III. TRANSPORTATION ACCESS ASSUMPTIONS 



The traffic Impacts of the proposed Aquarium will vary depending on the 

 location of parking facilities, the level of public transportation usage among 

 visitors and the direction of access/egress of those who reach the site by 

 automobile. Five potential parking locat Ions were examined (see Figures 2 and 3): 



o West of the Gate 1 Navy Yard entrance at the current site of the Hoosac 

 Stores bul Iding, 



o Within the Navy Yard, adjacent to the proposed Aquarium under the 

 Tennis Courts on the National Park Servlce(NPS) site, and possibly 

 expanded to Include the northwest corner of the NPS property, 



o East of the Gate 4/Chelsea Street Intersection under the 

 Tobin Br idge, 



o The Boston Housing Authority/Hayes Square site partially under the 

 Tobin Bridge across from Gate 4; and 



o Along the Little Mystic Channel near the Container Terminal (bus 

 storage only) . 



All five alternatives will bring Aquarium traffic through the first key 

 analysis intersection. City Square. The first site, Hoosac Stores, will not 

 increase the level of traffic going through the Gate 4/Chelsea Street intersection. 

 The analysis indicates that a new Intersection created to serve the Hoosac Stores 

 site would function at a satisfactory level of service under all alternatives. 



The other sites require that traffic bound for the Aquarium pass through the 

 Gate 4/Chelsea Street intersection. The site Inside the Navy Yard on the NFS 

 property would require that traffic enter and exit through Gate 4, unless an access 

 point through Gate 2 from Water Street were developed. Analysis of new 

 Intersection on Water Street at Gate 2 Indicates that a garage access at this 

 location would work at a satisfactory level of service. 



The two sites under the Tobin Bridge would require either the creation of a 

 new 'T' Intersection east of Gate 4 or the development of a garage entrance across 

 from Gate 4, creating a four-way Intersection. 



Traffic analysis shows that under the working scenario, the Gate 4/Chelsea 

 Street intersection, with Improvements, can accommodate the additional traffic 

 generated by the Aquarium. These Improvements Include: 



- An additional lane must be added to Fifth Street between Chelsea Street 

 and First Avenue In order to service Aquarium parking within the Navy 

 Yard. This will enable two exit lanes to be provided for traffic from 

 Gate 4 to Chelsea Street during the PM peak. 



- In order to provide parking north of Chelsea Street (either under the 

 Tobin Bridge or at Hayes Square) an additional lane must be added to 

 Chelsea Street on the westbound approach and on the eastbound approach, 

 creating a five-lane section. The widening of Fifth Avenue described 

 above Is also necessary. 



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