HomeMy WebLinkAbout210-212 W. MAGNOLIA ST., URBAN LIVING LOFTS - PDP - 24-05 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - TRAFFIC STUDYUrban Living Lofts At Magnolia Street
Using the peak hour traffic shown in Figure 2, the peak hour operation is shown in Figure 3. Analysis
sheets are included in Appendix D.
Figure 3 — Existing Level of Service
(am /pm)
The key intersections operate acceptably overall during both the morning and afternoon peak hours.
Existing Pedestrian Facilities
There is a continuous network of pedestrian facilities in the downtown area. The vast majority of the
sidewalks are detached walks. Along the frontage of the proposed development, there is an existing four -
foot detached sidewalk.
Existing Bicycle Facilities
Bicycle lanes are striped along both Mason and Howes Streets. Along Magnolia, there is a striped bike
lane west of Canyon Avenue, and bikes share the traveled way with vehicles between College Avenue
and Canyon Avenue.
Existing Transit Facilities
Transfort, the City's transit service provides service along Mason (northbound) and Howes (southbound).
The daytime route is Route 15 and the evening route is 64. The headways are 20 minutes and the closest
bus stop to the proposed development is within one -block.
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Figure 2 — Existing Peak Hour Traffic Turning Movement Volumes
(am /pm turning volumes)
Existing Tra is Operations
In order to determine the function of the intersection in the study area, a level of service analysis was
completed. The analysis is based on procedures outlines in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM 2000)
published by the Transportation Research Board (TRB). This type of analysis assigns a letter value
based on average delay experienced by vehicles to indicate the level of service (LOS) of the intersection.
The letter values assigned range from A to F with A being the best. A summary and definition of each
LOS letter designation is provided in Table 1 for both unsignalized and signalized intersections.
Tnhle 1 — Level nfRervire Definition for Intersections
Unsingnalized
Intersection
Signalized Intersection
LOS
Average Delay (sec/veh)
A
<-10.0
510.0
B
>10.0and515.0
>I 0.0 and <-20.0
C
>15.0 and 525.0
>20.0 and <_35.0
D
>25.0 and 535.0
>35.0 and <_55.0
E
>35.0 and <-50.0
>55.0 and 580.0
F
>50
>80
Source: Highway capacity manuat,
Transportation Research Board, 2000
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Urban Living Lofts At Magnolia Street
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2. EXISTING CONDITIONS
Location and Surrounding Area — Land Use
The location of the Magnolia Lofts development is in downtown Fort Collins along Magnolia Street
between Mason Street and Howes Street. See Figure I — Vicinity Map. The existing land use includes
approximately 5,800 sf of small businesses.
The area is relatively flat (from a transportation perspective) and the existing land uses are typical of a
downtown area. Neighboring properties include single-family residential dwellings, small businesses,
offices, and commercial properties. There are several development projects in the area, primarily mixed -
use (residential and business) "loft" projects.
Existing Roadway System
The primary streets in the vicinity of the proposed development are Mason Street, Howes Street and
Magnolia Street which fronts the development. The detailed roadways below generally are typical of a
central business district area. They typically include on -street parking, striped bike lanes, and curb and
gutter.
Magnolia Street is a two-lane asphalt roadway with a 57 ft width that runs east -west along the
development frontage. It is classified as a local street. The posted speed limit is 25 mph. There is
diagonal parking (unlimited in time) along the block between Mason and Howes.
Howes Street is the south -bound portion of a one-way couplet just west of College Avenue. It contains
three through lanes, on -street parking and striped bike lanes. It is classified as a 2-lane arterial but has an
existing speed limit of 25 mph. The intersection at Howes and Magnolia is signalized.
Mason Street is the north -bound portion of the one-way couplet. It also is classified as a 2-lane arterial,
and has a speed limit of 25 mph. It has two through lanes for vehicles, with the center lane reserved for
the railroad. The intersection at Mason and Magnolia is stop controlled for Magnolia Street traffic.
