Table Of Content

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT™ MISSION BAY TRANSIT LOOP PROJECT SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA DRAFT GOVERNMENT B|F pC3CU«t€T'S I m % 4 2011 PUSUO ^ %555> SFMTA May 2013 6, This page intentionally left blank. San Francisco PublicLibrary GovernmentInformationCenter SanFranciscoPublicLibrary 100LarkinStreet,5thFloor SanFrancisco,CA94102 REFERENCE BOOK Not to be taken from the Library yJUN 1 3 2013 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT for Mission Bay Transit Loop Project San Francisco, California preparedpursuantto National Environmental Policy Act Title 42, United States Code, §4332(2)(c) Title 23, Code ofFederal Regulations, Part 771 by Unites States Department ofTransportation Federal TransitAdministration 201 Mission Street, Room 2210 San Francisco, California 94105 SFMTA Municipal Transportation Agency | One SouthVanNessAve, 7th Floor San Francisco, California94103 GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS DEPT JUN 1 3 20:3 SANFr ANc PUBLIC LIBRARY DraftEnvironmentalAssessment MissionBay TransitLoopProject SanFrancisco,California This page intentionally left blank. 9 27711111 DraftEnvironmentalAssessment MissionBayTransitLoopProject SanFrancisco, California CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1. 1 Purpose andNeed 1.1 1 1.2 Project Location 3 1.3 Roles and Responsibilities 3 1.4 Project Funding 3 1.5 Environmental Review 3 CEQA 1.5.1 4 1.5.2 NEPA Process 4 1.6 Required Permits andApprovals 5 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTIONAND ALTERNATIVES 2. 8 2.1 Proposed Action 8 2.1.1 Trackway 8 2.1.2 Overhead Contact(Power) System 10 2.1.3 Signalization 10 2.1.4 Curb Ramps/Sidewalk 1 2.1.5 StreetResurfacing 1 2.1.6 Removal ofAbandoned Freight Trackway 1 2.1.7 Utility Relocation 1 2.1.8 Provision forPassengerPlatform 1 2.1.9 Operation 1 2.2 Alternatives Considered forDetailed Study 12 2.2.1 Alternative 1: No Action Alternative 1 2.3 Alternatives Considered but Rejected 12 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT andENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES . 1 3.1 ResourceswithNo Impact 1 3.2 Aesthetics 17 3.3 AirQuality 19 3.4 Climate Change 21 i DraftEnvironmentalAssessment MissionBayTransitLoopProject SanFrancisco,California 3.5 Historic and Archeological Resources 22 3.6 Resources Subjectto Section 4(f) ofthe Department ofTransportation Act 26 3.7 Land Use 28 3.8 Noise 30 3.9 Vibration 33 3.10 Parks and Recreation Areas 34 3.11 Safety and Security 35 3.12 Transportation 36 3.12.1 VehicularTraffic 37 3.12.2 Intersection Performance 37 3.12.3 Lane Configuration 38 3.12.4 Driveway Access 40 3.12.5 Transit 41 3.12.6 Parking 41 3.12.7 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities 43 3.12.8 Construction Effects on Transportation 43 3.13 Environmental Justice 44 4. Other Considerations 61 4.1 Growth and Secondary Effects 61 4.2 Cumulative Effects 61 4.3 Irretrievable and Irreversible Commitment ofResources 63 4.4 Local Short-Term Impacts and Resource Uses Verses Long-Term Productivity 63 5. CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION 65 5.1 Public Meetings 65 5.2 Notice ofAvailability and Distribution List 66 6. LIST OF PREPARERS 67 7. REFERENCES 69 ii DraftEnvironmentalAssessment MissionBayTransitLoopProject SanFrancisco, California FIGURES Figure 1-1 Location and features ofthe proposed Mission Bay Loop . Figure 1-2. T-Third Street LightRail Line Figure 2-1. Existing and proposed lane configurations Figure 3-1. Race and income distribution fortracts alongthe T-Third Street rail line Figure 3-2. View ofEighteenth and Illinois Streets looking north on Illinois Street Figure 3-3. View of Eighteenth Street facing west toward Third Street from the corner of Eighteenth and Illinois Streets Figure 3-4. View ofIllinois Street from corner ofEighteenth and Illinois Streets facing northeast Figure 3-5. View ofNineteenth and Illinois Streets facing south on Illinois Street Figure 3-6. View ofNineteenth Streettowards Third Street facingwest Figure 3-7. View ofNineteenth Streettoward Illinois Street facing east Figure 3-8. Area ofPotential Effects Figure 3-9. Projectvicinity and surrounding neighborhoods Figure 3-10. Recreation areas (parks and open space) planned for Pier 70 at the Port of San Francisco TABLES Table 2-1. Alternative loop locations considered and reason fortheirrejection Table 3-1. StreetParking Supply and Utilization Table 3-2. General Census Information by Population, Race, and Household Income within a 1/2-Mile Radius ofthe Project Site Table 3-3. General Census Information by Population, Race, and Household Income for Block Groups within Tract 226 Table 3-4. Summary of Race and Household Income Distribution for Population Along the T-Third Rail Line iii DraftEnvironmentalAssessment Mission Bay TransitLoopProject SanFrancisco,California APPENDICES AppendixA. Photographs ofAlternative Loop Locations Considered Appendix B. Biological Constraints Assessment Appendix C. Letter from FTA to State Historic Preservation Officer Requesting Concurrence on Finding ofNo Adverse Effect Appendix D. Noise and Vibration Assessment Appendix E. Notice ofPublic Meeting AppendixF. Distribution List ACRONYMS ADA Americans with Disabilities Act APE Area ofPotential Effects BAAQMD Bay Area Air Quality Management District CEQA California Environmental Quality Act CFR Code ofFederal Regulations DOT United States Department ofTransportation EA Environmental Assessment EIR Environmental Impact Report EIS Environmental Impact Statement FTA Federal Transit Administration LOS level ofservice NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NRHP National RegisterofHistoric Places SFMTA San Francisco Municipal Transit Authority TIGER Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery iv