 4 6th St & Fairfax Ave 0.784 C 0.835 C 5 Wilshire Blvd & San Vicente Blvd 0.814 D 0.891 D 6 Wilshire Blvd & La Jolla Ave/Capistrano Way 0.538 A 0.391 A 7 Wilshire Blvd & Crescent Heights Blvd/McCarthy Vista 0.709 C 0.641 B 8 Wilshire Blvd & Fairfax Ave 0.930 E 0.878 D 9 Wilshire Blvd & Ogden Dr 0.417 A 0.465 A 10 Del Valle Dr & Fairfax Ave 0.464 A 0.638 B 11 San Vicente Blvd & McCarthy Vista/Carillo Dr 0.661 B 0.737 C Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc., July 2008.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Thresholds of Significance

In accordance with Appendix G to the State CEQA Guidelines, a project would have a significant effect on the environment if it would:

(a) Cause an increase in traffic which is substantial in relation to the existing traffic load and capacity of the street system (i.e., result in a substantial increase in either the number of vehicle trips, the volume to capacity ratio on roads, or congestion at intersections);

(b) Exceed, either individually or cumulatively, a level of service standard established by the county congestion management agency for designated roads or highways;

(c) Result in a change in air traffic patterns, including either an increase in traffic levels or a change in location that results in substantial safety risks;

(d) Substantially increase hazards due to a design feature (e.g., sharp curves or dangerous intersections) or incompatible uses (e.g., farm equipment);

(e) Result in inadequate emergency access;

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(f) Result in inadequate parking capacity; or

(g) Conflict with adopted policies, plans, or programs supporting alternative transportation (e.g., bus turnouts, bicycle racks).

Additionally, LADOT defines a significant traffic impact attributable to a project based on a “stepped scale”, with intersections at high volume-to-capacity ratios being more sensitive to additional traffic than those operating with available surplus capacity. A significant impact is identified as an increase in the CMA value, due to project-related traffic, of 0.010 or more when the final (“with project”) Level of Service is E or F, a CMA increase of 0.020 or more when the final Level of Service is LOS D, or an increase of 0.040 or more at LOS C, as summarized in Table IV.L-3. No significant impacts are deemed to occur at LOS A or B, as these operating conditions exhibit sufficient surplus capacities to accommodate traffic increases with little effect on traffic delays.

Table IV.L-3 City of Los Angeles Significant Traffic Impact Criteria

With Project Traffic Project-Related Increase in CMA LOS CMA Ratio Ratio C 0.701 - 0.800 Equal to or greater than 0.040 D 0.801 - 0.900 Equal to or greater than 0.020 E or F > 0.900 Equal to or greater than 0.010 Source: City of Los Angeles, L.A. CEQA Thresholds Guide, May 1998.

In the LADOT Traffic Study Policies and Procedures guidelines, a local residential street is deemed to be significantly impacted based on an increase in the projected average daily traffic volumes as shown in Table IV.L-4.

For the purpose of CMP Transportation Impact Analysis, a project impact is considered to be significant if the proposed project increases traffic demand on a CMP facility by two percent of capacity (change greater than or equal to 0.02), causing or worsening a LOS F condition at a location. If the facility is already at LOS F, a significant impact occurs where the proposed project increases traffic demand on a CMP facility by 2 % of capacity (V/C ≥ 0.02).

In addition, a project would normally have a significant impact on parking if the project provides less parking than needed as determined through an analysis of demand from the project. A project could potentially have a significant impact on pedestrian/traffic access if the project would result in the permanent closing of sidewalks, streets or lanes.

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Table IV.L-4 Local Residential Street Impact Thresholds

Project-Related Increase in ADT Projected Final ADT with Project Resulting in Impact 0 to 999 16 percent or more of final ADT 1,000 to 1,999 12 percent or more of final ADT 2,000 to 2,999 10 percent or more of final ADT 3,000 or more 8 percent or more of final ADT

As discussed in Section IV.A, Impacts Found Less Than Significant of this Draft EIR and in the Initial Study (included as Appendix A to this Draft EIR), the proposed project would have no impact with respect to Threshold (c) above, and a less than significant impact with respect to Thresholds (d), (e), and (g). As such, this section contains an analysis of Thresholds (a), (b), and (f).

Project Impacts

Operational Impacts

Trip Generation

The traffic-generating characteristics of many land uses, including the residential and retail/commercial uses proposed for the project, have been extensively surveyed and documented in studies conducted under the auspices of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). The most recent information is available in the ITE Trip Generation Manual, 7th Edition.2 The trip generation data contained in the ITE manual are nationally recognized, and are currently used as the basis for most traffic studies conducted in the City of Los Angeles. The trip generation rates and equations used to estimate the potential traffic resulting from the proposed project are summarized in Table 1 contained in the traffic study (included as Appendix H to this Draft EIR).

However, these “baseline” ITE trip generation rates are typically derived from actual counts of vehicles entering and exiting the driveways of the subject land uses, and do not account for various local or site- specific factors that can substantially influence the amount of “net” traffic generation for the developments. These factors include “internal interaction”, or “on site capture” of residents, employees, and patrons of the site by the various components of an integrated project site, transit utilization by residents and employees, “walk-in” patronage from nearby residential and/or commercial development, and finally, the number of “pass-by” trips utilizing the new development. These factors are explained in more detail below.

2 Trip Generation, 7th Edition, Institute of Transportation Engineers, Washington, D.C., 2004.

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“Internal interaction” reflects the use of on-site services and amenities by residents or other patrons of the site. It is expected that, at a minimum, residents of the new development will shop at the project’s retail components, and this use of the project’s commercial components by residents of the project itself will not only reduce the number of vehicle trips to and from the site’s retail uses, but will reduce the number of residential trips as well, since residents of the site will not need to make additional trips in order to obtain services or products provided on site. The internal interaction factor also includes “multi-purpose” trips, where patrons of one retail store will shop at other stores during a single trip. This factor is complementary to the “internal interaction” factor, and further reduces the traffic generation of a mixed- use development such as the one proposed compared to the traffic generation of “stand alone” uses as generally identified in the ITE trip generation rates.

Further, although not accounted for directly in this study, the project’s proposed retail and other commercial components will provide local-serving facilities within convenient walking distance of the existing nearby neighborhoods. The ability of area residents to conveniently walk to nearby retail establishments also reduces vehicle traffic not only to and from the site, but throughout the area, as area residents would not need to drive to other stores.

A review of the project’s component sizes and location within the general Wilshire Community Plan area regarding these factors indicated that a total of approximately five percent of trips generated by the project’s retail patronage could come from project residents, or via multi-purpose visits. As noted earlier, no specific trip reductions were included in this analysis for “redirected” patronage from area residents, although this factor is expected to result in additional traffic reductions beyond those specifically identified herein.

The second factor involves the availability of public transit facilities for project residents, employees, and patrons. As described above, the project area is served by a number of bus lines. It is expected that a number of project residents and employees will utilize these facilities, although for purposes of this section, it was conservatively assumed that only approximately five percent of project residents and none of the retail employees and patrons will use these convenient public transit facilities instead of driving.

The final factor involves acknowledgement of the effects on pass-by trips on a project’s net new traffic additions to the vicinity. The concept of pass-by traffic adjustments involves the “capture” of existing trips passing by the project site. These existing trips are already on the area roadway network for other purposes, such as a trip to or from work, or perhaps to or from other shopping destinations. As these trips pass by the project site, the specific convenient facilities provided by the project, or other factors produces a stop at the site. Such activity is considered to be an interim stop along a trip which existed without the development of the project, and therefore vehicles making these stops are not newly generated project- related traffic.

