Applies to Land Use Projects sent out for public review on or after July 1, 2020.

ITE Trip Generation Manual, 11^th Edition must be used for TCAs with Scope of Work approved on or after November 1, 2021.

Refer to the City’s Transportation Analysis Requirements for Private Development for an overview of traffic-related review, including Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)-Based Traffic Impact Assessments (TIA). This requirements web page also provides an exemption screening flowchart for TIA and/or TCA preparation.

Applicants may contact the Public Works Department, Engineering Division at (310) 781-6900 for questions.

SCOPE OF WORK

If a TCA is required for a project, the applicant shall initiate the review process by sending a TCA Scope of Work to the City Traffic Engineer for approval.

The TCA Scope of Work must include the following information:

• Short description of the project
• Project opening year
• Site Plan showing:
  • Proposed uses and corresponding square footage
  • Number of floors
  • Total building square footage
  • Site access points
• Trip Generation Table per ITE Trip Generation Manual
• Pass-by trip calculation, if any
• Internal capture calculation, if any
• Proposed study intersections
• Proposed Trip Distribution
  • Show turning movement percentages for all study intersections and driveways
  • Provide a separate trip distribution diagram for any pass-by traffic 
• Proposed Traffic Counts (driveways and intersections, day/s of the week, and time)

TCA Report preparation, including traffic counts, must not be initiated until the TCA Scope of Work has been approved by the City Traffic Engineer in writing.

LEVEL-OF-SERVICE (LOS) ANALYSIS

Applicants shall use the LA County Traffic Impact Analysis Report Guidelines for general TCA format and requirements, with the exception of the requirements listed below. Two-lane residential roadways shall be assessed in general conformance with Section 2.3 of the LA City Transportation Impact Study Guidelines.

A summary of TCA requirements is provided below:

• A Traffic Circulation Analysis is required when the project is expected to generate 500 or more trips per day. The applicant may be required to submit a Trip Generation Memo for to facilitate exemption review.
• Use the following Analysis Scenarios:
  • Existing (E)
  • Forecast Opening Year (E + Ambient Growth, A)
  • Forecast Opening Year with Project (E + A + P)
• The City may require Cumulative Project Analysis on a case-by-case basis. Specific directions will be given by the City during Scope of Work review.
• Traffic growth forecasts shall use a 0.525% annual growth rate (see Growth Forecast Calculation).
• For intersections under City of Torrance jurisdiction, a developer may be required to incorporate offsite work into the project to offset the project’s negative effect in the City’s traffic circulation when the following conditions are met: 

• Improvements may also be required to address negative effects on intersections owned and operated by other agencies.