Existing Tra fzc Conditions
The analysis of existing conditions provides insight into how the existing street network is configured
and how well it performs. This information is useful in establishing baseline conditions.
Peak hour turning movement counts at the two key intersections were completed in April 2005 —
following the re -opening of Mulberry Street. The AM and PM peak hour counts are shown in Figure 2
and raw traffic data is provided in Appendix B. .
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Urban Living Lofts At Magnolia Street
• • •
1. INTRODUCTION
The document represents a transportation impact study for the Urban Living Lofts at Magnolia Street — a
small, infill, mixed use (residential and businesss) development in the heart of downtown Fort Collins.
See Figure 1 — Vicinity Map.
Purpose and Process
The purpose of this study is to address the existing and future capacity, geometric and control conditions
of the transportation system and then determine the impact (and mitigation measures if necessary) of the
traffic produced by the proposed development.
This was accomplished by first:
• Completing a scoping meeting
via telephone with the City of
Fort Collins Traffic Engineer
and Transportation Planning to
identify the study area and
required analysis (scoping
sheets included in Appendix
A),
■ collecting existing traffic data,
■ analyzing the performance of
the existing intersections,
■ projecting the existing volumes
to the short term horizon year
of 2010, and
■ analyzing the performance of
the street network with future
traffic volumes in place.
The second portion of the study
included:
■ determining the volumes of
traffic to be generated by the
development,
Figure 1— Vicinity Map
■ adding these volumes to the background traffic identified above,
■ analyzing the intersection for site plus the background traffic,
■ comparing the function of the background analysis with the background + site analysis,
■ completing level of service evaluation of pedestrian, bicycle and transit modes, and
■ completing special studies as requested for parking adequacy and sight distance at the
development alley access.
The final step in the analysis is to identify impacts and specify required mitigation measures to
accommodate the transportation impacts due to the development.
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Urban Living Lofts at Magnolia Street
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List of Tables Description Page
1 Level of Service Definition for Intersections............................................................... 3
2 Trip Generation............................................................................................................ 6
List of Figures Description Page
1
Vicinity Map.................................................................................................................
1
2
Existing Peak Hour Traffic Turning Movement Volumes ...........................................
3
3
Existing Level of Service.............................................................................................
4
4
Site Plan ........................................................................................................................
5
5
Trip Distribution Percentages.......................................................................................
7
6
Site Generated Trip Assignment..................................................................................
7
7
2010 Background Volumes..........................................................................................
8
8
2010 Total Volumes.....................................................................................................
9
9
2010 Background LOS.................................................................................................
9
10
2010 Total LOS............................................................................................................
10
11
Geometrics.....................................................................................................................
10
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Urban Living Lofts at Magnolia Street
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Description Page
IIntroduction......................................................................................................................
Purpose and Process
2 Existing Conditions..........................................................................................................
Locations and Surrounding Area — Land Use
Existing Roadway System
Existing Traffic Conditions
Existing Traffic Operations
Existing Pedestrian Facilities
Existing Bicycle Facilities
Existing Transit Facilities
3 Proposed Development....................................................................................................
Development Type, Size, and Timetable
Development Access
Development Trip Generation
Development Trip Distribution and Assignment
4 Future Traffic Volumes and Capacity Analysis...............................................................
Background Traffic Projections
Total Traffic Projections
Operational Analysis
Geometry
5 Multi -Modal Level of Service Analysis...........................................................................
Pedestrian Level of Service Analysis
Bicycle Level of Service Analysis
Transit Level of Service Analysis
6 Speciat Analysis Areas.....................................................................................................
