SR-163 Draft Environmental Impact Report Corridor Management Plan Implementation
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Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7
Purpose and Need 7
Proposed Project Elements 7
Timing of Project Elements 8
Median Barrier Alternatives 8
Project Element Alternatives 8
Summary of Impacts 8
Areas of Controversy 9
Additional Department Projects 10
Actions by Others 10
Permits, Reviews and Approvals Required 10
CHAPTER 1: PURPOSE AND NEED 13
1.1 Purpose and Need 13
1.2 Historical Background 13
1.3 Traffic Data 14
1.4 Accidents 14
1.5 Proposed Project Actions 15
1.6 Timing 15
1.7 Related Projects 15
Actions by Others 15
Additional Department Projects 16
1.8 Funding and Programming 16
1.9 Why an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) 17
CHAPTER 2: PROJECT ALTERNATIVES 23
2.1 Proposed Project Features 23
2.2 Median Barrier Alternatives 23
2.3 Median Barrier Horizontal Placement 24
2.4 Additional Project Elements 25
2.5 Alternatives Considered but Withdrawn 27
Barrier Alternatives 27
Barrier Placement Alternatives 27
CHAPTER 3: AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 39
3.1 Land Use 39
Balboa Park Master Plan 39
3.2 Visual Aesthetics 39
3.2.1 Visual Assessment Method 39
Defining Project Setting and Viewshed 40
Visual Resources and Viewer Responses 41
3.2.2 Evaluating Visual Impacts 43
3.2.3 Visual Impacts 44
3.2.4 Visual Mitigation 49
3.2.5 Cumulative Visual Impacts 53
3.3 Cultural Resources 54
Safety Features 56
Other Corridor Features 58
3.3.1 Cumulative Cultural Resource Impacts 58
3.4 Growth 61
Induced Growth 62
3.5 Farmland Agriculture 62
3.6 Community Impacts 62
Environmental Justice 62
3.7 Utilities/Emergency Services 63
3.8 Traffic and Transportation/Pedestrian & Bicycle Facilities 63
3.9 Water Quality/Storm Water Runoff 63
3.10 Geology/Soils/Seismic/Paleontology/Topography 66
3.11 Hazardous Waste/Material 66
3.12 Air Quality 67
3.13 Noise 67
3.14 Biology 68
3.15 Wetlands/Waters of the United States 68
3.16 Vegetation 68
3.17 Wildlife 68
3.18 Threatened and Endangered Species 69
3.19 Construction Impacts 69
3.20 Cumulative Impacts 70
Summary of Impacts 71
Median Barrier Mitigation 71
3.21 Areas of Controversy 72
3.22 The Relationship Between Local Short-Term Uses of Man’s
Environment And the Maintenance and Enhancement of
Long-Term Productivity 72
3.23 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources 73
3.24 Summary of Public/Agency Involvement 73
List of Preparers 79
Glossary of Acronyms 80
Bibliography 81
List of Tables
Table ES-1: Table of Impacts 13
Table 1: Project Features Visual Impact Summary 75
Table 2: Proposed SR-163 CMP Projects and Mitigation Recommendations 76
Table 3: Typical Construction Equipment Noise Levels 69
List of Figures
Figure 1: Project Location Map
Figure 2: Project Vicinity Map
Figure 3: Corridor Management Plan Map
Figure 4: Accident Map
Figure 5: Median Barrier Map
Figure 6: Barrier Alternatives
Figure 7: Existing Median Shoulder Cross Section
Figure 8: 0.6 meter (2 feet) Median Barrier Placement and Cross Section
Figure 9: 1.2 meter (4 feet) Median Barrier Placement with 0.6 meter (2ft)
soil treatment/ 0.6 meter (2ft) paving and Cross Section
Figure 10: 1.2 meter (4 feet) Median Barrier Placement with paving
Only and Cross Section
Figure 11: Corridor Landscape Plan Map
Figure 12: Retaining Walls
Figure 13: Before and After Slope Paving
Figure 14: Before and After Maintenance Vehicle Pullouts
Figure 15: Before and After Planting at Abandoned Ramps
Figure 16: 30-Foot Setback Requirement
Figure 17: Mitigation Map
List of Appendices
Appendix A: Environmental Significance Checklist
Appendix B: Public Outreach
Appendix C: Environmental Justice
Appendix D: Carbon Monoxide Protocol
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