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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 4 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Environmental Consequences PAGE 4-166 delays or road closures. Minor traffic delays or interference with the highway system would most likely result from construction activities. Construction of the proposed transmission line would require temporary closure of the main highways (Interstate [I] 82, State Route [SR] 243, and SR-24) for safety. Users of smaller roads may experience minor delays. The Underground Design Option route segments are located in areas without extensive public transportation infrastructure, except for the I-82 crossing, which would be spanned by an overhead line between two overhead to underground transition stations (see Section 2.2.5.1) on either side of the highway. Transportation within Joint Base Lewis-McChord Yakima Training Center (JBLM YTC) would be disrupted and road closures would occur where the Underground Design Option crosses the internal road network servicing the training areas. Impacts associated with the proposed Project would be short-term and related to the movement of personnel and equipment during construction of the new transmission line. Traffic associated with operations would involve a limited number of vehicle trips during routine inspection and maintenance activities. Transmission line inspection and maintenance traffic would occur infrequently and would not involve large numbers of vehicles or workers. The transportation impact types would consist of the following: • Short-term impacts types would be created when: o Construction would cause temporary lane closures that disrupt traffic flow; o Construction would temporarily disrupt the operation of emergency service providers; o Construction vehicles would cause physical damage to roads; and/or o Construction would generate additional traffic on regional and local roadways. • Long-term operation impacts would be created when: o Operation of the transmission line could interfere with aviation safety. 4.7.2 Impact Levels The transportation impact levels were defined as follows: High • Create long-term effects on the use of roads that requires modification of traffic patterns; • Affect aviation safety and/or air traffic operations; • Create long-term alterations of access to agricultural areas; • Restrict emergency access to developed areas; • Cause damage to state highways or county roads; and/or • Halt or impair normal use of state highways and county roads for considerable periods each day during Project construction. Moderate • Cause some minor damage to state highways and county roads; and/or • Halt or impair normal use of state highways and county roads for relatively short periods during Project construction.