RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT SEPTEMBER 2017 [DRAFT] Roadway Network Improvements Environmental Assessment [1] Attachment A RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT ROADWAY NETWORK IMPROVEMENTS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT The general location of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA or the Airport) is shown on Exhibit 1. A.1 Purpose and Need for the Project The purpose of the Proposed Action is to address on-Airport traffic conditions, public and employee parking deficiencies, and rental car capacity constraints. The need for the Proposed Action is to: • Reduce traffic congestion and enhance safety on the terminal roadway system • Provide adequate and convenient on-Airport Facilities for the Rental Car Companies and their customers • Increase the available parking capacity for both passengers and employees • Enhance the overall customer experience A.2 Alternatives The alternatives, which will be discussed in the EA, include various on-Airport locations and configurations for a consolidated rental car facility (ConRAC), public parking, employee parking, and roadway improvements. Previous planning studies identified nine alternatives, although six of those initial alternatives were considered infeasible as they do not meet the rental car and parking program requirements. Therefore, three alternatives, as well as the No Action Alternative, have been identified for consideration in the EA. The EA will document the methodology used to determine the alternatives, as well as the screening process used to conclude which alternatives would feasibly satisfy the purpose of and need for the Proposed Action. The selected range of reasonable alternatives, along with the No Action Alternative, will be examined and evaluated in the EA. Evaluation criteria may include: effects on future traffic conditions; alternative costs; wayfinding; constructability and phasing, operational viability, and potential effects on protected environmental resources.
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RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT SEPTEMBER 2017
Attachment A RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT ROADWAY NETWORK IMPROVEMENTS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
The general location of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA or the Airport) is shown on Exhibit 1.
A.1 Purpose and Need for the Project
The purpose of the Proposed Action is to address on-Airport traffic conditions, public and employee parking deficiencies, and rental car capacity constraints. The need for the Proposed Action is to:
• Reduce traffic congestion and enhance safety on the terminal roadway system
• Provide adequate and convenient on-Airport Facilities for the Rental Car Companies and their customers
• Increase the available parking capacity for both passengers and employees
• Enhance the overall customer experience
A.2 Alternatives
The alternatives, which will be discussed in the EA, include various on-Airport locations and configurations for a consolidated rental car facility (ConRAC), public parking, employee parking, and roadway improvements. Previous planning studies identified nine alternatives, although six of those initial alternatives were considered infeasible as they do not meet the rental car and parking program requirements. Therefore, three alternatives, as well as the No Action Alternative, have been identified for consideration in the EA.
The EA will document the methodology used to determine the alternatives, as well as the screening process used to conclude which alternatives would feasibly satisfy the purpose of and need for the Proposed Action. The selected range of reasonable alternatives, along with the No Action Alternative, will be examined and evaluated in the EA. Evaluation criteria may include: effects on future traffic conditions; alternative costs; wayfinding; constructability and phasing, operational viability, and potential effects on protected environmental resources.
RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT SEPTEMBER 2017
SOURCES: Esr i, HERE, DeLorme, MapmyIndia, OpenStreetMap contributors and the GIS user community, July 2017 (basemap); TIGER/Line Shapefiles, July 2017 (roadways) ; Ricondo & Associates, Inc., April 2017 (airport boundary) .PREPARED BY: Ricondo & Associates, Inc. , July 2017.
The Proposed Action includes project elements that meet the purpose and need, along with a series of enabling projects that must also be evaluated in the EA. Project components are depicted on Exhibit 2; Enabling projects are depicted on Exhibit 3. Exhibit 4 shows the proposed Study Area. Table 1 lists the estimated construction start and completion dates for the Proposed Action components, including the enabling projects. Information regarding each project component is provided below.1
• Long-Term Roadway Network: A new West Entrance Roadway alignment would be constructed to the south of the existing West Entrance Road, with grade separated roadways connecting to the existing arrivals and departures levels for Terminals B and C. The new West Entrance Road would also connect with the single level roadway serving Terminal A. A new interchange at Airport Access Road would be constructed. The existing quick turn-around (QTA) facilities within this area would be demolished.
