Gemini Solar Project Transportation and Traffic Technical Report
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* GEMINI SOLAR PROJECT Bureau of Land Management Transportation and Traffic Technical Report N-84631 Prepared For: Panorama Environmental 717 Market Street, Suite 650 San Francisco, CA 94103 Prepared By: 2030 Main Street, Suite 1200 Irvine, CA 92614 (949) 794-1180 Contact: Meghan Macias, TE [email protected] Prepared March 2019 Revised December 2019 Gemini Solar Project Transportation and Traffic Technical Report Table of Contents Acronyms and Abbreviations .................................................................................................. iii 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Purpose .................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Project Location ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Applicant Proposed Action ..................................................................................................... 1 2 REGULATORY BACKGROUND .......................................................................................... 4 2.1 Federal ................................................................................................................................... 4 2.1.1 Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49 .................................................................................................. 4 2.1.2 Executive Order 11644 ........................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 State ....................................................................................................................................... 4 2.2.1 Nevada Department of Transportation ................................................................................................ 4 2.3 Local ....................................................................................................................................... 4 2.3.1 Southern Nevada Strong Regional Plan ............................................................................................... 4 2.3.2 Regional Transportation Plan 2013-2035 ........................................................................................... 4 2.3.3 Clark County Comprehensive Master Plan ........................................................................................... 5 2.4 Outreach to Transportation Agencies with Authority in the Project Area ............................... 5 3 BASELINE CONDITIONS ..................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Regional and Local Roadway Facilities ................................................................................. 6 3.2 Existing Traffic Volumes and Levels of Service ...................................................................... 7 3.3 Project Access ........................................................................................................................ 7 3.3.1 Regional Access .......................................................................................................................................... 7 3.3.2 Local Access ................................................................................................................................................ 7 3.4 Public Transportation ............................................................................................................. 7 3.4.1 Rail ................................................................................................................................................................ 7 3.4.2 Airports ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 4 DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS AND MITIGATION RECOMMENDATIONS...................... 9 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 9 4.1.1 Construction Phase ..................................................................................................................................... 9 4.1.2 Operations Phase ................................................................................................................................... 15 4.2 Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 15 4.2.1 Alternate Route #2 Daily Traffic ........................................................................................................ 16 4.2.2 Traffic Control Scenarios ....................................................................................................................... 16 4.2.3 Road Repairs ........................................................................................................................................... 16 4.2.4 Motorist Information and Construction Area Signs ........................................................................... 16 4.2.5 Carpooling ............................................................................................................................................... 17 4.2.6 Park Outreach ......................................................................................................................................... 17 4.2.7 Public Communication and Media ....................................................................................................... 17 4.3 Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 17 5 References ....................................................................................................................... 18 i Gemini Solar Project Transportation and Traffic Technical Report Figures FIGURE 1: PROJECT LOCATION .................................................................................................................................................................... 2 FIGURE 2: PROPOSED ACTION AND ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AREAS ................................................................................... 3 FIGURE 3: ROUTES TO AND FROM THE PROJECT SITE ................................................................................................................................ 11 Tables TABLE 1. EXISTING TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS AND ROADS IN THE PROJECT AREA ....................................................................... 6 TABLE 2. EXISTING TRAFFIC VOLUMES AND ROADWAY OPERATION .................................................................................................... 8 TABLE 3. GEMINI SOLAR PROJECT PEAK CONSTRUCTION DAILY TRIP GENERATION ......................................................................... 12 TABLE 4. PEAK HOUR AND DAILY ROADWAY OPERATION WITH PEAK CONSTRUCTION TRIPS ......................................................... 13 Appendices APPENDIX A – EXISTING TRAFFIC VOLUME DATA ii Gemini Solar Project Transportation and Traffic Technical Report Acronyms and Abbreviations BLM Bureau of Land Management gen-tie generation tie lines I-15 Interstate 15 kV kilovolt LOS Level of Service MW megawatt MWac megawatt alternating current NDOT Nevada Department of Transportation O&M operations and maintenance PCE passenger car equivalent PV photovoltaic ROW right-of-way RTC Regional Transportation Commission TWLTL two-way left-turn lane iii Gemini Solar Project Transportation and Traffic Technical Report 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose This Transportation and Traffic Technical Report has been prepared for the proposed Gemini Solar Project (Project). The purpose of this report is to identify potential impacts on existing transportation infrastructure and traffic associated with the construction and operation of the Project, and to provide recommendations on road upgrades or other improvements to minimize effects. 1.2 Project Location The Project is located on public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the northeastern portion of the Mojave Desert, approximately 33 miles (53 kilometers) northeast of the Las Vegas metropolitan area, in an unincorporated area of Clark County, Nevada (Figure 1). The Project site is situated immediately south of the Moapa River Indian Reservation and less than a half mile (0.8 kilometer) southeast of Interstate 15 (I-15), off of Valley of Fire Road, within the Paiute Point and Dry Lake United States Geological Survey 7.5-minute topographic quadrangles. The Project is located within Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada, T.17S., R.64E., secs. 10-15, 25, and 36; T.17S., R.65E., secs. 7-9, 16-21, 28-33; T.18S., R.64E., secs. 1 and 2; and T.18S., R.65E., secs. 4-5. 1.3 Applicant Proposed Action This Project includes the construction, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of an approximately 690-megawatt (MW) alternating current (MWac) photovoltaic (PV) solar project and ancillary facilities on approximately 7,100 acres (2,873 hectares). A larger area encompassing 10,670 acres (4,318 hectares) was surveyed in order to define alternative configurations of approximately 7,100 acres (2,873 hectares) that reduce environmental effects. The solar field is divided into development areas, labeled A through G, as shown in Figure 2. The primary access road for