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City of Santa Clarita August 2017

A summary of the Proposed Project’s environmental impacts, mitigation measures, and level of impact
after mitigation is presented in Table 1-1, Summary of Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures,
beginning on page 1-7.

(c) Alternatives to the Proposed Project

In compliance with Public Resources Code Section 21100 (4), and Sections 15121, 15126, and 15126.6 of
the State CEQA Guidelines, the EIR evaluated a reasonable range of Project Alternatives. As discussed in
greater detail in Section 6.0, Alternatives to the Project, the range of alternatives selected was based on
the ability to feasibly attain most of the basic objectives of the proposed Project and the alternatives
ability to avoid or substantially lessen any of the significant effects of the proposed Project. The
Alternative Analysis includes the evaluation of a No Project Alternative (as mandated by CEQA), and
two alternative alignments: Alignment Alternative 1 and Alignment Alternative 2.

Alignment Alternative 1 would include the proposed roadway alignment and associated infrastructure of a
new at-grade crossing at Lyons Avenue and Railroad Avenue and a secondary east-west arterial roadway
connecting Lyons Avenue to the approved alignment of Dockweiler Drive at the Master’s University
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Campus that would connect Dockweiler Drive to a new five-leg intersection at the Arch Street/12
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Street/Placerita Canyon intersection. This alignment is similar to the Proposed Project except that the 13
Street at-grade crossing would remain operational under this alternative as opposed to being closed.

Alignment Alternative 2 would involve the development of the proposed roadway alignment and
associated infrastructure for Dockweiler Drive, as proposed, connecting Dockweiler Drive from the
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approved alignment at the Master’s University Campus to the Arch Street/12 Street/Placerita Canyon
intersection, but without the construction of a new at-grade crossing and connection from Lyons Avenue
at Railroad Avenue.

As evaluated in Section 6.5, Environmentally Superior Alternative, Alternative 2 was identified as the
environmentally superior alternative as it would feasibly attain most of the basic objectives of the
proposed Project to provide an additional connection from the Old Town Newhall community to
Dockweiler Drive as contemplated under the Circulation Element of the General Plan, and although it
would not reduce or eliminate the proposed Project’s significant and unavoidable short-term localized
construction air quality and construction noise impacts, it would reduce impacts associated with air
quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology/soils, hydrology, construction noise, aesthetics
and traffic. Specifically, Alternative 2 would retain the existing aesthetic conditions and views at the
Lyons Avenue and Railroad Avenue intersection, would avoid ground disturbance within Newhall Creek,
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and would reduce the total combined number of railroad crossing events at 13 Street, Market Street,
Newhall Avenue and Lyons Avenue. The total average daily traffic railroad crossings is anticipated to be
lowest under the Alternative 2 alignment for both the 2019 and 2035 buildout years. In 2019, Alternative
2 would result in 820 fewer crossings than the proposed Project and 3,160 fewer crossings than
Alternative 1. For Year 2035, the total average daily traffic railroad crossings under Alternative 2 would
result in 6,230 fewer crossings than the proposed Project and 8,740 fewer crossings as compared to

Lyons Avenue/Dockweiler Drive Extension Project 1. Executive Summary
SCH No. 2013082016 Page 1-4