Memorandum
Date: March 7, 2024 Project: SRO330
To: Jean Kapolchok
J. Kapolchok & Associates
From: Dalene J. Whitlock
[email protected]
Subject: Updated Trip Generation and Trip Length Information for Elm Tree Station As requested, and to support the analysis of greenhouse gases (G HG), we have reevaluated the proposed project’s anticipated trip generation based on current rates as new data has been published since the traffic study for the project was prepared in 2013.
Project Description
The
project as evaluated in the Traffic Impact study for the Elm Tree Station Project, July 26, 2013, included an approximately 3,500 square foot community grocer y store, a gasoline statio n with twelve fueling positions and four electric vehicle charging stations along with an approximately one-quarter acre open space and bicycle path with a sma ll commercial building (approximately 432 square feet). Additionally, a single apartment would be construct ed on the site which is planned to be occupied by a site caretaker employee.
Trip Generation
The anticipated trip generation fo r the proposed project was updated us ing standard rates published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) in Trip Generation Manual, 11th Edition, 2021, for Convenience Store/Gas Station – 9-15 VFP (LU # 945), and Multifamily House (Low-Rise) Not Close to Rail Transit (LU #220) as these descriptions most closely matches the proposed project.
The majority of traffic associated with both convenience store and gas station uses would be drawn from existing traffic on nearby streets. These vehicle trips are not considered "new," but are instead comprised of drivers who are already driving on the adjacent street and choose to make an in terim stop. These trips are referred to as “pass-by.” The percentage of these pass-by trips was based on information provided with the Trip Generation Manual. For the applied land use pass-by rates of 76 and 75 percent are reported for the a.m. and p.m. peak hours respectively. A rate of 75 percent was therefore applied to the daily rate.
Based on application of these assu mptions, the proposed project is ex pected to generate an average of 2,459 trips per day at its driveway, though only 620 net new trips after the pass-by deduction is applied. These results are summarized in Table 1.
490 Mendocino Avenue, Suite 201 Santa Rosa, CA 95401 707.542.9500 w-trans.com SANTA ROSA • OAKLAND
Attachment 7
Ms. Jean Kapolchok Page 2 March 7, 2024
Table 1 – Trip Generation Summary
Land Use Units Daily
Rate Trips
Conv Store/Gas Station 3.5 ksf 700.43 2,452
Pass-by -75% -1,839
Multifamily Housing 1 du 6.74 7
Total New Trips 620
Note: ksf = 1,000 square fe et; du = dwelling unit
Vehicle Miles
The Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA) operates and maintains th e regional travel demand model that produces traffic and VMT estimates. The most current version of the SCTM19 model, which was released in December 2021, indicates that the average trip length in the traffic analysis zone (TAZ) containing the project site is 5.67 miles.
DJW/djw/SRO330.M1