Transportation/Access

Corresponding pages in the DEIS:
Summary of Impacts: pp. 591-614; Environmental Consequences: pp. 603-614

The proposed action would result in increased traffic, which would decrease the level of service of existing roadways and would have a potential effect on public transportation (namely school buses). When combined with the anticipated increase of traffic resulting from population growth, mine related traffic on State Route 83 between Interstate 10 and State Route 82 would decrease the level of service from its current B and C ratings to level C for peak and nonpeak seasons at peak a.m. and p.m. hours during all phases of the mine. Level of service C is not considered an unacceptable level of service, and the mitigation measure of a partial carpool system would help to ensure that a level of service D would not occur. The mitigation measure of constructing four school bus pullouts along State Route 83 would negate the impacts to public transportation by providing safer student loading and unloading. Transportation routes to the mine area open to the public would increase by the building of the primary and secondary access roads, but existing Forest Service roads within the project footprint would be closed to the public.