LADOT has developed a series of recommended pass-by trip reduction percentages for various development types and sizes. However, the residential use comprising the majority of the project does not generally exhibit pass-by trips. Retail uses, on the other hand, do experience varying degrees of pass-

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by patronage, depending on the type of retail, its size, location, and visibility to adjacent street traffic. Given the proposed project’s retail component sizes and locations generally along the major Wilshire Boulevard street frontage of the site, it was conservatively assumed that these components would exhibit the “typical” pass-by traffic characteristics identified in LADOT’s policies and procedures, including a 50 percent pass-by trip reduction for the coffee/fast food restaurant component, and a 10 percent pass-by trip reduction for the “general” retail/commercial uses. A 20 percent pass-by trip reduction was also assumed to be applicable for both the existing and proposed bank uses at the site. However, exact tenant arrangements have not been finalized. These proposed uses are used to provide a conservative estimate.

Using the “baseline” ITE trip generation rates adjusted to account for the residential transit use activity, and retail component “internal interaction” and “pass by” factors as described above, the anticipated “net new” traffic generated by the proposed project was determined. The results of the project trip generation calculations are shown in Table IV.L-5, below.

As shown in Table IV.L-5, once the existing site development has been removed and the new development is completed and occupied, the proposed project is expected to result in an increase in site- related trips of approximately 1,214 net new daily trips, including 103 net new AM peak hour trips (29 inbound, 74 outbound), and 34 net PM peak hour trips (32 inbound, 2 outbound). These values represent the amount of net traffic that is expected to be added to the area roadway network and study intersections as a result of the project.

However, the LADOT policy on pass by trip discounts indicates that such reductions are not allowed at site adjacent intersections, or at intersections representing the closest locations along the project traffic’s primary site access routes. For this study, it was conservatively assumed that the intersections of 6th Street and Crescent Heights Boulevard (intersection number 3), Wilshire Boulevard and La Jolla Avenue (intersection number 6), Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue (intersection number 7), and Wilshire Boulevard and Ogden Drive (intersection number 8) would be the locations at which LADOT considers the pass by trips discount inappropriate. As such, the net project trips at those intersections would be somewhat higher than at the remaining seven study intersections, with a total project traffic addition of approximately 1,655 net new daily trips, including approximately 133 net AM peak hour trips (48 inbound, 85 outbound), and 33 net PM peak hour trips (31 inbound, 2 outbound). This methodology assures a more conservative analysis of potential project traffic impacts, particularly at those locations closest to the site.

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Table IV.L-5 Project Trip Generation

Daily AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour Use Size Trips In Out Total In Out Total Proposed Project Residential Component Apartment 158 du 1,062 16 65 81 64 34 98 Less 5% Residential Transit (53) (1) (3) (4) (3) (2) (5) Subtotal Apartment Trips 1,009 15 62 77 61 32 93 Townhome 4 du 23 0 2 2 1 1 2 Less 5% Residential Transit (1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal Townhome Trips 22 0 2 2 1 1 2 Subtotal Residential Trips 1,031 15 64 79 62 33 95

Commercial Component Bank 4,200 sf 657 9 8 17 70 69 139 Less 5% Internal Interaction (33) (1) 0 (1) (4) (3) (7) Less 20% Pass By Trips (125) (2) (1) (3) (13) (13) (26) Subtotal Bank Trips 499 6 7 13 53 53 106 Coffee/Fast Food 1,570 sf 1,124 41 28 69 21 20 41 Less 5% Internal Interaction (56) (2) (1) (3) (1) (1) (2) Less 50% Pass By Trips (534) (20) (13) (33) (10) (10) (20) Subtotal Fast Food Trips 534 19 14 33 10 9 19 Ground Floor Retail 1,080 sf 48 1 0 1 1 2 3 Less 5% Internal Interaction (2) 0 0 0 0 0 0 Less 10% Pass By Trips (5) 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal Retail Trips 41 1 0 1 1 2 3 Subtotal Commercial Trips 1,074 26 21 47 64 64 128 Total Proposed Project Trips 2,105 41 85 126 126 97 223

Less Existing Uses (Removed) Bank 7,117 sf 1,114 15 14 29 118 118 236 Less 20% Pass By Trips (223) (3) (3) (6) (24) (23) (47) Subtotal Bank Trips 891 12 11 23 94 95 189

Total Net New Project Trips 1,214 29 74 103 32 2 34 Net Project Trips at Adjacent 1,655 48 85 133 31 2 33 Intersections * * Note: No pass by reductions. Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc., July 2008.

Trip Distribution

Next, the anticipated general geographic distribution of the project trips was identified, based on several factors, including the relative distribution of employment activities, shopping and entertainment venues, locations of other services, and other factors for the proposed residential uses, and employee residential locations, and locations of potential patronage generators for the retail and/or restaurant components of

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the site. Local and regional demographic information was also reviewed, and the existing traffic patterns and land uses in the project area were analyzed to estimate the overall geographic distribution of project trips throughout the local area and surrounding region. Due to differences in the trip-making characteristics between the residential and commercial/retail uses of the project, such as trip length, trip purpose, origin and destination of trips, and other factors, separate trip distribution percentages were developed for the residential and commercial components of the project. The geographic project trip distribution percentages for both the residential and commercial/retail components of the project are summarized below:

Residential Component

 25% of trips towards the north;

 20% of trips towards the south;

 25% of trips towards the east; and

 30% of trips towards the west.

Retail/Commercial Component

 25% of trips towards the north;

 15% of trips towards the south;

 30% of trips towards the east; and

 30% of trips towards the west.

Project Traffic Assignment

Using the general geographic directional distribution percentages shown above, the anticipated general roadway and freeway network utilizations were determined. As noted previously, differences in trip- making characteristics, as well as in origin/destination factors, were considered for the two primary land uses proposed for the project. As a result, these separate geographic directional distributions resulted in different trip assignments for the residential and retail/commercial components of the project. It is of note that the existing Wells Fargo Bank development on the project site is assumed to have the same general geographic distribution as the commercial/retail components of the project. This process identified the approximate percentages of project traffic expected to utilize each of the key streets and freeway facilities in the vicinity.

The general project traffic travel patterns were then further refined to produce the intersection-level detail necessary to assess the project’s traffic effects on the study intersections. This step involved the identification of specific turning movements for project traffic at each of the study intersections as

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vehicles travel to and from the project site, and considered many factors influencing the project’s traffic access routes to and from the site, including turn restrictions at various intersections, and the locations and operations of the project’s driveways along Wilshire Boulevard (residential and commercial access) and Crescent Heights Boulevard (residential access only). Further, consideration was given to current traffic conditions on the key streets and at intersections near the project site; high traffic volumes and/or traffic congestion at several locations, including the project’s Crescent Heights Boulevard driveway, make moves such as left-turns across heavy traffic difficult and time consuming. As a result, some direct travel paths to or from the project site are assumed to be at least partially restricted, resulting in more circuitous “around the block” travel patterns in the area for some of the project’s residents and visitors. Observations of current traffic patterns to and from the project site’s driveways were noted for such delays, and their effects were incorporated into the development of the project traffic assignments.

