Pinecrest Recreation Area Traffic/Circulation/ Parking Plan April 20, 2010 Prepared for: Prepared by: PaPaciifif c GaG s annd Ellece trt ici Comompap nyn DeD siigngn Worrksk hoh p,, Incn . LLSC Trana spporo tat tiono Connsuultl anantss PO Boxo 566666 2690 Laake Forest RoR add Sttata ele inne, NV 898 44449 TaT hohoe CCiity, CAC 9611454 775.585 8.8 592929 53530.0 583.3 4040535 as required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission License # 2130 for the Spring Spring-Gap Stanislaus Project, FERC No.2130 Gap - Stanislaus Project © 2010, Pacifi c Gas and Electric Company CONTENTS 1 Introduction and Objectives |1| 2 Design Principles |2| 3 Existing Conditions |4| 4 Plan |13| 5 Implementation |21| 6 Appendix |24| A. Summary of Stakeholder Meetings B. Summary of Public Meetings C. Design Opportunities D. 2009 Survey Information E Consultation Documentation F. USDA Forest Service Traffi c Circulation Parking Plan Approval Documentation List of Figures List of Tables • Figure 1 - Existing Conditions Map • Table 1 - Existing Parking Supply • Figure 2 - Final Traffi c/Circulation Parking Plan • Table 2 - Commercial Center - Parking Analysis • Figure 3 - Illustrative Plan showing Key • Table 3 - Parking Counts Improvements • Table 4 - Implementation Schedule • Figure 4 - Pinecrest Schoolhouse/Community • Table 5 - Required Improvements to Meet ADA Center Parking Area Requirements and County Code • Figure 5 - Signage Plan • Table 6 - Potential Actions to Address Loss of • Figure 6 - Parking Opportunities Parking • Figure 7 - Circulation and Gateway Opportunities • Figure 8 - Transit Strategy • Figure 9 - Day Use Bus Parking Option A • Figure 10 - Day Use Bus Parking Option B Spring-Gap Stanislaus Project, FERC No.2130 © 2010, Pacifi c Gas and Electric Company Pinecrest Recreation Area 1. INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Introduction and Objectives Pinecrest Lake is a busy recreation area managed by the Summit Ranger District of the Stanislaus National Forest, United States Forest Service. The Pinecrest Recreation Area con- tains campgrounds, picnic/day use area, commercial center, resorts, marina, 383 recreation residences, and organization camps. The use of the area will not be changing – this project seeks to minimize congestion and issues related to access, parking, circulation and safety. The existing conditions analysis identifi ed three areas of concern needing improvement on which the study should focus; Parking, Circulation and Wayfi nding and Transit Opportunities. The Traffi c/Circulation/Parking Plan is required by the FERC License #2130 for the Spring Gap – Stanislaus Hydroelectric Project. It is titled a “Recreation Sub-Plan (#2)” and supports the Recreation Implementation Plan created by PG&E in collaboration with the USFS – Summit Ranger District. The plan must include: a. Modifi cations to paths of travel that would reduce congestion at Pinecrest Recreation Area, improve visitor safety and minimize resource damage b. Improvements and/or additional parking facilities or operational procedures for day use access c. Implementation responsibilities and an implementation schedule The USFS and PG&E must mutually agree on the plan and PG&E must fi le it with FERC by April 23, 2010. Anticipated management problems the plan may minimize • Issues regarding emergency access in peak use times. • Vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to pedestrian confl icts that impact visitor experience and pedestrian safety. Management objectives and goals • The project should not address the capacity of the beach at Pinecrest but manage what we have. • The project should reduce congestion caused by traffi c and parking activity to improve visitor experience and pedestrian safety. • reduce the number of drivers circulating while searching for a parking space • the parking system needs to be enforceable • investigate viability of alternative modes of travel • There should be no net loss of legal parking spaces, consistent with the Pinecrest Basin Management Direction. • distinguish between the number of vehicles that can fi t in existing parking areas and the number of vehicles that could fi t in parking areas if striped and desig- nated to meet access and safety standards Spring-Gap Stanislaus Project, FERC No.2130 © 2010, Pacifi c Gas and Electric Company | 1 | Traffi c/Circulation/Parking Plan 2. DESIGN PRINCIPLES Design Principles Design principles have been developed for the three main issue areas, circula- tion, parking and transit, to guide the development and exploration of oppor- tunities for the Pinecrest Recreation Area. They are separated into topic areas: environment and community. This provides a structure for the development of evaluation criteria to assess design opportunities. Parking Environment (including visual