• Consolidated Rental Car and Public Parking Facility: A Joint-Use Facility, including ConRAC functions and public parking, would be constructed adjacent to and east of the new West Entrance Roadway (see Exhibit 2). The Joint-Use Facility would be six levels with a footprint of approximately 353,000 square feet. The northern portion of the Joint-Use Facility would include a total of up to 1.5 million square feet, serving rental car operations on the three lower levels and public parking on the top three levels. Each level would be approximately 253,000 square feet accommodating approximately 725 parking spaces each, for a total of 5,075 parking spaces. Rental car operations in this area would include a customer service building and rental car ready/return garage (RAC). The southern portion of the Joint Facility would include only ConRAC functions, including the QTA and QTA support areas on the first three levels, and rental car vehicle storage areas on the top three levels. The total square footage of the rental car functions in this area would be approximately 451,000 square feet.
• Connector Garage: A five-level connector garage would be constructed between existing Parking Garage A and Parking Garage B/C. The facility would be approximately 230,000 square feet (46,000 square feet per level), with a total of approximately 650 parking spaces.
1 Unless otherwise noted, descriptions of the project components were compiled from information contained in the Ricondo & Associates, Inc., “Roadway Network Study,” October 2016.
ConRAC Area =
156,828 ft²/Leve
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Connector Garage =
133,340 ft²/Leve
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RA Alt 7 Proposed TNC Staging Lot H
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RA Alt 7 Proposed T
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TNCStagingArea
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SEPTEMBER 2017RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT
- Temporary Parking Decks:2 Two adjacent single-level temporary parking decks for public and employee parking would be constructed. The two decks would include up to 300,000 square feet and accommodate approximately 855 parking spaces. It is estimated that up to 515 parking spaces would be for public use and the remaining 340 parking spaces would be for employees.
- Interim Roadway Improvements: Prior to implementation of the Long-Term Roadway Network, temporary roadway improvements would be constructed near the Airport entrance. Improvements include the construction of an additional lane along the West Entrance Road and westbound Aviation Circle from approximately Abingdon Drive to the intersection of Smith Boulevard, and along Airport Access Road to Abingdon Drive, and installation of one traffic signal at West Entrance Road and Aviation Circle. The existing traffic signal at Airport Access Road and Abingdon Drive would be reconfigured. These improvements would be demolished after the completion of the Long-Term Roadway Network and prior to construction of the ConRAC. Additionally, two new connection roads between Smith Boulevard and Thomas Avenue would be constructed as part of the interim roadway improvements to provide access to economy and employee parking. These improvements would not be demolished, but incorporated into the long term roadway network.
- Relocation of Maintenance Buildings and Shops: Five buildings are currently located at the “Hill Complex”, including: the East and West Buildings, the Shops Building, the Warehouse and the Boiler House (see Exhibit 3). In order to construct the ConRAC, these facilities would need to be relocated and the existing buildings demolished. Over 132,800 square feet of existing maintenance facilities3 would be relocated to a consolidated facility. Relocation options for these facilities are currently under study by MWAA as part of a separate planning effort.
Temporary Surface Parking Lot: A temporary surface lot would be constructed in the area currently occupied by the East and West Buildings. The temporary surface lot would be approximately 151,000 square feet and serve public/employee parking and staging for transportation network company (TNC) operators, such as Uber and Lyft. It is expected that the surface lot would contain 300 public parking spaces, 30 employee parking spaces, and 100 TNC/cell phone staging spaces. The temporary surface parking lot would be demolished and the TNC/cell phone staging area and parking relocated prior to construction of the ConRAC.
2 Ricondo & Associates, Inc., Task Order 21 Scope of Work Exhibits, January 2016. 3 Ricondo & Associates, Inc., “Hangars and South Area Development Study – Phase II (Inventory & Facility Requirements Update)” July
2013.
RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT SEPTEMBER 2017
PROPOSED ACTION COMPONENT CONSTRUCTION START CONSTRUCTION END
Enabling Projects
Interim Roadway Improvements 2021 2022
Temporary Parking Decks 2022 2022
Relocation of Maintenance Buildings and Shops 2023 2024
Temporary Surface Parking Lot 2024 2024
Long-Term Roadway Network 2024 2026
Consolidated Rental Car Facility TBD TBD
Connector Garage TBD TBD
SOURCE: Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, August, 2017. PREPARED BY: Ricondo & Associates, Inc., August 2017.
A.4 Potential Areas of Concern
The potential environmental impacts of the Proposed Action will be analyzed and documented in the EA. Federal guidance for the environmental process encourages public involvement and identifies the analysis to be completed to determine the potential impacts in a number of environmental categories. Known potential environmental issues that will be assessed include air quality, particularly related to construction emissions, coastal resources, hazardous materials, floodplains, and impacts to Section 106 and 4(f) facilities, specifically buildings located at the Hill Complex.
