HomeMy WebLinkAboutLAKEVIEW - PDP - PDP130026 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - VARIANCE REQUESTLSC TRANSPORTATION CONSULTANTS, INC.
1889 York Street
Denver, CO 80206
(303) 333-1105
FAX (303) 333-1107
E-mail: lsc@lscdenver.com
October 1, 2013
Mr. Ward Stanford
Traffic Systems Engineer
City of Fort Collins
626 Linden Street
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Re: Lakeview
Fort Collins, CO
LSC #130490
Dear Mr. Stanford:
This letter serves as a Variance Request for the proposed Lakeview development in Fort Collins,
Colorado per Section 1.9.4.A of the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards (LCUASS) for
the existing site access intersection with E. Drake Road. A previous land use proposal on this
site requested a similar variance that was approved. The previous variance request letter from
June, 2012 is attached.
The existing posted speed limit on E. Drake Road is 40 mph approaching the existing site
access from the east. Figure 7-16 of the LCUASS requires a corner sight distance of 660 feet
for a design speed of 40 mph, 830 feet for a design speed of 45 mph, and 1,030 feet for a design
speed of 50 mph. The previous variance request assumed a design speed of 50 mph. One-
thousand-thirty feet relates to a gap of 14 seconds at 50 mph which seems unreasonable. The
previous request acknowledges this point and suggests the 1,030-foot requirement is based on
outdated methodology. We agree with the prior request that an acceptable gap of 7.5 seconds
per the current AASHTO design standards is more appropriate and would reduce the accep-
table minimum entering sight distance to 555 feet. While an occasional large truck could use
this access to/from the site, the design vehicle for residential areas is typically a passenger
vehicle. The occasional large vehicle would have the option of turning right from the existing
site access on S. Lemay Avenue to generally travel in the same direction.
The only movement from the existing site access that is affected by this sight distance is the
left-turn movement onto E. Drake Road. The available sight distance to the east was field-
measured as 560 feet. This distance would be up to 100 feet longer if either the turning or
approaching vehicle is taller than a typical passenger vehicle (i.e., a pickup truck or sport
utility vehicle).