Parking Adequacy
Alley Access Sight Distance
7 Conclusions and Summary of Findings...........................................................................
Appendix A: Base Assumption Form
Appendix B: Peak Hour Traffic Count Information
Appendix C: Trip Generation Worksheets
Appendix D: Intersection Analysis Worksheets - Existing
Appendix E: Intersection Analysis Worksheets - Short Term Background
Appendix F: Intersection Analysis Worksheets — Short Term Total
Appendix G: Pedestrian / Bicycle / Transit Level of Service Analysis
2
5
8
11
11
12
Traffic Impact Study
Urban Living Lofts
At Magnolia Street
Fort Collins, Colorado
May 3rd, 2005
Prepared for:
Urban Living Concepts LLC
210 West Magnolia
Fort Collins, CO 80521
G . W14
N
--I-
AL
I
Urban Living Lofts At Magnolia Street
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The comparison of the traffic analysis for the short-term background and short-term total
traffic shows minimal impact due to the proposed development. In addition, the analysis was
conservative in nature as no trip reduction for the multi -modal assumptions was taken, and
the trip generation from existing business uses of the property was not discounted (due to
low volumes). The existing geometry at the intersections will continue to provide acceptable
levels of service, both with regional growth and the addition of this project.
■ Acceptable Levels of Service are achieved for pedestrians, bicycle, and transit modes based
upon the measures in the multi -modal transportation guidelines. This is a small, infill project
located in the heart of downtown Fort Collins; although this area is very pedestrian friendly,
there are some off -site detached sidewalk widths that vary including some sections between
the project and Dunn Elementary that are not 4.5 ft in width.
■ A parking adequacy analysis indicates that with the proposed 24 on -site parking spaces and
the existing diagonal spaces along the development's frontage on Magnolia Street, there will
be adequate parking for the project.
■ And finally, a review of entering sight distance at the alley indicates that it is similar in
design to many other alleys that access local streets. Sufficient sight distance is obtained
prior to the vehicles entering the traveled way. Should enhanced sight distance be
necessary, an additional parking space adjacent to the alley access could be removed.
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Urban Living Lofts At Magnolia Street
•••
Parking Adeguacv
The proposed development will include 18 units of residential lofts and 3000 sf of business. Per the City
of Fort Collins land use code, there is a residential parking requirement of 1.5 spaces per dwelling unit
for this type of residential use. For the business use, there is a max of 3 spaces / 1000 sf. Therefore the
maximum parking requirement is (1.5* 18) + (3*3) = 36 spaces. The minimum would be 27 spaces.
The existing frontage along the development has diagonal parking for unlimited time frames.. There are
12 spaces immediately fronting the property (and more along other frontage along the block). The
proposed development will be providing covered parking in the first floor of the building. 24 Spaces are
included in the conceptual drawings. Therefore a total of 36 spaces are available for the development.
This meets the code standard.
Alley Access Sight Distance
Based upon the LCUASS, the minimum sight distance at driveways for local streets is 260 feet. The
entering sight distance from the existing alley (at the "stop bar") onto Magnolia is limited for exiting
vehicles due to the existing diagonal parking (in the range of 75 ft when parking spaces are full).
However, the parking is prohibited within 10-20 feet of the access and slowly exiting vehicles obtain the
necessary sight distance prior to entering the traveled way. This is a similar condition to other alleys in
the area, (including the one directly opposite this alley on Magnolia that provides access to a number of
businesses) and meets the standard for alley design as shown in Figure 7-12F of LCUASS.
Should enhanced sight distance be necessary, the removal of a single parking space next to the alley
entrance would provide additional length. '
7. CONCLUSIONS AND SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
This study identified, documented and addressed the transportation impacts of the proposed Urban
Living Lofts At Magnolia Street development in downtown Fort Collins. The following conclusions can
be drawn from the study:
The Urban Living Lofts At Magnolia Street are feasible from a traffic engineering
standpoint. At full buildout, there will be 18 loft dwelling units, approximately 3,000 sf of
business / storage space, and 24 off-street parking spaces located in the first floor of the
building. The project will generate 154 daily trips, including 14 in the am peak hour and 15
in the pm peak hour.
The current operation at the two area intersections (Mason / Magnolia and Howes /
Magnolia) is acceptable with existing control and geometry.
■ The background traffic is assumed to increase do to regional growth, and other area
developments including the Cortina project.
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Urban Living Lofts At Magnolia Street
• • •
5. MULTI -MODAL LEVEL OF SERVICE ANALYSIS
The proposed development is a minor in -fill development located in the heart of downtown Fort Collins.
