Environmental Assessment Federal Transit Administratio n TEMPE STREETCAR July 2015 TEMPE STREETCAR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Prepared in accordance with: • National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. § 4332 et seq.), as amended • Federal Transit Act (49 U.S.C. § 5301 et seq.), as amended • Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) (Public Law 112-141) By the: Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, and Valley Metro Lead Agencies: Federal Transit Administration and Valley Metro For additional information concerning this document, contact: Robert Forrest Environmental Program Manager Valley Metro 101 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 1300 Phoenix, AZ 85003 (602) 322-4514 Dominique M. Paukowits Federal Transit Administration, Region IX 201 Mission Street, Suite 1650 San Francisco, CA 94105-1831 (415) 744-2735 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................... ES-1 ES.1 WHAT IS THE TEMPE STREETCAR AND WHERE IS IT LOCATED? .......................................................................................... ES-1 ES.2 WHY WAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT WRITTEN AND WHAT DOES IT INCLUDE? ........................................................ ES-4 ES.3 WHY IS THE PROJECT NEEDED AND WHAT ISSUES WOULD IT ADDRESS? ..................................................................................... ES-5 ES.4 WHAT ALTERNATIVES HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AND HOW DID WE GET TO THE PROJECT NOW PROPOSED? ....................... ES-6 ES.5 WOULD THERE BE ANY ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS? ........................................................................................... ES-8 ES.6 HOW MUCH WOULD THE PROJECT COST AND HOW WOULD IT BE FUNDED? ................................................................................ ES-19 ES.6.1 Capital Costs Funding Sources ............................................. ES-19 ES.6.2 Operating Costs Funding Sources ........................................ ES-20 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT .......................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 WHAT IS THE PROPOSED PROJECT AND WHY IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT BEING PREPARED? ..................... 1-1 1.2 WHY IS HIGH-CAPACITY TRANSIT SERVICE NEEDED IN THE STUDY AREA? ....................................................................................... 1-2 1.2.1 Accommodating the Travel Needs of a Growing Population and Employment Center ............................................................ 1-3 1.2.2 Improving Local and Regional Mobility, Especially during Peak Travel Times ..................................................................... 1-4 1.2.3 Enhancing Access to Regional Employment Centers and Activity Destinations ................................................................... 1-6 1.2.4 Supporting Current and Planned Economic and Transit- Oriented Development in the Project Corridors .......................... 1-6 1.3 WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT? ............... 1-8 1.4 WHAT ARE THE GOALS FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT? .............. 1-9 Environmental Assessment Page i July 2015 Tempe Streetcar 2.0 ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED PROJECT ........................................... 2-1 2.1 WHAT ALTERNATIVES HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AND HOW DID WE GET TO THE ALTERNATIVES SELECTED FOR EVALUATION IN THIS EA? .................................................................... 2-1 2.2 WHAT ALTERNATIVES ARE EVALUATED IN THIS EA? ..................... 2-5 2.2.1 No-Build Alternative ................................................................... 2-5 2.2.2 Build Alternative ......................................................................... 2-9 2.3 BUILD ALTERNATIVE TRANSIT NETWORK ...................................... 2-22 3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS—WHAT IMPACTS ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR AND HOW WILL MAJOR ADVERSE IMPACTS BE AVOIDED OR MINIMIZED? ............................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 LAND ACQUISITION AND RELOCATION ............................................. 3-2 3.1.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................ 3-2 3.1.2 No-Build Alternative ................................................................... 3-2 3.1.3 Build Alternative ......................................................................... 3-2 3.1.4 Mitigation.................................................................................... 3-5 3.2 EXISTING LAND USE ............................................................................ 3-6 3.2.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................ 3-6 3.2.2 No-Build Alternative ................................................................... 3-6 3.2.3 Build Alternative ......................................................................... 3-7 3.2.4 Mitigation.................................................................................... 3-7 3.3 CONSISTENCY WITH LOCAL PLANS .................................................. 3-8 3.3.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................ 3-8 3.3.2 No-Build Alternative ................................................................... 3-9 3.3.3 Build Alternative ......................................................................... 3-9 3.3.4 Mitigation.................................................................................... 3-9 3.4 ECONOMIC EFFECTS ........................................................................... 3-9 3.4.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................ 3-9 3.4.2 No-Build Alternative ................................................................. 3-10 3.4.3 Build Alternative ....................................................................... 3-10 3.4.4 Mitigation.................................................................................. 3-12 3.5 GROWTH AND GROWTH-INDUCED IMPACTS ................................. 3-12 3.5.1 Environmental Setting .............................................................. 3-12 3.5.2 No-Build Alternative ................................................................. 3-14 Environmental Assessment Page ii July 2015 Tempe Streetcar 3.5.3 Build Alternative ....................................................................... 3-14 3.5.4 Mitigation.................................................................................. 3-14 3.6 TRAFFIC/PARKING/PEDESTRIANS/BICYCLES/FREIGHT ROUTES/TRANSIT............................................................................... 3-14 3.6.1 Environmental Setting .............................................................. 3-14 3.6.2 No-Build Alternative ................................................................. 3-16 3.6.3 Build Alternative ....................................................................... 3-19 3.6.4 Mitigation.................................................................................. 3-27 3.7 AIR QUALITY AND GREENHOUSE GASES ....................................... 3-27 3.7.1 Environmental Setting .............................................................. 3-27 3.7.2 No-Build Alternative ................................................................. 3-28 3.7.3 Build Alternative ....................................................................... 3-29 3.7.4 Mitigation.................................................................................. 3-32 3.8 NOISE AND VIBRATION ...................................................................... 3-32 3.8.1 Environmental Setting .............................................................. 3-32 3.8.2 No-Build Alternative ................................................................. 3-39 3.8.3 Build Alternative ....................................................................... 3-39 3.8.4 Mitigation.................................................................................. 3-47 3.9 ENERGY REQUIREMENTS AND POTENTIAL FOR CONSERVATION ......................................................................... 3-48 3.9.1 Environmental Setting .............................................................. 3-48 3.9.2 No-Build Alternative ................................................................. 3-50 3.9.3 Build Alternative ....................................................................... 3-50 3.9.4 Mitigation.................................................................................. 3-52 3.10 HISTORIC, ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL PROPERTIES ..... 3-52 3.10.1 Environmental Setting .............................................................. 3-52 3.10.2 No-Build Alternative ................................................................. 3-63 3.10.3 Build Alternative ....................................................................... 3-63 3.10.4 Measures to Minimize and Avoid Effects ................................. 3-67 3.11 SECTION 4(F)/6(F) EVALUATION ....................................................... 3-69 3.11.1 Environmental Setting .............................................................. 3-69 3.11.2 No-Build Alternative ................................................................. 3-72 3.11.3 Build Alternative ....................................................................... 3-72 3.11.4 Measures to Minimize Harm ...................................................