quality) • Provide screening to parking areas and setbacks where possible to enhance the visual quality of the recreation area • Protect some trees within parking lot areas (and leave space to plant more where possible) to maintain the visual quality and experience of being in the forest • Provide drop-off areas for vehicles and buses and remove bus parking from the day use areas near the lake by identifying alternative parking locations • Incorporate drainage and stormwater management into the confi guration of new parking areas Community • Reduce the impact of the automobile in the day use area by improving parking and therefore improving recreation experience • The available parking supply should be clearly designated through restriping at a minimum or reconfi guring to improve effi ciency and safety • Relocate parking to reduce congestion, improve emergency access and improve safety for vehicles and pedestrians • Provide enforceable parking strategies to ensure the success of the plan Circulation Environment • Reduce the need for drivers to circulate numerous times searching for parking to minimize vehicle miles travelled and air quality Community • Improve the arrival experience to the lake by better defi ning circulation and providing signage and wayfi nding • Provide suffi cient turnaround space at the boat ramp and at Rustic Avenue to prevent these areas becoming blocked on busy days • Address boat trailer parking options to improve effi ciency of movement and park- ing • Improve pedestrian/bike safety by clearly delineating crosswalks and trail networks to reduce potential confl ict with vehicles • Redesign roadways to reduce the potential for large vehicles to inadvertently enter Lakeshore Drive. Spring-Gap Stanislaus Project, FERC No.2130 © 2010, Pacifi c Gas and Electric Company Pinecrest Recreation Area | 2 | 2. DESIGN PRINCIPLES Transit • A transit system that benefi ts and provides incentive for users not to drive to the lake • Operate a short scheduled loop (which can be operated on a 30-minute schedule) with stops located in strategic locations Environment • Improve air quality by reducing the number of vehicles going to the day use area from off-site locations such as campgrounds, organization camps and resorts. Community • Provide consistent, reliable transportation to day use facilities when operating. Spring-Gap Stanislaus Project, FERC No.2130 © 2010, Pacifi c Gas and Electric Company | 3 | Traffi c/Circulation/Parking Plan 3. EXISTINGX. SECTION CONDITIONS HEADER Existing Conditions Introduction The Pinecrest Recreation area is located along State Route 108 in the Stanislaus National Forest roughly 30 miles east of Sonora in Tuolumne County, California. The Pinecrest Recreation Area contains campgrounds, picnic/day use area, commercial center, resorts, marina, 383 recreation residences, and organization camps. The purpose of this section is to discuss existing transportation conditions within the Pinecrest area. Transportation factors are key considerations in the design of a major rec- reation area such as Pinecrest. Vehicular access, parking, and pedestrian/bicycling facilities play crucial roles in the functioning of the facilities, and also have a very substantial impact on the human and natural environment. This information will be used in the Traffi c/ Circulation/Parking (TCP) Plan being developed for the public recreation areas of Pinecrest as a requirement of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license. There is a general consensus among stakeholders that the TCP Plan process should work to reduce congestion through the recreation area, improve visitor safety, and minimize resource dam- age. The TCP Plan will address vehicular and pedestrian circulation improvements. Roadway System The Existing Conditions Map presents the roadway system serving Pinecrest. Regional access to the area is provided by California State Route (SR) 108, and primary access to Pinecrest Lake is provided via Pinecrest Lake Road. The key roadways serving Pinecrest are described as follows: • SR 108 provides regional access from the Central Valley in Oakdale, California eastward through Sonora and Pinecrest and over Sonora Pass to an eastern terminus at US 395 north of Bridgeport and south of Walker. The majority of this roadway is a two-lane facility, though there are several sections of four-lane cross-section west of Pinecrest. According to Caltrans 2008 traffi c count data, the peak month aver- age daily traffi c volume along this roadway within the vicinity of Pinecrest is 2,900 vehicles per day, while the peak hour volume is 760 vehicles per hour. • Pinecrest Lake Road is a County road providing access from SR 108 to the Pinecrest Lake area (a busy summer recreational area) as well as the Dodge Ridge Ski Area (a major winter recreational