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Traffic report if Costco locates in Pleasanton

Uploaded: Feb 11, 2016
Sitting down with Pleasanton’s traffic engineer, Mike Tassano, is truly a learning experience.
I thought I knew a bit about how traffic volumes and other measurements were calculated. Right…
I met with Mike to discuss the impacts if Costco locates one of its warehouse stores with a 24-pump gas station on Johnson Drive where Clorox formerly had a research facility. That facility has been leveled with piles of ground-up concrete waiting to be recycled into a new structure.
In addition to Costco, there’s also a proposal for one or two hotels on the parcel across Johnson Drive from the FedEx facility. Demand for hotel rooms has climbed so much that it is difficult to find a room in the Tri-Valley Monday through Thursday nights.
Mike explained that, with major improvements to the local roads and an approval from CalTrans on the northbound ramp to I-680, a Costco would make traffic only marginally worse at peak hours.
That takes some translation. Traffic volumes, across jurisdictions, are calculated based upon the delay at signals for lanes travelling in all directions. So, if the eastbound lanes of Stoneridge are jammed and the westbound lanes are free flowing with little traffic, it’s the average that counts.
So you can be backed up and waiting through two or more cycle of lights and the intersection may still be considered acceptable in terms of congestion at peak hours. Stoneridge Drive, for instance, is already jammed at afternoon rush hour-with an additional lane, it will be jammed by only a car or two more in the queue, according to the models.
To maintain the level D with Costco and a potential hotel or two, that means widening Johnson Drive southbound so it takes up the entire current roadway with turn lanes and then building a new northbound road east of the existing roadway. Stoneridge Drive also is widened and a third left turn lane is added going to Johnson Drive from Stoneridge.
Mike believes the modeling that shows the improvements, if built, will maintain roughly the same levels of congestion at peak hours.
Of course, that congestion, particularly during non-peak hours, will severely affect Black Tie Transportation which has its vehicles coming in and out of its Johnson Drive facility at all hours of the day. Waiting through an additional light cycle may be no big deal for a single motorist, but, for a company with lots of drivers on the clock, time is really money.
If the council decides to move ahead with the project, the impacts on Black Tie will be significant and cannot be mitigated.
Democracy.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by Guest, a resident of Dublin,
on Feb 11, 2016 at 2:12 pm

The most resistance to a new Costco is coming from the local gas stations owned by Cox Family Stores with their outrageous gas prices due to a near-monopoly in the Dublin / Pleasanton area around the I680 / I580 interchange! Good win for local community when Costco gets here.


Posted by Jp, a resident of Mission Park,
on Feb 12, 2016 at 8:15 am

Is Costco coming to pleasanton confirmed? If so, when?


Posted by no user name, a resident of Downtown,
on Feb 13, 2016 at 6:28 am

no user name is a registered user.

Everyone in this town is affected by added traffic. Don't make this just about Black Tie. The real issue for Black Tie is that their unlimited free street parking will be gone. When was that ever guaranteed to them? This new store would be a benefit to the 20 thousand plus Costco members living in Pleasanton. It would decrease driving time to Livermore, decrease carbon footprint by having the store closer. So there are benefits for everyone and yes, there is a downside for Black Tie. But again, this issue is not just about them.


Posted by Jim, a resident of Stoneridge,
on Feb 13, 2016 at 7:46 am

Why another Costco? There are 2 nearby. Costco members can conveniently drive to those 2 to do their shopping. Enough with this type of stores: Costco, Home Depot, Dollar Store, Walmart. How about a decent size library for a change? Enough with piling up junkie stores on Stoneridge . Traffic is already horrendous on Stoneridge. If Costco is badly needed, I suggest the best location for it. At Lund Ranch!


Posted by Jim, a resident of Stoneridge,
on Feb 13, 2016 at 11:26 am

Enough with incompetent mayor. He needs to go away to a retirement home.


Posted by SHale99, a resident of another community,
on Feb 14, 2016 at 8:32 am

SHale99 is a registered user.

All for a CLOSER Costco. And if that means a business loses their 'free' parking, so be it.
Needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one (or the few).

Shale


Posted by kaycn, a resident of Stoneridge,
on Feb 19, 2016 at 11:11 am

kaycn is a registered user.

Needs of the many outweighing the few? How about all the people stuck in traffic at Stoneridge and Johnson, or even Owens and Johnson, while the 12,000-16,000 additional vehicles plus gas tankers and huge delivery trucks try to get to Costco every day? Costco shoppers have two stores already in a 12-mile radius. And whatever the Pleasanton Planning Commission and their 'traffic expert' say is already suspect, since they seem to have been co-opted by Nearon and Costco already. Ask who paid for the Fiscal Impact and traffic studies in the EIR.


Posted by shiftyjones, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Apr 26, 2016 at 11:58 am

shiftyjones is a registered user.

If you don't think the traffic in that area is already a problem, by all means try driving west on Stoneridge between Hopyard and 680 anytime between 4:30 and 6:30. It's horrible! Traffic is often stopped in the far right lane all the way back to Tom Burnett lane. I know they have mentioned reconfiguring that intersection of Johnson and Stoneridge a bit, but that left turn onto Johnson from Stoneridge coming off the freeway is terrible. Normal cars often cut that turn when cars are sitting and waiting to turn left onto Stoneridge from Johnson, just imagine if it were a semi on its way to Costco filled with products cutting that corner.


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