Again, separate travel pattern assumptions were identified for the residential and commercial/retail components of the site, based on the varying geographic distribution and assignment percentages of traffic for each of these project uses, and the differing driveway utilizations proposed for the project. The resulting project traffic assignments, showing the expected travel routes for project trips through the study intersections, are shown in Figure IV.L-4 and Figure IV.L-5 for the proposed residential apartment and residential townhome uses, respectively, and in Figure IV.L-6 for the commercial/retail uses proposed for the site. However, as described previously, the existing site and the proposed commercial/retail component of the project have slightly different driveway locations, and as a result, trips generated by the existing use and the proposed project’s commercial/retail components will travel through some of the nearby study intersections in slightly different patterns. Therefore, different traffic assignment percentages were identified for both the existing and proposed project commercial/retail component trips. The trip assignment percentages for the existing bank uses are shown in Figure IV.L-7.

The final step was to calculate the number of net new project trips traveling through each of the study intersections for both the proposed residential and commercial/retail components of the site. Additionally, the number of trips generated by the existing Wells Fargo Bank was also calculated; these trips will be removed when the current bank use is demolished to construct the proposed project, and will partially offset the proposed project’s new trip generation. The net project traffic additions to each of the 11 study intersections are shown individually for each of the project’s components. Figure IV.L-8 and Figure IV.L-9 show the AM and PM peak hour trips, respectively for the proposed project’s residential uses, including both the apartment and townhome units, while the AM and PM trips for the total of the proposed project’s ground floor commercial/retail components are shown in Figure IV.L-10 and Figure IV.L-11, respectively. Finally, the trips generated by the existing Wells Fargo Bank are shown for the AM peak hour in Figure IV.L-12, and for the PM peak hour in Figure IV.L-13.

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Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-4 Project Trip Assignment Percentages Residential Apartment Component Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-5 Project Trip Assignment Percentages Residential Townhome Component Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-6 Project Trip Assignment Percentages Commercial Component Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-7 Project Trip Assignment Percentages Existing Site Development Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-8 Project Traffic Volumes, Total Residential Components (Apartments Plus Townhomes) AM Peak Hour Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-9 Project Traffic Volumes, Total Residential Components (Apartments Plus Townhomes) PM Peak Hour Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-10 Project Traffic Volumes, Commercial Component AM Peak Hour Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-11 Project Traffic Volumes, Commercial Component PM Peak Hour Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-12 Project Traffic Volumes, Existing Site Development - Removal AM Peak Hour Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-13 Project Traffic Volumes, Existing Site Development - Removal PM Peak Hour City of Los Angeles August 2009

As described earlier, per LADOT policy, the net project volumes at the four intersections nearest the project site were assumed not to incorporate the pass by trip discounts identified previously, and as a result, the net project traffic volumes and existing use volumes at these intersections are increased somewhat from the net project trips at the more remote locations. As a result, the project volumes shown in Figure IV.L-10 and Figure IV.L-11 for the commercial/retail components, and in Figure IV.L-12 and Figure IV.L-13 for the existing site bank use show slight variations between these two sets of study locations. These variations are not errors in calculations; they represent the difference between the “with pass by” and “without pass by” trips discount calculations. Since the project’s residential components do not assume pass by discounts at any of the study intersections, no variations in intersection volumes exist for these project component volumes, as indicated in Figure IV.L-8 and Figure IV.L-9.

Finally, the individual trip assignments for the proposed residential and commercial/retail components were combined to identify the total net project traffic anticipated at each of the study intersections, and the existing site bank use trips, which will be removed as part of the site’s development, were subtracted from these totals, to produce the net new project traffic volumes expected at each of the 11 study intersections, as shown in Figure IV.L-14 for the AM peak hour, and in Figure IV.L-15 for the PM peak hour. The values shown in these figures represent the actual anticipated incremental increases in traffic at each of the 11 study intersections attributable to the project, including the removal of the existing traffic associated with the current site development, and provide the necessary level of detail to conduct the traffic analysis and to identify the potential incremental project traffic impacts at the selected study locations and on the study roadway segments identified in this analysis.

Project Roadway Improvements

The LAMC requires that all development projects within the City improve the roadways and other transportation facilities adjacent to their respective sites to the rights-of-way and street widths appropriate to each street’s designation as noted in the Transportation Element of the City of Los Angeles General Plan, and per LADOT and City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering standards. The proposed project is located at the northeast corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Crescent Heights Boulevard, and therefore, the project will be responsible for improving its frontages of both facilities to meet the necessary requirements.

Major Highways such as Wilshire Boulevard are required to provide a typical half roadway width (centerline to back of curb) of 40 feet within a 52-foot half right-of-way (centerline to property line), or a total 80-foot roadway within a total 104-foot right-of-way. Adjacent to the project site, Wilshire Boulevard is currently dedicated to a total width of approximately 100 feet, with an additional 13-foot prescriptive easement on both sides of the street, for a total right- of way width of 126 feet, and improved to a total roadway of 80 feet, including a 63-foot half right-of-way width, and an approximately 40-foot half street along the north side project frontage. The approximately 13-foot “prescriptive easement” is a historical action from the 1930’s that has, over time, become recorded in City records as a right-of-way dedication.

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Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-14 Total Net Project Traffic Volumes, AM Peak Hour Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-15 Total Net Project Traffic Volumes, PM Peak Hour City of Los Angeles August 2009

Therefore, since the roadway is currently improved to exceed the mandated 40-foot half-roadway width for Major Highway, no roadway widening will be required.

Secondary Highways such as Crescent Heights Boulevard are required to provide a total dedication of 90 feet, improved with a 70-foot wide roadway, or a 35-foot wide half roadway within a 45-foot half right- of-way. However, in 2002, the City took action to change the designation of Crescent Heights Boulevard between Rosewood Avenue (two blocks south of Melrose Avenue) and Wilshire Boulevard to Modified Secondary Highway standards, in order to limit future widening and the associated increases in traffic the additional capacities would create. This action also limited taking of additional street dedication and/or improvement-related rights-of-way along Crescent Heights Boulevard through the project vicinity to the “commercial” portions of the street, such as that located along the project frontage from Wilshire Boulevard to about 130 feet south of Orange Street (a distance of about 190 feet); the “residential” portions of the street are intended to remain as currently improved.

Along the project frontage of the “residential” segment of Crescent Heights Boulevard, the roadway is currently dedicated to a total right-of-way width of approximately 70 feet, and improved to a total roadway width of 46 feet. The dedications and widenings are symmetrical about the centerline of the roadway, providing a half right-of-way of 35 feet, and a half roadway width of 23 feet. However, as described above, the City’s action regarding the modification of “residential” segments of Crescent Heights Boulevard eliminates the requirement for additional right-of-way dedications, widenings to this portion of the street, and corner cuts at Wilshire Boulevard, Crescent Heights Boulevard and Orange Street.

Through the southern, “commercial” portion of Crescent Heights Boulevard, north of Wilshire Boulevard, the roadway exhibits a total right-of-way of approximately 80 feet, including a 45-foot half right-of-way along the project frontage. However, the roadway within this section continues to exhibit a total 46-foot width, including a 23-foot half street along the project frontage, and as such, the LAMC requires that the project provide a 12-foot widening along this portion of its Crescent Heights Boulevard frontage to complete the required 35-foot half roadway.

Although the required roadway widening would create adequate additional roadway width along the project’s commercial frontage to provide a new northbound deceleration into the project driveway, there would be inadequate distance to provide a feasible acceleration lane for northbound traffic exiting the Crescent Heights Boulevard driveway. Additionally, since no future dedications, and therefore no meaningful roadway improvements, will occur within the foreseeable future along the residential-fronted portions of Crescent Heights Boulevard north of the project site, the requirement to widen along the project frontage would actually present a potential hazard due to the necessary “narrowing” of the northbound roadway immediately north of the project’s driveway. Therefore, it is recommended that no widening of Crescent Heights Boulevard be required at this time.

