Barton Flawed Reports
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1/9/2024 Barton has LSC Transportation Consultants and Leslie Suen to do a traffic "study" for the proposed project
Per your request, LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. has prepared a trip-generation and vehicle-miles-travelled (VMT) analysis for the proposed Barton Hospital Relocation project.
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*** The net impact of the project is a reduction of 7134 one-way daily vehicle trips (DVTE) (or a reduction of 57%)
*** The net impact of the project is a reduction of 35,158 average annual VMT (or reduction of 59%)
Obviously, the findings from this report do not pass the common sense test.
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You are moving the hospital away from the population center- clearly more people will need to drive a longer distance to reach the new hospital.
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What year did they choose to use for their numbers for the Lakeside Casino? Staffing and guest numbers have fluctuated dramatically over the years.
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How are they able to use Lakeside numbers for anything- Barton chose to remove everything and take the lot down to dirt. This is now a blank lot.
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The study chose to use and apply numbers from an earlier study LSC Consulting did for the Truckee hospital- a hospital that is not in the basin.
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When was the last time the roads/intersections have been updated to accommodate all of this new growth?
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The study fails to analyze the impact this project would create if we needed to evacuate the area for fire
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How many of Barton's 800-1200 employees will travel more distance to get to/from this new site?
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The study fails to include all of the growth (approved projects) we have had specific to our area which has caused increased congestion.
Kingsbury Middle School
The Chateaus at South Lake Tahoe
The study fails to analyze the impacts this project will have on:
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Overall casino corridor traffic
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Lake Parkway/Hwy 50 Intersection
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SR 207/ Hwy 50 Intersection
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Lake Village/Sierra Colina/Hwy 50 intersection
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Kahle Drive/Hwy 50 intersection
This study fails to analyze what impacts the increased emergency ambulance activity will have on the bulleted intersections/congested traffic areas listed above
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The TRPA accepted this traffic info and then shared the "reduction" claims with the public with no plans to require Barton to complete an EA and/or a EIS.
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EIS Traffic Report Scoping Comment Submitted 6/6/25
Transportation Impact and VMT Report Evaluation – Request for Analysis of LSC Reports
Please provide a detailed and transparent evaluation of the LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. reports—specifically the Trip Generation and Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Analysis dated January 9, 2024, and the earlier Baseline Trip Generation and VMT Analysis dated October 11, 2023.
These reports form the foundation of the proposed Barton Hospital Relocation project’s transportation impact analysis. As such, it is essential to determine whether the data, assumptions, methodology, and conclusions presented in these reports are valid, reliable, and consistent with TRPA’s regional transportation and environmental policies.
In particular:
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Did TRPA conduct an adequate and critical review of these reports upon submission?
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Were any necessary questions or challenges overlooked, especially regarding projected VMT increases, trip distribution assumptions, peak traffic impacts, or emergency vehicle access?
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What additional information or independent analysis should have been requested to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the project's short- and long-term transportation effects?
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Could earlier or more rigorous scrutiny have accelerated the transition of this project to a full Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process?
Given the size and regional implications of this $300 million project, a thorough re-examination of these transportation studies is essential to ensure TRPA’s process remains transparent, data-driven, and protective of the Tahoe Basin’s environmental and community interests.​​​​​​​​​​​​
