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HomeMy WebLinkAboutComments PWE 12/20/2006 , Memorandum' City of Springfield Date: December 20; 2006 . To: David Reesor, Planner II From: Gary McKenney, P,E" Transportation Planning Engineer Subject: . DRC2006-00085 - Thomas Fox Properties Site Plan The Transportation Division has reviewed the materials provided with the subject application, The recommended findings and conditions outlined below are provided for your use in preparing the land-use decision, General Finding: The subject property is a 2,19-acre parcel located at the northwest corner of Pioneer Parkway and 'Q" Street (Map 17-03-27-10, Tax Lot 3300), Approval 6fthis proposal would allow construction ofa shopping center comprising approximately 25,000 square-feet of floor area, Existing Transportation Facilities Finding: Pioneer Parkway abuts the proposed development site on the east. Pioneer Parkway is a one-way bO,ulevard "couplet" (Pioneer Parkway East and West), The facility provides two travel lanes in each direction' with traffic signals and dedicated turn lanes at intersections, Except for a lack of sidewalks on the west side, the street is fully improved to urban standards, Pioneer Parkway is designated a minor arterial street and has a posted speed of 45 MPH, A driveway to Pioneer Plaza Shopping Center, which is located on the northeast corner of Pioneer Parkway and 'Q' Street,' forms a Tee intersection on the east side bfPioneer Parkway approximately 300 feet north of 'Q' :Street. This driveway intersection is controlled by a multi- , phase traffic signal providing protected turn'movements for entering and exiting shopping center traffic. . . ,.. . . . , 'Q' Street abuts the development site on the south, 'In that section it is a fully-improved three-lane minor arterial providing two westbound lanes and one eastbound lane, and on-street. bicycle lanes, . . ' The Eugene-Springfield Highway (OR 126) is a controlled- access freeway that crosses over Pioneer Parkway approximately 500 to the south of'Q' Street. The OR I 26/Pioneer Parkway Interchange is a "split-form" configuration comprised'of: . . a half-diamond ramp intersection on the south side of the freeway serving westbound on/off movements, '. '" . . a slip r~p (off-ramp) to 'Q' Street sitUated 300 feet east of Pioneer Parkway, and . an eastbound on-ramp located.1,200 to the west of Pioneer Parkway that is fed by one of the 'Q' Street westbound lanes, DRC2006-00085 - Thomas Fox, (operties Site Plan December 20, 2006 Page 2 of 6 " Exi~ting bus transit service to the site is provided by Lane Transit District Routes 18 and 19.on Pioneer Parkway, and 8X and 91 on 'Q' Street. Planned Transportation Facilities Lane Transit District (L TO) EmX (bus rapid transit) service is planned to begin operation along the Pioneer Parkway corridor in 2010, The project's Environmental Assessment (EA) contains a Locally Preferred Alternative that would construct to bus ways and a transit station within the Pioneer Parkway median between 'Q' Street and Pioneer Plaza Driveway. This Locally . Preferred Alternative has been approved by the L TD Board and other local agencies as the preferred design, Site Access and Circulation Findin!!: Installation of driveways" on a street increases the number oftraffic conflict points, The greater number of conflict points increases the probability of traffic crashes, Effective ways to reduce the probability of traffic crashes include: reducing the number of driveways, increasing distances between intersections and driveways, and establishing adequate vision clearance where driveways intersect streets, Each of these techniques permits a longer, less cluttered sight distance for the motorist, reduces the number and difficulty of decisions drivers must make, and contributes to increased traffic safety" SDC 32,080(1) (a) stipulates that each parcel is entitled to "an approved access to a public street." . Finding: Existing access to the development site is via a two driveways onto the north side of 'Q' Street located near the west boundary of the site, The applicant proposes to: . reconstruct the existing 'Q' Street access to provide a 35-foot wide two-way driveway, and . construct a full-access driveway to the development site on the west side of Pioneer Parkway West opposite the existing signalized Pioneer Plaza access, add a northbound . . left -turn lane on Pioneer Parkway East and modify the traffic signal to provide protected turn movements for entering and ~xiting site traffic" . Traffic Impacts and Mitigation r Findini!: The two signalized intersections immediately adjacent to the development site - Pioneer Parkway/Pioneer Plaza and Pioneer Parkwayl'Q' Street - are parts of a system of four traffic signals, which includes Pioneer Parkway/OR 126 Eastbound Ramps and the 'Q' Street! OR 126 Westbound Off-Ramp, To extract maximum capacity from this system during peak periods these four signals are operated in a coordinated (synchronized) mode, Nonetheless, field observations show that afternoon peak period traffic volumes routinely exceed capacity, Queues of northbound traffic on Pioneer Parkway East frequently extend several hundred feet south of the