Finally, Orange Street is classified as a Local Street, which currently exhibits a design standard of a 60- foot total right-of-way improved with a 40-foot roadway (a 20-foot half roadway within a 30-foot half

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right-of-way). The segment of Orange Street fronting the project site currently exhibits a 55-foot total right-of-way dedication and a 35-foot roadway improvement, also symmetrical along the roadway centerline. Therefore, the project frontage of Orange Street will require a 2.5-foot dedication and a 2.5- foot widening in order to bring it into compliance with current City requirements. However, in order to minimize additional traffic along Orange Street, it is recommended by the traffic consultant that only the roadway dedication occur at this time.

While the improvements described above will provide for wider sidewalks along the project’s Wilshire Boulevard frontage (the Crescent Heights Boulevard parkway/sidewalk is already established at the recommended 12-foot width), no meaningful traffic flow or intersection or roadway capacity enhancements are expected. Even if Crescent Heights Boulevard dedications and widenings are required, they will only provide receiving lanes at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Crescent Heights Boulevard, not additional approach lanes which would increase intersection capacity. Therefore, the operations and capacities of the site adjacent roadways, and the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Crescent Heights Boulevard, are expected to remain unchanged from the current conditions.

Future Traffic Conditions

Future (year 2012) traffic volumes in the project vicinity, and indeed throughout the region, are anticipated to increase as a result on a number of factors, although two factors contribute most significantly to area traffic growth. The first of these factors is ambient increases in the number of vehicles on the roadway system. Ambient traffic growth can occur for a number of reasons, including increasing population (not tied to new development), additional vehicles for existing households (as children become driving age, or new multi-vehicle status for current single-vehicle families), economic factors (such as new jobs creating new worker trips), and other factors. The second factor is new traffic resulting from ongoing and continued development. A number of other projects are currently either under construction or planned for development in the project vicinity, which will likely contribute to future traffic volumes in the study area.

Therefore, since the project is not expected to be built and occupied immediately, its traffic, and consequently, the impacts of that traffic, will occur on a roadway system that is accommodating more traffic than the baselines indicated in the discussion of “Existing (2007)” conditions. For this reason, the analysis of future traffic conditions has been expanded to include potential traffic volume increases expected from both ambient growth and from traffic generated by other projects that have not yet been developed. These “Future (2012) Without Project” volumes represent the forecast traffic conditions in the study area at the time the project is expected to be completed, but prior to its occupancy, and form the “baseline” conditions against which the project’s incremental traffic additions are assessed.

Future Without Project

Briefly, the methodology for estimating future traffic volumes was as follows. First, as described previously, the current (year 2007) traffic volumes were determined by traffic counts. These existing volumes were then used to estimate future conditions (year 2012) through the application of an “ambient

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traffic growth factor.” This growth factor, compounded annually, was applied to all of the turning movement volumes at the study intersections to form the “baseline” traffic volume conditions for the future study year 2012. Although the annual growth factor is expected to fully represent all potential area traffic increases, for the purposes of conservative analysis, traffic generated from known nearby “related projects” was also added to these future baseline traffic volumes, to form the basis for the “Without Project” conditions.

Ambient Traffic Growth

Based on analyses of the trends in traffic growth in the project area over the last several years, as documented in the Los Angeles County Congestion Management Program (CMP), LADOT has determined that an annual traffic growth factor of 1.0 percent is reasonable. In fact, as documented in the Los Angeles County Congestion Management Program (CMP), actual anticipated traffic growth in the “San Fernando Valley” and “Westside” areas encompassing and surrounding the project vicinity, is forecast to be approximately 0.80 to 0.85 percent annually, inclusive of both ambient growth and traffic from cumulative area development, and as such, the assumed 1.0 percent annual growth factor is expected to be quite conservative. This “ambient traffic growth factor” is used to account for expected increases in traffic resulting from general ambient traffic growth in the study vicinity due to ongoing regional population growth, or from potential development projects not yet proposed or outside the study area. The ambient growth factor, compounded annually, was applied to the 2007 traffic volumes to develop estimates of the future traffic volumes for the future year 2012 conditions.

Related Projects

In addition to the 1.0 percent annual traffic growth rate used for this analysis, a listing of specific projects located within the study area (an approximate 1.5-mile radius from the project site) was obtained from the LADOT and the City of Beverly Hills. Field surveys of the study area were conducted to identify potential developments not on the lists. It is important to note that the assumed 1.0 percent annual ambient traffic growth factor is expected to adequately represent all area traffic growth within the study period, and as such, the inclusion of traffic due to specific projects in the study area in addition to the ambient background traffic growth may overstate cumulative conditions. However, the inclusion of identified cumulative development within the study area ensures that future traffic volumes are not underestimated, and guarantees that all potential future adverse traffic conditions, including roadway and intersection congestion, are adequately forecast. This methodology also assists in identifying future roadway capacity problem areas, allowing for the formulation of any necessary roadway improvements.

A review of the LADOT and Beverly Hills project lists, plus the field survey information, indicated that a total of 53 individual projects near the project site might produce additional traffic at study intersections. Potential traffic from these prospective area developments was added to the 1.0 percent annual ambient traffic growth to produce the estimates of the future 2012 study year traffic volumes. The locations of the 53 identified related projects assumed in this analysis are shown in Figure IV.L-16, and each project is individually listed and described in Section III, Environmental Setting, Table III-1.

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Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-16 Related Projects Location Map City of Los Angeles August 2009

Estimates of the traffic expected to be generated by these related projects were determined by applying the appropriate trip generation rates or equations from the same ITE Trip Generation, 7th Edition publication used to estimate project traffic, or were obtained from LADOT project records. The related project trip generation rates and equations used in the analysis to estimate related projects trip generation are contained in the appendix of the traffic study (included as Appendix H to this Draft EIR).

The related projects’ traffic volumes were then distributed through the project area and assigned to the area roadway and freeway network using methodologies similar to those used previously to assign trips generated by the proposed project. The results of the related projects’ trip assignments are shown in the traffic study (included as Appendix H to this Draft EIR).

Finally, the “Future (2012) Without Project” condition traffic volumes for the analysis were developed by first combining the assumed ambient traffic growth in the area with new traffic generated by the potential cumulative development in the vicinity of the project site. The resulting AM and PM peak hour traffic estimates represent the “Future (2012) Without Project” conditions, and are shown in Figure IV.L-17 and Figure IV.L-18 for the AM and PM peak hour conditions, respectively. These traffic estimates form the “benchmark” values for determining project traffic impacts on the street system.

The net traffic volumes generated by the proposed project were then combined with these benchmark volumes to produce the “Future (2012) With Project” traffic volume estimates. The analysis results of the “With Project” condition were then compared to the analysis results of the “Without Project” condition to determine the incremental traffic impacts directly attributable to the project, as described below.

Highway System Improvements

No highway improvements within the project area have been identified by the City of Los Angeles for implementation by the anticipated 2012 completion date of the proposed project. Further, although some or all of the 53 related projects identified in this analysis may be required to implement localized roadway and/or intersection improvements to mitigate specific traffic impacts from those individual projects, many of the projects are currently only in the “proposed” stage, and since no specific traffic improvements can be identified, no “cumulative” mitigation improvements are included in this analysis. Therefore, the analysis of “Future (2012)” conditions assumed that the future roadway network geometries would remain unchanged from the assumptions used to analyze the “Existing (2007)” traffic conditions.