The surrounding area is fully developed and is in an area where multi -modal amenities for pedestrians,
bicycles and transit abound.
Pedestrian Level of Service Analysis
The study area for pedestrians is by definition destinations that are within 1320 ft of the proposed
development. This area is shown on the map in Appendix G. Potential destinations include the Central
Business District to the north east, County and other offices to the north, the Lincoln Center / Mulberry
Pool complex to the west, and the grocery store to the east. In addition, Dunn Elementary School is
included in the analysis as that is the designated neighborhood school for the residents of the Magnolia
Street Lofts.
The pedestrian LOS worksheet is provided in Appendix G. Because this area is downtown, it is
designated as a Pedestrian District. The standard Level of Service is B for street crossings and A for all
other factors. This level of service is satisfied for all categories. Direct and continuous sidewalks are
available to all the destinations, and most are detached (attached walks are those along College Avenue
in the CBD). There are no missing links in the network, there is a high visual interest and security
appears good.
There are some sidewalks (especially between the proposed project and Dunn Elementary) that while
easy and inviting to use, are somewhat aging and are not all a minimum of 4.5 feet in width (City
standard for a local street).
Bicycle Level of Service Analysis
The bicycle Level of Service Analysis is also included in Appendix G. The existing striped bike lanes
along both Mason Street and Howes Street provide an excellent LOS. Along Magnolia Street, bicycles
share the roadway between College Avenue and Canyon Avenue (standard for City of Fort Collins local
residential streets). West of Canyon Avenue, there is once again a striped bike'lane. This meets the level
of service standards for bicycles.
Transit Level of Service Analysis
Current transit service is provided to the area in the daytime via Route 15 and in the evening via Route
64. The bus stops are within one block of the proposed development (along Mason and
Howes/Magnolia) and typically run with a 20 minute headway. The analysis included in Appendix G
shows an acceptable level of service B with three of the four standards being met.
6. SPECIAL ANALYSIS AREAS
During the course of the scoping meeting for this intermediate level Traffic Impact Study, two areas of
special analysis were identified and are discussed below.
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Urban Living Lofts At Magnolia Street
Figure 10 — 2010 Total LOS
An acceptable level of service for unsignalized intersections is considered to be an overall LOS D for
signalized intersections and LOS E on any approach leg or movement. For a non -signalized intersection
arterial / collector or local, a LOS E is minimum. Both intersections have an arterial component and
operate at an acceptable level both with and without the development in the 2010 time horizon.
Geometry
Figures 11 shows the existing and assumed short-term geometry that was used in the analysis above. The
geometrics are acceptable.
Figure 11—Geometrics
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Urban Living Lofts At Magnolia Street
Figure 8 — 2010 Total Volumes
am /pm number of turning vehicles
Operational Anal
000
A Level of Service (LOS) analysis was completed at each of the intersections in both the am and pm peak
hour. The LOS was calculated both without the project development (background only) and with the
development traffic (total), allowing for a comparison between scenarios that will highlight the impact of
the proposed development.
Figure 9 shows the LOS operational results analysis for the short-term (2010) background volumes.
Figure 10 shows the LOS operational results for the short-term total volumes. The worksheets for this
analysis, including delays and capacities are provided in Appendix E and F.
Figure 9 — 2010 Background LOS
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4. FUTURE TRAFFIC VOLUMES AND CAPACITY ANALYSIS
Background Tra ec Projections
Based upon the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards, the short-term horizon year will be in
2010. Due to the level of trip generation, this TIS is an intermediate TIS, and no long term horizon
analysis is required.
This requires the background traffic (area traffic volumes) to be forecasted to the year 2010. Based upon
the scoping meeting, all existing area traffic will be increased by 2% per year to account for regional
growth.
In addition, the traffic generated by the currently under construction Cortina development and the 310
South College Mixed Use project also needs to be included as background traffic. Both developments
were assumed at full occupancy in 2010. Figure 7 shows the non -site, or background traffic at the key
intersections for the short-term horizon year of 2010.
