§ 2.3.3. Forecasting Future Nonsite Traffic

Non-site related traffic must be estimated for the proposed build-out year of the project. In forecasting future traffic, the following factors must be considered:

•  Existing traffic.

•  Existing and proposed street network.

•  Traffic growth rates, using historic trends.

•  Traffic from any site plan within or adjacent to the study area of the TIA which has been filed, approved, or extended since January 1, 1988 but is not yet built or fully occupied.

•  A reasonable portion of traffic from any project with a preliminary or final subdivision within or adjacent to the study area of the TIA which has been filed, approved, or extended since January 1, 1988, and which is expected to be completed by the build-out year of the subject tract.

•  A reasonable portion of traffic from any project with approved zoning within or adjacent to the study area of the TIA, unless there is reason to believe that the project is unlikely to be built within the time frame covered in the TIA.

Traffic growth rates and projects to be considered in background traffic should be determined in the scoping meeting. Existing 24 hour traffic counts and A.M./P.M. peak hour intersection turning movement counts are needed as input. A copy of the traffic counts with the date and time they were conducted must be provided. Annual traffic growth rates must be well documented. A comparison should be made with other recent forecasts where available.