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Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-17 Future (2012) Traffic Volumes without Project AM Peak Hour Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-18 Future (2012) Traffic Volumes without Project PM Peak Hour City of Los Angeles August 2009

Analysis of Future (Year 2012) Traffic Conditions

Using the same CMA procedures used to analyze the existing traffic conditions, the analysis of the “Future (2012) Without Project” traffic volumes shown in Figure IV.L-17 and Figure IV.L-18, and the “Future (2012) With Project” traffic volumes shown in Figure IV.L-19 and Figure IV.L-20 was conducted. These analyses identified the future levels of service at the study intersections for both the without project and with project scenarios, as well as the potential incremental project traffic impacts at each location. The results of these analyses are summarized in Table IV.L-6.

As indicated in the “Without Project” values shown in Table IV.L-6, ambient traffic growth and traffic increases from other development in and around the study area will result in worsening traffic conditions throughout the study area by the year 2012, with five of the study intersections exhibiting LOS D or worse operations during at least one of the peak hours, as compared to three locations under the current (2007) conditions. Further, LOS E or worse operations are forecast during one or both of the peak hours at three of the 11 study locations, 6th Street and Fairfax Avenue, Wilshire Boulevard and San Vicente Boulevard, and Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, with two of these locations exhibiting LOS F conditions during one or both of the peak hours. Currently, none of the study intersections are assessed at LOS F conditions, and only the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue during the AM peak hour currently exhibits LOS E operations.

It is important to note that these anticipated deteriorations in intersection operations at the study intersections, as well as throughout the project vicinity, are anticipated as a result of currently ongoing, approved, and/or proposed development within and near the project area, and are expected to occur whether or not the proposed project is built. As shown in Table IV.L-6, cumulative traffic impacts, not including traffic generated by the proposed project, could result in significant impacts during both peak hours at five of the study intersections: 6th Street and Fairfax Avenue, Wilshire Boulevard and San Vicente Boulevard, Wilshire Boulevard and Crescent Heights Boulevard/McCarthy Vista, Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, and San Vicente Boulevard and McCarthy Vista/Carillo Drive, and at one additional intersection, Del Valle Drive and Fairfax Avenue, during the PM peak hour.

Like the cumulative development project trips described above, traffic generated by the proposed project will also have an effect on the operations of the study intersections. However, project traffic will generally result in only nominal increases in area intersection operations, and as shown in Table IV.L-6, will produce a change in the forecast level of service at only one of the study intersections during either the AM or PM peak hours; at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Crescent Heights Boulevard/McCarthy Vista, the project would result in a change in the future level of service from the forecast year 2012 “Without Project” high LOS D (CMA=0.881) to low LOS E (CMA=0.905) conditions.

Using the impact evaluation criteria described above (under Thresholds of Significance), the incremental project traffic impacts summarized in Table IV.L-6 were evaluated. As shown, based on the significance

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Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-19 Future (2012) Traffic Volumes with Project AM Peak Hour Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc, July 2008.

Figure IV.L-20 Future (2012) Traffic Volumes with Project PM Peak Hour City of Los Angeles August 2009

Table IV.L-6 Critical Movement Analysis Summary Future (2012) Without and With Project

Peak Without Project With Project No. Intersection Hour CMA LOS CMA LOS Impact Drexel Ave & AM 0.364 A 0.365 A 0.001 1 Crescent Heights Blvd PM 0.418 A 0.417 A -0.001 6th St & AM 0.321 A 0.323 A 0.002 2 La Jolla Ave PM 0.342 A 0.343 A 0.001 6th St & AM 0.565 A 0.567 A 0.002 3 Crescent Heights Blvd PM 0.538 A 0.543 A 0.005 6th St & AM 0.878 D 0.887 D 0.009 4 Fairfax Ave PM 0.927 E 0.940 E 0.013a Wilshire Blvd & AM 1.042 F 1.045 F 0.003 5 San Vicente Blvd PM 1.175 F 1.175 F 0.000 Wilshire Blvd & AM 0.664 B 0.667 B 0.003 6 La Jolla Ave/Capistrano Way PM 0.517 A 0.515 A -0.002 Wilshire Blvd & Crescent Heights AM 0.881 D 0.905 E 0.024a 7 Blvd/McCarthy Vista PM 0.868 D 0.874 D 0.006 Wilshire Blvd & AM 1.141 F 1.163 F 0.022a 8 Fairfax Ave PM 1.137 F 1.163 F 0.026a Wilshire Blvd & AM 0.605 B 0.607 B 0.002 9 Ogden Dr PM 0.692 B 0.692 B 0.000 Del Valle Dr & AM 0.565 A 0.566 A 0.001 10 Fairfax Ave PM 0.771 C 0.776 C 0.005 San Vicente Blvd & AM 0.731 C 0.741 C 0.010 11 McCarthy Vista/Carillo Dr PM 0.805 D 0.807 D 0.002 Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc., July 2008. a Indicates significant impact per City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) “Traffic Study Policies and Procedures”. Revised March 2002.

thresholds mandated by LADOT, the project is anticipated to produce a significant impact at three of the study intersections during one or both peak hours:

 Fairfax Avenue and 6th Street (PM peak hour)

 Crescent Heights Boulevard/McCarthy Vista and Wilshire Boulevard (AM peak hour)

 Fairfax Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard (both peak hours).

None of the remaining intersections are anticipated to be significantly impacted by the proposed project’s traffic additions, and in fact, due to the slight reduction in outbound site-related trips during the PM peak

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hour, operations at several of the study intersections will remain either unchanged or will slightly improve from the “Without Project” conditions during this time period.

Parking and Access

Parking Requirements

The current City of Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) Section 12.21.A requires multi-family residential developments to provide off street parking based on the number of “habitable rooms” within the development; although the actual number of “habitable rooms” may vary depending on the precise unit configuration, these requirements generally call for the provision of a minimum of 1.0 space per unit for “bachelor” or “efficiency” apartments, 1.5 spaces per unit for one-bedroom units, and 2.0 spaces per unit for two-bedroom or larger units. No residential guest parking space requirements are specifically identified in the LAMC.

However, it is the policy of the Advisory Agency of the City of Los Angeles (Policy No. 2000-1) to require parking for “market rate” townhome and condominium uses at 2.0 parking spaces per unit (generally regardless of the number of bedrooms), plus additional guest parking provided at a ratio of 0.25 to 0.50 spaces per unit, with the higher ration applicable only if the project is located within an identified parking congestion area, such as that surrounding the project site. This policy has become the standard to which most developments are measured in the provision of on site parking for condominium uses. As a result, the Advisory Agency parking ratio policy is applicable to the four townhome units proposed as part of the project. Further, although the project applicant intends to operate the project as a rental apartment project, it is seeking Advisory Agency approval of a condominium map to meet financing requirements. Therefore, the higher standards of the Advisory Agency policy were also utilized to identify the parking needed for the proposed apartment uses.

The LAMC also identifies off street parking requirements for various commercial uses such as the bank, coffee/fast food, and general retail uses proposed as part of the project. The standard LAMC “commercial” use parking requirements include the provision of a minimum of 2.0 spaces per 1,000 square feet of floor area for “commercial” uses. Based on the parking requirements identified and described above, the amount of parking required for the project was calculated, as shown in Table IV.L-7. As shown in this table, the project would be required to provide a total of approximately 432 parking spaces, including 316 assigned apartment resident spaces, 79 apartment guest spaces, eight townhome resident spaces, two townhome guest spaces, and a total of 27 commercial spaces.

