1. (a) Defining the alternatives to be analyzed is an essential part of specifying the scope of the operational analysis.

2. (b) For any request for new or revised freeway access, the following alternatives should be analyzed:

   1. (1)

      1. (A) No-build alternative.
      2. (B) This alternative describes the conditions that will exist if the proposal is not completed.
      3. (C) The alternative should be analyzed in the existing condition and the design year to establish a baseline for the analysis of the potential benefits and impacts of the proposal.
      4. (D) If other improvements such as adding lanes to the freeway or local streets are being considered, then those improvements should be evaluated without the proposal to demonstrate whether or not the new access is necessary.
      5. (E) See 27 CAR § 95-106(b)(1);

   2. (2)

      1. (A) TSM and other improvements alternative.
      2. (B) This alternative should clearly show that there are no other alternatives which could meet the needs addressed by the proposal.
      3. (C) This alternative will demonstrate that the need being addressed by the request cannot be adequately satisfied by existing interchanges to the freeway.
      4. (D) This alternative will demonstrate that local streets in the corridor can neither provide the desired access or be reasonably improved (such as increasing access control, improving traffic control, or adding turn bays) to satisfactorily accommodate design-year traffic demands.
      5. (E) This alternative will also demonstrate that the need being addressed by the request cannot be adequately satisfied by reasonable TSM strategies (such as ramp metering, mass transit, and managed lane facilities), geometric design, and alternative improvements to the freeway without the proposed change in access.
      6. (F) See 27 CAR § 95-106(b)(1) and (b)(2); or

   3. (3)

      1. (A) Build alternatives.
      2. (B) Only after the TSM and other improvements have been analyzed to demonstrate that they cannot meet the needs being addressed in the request should new or modified access be considered.
      3. (C) The analysis of these alternatives should consider the operational, safety, design, and environmental consequences of the proposal as compared to the no-build alternative.

Codification Notes: “TSM” means transportation system management.