HomeMy WebLinkAboutRIGDEN FARM, PIONEER CHARTER SCHOOL - SITE PLAN ADVISORY REVIEW - 56-98U - CORRESPONDENCE - TRAFFIC STUDY (3)Troy Jones - Pioneer Charter School revised TIS _ _ _ Page 1
From: Ward Stanford
To: Matt Delich; Troy Jones
Date: 8/18/03 6:28PM
Subject: Pioneer Charter School revised TIS
Troy, I'm unable to accept the amended TIS. I believe the original is the only acceptable TIS currently.
The owner's rep states that people will car pool and many kids will ride/walk. What substantiates that
statement and maintains the future of that statement. Current charter schools in Ft Collins do not provide
evidence of that behavior. What binds people to continue to car pool ? Why here, will there be a bigger
proportion of the kids walking and biking ? Are all the neighborhood kids going here vs. other choices ?
Are parents now allowing their kids to walk/bike across Timberline, or Horsetooth, or Drake ?
If a TIS is going to depart from normal practices and studies, it needs to substantiate those statements.
No substantiating data is provided, just conversation. I'm unable to blindly accept a 500 trip reduction, a
20% trip reduction, a 50% trip reduction, car pooling, and higher rates of walking/biking than we currently
see at other schools, public or charter.
The pickup wait time discussion fails to discuss the fact that people waiting longer may take less curb
room (?) but what about the other arriving pickup motorists that are having to wait longer for a parking
space ... they will be waiting in the travel lanes or circulating the school, actually increasing trips.
Sorry, but the information in the addendum TIS is unsubstantiated and therefore I'm unable to accept its
conclusions. The original TIS much more closely discusses what we experience currently.
CC: Dave Stringer; Eric Bracke
Troy Jones - Re: Pioneer Charter School revised TIS - _ _ _ _M M_ _ _ ._, Page 1,
From: Ward Stanford
To: Troy Jones
Date: 8/19/03 11:04AM
Subject: Re: Pioneer Charter School revised TIS
Based on the discussion given in para 3 of the revised TIS... yes.
The discussion gives the original numbers as well as discussion with the new reduced numbers. Using the
original numbers in the reduced numbers discusion, the surrounding streets will provide acceptable
stacking space for waiting dropoffs/pickups. This is assuming adult motorists will behave responsibly while
waiting, and that the on -street parking area adjacent to the school property is available (not parked in by
area residents) for waiting parents.
The issue will be if dropoff/pickup vehicles stay near the curb so passing motorists can move by safely
Troy Jones - Re: Pioneer Charter School revised TIS
From:
Ward Stanford
To:
Troy Jones
Date:
8/19/03 2:09PM
Subject:
Re: Pioneer Charter School revised TIS
Hi Troy,
After further review of the revised TIS, I've realized it is not an amendment to the original, but is intended
as additional information to accompany the original. Based on that, its not appropriate to consider it
unacceptable or not. Acceptability is not relevant in this case. More appropriate is whether the additional
information provides additional possibilities concerning the projects traffic impacts.
The additional information provided is plausible from a conditional stand point.
If the school does have one grade of students attending off site functions each day of each week
throughout the school year and the students are taken to and dropped off at the off site, the approximate
20% reduction in peak hour trips could be realized.
If the school does staggered starts of half of the students, then the 50% reduction is possible.
The pick up and drop off characteristics described in the 3rd paragraph of the secondary TIS are
calculated values and acceptable from an analysis/planning standpoint. On any given day, how parents
act will determine whether the drop off/pick up area functions better, equal to, or less than planned. Those
daily drop off and pick up characteristics could be significantly enhanced if the discussed off site and
staggered operation are employed as daily operating characteristics of the school.
Since there is no way of knowing how much car pooling or walking/bike riding will happen at the school I'm
unable to provide anything more than those activities can reduce traffic impacts to an extent comparable
to the amount performed.
If the various functions and/or operating characteristics are employed, and maintained, then Traffic
Operations is comfortable with most of the possibilities offered in the additional TIS.
Traffic Operations also feels that if the school administrators take an active and continuing role in the daily
drop off and pick up activity, safety will be significantly improved for the students and area population.
We request that the school limit its access from Minnesota to being a right in only access and advising
parents of this condition. The access could possibly be curved to encourage right in only movements and
discourage left in from Minnesota. Organizing of the traffic flow always provides safety benefits as well as
better function.
The school does have a unique physical characteristic in that a trail runs through the property. Parents
could also drop off students on other streets that access the trail and allow the students to walk from
neighboring streets. Again, reducing the impact around the immediate school area.
CC: Eric Bracke; Matt Delich; Sheri Wamhoff