Yosemite National Park, Transportation Improvement Strategies Report
Client: National Park Service
RSG developed a Transportation Improvement Strategies Report (TISR), which is a portfolio of feasible strategies for providing sustainable visitor access to Yosemite National Park. The TISR strategies will be incorporated into future NEPA planning processes, including the EIS for the Merced Wild and Scenic River Corridor Management Plan.
Previous planning efforts focused on transportation solutions for discreet areas of the park including Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows, and Wawona. In contrast, the TISR is parkwide in scope, and identifies over 100 preliminary strategies to address resource and visitor experience impacts due to traffic congestion and parking shortages; and to enhance access through transit and shuttle operations, safety, and bicycle and pedestrian facility improvements. The initial list of transportation improvement strategies was screened relative to potential benefits and challenges to identify the most feasible and effective strategies to address the park’s transportation-related issues.
Additional components of the project included:
- Reviewing park plans, studies, data and NEPA documents spanning more than two decades and synthesizing findings into critical transportation and visitor use issues, opportunities and strategies;
- A scoping trip to document existing conditions and meet with park staff to define project goals;
- Facilitating workshops with park staff and external stakeholders, and presenting findings at major milestones to the park Leadership Team;
- Conducting conceptual feasibility analysis on a refined list of more than 40 transportation strategies;
- Preparing Class C cost estimates for the refined list of strategies, including transit and shuttle services; roadway, parking, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure; and visitor information.
