3A Public Hearing 2010 0503 - Laserfiche WebLink

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freeway on- and off -ramps on Marina Boulevard (intersections that are part of the interconnected signal corridor) requires approval by Caltrans. As such, this mitigation is exclusively within the responsibility and jurisdiction of Caltrans and the City, as lead agency for the Project, cannot guarantee Caltrans' acceptance. While the City is requiring as a condition of approval that Kaiser seek approval from Caltrans, because the outcome is uncertain, impacts to the Marina Boulevard/ Merced Street intersection are considered significant and unavoidable for purposes of the CEQA analysis. This potentially unavoidable significant impact is overridden as set forth below in the Statement of Overriding Considerations. c. Traffic Impacts - Existing plus Phase 1 of the Medical Center plus the Mixed -Use Retail Development. Traffic associated with development of Phase 1 of the Kaiser Medical Center together with the Mixed -Use Retail Development would cause sub- standard levels of service at the Marina Boulevard/Merced Street intersection and create operational issues associated with queuing at the intersection at Republic Avenue/Merced Street. Implementation of Mitigation Measures TR1.1 (described above), if feasible, would reduce the impacts under Existing plus Phase 1 of the Medical Center plus the Mixed -Use Retail Development conditions, but additional impacts would occur as described below. (1) Impact TR -1 finds that the southbound left -turn queues along Merced Street at the Republic Avenue/Merced Street intersection would exceed the estimated storage capacity. As such, project traffic waiting to turn left from southbound Merced Street to the Republic Avenue extension may block through traffic on the southbound approach thereby affecting upstream operations on Merced Street. Mitigation Measure TR -1.2 requires improvements to widening the north leg of the intersection to provide two left -turn lanes, one through lane and one shared -through -right lane on the southbound approach (as well as bike lanes in both directions in accordance with the San Leandro Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan). With such widening, the southbound left -turn queue could be accommodated within the storage capacity of the two left turn lanes, and upstream traffic operations along Merced Street would not be adversely affected. The mitigation measure requires the project sponsors to contribute fair -share funds towards this improvement. However, widening Merced Street would require the acquisition of additional right-of-way. Acquiring this additional right-of-way would require the Project proponent to negotiate the sale and purchase of the real property, or the City to exercise its power of eminent domain and the outcome of either proceeding cannot be guaranteed. Further, such widening could adversely impact existing businesses along Merced Street. Due to the uncertainty regarding the feasibility of Mitigation Measure TR -1.2 and the fact that there is no other feasible mitigation, impacts to the Republic Avenue/ Merced Street intersection are considered significant and unavoidable. This potentially unavoidable significant impact is overridden as set forth below in the Statement of Overriding Considerations. (2) Impact TR -1 finds that the intersection at the Marina Boulevard/Merced Street, even as improved pursuant to Mitigation Measure TR -1.1 above, would be -11-