395 - GSA Development of St. Elizabeths Campus

More documents

Recommendations

Info

2.3.1 SocioeconomicForecasts for the 2020 and 2035 timeframes indicate growth related to employment, households,and population throughout Southeast DC. Regardless of the DHS relocation, “baseline” growthis projected for Southeast DC; this growth is expected to result from several redevelopmentsand developments in and beyond the Study Area that will contribute to increased traveldemands and home-based-work trips. However, the relocation of DHS Headquarters to St.Elizabeths will result in a higher employment growth rate than this region would otherwiseexperience. Further, the influx of employment from the DHS Headquarters relocation to St.Elizabeths - and the redevelopment of the Anacostia area in support of this relocation - willresult in a higher traffic and transit demand growth rate than is currently expected to occur inthe absence of the development.2.3.2 Travel PatternsWithin the Metropolitan Washington region, travel patterns are expected to remain similar toexisting conditions. Travel demand will grow in parallel with population and employment,experiencing an increase in daily traffic volumes based on the overall growth anticipated in theregion. Although there may be some reallocation of trips associated with the relocation of DHSHeadquarters to St. Elizabeths, over the course of the 2020-to-2035 time frame it is anticipatedthat the influx directly after the relocation will balance out with new development in the region,replacing existing trips to DHS properties that will shift to St. Elizabeths. Therefore, the totaltrips anticipated in 2035 will remain consistent; the location of those trips will be redistributedto account for the relocation to St. Elizabeths.2.3.3 Alternatives EliminatedSection 4 of this report describes the roadway concept alternatives that were developed, revised,and either dismissed or recommended for further analysis. A few examples of some of thealternatives eliminated from further consideration included:• Reconfiguration of South Capitol Street as a pair of one-way frontage roads on eitherside of I-295, with a connection to Gate 4 provided via a two-connector road/overpassset of at-grade intersections. The West Access Road would be incorporated as a part ofSouth Capitol Street under this alternative, which raised security concerns and conflictswith DHS’ programmatic needs.• Direct access ramps between I-295 and Gate 4 / the West Access Road. Provision of thistype of access was eliminated from consideration due to conflicts with DDOT andFHWA Policy.• An extension of 13 th Street SE northward from Pecan Street to cross over SuitlandParkway and intersect with / feed into Sheridan Road, as originally assessed inAlternative 2 of the Draft EIS. Alignment issues associated with existing steep grades,lack of significant operational benefits, right-of-way conflicts and logistical difficultiesassociated with the roadway network on the north side of Suitland Parkway precludedthis concept from further consideration.2-6
• Transportation System Management (TSM) improvements. Under a stand-alonealternative, TSM improvements – including widening and reconfiguring local roadways,upgrading traffic signals, and expansion of the regional transit network – are capable ofproviding only a partial solution. The evaluation showed that although TSM elementsare essential to overall project success, implementing the TSM alternative alone does notfully meet the needs of the project.2.3.4 Future NeedsFuture needs of the project related to GSA’s plan to relocate and consolidate the DHSHeadquarters to St. Elizabeths were identified as follows:• DHS Headquarters programmatic needs, including:‣ New access to the St. Elizabeths West Campus from the west‣ Capability to limit public access to the West Access Road (in the vicinity of St.Elizabeths West Campus) in cases requiring heightened security‣ Transit shuttle routes that connect employee entrance points with nearbyMetrorail stations‣ Circulating roadways and lay-by areas to facilitate provision of transit shuttleservice‣ Modifications to the Malcolm X Avenue/I-295 interchange to improveconnections between the St. Elizabeths Campus and the local freeway network• Minimization of NPS parkland necessary for the construction of the West Access Road• Providing acceptable capacity on the West Access Road while minimizingenvironmental and cultural/historic resource impacts• Adequate and context-sensitive connectivity with the surrounding community andtransportation network• Physical and operational/logistical improvements that work to minimize traffic andtransportation impacts to the Anacostia and Congress Heights neighborhoods2.4 Performance of No-Build, Build, and No ActionTransportation Alternatives2.4.1 No-Build Alternative 1The No-Build Alternative serves as a future baseline condition against which the BuildAlternatives may be compared. Under this alternative, the relocation and consolidation of DHS1 GSA’s No Action Alternative in the FEIS is different from the No-Build Alternative. The No-Build Alternative assumes noconsolidation of DHS Headquarters on the St. Elizabeths campus, nor any related infrastructure improvements, while the No ActionAlternative assumes that DHS is consolidated on the West Campus only with minimal transportation improvements and no changesin interstate access at Malcolm X Avenue. The No Action Alternative is discussed in more detail in Section 2.4.4.2-7
Page 1: Department of Homeland Security Hea
Page 4 and 5: Contents1 INTRODUCTION ............
Page 6 and 7: List of Figures:FIGURE 1-1: PROJECT
Page 8 and 9: List of Tables:TABLE 3-1: ROADWAY P
Page 10 and 11: 1 Introduction1.1 Project Descripti
Page 12 and 13: FREDERICKCOUNTYBALTIMORELOUDOUNCOUN
Page 14 and 15: MLK JR. AVELegendVarious ForestedMi
Page 16 and 17: 0 1,250 2,500 5,000 FeetW STFREDERI
Page 18 and 19: The purpose of this TTR document is
Page 20 and 21: transportation hub because of its l
Page 22 and 23: travelling westbound (in morning pe
Page 26 and 27: Headquarters to St. Elizabeths and
Page 28 and 29: 2.4.2 Build Transportation Alternat
Page 30 and 31: 2.4.3.1 Interchange of Malcolm X Av
Page 32 and 33: Campus. The West Access Road would

395 - GSA Development of St. Elizabeths Campus

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?