Pioneer Parkway/OR 126 Eastbound Ramps, producing delays of multiple signal cycles on :' DRC2006-00085 - Thomas Fox Properties Site Plan December 20, 2006 .Page 3 of 6. that approach, Similarly; lang queu~s ~d delays are .observed an the westbound 'Q' Street appraach ta the OR 126 Westbaund Off~Ramp signal, and between the Off-ramp intersectian and Pianeer Parkway East. This high traIfic demand canstrains the signal system aperatian and farces campromises that sacrifice efficient mavement .of traffic an Pianeer Parkway and 'Q' Street in .order ta avaid unsafe spillbac~ anta the OR 126 freeway .off-ramps, Finding: The applicant submitted a Majar Traffic Impact Study (TIS) dated March 2, 2005, in accardance with SDC 32,020 ( c). This TIS analyzed existing traffic canditians and traffic impacts assaciated with an earlier develapment scenaria that wauld generate slightly mare trips that the currently propased develapment. In additian, the applicant submitted a TIS dated Octaber 6, 2006, which estimates trip generatian and' analyzes future-year (2018) traffic impacts assaciated with the currently propased develapment, This TIS estimates PM peak haur trip generatian far the propaseddevelapment as fallows: ' Primary Trips = Pass-by Trips - Internal Trips = New Trips = Enterim! 97 35 (36%) 10% . 52 . Exiting . 1.05 37 (35%) 10% 58 , " Findin2:: A review .of the submitted TIS identified an error in the trip generatianestimate for the propased Drive-in Bank use, City transpartatiari engineering staff recalculated the PM. Peak-haur trip generatian estimate far the prapased develapment as fallaws: . - . . ~ Primary Trips = l'ass-by Trips = 'New Trips. = .,' Enterin2: .122 '42 (34%) .81 Exitin2: 127 43 (34%) , 84 In' additian ta vehicular trips, assumeddevelajJment may generate pedestrian and bicycle trips, Accarding ta the "Hausehald" survey dane by LCOG in 1994, 12,6 percent afhausehald trips . are made by bicycle .or waiking and 1.8 percent are by transit bus, These trips may have their .origins .or destinatians at a variety afland uses, including this site, Pedestrian and bicycle trips . create the need far sidewalks, pedestrian crossing signals, crosswalks"bicycleparking.and ". bicycle lanes, ' . . Findin2:: The submitted TIS reviewed the three-year traffic crash histary far the studied intersectians, Na cansistent pattern .of crashes .or significantly high crash rate was identified, . . . .' pindin2:: The suimiittedTIS an'alyses include an evalu~tiari .of level .of serviCe (LOS) at the faur . signalized intersectians nated abave under Build and Na-build development scenarias, The' ' analysis was perfarmed using th~ "Synchra" saftware package fram Trafficware. , -._..1.- ,';., " ..-,' DRC2006-00085 ~ Thomas Fox, (operties, Site Plan December 20, 2006 Page 4 of 6 " The Synchro analysis output indicates that the four sfudied intersections would operate at acceptable levels (LOS D or better) through'the year 2018. ~itli the proposed development. However, there are limitations to Synchro's ability to accurately model highly congested conditions where large traffic queues develop, such as those found in the Pioneer Parkway/'Q' Street system, This limitation results from Synchro's inability to modei the effects oflong traffic queues which spill over into adjacent travel lanes, This effect is identified in the Synchro . software output related to queue lengths, and is evidenced by the lack of correlation between LOS analyses results and observed field conditions,' Trafficware's micro"simulation analysis tool "SimTraffic" provides a more accurate analysis method under'these conditions" For this reason, city transportation engineering staff requested that the applicant's consultant provide detailed traffic quel!ing analysis using SimTraffic, Finding: Typical intersection design standards seek to achieve a 20-year'design life by providing lane storage for 95th percentile queues; However, given' the limitations of existing facilities achieving this standard would not be feasible without major roadway reconfigurations and large. capital investments, The TIS concludes that, with one e~ception, under 2018 conditions ".., the 5(jh p'ercentile queue at all intersections is within the measured "link distance," (link distance is the distance measured between crosswalks of adjacent intersections), The TIS discussion and conclusions regarding queue lengths are limited to "internal links" of the . surrounding street network. However, additional information presented in the SimTtaffic output confirms a significant leyel of congestion and delay on the street system serving the proposed development site, The following list summarizes the most significant of these queuing . conditions under 2018 Build conditions: Intersection Annroach . Average Oueue Length Pioneer Parkway/OR 126 Eastbound Ramps northbound approach . Pioneer Parkway/Pioneer Plaza , southbound approach ' . Pioneer Parkwayl'Q' Street. . northbound left-turn 'Q' StreetJ OR 126 Westbound Off-Ramp westbound approach northbound (off-ramp) approach 'Q' Street eastbound at Site Driveway 430' 715' , 515' . 415' 315' 490' The em;cts ,of these long traffic queues on levels of service are observable using the graphic simulation feature of SimTraffic, They include: . . 