Circulation Element
From the 2002 General Plan:
Although Lafayette experiences a significant amount of regionally-generated through traffic, it is important to achieve a balance between the potentially conflicting goals of improving traffic flow and maintaining and enhancing the City’s quality of life and sense of place, particularly in the Downtown Core.
The basic concept of the Circulation Chapter is to make the existing system work as efficiently as possible. This position is based on the assumptions that 1) No substantial expansion of the system or its capacity is envisioned, and 2) Traffic levels within the city are influenced by land use decisions outside the city’s control – with significant traffic load generated by the Town of Moraga to the south.
At the center of the city’s traffic congestion is the Lafayette “Y” formed by Moraga Road, Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Oak Hill Road and First Street. The Plan envisions no change to the configuration or overall capacity of these streets and their intersections. The traffic signals that control traffic through the “Y” and along Mt. Diablo Boulevard will be designed to balance the needs of vehicular traffic and pedestrians. In areas away from these intersections, the balance will favor pedestrians and bicyclists.