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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNORTHERN COLORADO ACADEMY OF ARTS & KNOWLEDGE - SITE PLAN ADVISORY REVIEW - 8-06 - REPORTS - TRAFFIC STUDYMr. Eric Bracke, PE, PTOE City of Fort Collins 311712006 Page 5 parking for day to day functions at the school. For after school events and/or programs — as is the case with elementary schools — the parking will be absorbed by the surrounding roadways. These events are minimal and not foreseen to present problems. Conclusion Based on the data outlined above, the observations of the Kruse Elementary School morning and afternoon peak periods, and the recommendations to the charter school access points; I believe that the Northern Academy of the Arts and Knowledge can be accommodated at the proposed location. From a traffic and transportation perspective, the proposed Northern Colorado Academy of the Arts and Knowledge will not result in significant negative impacts to the adjacent roadways and/or intersections. There is enough capacity available at this site to accommodate the projected increase in traffic. I trust this letter will satisfy any concerns the City of Fort Collins may have with this proposal in regard to traffic and transportation issues. If you have any questions or would like to discuss my findings further, please don't hesitate to call me. Sincerely, REGISTF-, QP• �g0`NERS •. O p • � •a v Ann T. Bowers, P.E., PTOE Transportation Engineer �• i Cc: Mr. Terry Gogerty, Northern Academy of the Arts and Knowledge Mr. Bob Sutter, Architectural Horizons Mr. Eric Bracke, PE, PTOE 311712006 City of Fort Collins Page 4 Circulation The circulation plan indicates that all vehicles will enter the site via McMurry Drive and exit the site via Monte Carlo Drive. Student drop-off and pick-up will occur on the east side of the building in the designated student loading and unloading area. The proposed site plan for the Northern Academy of the Arts and Knowledge indicates that the existing access via McMurry Drive will be converted to a one-way inbound only driveway. Two inbound lanes are shown. I recommend that the two inbound lanes be modified to just one inbound lane. The two inbound lanes could promote conflict between vehicles at the access point. For example, vehicles that enter and are in the most southerly lane may want to access the staff and/or visitor parking. They would have to cross the northern lane and make a left -turn and perhaps conflict with a vehicle in the northern lane. In addition, because the drop/off and picklup lane is proposed to be single file, one single inbound lane would reduce any merging at this critical location. There are currently two access points to Monte Carlo Drive. The plan indicates that the access closest to the intersection with McMurry Drive will be closed. The other access to Monte Carlo Drive is located on the most easterly side of the site. This access will be converted to a one-way outbound, right-tum-only driveway. The right -turn only restriction on the outbound access may warrant additional review. This restriction was proposed by the developers of the Northern Colorado Academy of Arts and Knowledge so as to avoid conflict with the Kruse Elementary School access to Monte Carlo Drive. However, if vehicles are restricted to a right -turn only onto Monte Carlo Drive, access back to Harmony Road will also be restricted to a right -turn only; thus restricting those desiring to travel eastbound on Harmony Road. If the school start and end times are staggered from Kruse Elementary, as proposed, the exit to Monte Carlo Drive could allow both right turns and left turns without conflict. Access to the traffic signal at McMurry Drive/Harmony would be provided. Recommendations As proposed, the charter school should stagger their beginning and ending times so as not to conflict with Kruse Elementary School. The proposed start time of 8:OOam would put the concentration of vehicles between 7:45am and 8:OOam — a full 15 minutes prior to the Kruse Elementary traffic concentration. In the afternoon, the concentration of vehicles to the charter school would occur between 3:15pm and 3:30pm. This concentration of vehicles would occur 30 minutes after the Kruse Elementary School concentration of traffic. It is recommended that the one-way inbound access via McMurry Drive be modified to only one - lane inbound rather than the proposed two -lanes inbound. The one lane will reduce the potential for vehicular conflicts at the access point. The restriction of right -turns only at the outbound access to Monte Carlo Drive should be reviewed. If the City of Fort Collins concurs, this access should be modified to allow both left and right turns. Peak hour observations of the All -Way STOP intersection of McMurry Drive and Monte Carlo Drive indicate that this intersection can accommodate additional traffic and maintain efficient operation. As is the case in many elementary schools, it is recommended that personnel from the charter school assist in the drop-off and pick-up operations at the school. The personnel could maintain a good flow of vehicles and keep vehicle idling to a minimum. The number of proposed parking stalls is consistent with elementary schools. There is adequate Mr Eric Bracke, PE, PTOE 3/17/2006 City of Fort Collins Page 3 Proposed Project The proposed Northern Colorado Academy of the Arts and Knowledge charter school will occupy an existing three-story office building located on the southeast corner of McMurry Drive and Monte Carlo Drive. The charter school will accommodate pre -kindergarten through eighth grade students. An extended care program will also be offered for enrolled students. The planned enrollment for school opening in the fall of 2006 is 450 students, with a current enrollment of 298 students. The ultimate student enrollment is planned to be 550 students. It is expected that this ultimate enrollment will occur in approximately three years. There will be approximately 30 teachers and/or staff personnel. The plan provides for approximately 68 parking stalls and bicycle parking for 54 bicycles. The proposed start time is &00am with the day ending at 3:30pm. Trip Generation Standard traffic generation characteristics compiled by the Institute of Transportation Engineers in their report entitled Trip Generation, updated in 2003, were applied to the proposed land use in order to estimate the peak hour vehicle trips for the site. A vehicle trip is defined as a one-way vehicle movement from