0 . , dedicated turn lanes blocked by standing queues in adjacent through lanes; o through lanes blocked by spillback from adjacent turn lanes, and DRC2006-00085 - Thomas Fox Properties Sit~ Plan December 20, 2006 I Page.5 of 6 . delays of multiple signal cycles on street links entering the system, Finding: Construction of the proposed full-access site driveway on Pioneer Parkway would require two additional signal phases to control new traffic movements for northbound left-turn, and eastbound traffic exiting the site, The amount of additional traffic generated by the proposed development would be relatively low in comparison with existing and forecast background volumes, However, these new si~al phases would add interruptions to through traffic movements along Pioneer Parkway'and delay to the surrounding street system, Construction of the proposed driveway and associated street and signal modifications would be for the sole benefit of the proposed development. Finding-: Project #774' in the Central Lane Metropolitan Planning Organization Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is described as "Traffic control improvements" at 'Q' Street/Pioneer Parkway with a cost of$238,000; no specific improvements are identified, In additi0n, development ofthe site as proposed would require the developer to pay a substantial transportation systems development charge (SDC), which would be used to benefit the city's, collectqr and arterial street system,' '. '.' v : City transportation engineering staff used the revised site-trip generation estimate, and'applied Synchro and SirilTraffic to evaluate the potential of various mitigation measures to improve .traffic flow through the system of traffic signa1s' around the proposed development site, The following measures were evaluated: . . .Widening of 'Q' Street through the Pioneer Parkway intersection to provide two through lanes for westbound traffic; . . . Constructing a northbound right-turn-only lane em Pioneer, Parkway at 'Q' Street. " , . Modifying the'Pioneer Parkway/'Q' Street int~rsection to allow concurrent northbound. and southbound left-turn movements, ' o Modifying the Pioneer Parkway/Pioneer Plaza intersection to allow cO!lcurrent northbound and southbound left-turn movements, , Th~~~~i;softhis an~ly~is show that no one measure~ouldbe sufflcieht to make all appreciable 'improvement to the system operation, To make appreciable improvement would require a large- scaleproject,directed at correcting fundamental weakness in the layout of the surrounding . . system ofroadways, intersections and freeway interchanges, It is not economically or . technically feasible to pursue such a project in the context of this site plan review process, findinl!:: Lane Transit district submitted written cmnments to this appiicationdescribing impacts that the proposed northbound left-turn lane on Pioneer Parkway would have to the planned ErnX ~~~" . ..' . ~ .. - ,,' . . - . Findinl!::As conditioned'below transportation facilities would be adequate to accommodate 3;dditional vehicular and'pedestrian traffic that would be generated by the proposed developmimt. , -.,:.' DRC2006-00085 - Thomas Fox, .-operties Site Plan December 20, 2006 Page 6 of 6 \ ~ecommended Condition: Proposed dElsigns for street and traffic signal modifications are approved in concept only, Design and construction details for these public facilities shall be established during a Public Improvement Project (PIP) process under permit from the City Springfield Public Works Department's Engineering Division, Findilll!: Construction of the proposed northbound left-turn iane on Pioneer Parkway at Pioneer Plaza would eliminate seven mature street trees growing in the Pioneer Parkway median, Mitigation of this impact is necessary to maintain confonnance with street tree standards, contained in the SDC 32.050. Recommended Condition: Developer shall mitigate impacts due to street removals in accordance with SDC 32,050, Findilll!: The proposed driveway onto 'Q' Street is depicted on the site plan drawings' as a full-access design with two exiting lanes (for right 'and left. turn movements) and one entrance lane, The SimTraffic queuing analysis in the TIS 'shows that average traffic queues on eastbound 'Q' Street would extend well past this driveway, making exiting left-turns unsafe if not impossible, Because 'Q' Street has only a single eastbound lane at this point, any vehicles waiting to make a left-turn into the site would be blocking the only through lane, thus , exacerbating an already congested condition, The TIS analysis anticipates these difficulties and assumes no vehicle trips would enter or exit this driveway by making left-turning movements trips, To. maintain safe operations the driveway must berestrictedto right-in-right-out movements only, Recommended Condition: The proposed site driveway onto 'Q' Street shall be restricted to right-in-right-out movements only, Prior to Final Site Plan approval, a revised driveway design shall be approved by the City Traffic Engineer, ' .. I . Please provide a copy of the draft Decision for my review prior to issuing the final deci~ion. " ... ,..