The project proposes to provide a total of 422 spaces within the six and one-half level parking structure, including the required 316 apartment resident spaces and 79 apartment guest spaces, plus a total of 27 commercial spaces. In addition, the four townhome units would provide the required eight resident parking spaces and two guest spaces underneath the townhome units. Within the Traffic Study, included in Appendix H of this Draft EIR, the parking requirements are calculated using assumed individual components of the commercial/retail portion of the project and therefore, the total required commercial parking spaces would be 28. However, the individual uses/sizes were identified primarily for purposes of

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“worst case” trip generation and impact analysis; the actual final tenants of the site would be determined such the total commercial/retail parking requirement does not exceed the 27 spaces provided. Therefore, the project would conform to all applicable parking requirements, and no significant off site parking impacts or “overflow” parking into any of the adjoining residential neighborhoods is anticipated, and impacts would be less than significant.

Table IV.L-7 Project Parking Requirements

Component Size Parking Ratio Parking Required Residential Apartments Resident 158 du 2.00/unit 316 spaces Guest 0.50/unit 79 spaces Townhomes Resident 4 du 2.00/unit 8 spaces Guest 0.50/unit 2 spaces Subtotal Residential Required Parking 405 spaces

Commercial 6,850 sq. ft. 4.00/1,000 sq. ft. 4 spaces Subtotal Commercial Required Parking 27 spaces

Total Required Project Parking 432 spaces Total Project Parking Provided 432 spaces Total Project Parking Surplus/(Deficit) 0 spaces Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc., July 2008

The applicant has not yet determined whether the project will include for-sale condominiums or for rental apartment units. If the project included residential apartment units instead of condominium units, the parking requirement would be based on LAMC Section 12.21.A.4(a), which requires a ration of one parking space for each dwelling unit of less than three habitable rooms, one and one-half parking spaces for each dwelling unit of three habitable rooms, and two parking spaces for each dwelling unit of more than three habitable rooms. The proposed project includes 107 units with three habitable rooms and 51 units with more than three habitable rooms. Therefore, 160 total parking spaces would be required for the units with three habitable rooms (107 units x 1.5 spaces/unit) and 102 total parking spaces would be required for the units with more than three habitable rooms (51 x 2 spaces/unit) for a total residential apartment parking requirement of 262 spaces. The four townhome units each include more than 3 habitable rooms and would require 8 parking spaces (4 units x 2 spaces/unit). No guest spaces are required per Code for apartments. The commercial parking requirement would remain the same with 27 parking spaces (4/1,000 x 6,850 square feet). Therefore, a total of 297 parking spaces would be required for the entire project.

Vehicular Access and Operations

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Access to the project’s 21-story building’s parking structure would be provided via two driveways, one along Wilshire Boulevard near the site’s eastern boundary, and a second driveway located on the project’s Crescent Heights Boulevard frontage approximately mid-block between Wilshire Boulevard and Orange Street. The Wilshire Boulevard driveway will access approximately 25 at-grade (ground level) commercial parking spaces, plus provide access to a total of approximately 395 resident-only parking spaces plus two additional commercial parking spaces located in the two and one-half subterranean parking levels. A security gate located within the first subterranean level of the parking structure will prevent general commercial and retail parking within the residential portions of the subterranean levels. Due to the configuration of Wilshire Boulevard along the project frontage, this driveway will be restricted to right-turn entry/right-turn exit only. The Crescent Heights Boulevard driveway will provide access to a total of approximately 166 resident-only and residential guest parking spaces on the above-grade parking levels two through four. Resident parking will be located on the lower portions of this structure and guest parking will be accommodated through valet-assisted operations on the upper parking level (level four) and portions of level three. This driveway is proposed as a full access location, with all turning movements into and out of the driveway permitted. No internal circulation between the upper and at- grade/subterranean parking levels will be provided.

Access to the 10-space (eight assigned resident and two guest spaces) townhome parking facility would be provided via an additional driveway located along Crescent Heights Boulevard near the intersection with Orange Street. The townhome parking facilities are separate and unconnected to the project site’s six-level structure described above.

The operations of each of the project’s proposed parking facility driveways (including the two parking structure driveways and the separate townhome parking facility driveway) were also examined, to ensure that adequate capacity would be available to accommodate the anticipated vehicular access demands of the project. Based on the trip generation estimates, the anticipated traffic accessing the two driveways serving the six-level parking structure are anticipated to total approximately 2,747 trips per day, including 160 trips (63 in, 97 out) during the AM peak hour, and 267 trips (148 in, 119 out) during the PM peak hour. These values represent the actual number of vehicles expected to enter and exit the project’s driveways during the typical weekday peak hour periods.

The peak driveway volumes are anticipated to occur at the Wilshire Boulevard entrance to the project’s parking structure during both the AM and PM peak hours. Project traffic volumes at the entrances to the project during the AM peak hour are expected to be about eight inbound and 34 outbound vehicles at the Crescent Heights Boulevard parking structure driveway, and about 55 inbound and 63 outbound vehicles at the Wilshire Boulevard driveway. During the PM peak hour, the driveway volumes are expected to be about 33 inbound and 18 outbound vehicles at the Crescent Heights Boulevard driveway, and approximately 115 inbound and 101 outbound vehicles at the Wilshire Boulevard driveway. The peak hour volumes accessing the 10-space townhome unit parking facilities will be nominal, with no inbound and two outbound trips during the AM peak hour, and one inbound and one outbound trip during the PM peak hour.

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It is anticipated that some form of access control will be present for the commercial spaces in the Wilshire Boulevard lot, and a security gate will be provided at the Crescent Heights Boulevard driveway (resident and guest parking) in order to prevent unwanted parking within that portion of the parking structure. As noted previously, a security gate is provided at the first subterranean parking level (accessed via the Wilshire Boulevard driveway) to separate the commercial and residential parking spaces into the subterranean parking levels. However, if street level gates are installed at either or both of the site’s driveways, based on standard LADOT recommendations, any such gates should be located sufficiently inside the parking structure or surface lot to provide an internal vehicular queue length of approximately two cars from the project property line (about 40 feet), to minimize vehicular encroachment onto the sidewalks and into the pedestrian pathways.

Typically, access control gates of the type generally utilized for projects such as the one proposed are operated by a card key or vehicle transponder that automatically opens the gates for vehicles so equipped (for project residents or commercial/retail employees), although it is likely that the Wilshire Boulevard driveway gate will also be equipped with a supplemental ticket dispenser for retail patrons of the project. Such gates easily provide an entry capacity of between 300 and 400 vehicles per hour, depending on the percentage of card keys versus number of tickets issued. Exiting capacity for such gates is typically more limited, primarily because there are more actions needed for exiting drivers than upon entry, including locating and inserting automated payment or validation tickets, actual payment of parking fees to attendants, and other factors. Due to these types of delays, exiting capacities for gated driveways are generally assumed to be in the 200 to 250 vehicles per hour range, although fully automated, pre-pay facilities can exhibit capacities up to about 350 vehicles per hour.

A review of the peak project driveway volumes indicates that the vehicular demand at the project gates for both inbound and outbound traffic will be substantially below these levels at all of the project’s driveways. Therefore, even if access control gates are installed, the proposed parking facility’s access locations will operate adequately, with no external vehicular queuing onto the fronting streets, and no significant internal queuing within the parking structures. As a result, no significant site access or internal circulation impacts, or significant operational delays are anticipated.

