Most pictures are near the proposed racetrack development site.
Traffic problems
Traffic Problems
The proposed development is located on east side of River Falls, with property along Highway 65 and north and south of Highway 29.
With increased traffic along these busy highways, people may experience long queues and gridlock conditions at various intersections near the proposed development, which could involve high congestion. In addition, we would expect to see more accidents due to increased traffic; this can add to an increase in taxpayer costs due to use of emergency services.
Should the racetrack proposal start to move forward, Pierce County should order an environmental impact statement (EIS) to further evaluate the traffic impact of the proposed development. An EIS is a government document outlining the impact of a proposed project on its surrounding environment. In the United States, these statements are mandated by federal law for certain projects. The purpose of an EIS to inform the work and decisions of policymakers and community leaders.
Need for an EIS and Traffic Study
Why Conduct an EIS and Traffic Study?
What an Environmental Impact Statement and Traffic Study could show?
The Environmental Impact Statement should concisely describe and analyze the proposed racetrack development, which will be a significant impact on the environment, wildlife, and the quality of life surrounding it. The EIS needs to be available to the public for information and comment. An EIS should include:
- description of the action, including its need and benefits;
- description of the environmental setting and areas to be affected;
- an analysis of all environmental impacts related to the action;
- an analysis of reasonable alternatives to the action;
- identification of ways to reduce or avoid adverse environmental impacts.
The EIS is a statement of the likely effects on the environment and will set out any measures to be taken to avoid or moderate any adverse environmental effects.
The Traffic Impact Study is required by proposed land development, redevelopment or rezoning projects to evaluate whether transportation infrastructure can support additional trips a project like this will generate. For developers and municipal stakeholders, Traffic Impact Studies provide critical information about land use and planning decisions.
The Traffic Impact Study should evaluate the effects of this racetrack development project and also provide information on the broader development plans and the decisions affecting overall community growth patterns. Key reasons to conduct Traffic Impact Studies include:
- Identifying potential transportation infrastructure problems.
- Determining improvements to accommodate the development.
- Ensuring safe and reasonable traffic conditions.
You Pay....
Note: For the Racetrack Proposal in Rice County, Minnesota, the same developer recommended taxpayers pay for road changes and improvements. The cost of those suggested recommendations could have been millions of dollars.