Figure 7 — 2010 Background Volumes
am /pm number of turning vehicles
Total Tra rc Projections
Using the background traffic volumes shown in Figure 7, and the site traffic volumes shown in Figure 6,
the addition of the two will provide the total expected traffic volumes at the key intersections in 2010.
The total traffic volumes are shown in Figure 8.
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and Elementary
school
Urban Living Lofts At Magnolia Street
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Figure 5 — Trip Distribution Percentages
35% to / from
rom
the south
The assignment of the project generated traffic to the surrounding roadways is based upon the
distribution percentage and is shown in Figure 6 for the morning and evening peak hour periods of an
average weekday. These assignments are made by applying the trip generation estimates of Table 2 to
the trip distribution percentages of Figure 5. The morning and evening peak hour traffic volumes are in
vehicles per hour.
Figure 6 — Site Generated Trip Assignment
am /pm number ofturning vehicles
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Development Access
Urban Living Lofts At Magnolia Street
•••
The access to the development will be along Magnolia Street to the south. Business patrons will likely
utilize the existing diagonal parking along Magnolia, while employees and residents of the lofts will
utilize the existing alley to the west of the property to access the on -site parking. The alley is 14 ft in
width, is a concrete paved facility and appears to meet the standards for a City of Fort Collins alley. The
alley is shared use with the single family dwelling to the west of the development.
Development Trip Generation
In order to determine how many trips the proposed development will likely generate during the identified
peak hours, the proposed trip generation characteristics were identified. This process was conducted
using the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual, 7'h Edition.
The proposed land use includes 18 loft units (land use code 220) and approximately 3,000 sf of business !
storage space (land use code 710). Although a mode split reduction could be utilized in this downtown
location, the anticipated 10% reduction is minimal due to the low volumes, and was therefore not used.
Likewise, the existing business usage will also be reflected in the existing traffic volumes — but in order
to provide a conservative analysis, this likely generation was not discounted. There was also no
reduction for internal trips nor passby trips.
Trip generation rates are shown in Table 2.
Table 2 - Trip Generation
Land Use
ITE
Units
Daily
Total Trips
Enter / Exit Distribution
Code
Trips
AM ; PM
AM PM
IN OUT IN OUT
Lofts
220
18
121
9 11
2
7
7
4
Office Bldg
710
3
33
5 j 4
4
1
1
3
Total
154
14 j 15
,
6
I 8
8
7
Notes:
■ 10% alternate modes would be reasonable to assume, but due to low numbers (less than 10 in each
peak hour enter/exit) this was not applied.
■ The 3, 000 sf ofproposed office / storage will be replacing an existing 5,800 sf of small office space.
Again, due to low traffic volume numbers, the trip generation for the existing usage (which is
technically included in the existing traffic volumes) was not discounted
Development Trip Distribution andAssignmen
The next step in the traffic analysis for this development is to distribute and assign the new trips
generated by the development onto the street network. This was accomplished by analyzing the existing
traffic patterns within the study area, thinking through likely destination and travel paths, speaking with
City staff, reviewing other recently completed TISs in the area, utilizing professional engineering
judgment and then applying the resultant distribution. The distribution percentages are shown in Figure
5.
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3. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
Development Ty
pe, Size and Timetable
Urban Living Lofts At Magnolia Street
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The Urban Living Lofts at Magnolia Street is a mixed use project that will include residential loft units
and a small area for business use on the first floor facing Magnolia.
The timetable identified by the developer is for construction to begin in the fall of 2005, with full
buildout anticipated within the next year. Per the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards, the
short-range time horizon used in the analysis is 2010.
A conceptual layout of the first floor of the site is shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4 Site Plan
Hr-
2 Spaces
V /I
7-
<
Bu sine s Sp ce
<
F7 7
Magnolia Street
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Hr-
2 Spaces
V /I
7-
<
Bu sine s Sp ce
<
F7 7
Magnolia Street
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