It is of note that the street access driveways, including any security gate locations and operations, will be required to be designed and installed to the satisfaction of LADOT or other appropriate City agencies. However, the preceding analyses indicate that no significant project access issues are anticipated due to the proposed driveway locations or operational characteristics, and that adequate capacity is provided at each of the site driveways to easily accommodate the expected traffic demands without producing vehicle queues out of the driveways or onto adjacent sidewalks or streets.

Local/Residential Street Traffic Impact Analysis

In addition to the intersection impacts summarized above, it is likely that residents and visitors of the proposed project will utilize some of the local/neighborhood streets surrounding the project site as travel routes to and from the site, including Orange Street and La Jolla Avenue, particularly given the existing

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northbound/southbound left-turn prohibitions at 6th Street and Crescent Heights Boulevard. Orange Street’s east-west orientation through the residential neighborhoods north and west of the project site allows for a direct connection between Fairfax Avenue and San Vicente Boulevard, permitting project- related and other vehicles to access southbound Fairfax Avenue without traveling completely around the block via the intersections of 6th Street and Crescent Heights Boulevard, and 6th Street and Fairfax Avenue. Additionally, by traveling westbound on 6th Street, vehicles can reacquire westbound 6th Street at La Jolla Avenue, or can access 6th Street directly from Wilshire Boulevard via La Jolla Avenue.

Observations of the study area indicate that existing traffic congestion throughout the area, particularly during peak commute traffic periods on Wilshire Boulevard, 6th Street, Crescent Heights Boulevard, and Fairfax Avenue result in high utilization of many of the local/residential streets in the area by commuters and local residents seeking to avoid long delays. The anticipated increases in area traffic resulting from both ambient traffic growth and ongoing development are expected to exacerbate this “cut through” traffic, and it is likely that some project visitors, patrons, and/or employees will themselves use some of the area residential streets as alternative travel routes to and from the project site.

Therefore, an additional analysis was conducted to determine the potential for project impacts on the segments of La Jolla Avenue between 6th Street and Wilshire Boulevard, and along Orange Street adjacent to the project site, and to the west of Crescent Heights Boulevard. These locations were selected as the local/residential street segments most likely to be impacted by the project’s traffic, as they will exhibit the potentially highest project traffic additions, as vehicles converge on the project site from around the project area.

Neighborhood traffic impacts, unlike the intersection analyses, are based on daily traffic volumes. City of Los Angeles guidelines for the evaluation of project traffic impacts on local streets utilizes a variable scale to determine the significance of potential traffic additions. Impacts are evaluated based on the project’s traffic percentages of the total future (with project) average daily traffic (ADT) volumes. These criteria are outlined in LADOT’s Traffic Impact Analysis Policies and Procedures (revised March 2002), and are summarized in Table IV.L-4, above.

New 24-hour traffic counts were performed on each of the selected neighborhood street segments to establish the existing (year 2007) traffic volumes for this analysis. Next, the future (2012) “Without Project” traffic volumes for each of the street segments were estimated in a manner similar to that described earlier for the study intersection forecasts: a 1.0 percent annual ambient growth factor was applied to the existing (year 2007) traffic volumes, then traffic expected to be generated by the 53 identified related projects within the study area was added to this “baseline” traffic growth to produce the anticipated future roadway volumes for conditions prior to the completion and occupancy of the proposed project. Finally, the net daily project traffic volumes using the subject roadway segments were calculated, based on the project traffic assignments described earlier, and were added to the forecast “Without Project” traffic volumes to produce the expected “With Project” conditions. The results of the analysis of potential neighborhood traffic impacts are summarized in Table IV.L-8.

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Table IV.L-8 Local/Residential Street Traffic Impact Analysis Summary Existing (2007) and Future (2012) Average Daily Traffic Volumes

Future (2012) Existing Without Project With Impact Street/Segment (2007) Project Traffic Project Impact Threshold Significant? La Jolla Avenue 6th Street to 626 658 41 699 5.9% 16% No Orange Street Orange Street to 5,250 5,383 15 5,398 0.3% 8% No Wilshire Boulevard Orange Street La Jolla Ave to 1,713 1,800 26 1,826 1.4% 12% No Crescent Heights Blvd Crescent Heights Blvd to 2,163 2,273 125 2,398 5.2% 10% No Fairfax Ave Source: Hirsch/Green Transportation Consulting, Inc., July 2008. a Indicates significant impact per City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) “Traffic Study Policies and Procedures”. Revised March 2002.

As shown in Table IV.L-8, existing daily traffic volumes on the roadway segments analyzed are relatively typical of residential streets, with La Jolla Avenue, between 6th Street and Orange Street, exhibiting a little less than 650 vehicles per day, while Orange Street currently carries between about 1,700 and 2,200 vehicles per day. It is important to point out that the segment of La Jolla Avenue south of Orange Street is developed with a multi-story commercial office building on the east and a surface parking lot on the west, and as such, this segment of the roadway is not a typical “residential” street, as it serves as an access roadway for both of these high trip-generating uses. As a result, the volumes on this segment of La Jolla Avenue are substantially higher than the other local/residential street segments analyzed, at approximately 5,250 vehicles per day.

Ambient traffic growth and related projects’ traffic will have some, but not significant, effect on the existing volumes of these streets, with the residential portion of La Jolla Avenue expected to show traffic increases to a little over 650 vehicles per day, while Orange Street will increase to between 1,800 and 2,275 vehicles per day. Traffic volumes along the commercial segment of La Jolla Avenue were not anticipated to increase substantially, since this portion of the roadway already carries volumes in excess of 5,200 vehicles per day. Future volumes were estimated at an approximately 0.5 percent annual growth for this segment, to about 5,385 vehicles per day.

Finally, as also shown in Table IV.L-8, the development of the project is not expected to produce significant traffic impacts on any of the local/residential street segments analyzed. Although it is expected that project traffic will occur on these, and possibly other, local/residential streets in the general vicinity as project residents, visitors, patrons, and employees travel to and from the new development, these project-related volumes will be well below the thresholds for significance. Further, while

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residential street impacts are assessed based on daily traffic volumes as described above, peak hour traffic volumes on these streets will also be relatively nominal, with a maximum of less than 10 vehicles added to any of the local/residential street segments in the area during either the AM or PM peak hours, and as such, the project will not create any significant traffic impacts to the area local/residential street system.

Project Impacts on Regional Transportation System

To address the increasing public concern that traffic congestion was impacting the quality of life and economic vitality of the State of California, the Los Angeles County Congestion Management Program (CMP)3 was enacted to provide the analytical basis for transportation decisions through the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) process. A countywide approach has been established by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the local CMP agency, to implement the statutory requirements of the CMP. The countywide approach includes designating a highway network that includes all state highways and principal arterials within the County and monitoring the network’s Level of Service standards. The CMP project traffic impact analysis (TIA) guidelines require analyses of all CMP monitoring intersections where the project could add a total of 50 or more trips during either peak hour. Additionally, all freeway segments where a project could add 150 or more trips in either direction during the peak hours must be analyzed.

CMP Monitoring Intersection Impacts

The current CMP (2004) identifies 10 arterial monitoring intersections within an approximately three- mile radius of the project site. All but two of these CMP monitoring intersection locations (Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, and Wilshire Boulevard and La Cienega Boulevard) are outside the immediate project study area, and are expected to be beyond the range of identifiable project traffic impacts. The CMP intersections are located within the City of Los Angeles, the City of West Hollywood, and the City of Beverly Hills, as listed below:

 Wilshire Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard (Beverly Hills)  Wilshire Boulevard and La Cienega Boulevard (Beverly Hills)  Santa Monica Boulevard and Doheny Drive (West Hollywood)  Santa Monica Boulevard and La Cienega Boulevard (West Hollywood)  Santa Monica Boulevard and Highland Avenue (Los Angeles)  Santa Monica Boulevard and Western Avenue (Los Angeles)  Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue (Los Angeles)  Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue (Los Angeles)  Western Avenue and 9th Street (Los Angeles)  Jefferson Boulevard and La Cienega Boulevard (Los Angeles)

3 2004 Congestion Management Program for Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Los Angeles, 2004.