a point of origin to a point of destination. The ITE land use of Private Elementary School (K-8) was utilized rather than the ITE land use of Elementary School (K-6) as the land use description and numbers more accurately reflect the vehicle occupancy projected for this charter school. Table 1 illustrates the projected AM, and PM peak hour traffic volumes generated by the proposed school. The projected trips generated are shown for both 450 students and 550 students. TABLE 1 -TRIP GENERATION SUMMARY ITE CODE Land Use SIZE AM Peak Hour of School & Street PM Peak Hour of School ENTER EXIT TOTAL ENTER EXIT TOTAL 534 Elementary School - Rates 0 495 0.405 0.900 0.287 0.320 0.607 534 534 Elementary School - Trips Elementary School - Trips 4511 STU 550 STU 223 182 272 223 405 495 129 158 144 178 273 336 Vehicle Occupancy The ITE trips calculated above equate to vehicle occupancy of approximately 2 students per vehicle and that the inbound AM trips equate to approximately 50-percent of the number of students. The current enrollment data for the Northern Colorado Academy of the Arts and Knowledge charter school indicates that at least 66-percent of the student body that will be participating in carpools. With a 66-percent carpool number, the critical inbound traffic would be more in the neighborhood of 187 inbound trips — a difference of 85 trips. In addition, the school hopes to increase the 66-percent carpool percentage by working with a carpool professional to maximize the number of carpools. It is anticipated, therefore, that the volume of traffic generated by the proposed charter school will be significantly less than the ITE numbers shown in the table. In addition, there will be students that walk and bike to/from school. Mr. Eric Bracke, PE, PTOE 311712006 City of Fort Collins Page 2 parent trips. The time period between 8:15am and 8:30am had the highest concentration of traffic During the afternoon pick-up period, approximately 70 vehicles entered the site and only 28 exited, for a total of 98 trips in the PM Peak Hour. The difference in entering versus exiting vehicles could be related to after school activities that parents attend or help with or a variety of other reasons. The vehicle mix was comprised of 10 buses with the balance passenger cars. All of the school buses entered and exited the site within the one -hour period. The time period between 2:45pm and 3:OOpm had the highest concentration of traffic. The morning drop-off period was the critical period as the concentration of vehicles was much higher than the afternoon pick-up period. This is typical of school traffic patterns. Oftentimes, the kindergarten students attend for one-half day sessions and are picked up mid -day. In addition, students involved in after school activities are picked up after the pick-up peak hour. Vehicle Occupancy Based on the volume of traffic collected, the vehicle mix of school buses and passenger cars, and the number of students enrolled at the school, there is not a definite 1:1 ratio of students to vehicles. Again, this is typical of school travel patterns. It is difficult to determine actual average vehicle occupancy as many students are transported toffrom school via school bus and many others are involved in carpools. The Institute of Transportation Engineers trip generation data for an elementary school equates to vehicle occupancy of approximately 4 or more students per vehicle. Circulation Observations Our observations of the current drop-off and pick-up periods indicate that the procedures currently in place at Kruse Elementary School work well. Any queuing of vehicles waiting to enter the site via Monte Carlo Drive was minimal and their wait time was very short. No capacity or safety problems were identified at the access points or at the intersection of McMurry Drive and Monte Carlo Drive. 1 Ann Bowers & Associates LLC TRANSPORTATION CONSULTANTS March 17, 2006 Mr. Eric Bracke, PE, PTOE City Traffic Engineer City of Fort Collins 626 Linden Street Fort Collins, Colorado 80524 (970)224-6062 RE: Traffic Impact Analysis: Proposed Northern Colorado Academy of the Arts and Knowledge 4512 McMurry Drive, Fort Collins, Colorado 4901eb Dear Eric Per your request, I have reviewed the potential traffic impacts associated with the proposed Northern Colorado Academy of the Arts and Knowledge charter school. The school is proposed to locate in the existing office building located on the southeast corner of McMurry Drive and Monte Carlo Drive in Fort Collins, Colorado. Per our telephone conversation, you requested review of the trip generation related to the proposed school, hours of operation, vehicular circulation and student drop-off/pick-up, and any potential conflicts with the existing Kruse Elementary School located on the northeast comer of McMurry Drive and Monte Carlo Drive. This letter summarizes my review and recommendations. Existing Conditions Located on the northeast corner of McMurry Drive and Monte Carlo Drive is the existing Kruse Elementary School. The elementary school accommodates students from kindergarten through sixth grade. According to school administrators, there are 508 students currently enrolled. The school day begins at 8:30am and dismisses at 3:00pm. Access into the school parking lot and drop-off/pick-up area is via a one-way inbound intersection with Monte Carlo Drive. Access out of the school parking lot is via a one-way outbound intersection with McMurry Drive. Vehicles enter via the Monte Carlo one-way driveway and exit via the one-way McMurry Drive driveway. School buses also enter via Monte Carlo Drive. The morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up at Kruse Elementary was observed and traffic volume data collected. Traffic volume data was collected at the school's driveways during the morning drop-off period (8:00am to 9:00am) and the afternoon pick-up period (2:45pm to 3:45pm). Data was collected on Thursday, March 91h. The data indicated that approximately 144 vehicles entered the site during the AM Peak Period. Of the 144 vehicles, 132 were passenger cars and 12 were school buses. The number of vehicles that exited the site was approximately 119, including the school buses. This equates to 263 AM Peak Hour trips. The difference in vehicles entering the site versus the number of vehicles exiting the site during the AM Peak Hour can be attributed to teacher and/or staff vehicles and miscellaneous 300 S. Jackson Street Suite 100 Denver, CO 80209 PH 303-756-8332 F% 303-756-8362 annthowers@cornrcast.net