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Section 2 <br />Affected Environment and Environmental <br />Consequences <br />The majority of the existing environmental conditions and impacts are summarized in Sections 4 and 5 of <br />the DEIS, and CDM Smith's review of those two sections is presented below. <br />2.1. Traffic and Transportation Impacts <br />2.1.1 Railroad Ctossings Selected <br />The DEIS failed to consider a representative sample of railroad crossings in Indian River County and thus <br />the impact has not adequately been analyzed or addressed. Two out of 30 crossings in Indian River County <br />were selected based on the largest 2012 Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) on roads crossing the rail line. <br />Oslo Road had a 2012 AADT of 14,400 and 191h Place an AADT of 11,500. Although these roads have the <br />largest AADT, they may not necessarily have the longest delay and queue caused by train activity. Two out <br />of 30 intersections represents an inadequate sample size. <br />2. 1.2 Traffic Projections <br />The DEIS failed to follow FDOT guidance by not conducting actual intersection turning movement counts <br />and not conducting an analysis using those actual counts The DEIS estimated peak hour intersection traffic <br />at the two Indian River County crossings by applying a K (daily traffic occurring in the peak hour) and D <br />(directional distribution) factor to the AADT values. AAF then applied a turning movement volume <br />distribution (left, through, and right) to the PM peak hour traffic to estimate intersection traffic. The DEIS <br />failed to calculate AM peak hour conditions completely. This methodology, according to the Railroad <br />Crossing Analysis report for All -Aboard -Florida, is found in the 2009 Florida Department of Transportation <br />(FDOT) Quality/Level of Service Handbook, CDM Smith's concern with this methodology is that the <br />estimated peak hour intersection traffic volumes could be significantly different than actual traffic, and <br />that the differences are compounded when a growth rate is applied. It would be more appropriate to <br />conduct actual intersection turning movement counts and conduct analysis using those actual counts (see <br />FDOT 2014 Project Traffic Forecasting Handbook Ch.6, Section 6.5 paragraph). <br />Year 2016 and 2036 traffic projections were based on a one percent annual growth rate. The report states <br />this was based on historical traffic data and is conservative because much of the corridor has seen negative <br />growth over the last several years. It would be more appropriate to utilize the regional Travel Demand <br />Model to project future traffic conditions. <br />2.1.3 Delay and t: twuing AnalyJ,, <br />The DEIS does not properly analyze the delay and queuing calculations. Table 3-10 in the rail crossing <br />report presents some confusing information. First, the automobile delay and queue calculations caused by <br />a passenger and freight train are almost the same, but CDM Smith understands that a freight train is much <br />longer and will create a longer "gate down" condition. Second, CDM Smith is not sure how the delay and <br />queue calculations are done. At Oslo Road and US 1 the eastbound delay and queue at the intersection is <br />CDM 301 3(0 <br />Smith 2 i <br />