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The CMP requires that detailed analyses be conducted for any of these locations where the proposed project is anticipated to add 50 or more total trips during either the AM or PM peak hours. A review of the net project traffic additions in the project vicinity indicates that net new project traffic at the site itself are expected to be substantially below these thresholds during the PM peak hour, with the project, resulting in a net increase of only 34 trips, including a nominal increase of 32 net new inbound trips, and two outbound trips. During the AM peak hour, however, the project is expected to result in a net increase of approximately 103 trips, including 29 net new inbound and 74 net new outbound trips. However, a review of the expected AM peak hour project traffic assignments indicates that net project trips through intersections outside the immediate study area will be well below the 50-trip threshold, and total net project traffic additions to intersections beyond the 11 study intersections are not expected to exceed 18 total trips (Wilshire Boulevard, east of Ogden Drive). Additionally, project traffic will disperse through the area roadway network outside the study area, and total project volume additions to any of the CMP locations identified above will be further reduced from these already low values. Based on these conditions, the project will not meet the CMP criteria for detailed analyses at any of the nearest CMP arterial monitoring intersections, and potential project impacts at more distant CMP locations will also be at less than significant levels. Therefore, no further CMP monitoring intersection analysis is warranted.

CMP Freeway Segment Impacts

An examination was also made of the potential for project-related freeway impacts within the project study area. As identified previously, the project will generate fewer than 150 directional vehicles per hour during both the AM and PM peak hours, with a maximum of 74 net inbound trips during the AM and 32 net outbound trips during the PM peak hour. Further, the project site is not located in an area immediately or conveniently served by any of the area freeways, and as such, only a nominal amount (maximum of 10 percent) of the project’s trips are anticipated in any direction of any segment of the closest freeways, the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10) approximately two miles to the south, or the Hollywood Freeway (US-101) approximately five miles to the northeast. As a result, directional peak hour project trip additions to either of these facilities would be expected to represent a maximum of less than 10 vehicles during any peak hour, well below the 150-trip threshold requiring any detailed analyses. These nominal project-related freeway traffic additions will not produce any measurable effects on any of the regional transportation facilities, and no further analysis is warranted.

CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

The analysis of traffic impacts of the proposed project considers the effects of future growth in traffic in the region through consideration of traffic generated by the 53 related projects and application of the ambient growth factor. Consequently, impacts of cumulative growth are already incorporated into the traffic model and are reflected in the “Without Project” column in Table IV.L-6, above. Impacts of the proposed project, in conjunction with the related projects, are shown in the “With Project” column of the same table.

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MITIGATION MEASURES

The results of the analyses contained above indicate that the proposed project could potentially result in significant traffic impacts at three of the 11 study intersections during one or both peak hours; at 6th Street and Fairfax Avenue (PM peak hour), at Wilshire Boulevard and Crescent Heights Boulevard/McCarthy Vista (AM peak hour), and at Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue (both peak hours). Therefore, a review of the existing intersection and roadway geometries and operations was undertaken to identify feasible roadway system improvements to mitigate these potential impacts. The area roadway system is currently substantially improved, and there are few available rights-of-way or unimproved roadway segments with which to construct any meaningful new roadway or intersection capacities. Additionally, the area traffic signal network has already been upgraded with both the ATSAC and second-generation ATCS signal coordination systems, and no additional signal operation enhancements are available. Therefore, potential mitigation measures for this project are relegated to operational improvements based on the forecast traffic demand patterns, such as converting the operations of existing lanes to better accommodate future travel patterns, or the addition of short turn lanes to improve “through” traffic movements at the intersections, where feasible. The specific measures recommended to mitigate the potential impacts of the proposed project are described below:

6th Street and Fairfax Avenue

No feasible physical improvements are available to mitigate the project’s impacts at this location. However, the intersection currently exhibits high left-turn volumes in the southbound direction during both peak hours and due to these heavy volumes, left-turn queues sometime build and encroach into the through lanes, creating further delays for these movements. A northbound left-turn phase was also proposed, but was rejected by LADOT due to conflicts with ongoing neighborhood traffic management measures in the area. As such, the following mitigation measure is recommended:

L-1 The project applicant shall contribute to the installation of southbound left-turn phasing at this intersection (protected phase during the AM and PM peak hours, permissive during off-peak periods) to provide enhanced signal operations and smoother traffic flow at this location.

Wilshire Boulevard and Crescent Heights Boulevard/McCarthy Vista

No feasible physical improvements were identified to mitigate the project’s impacts at this location. Although the project applicant proposed the installation of southbound left-turn phasing at this intersection, LADOT determined that such a measure would unacceptably increase vehicle and pedestrian delays due to longer signal cycle lengths.

Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue

No feasible physical improvements are available to mitigate the project’s impacts at this location. Although the project applicant proposed to widen the east side of Fairfax Avenue north of Wilshire Boulevard by two feet (within the existing right-of-way) and re-stripe the southbound approach of the

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intersection to install a new right-turn only lane, LADOT noted that, subsequent to the preparation of the project traffic study, the proposed mitigation had already been assigned to another project in the area, and was currently under construction.

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program

In order to reduce trips generated by the project, the project shall implement a Transportation Demand Management Program for the project.

L-2 The project applicant shall work with LADOT to develop a TDM plan that includes trip reduction goals aimed at reducing the project’s traffic impacts. A preliminary TDM plan shall be prepared and provided for LADOT review prior to issuance of the first building permit for the project, and a final TDM program shall be approved by LADOT prior to issuance of any temporary or final certificate of occupancy for the project.

LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE AFTER MITIGATION

The effectiveness of the recommended traffic signal improvement at 6th Street and Fairfax Avenue will be ultimately evaluated by LADOT staff in their review of the feasibility of this measure, which is consistent with the Mayor’s directive to install new left-turn phasing at key intersections throughout the City, in order to address ongoing and increasing traffic congestion.

However, in order to present the most conservative assessment of the potential effectiveness of the proposed left-turn mitigation measure, the project’s impacts at this location is considered to remain significant and unavoidable. Similarly, as no feasible mitigation is available for the project’s potential significant impacts at Wilshire Boulevard and Crescent Heights Boulevard/McCarthy Vista, or at Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, the impacts at these two locations would also remain significant and unavoidable. Finally, although the project will prepare and implement appropriate trip-reduction strategies and programs to the satisfaction of LADOT, the effects of the TDM program are not considered to fully mitigate any of the three significant impacts identified above. However, it is noted in LADOT’s traffic impact assessment letter, dated May 5, 2009, that the project’s traffic impacts were analyzed without benefit of potential TDM-related trip reductions, and as such, LADOT identifies that the project’s traffic impacts described in the traffic study are over-stated.

Despite the three intersection impacts described previously, the traffic analyses indicate that no significant impacts are anticipated at any of the other eight study intersections during either of the peak hours. Additionally, the project is not anticipated to produce significant impacts to any of the Congestion Management Program (CMP) arterial roadways, intersections, or freeway segments in the vicinity. Finally, no significant impacts are anticipated to occur on any of the residential streets surrounding the project site.

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