HomeMy WebLinkAboutOLD TOWN FLATS - PDP - PDP130022 - REPORTS - TRAFFIC STUDY (5)Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
1
I. Introduction
This transportation impact study addresses the Block 23 Development Project located in
Fort Collins, CO. The project is a multi-family housing project being proposed by
Brinkman Partners of Fort Collins, CO. The site encompasses the southwest quadrant of
the block (Block 23) in downtown Fort Collins and is bounded by Cherry Street, College
Avenue, Maple Street, and Mason Street. The western half of the property is currently
vacant and the eastern half of the block has vacant buildings on the site.
The project entails the construction of apartment units consisting of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom
apartments consisting of 123 bedrooms in 94 apartment units. Figure 1 on the following
page is a vicinity map displaying the location of the project.
II. Agency Discussions
Discussions with City staff indicated that an intermediate level transportation study as
described in Chapter 4 of the Larimer County Urban Area Streets Standards (LCUASS)
would be appropriate for this particular development. Staff also requested that an
alternative modes analysis be conducted as part of the TIS.
Background traffic is assumed to be 1.5% per year. The short-range horizon for the
project is the year 2018. The site is adjacent to the transit center, the Mason Corridor,
and in the downtown area. However, no trip reductions by active modes of
transportation have been assumed. Therefore, the analysis presented herein can be
considered conservative. Appendix A contains the scoping form (Attachment A), which
outlines the agreed extent and terms of the study
Figure 1: Vicinity Map
Site
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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III. Existing Conditions
A). Current Traffic
Recent peak hour turning movements at the key intersections were obtained during
August 2013. The morning and afternoon peak hour traffic counts at the key
intersections are displayed in Figure 2. The peak hour counts were conducted over a 2-
hour period in 15 minute increments for the periods of 7:00-9:00 AM and 4:00-6:00 PM.
The raw information regarding the turning movements is provided in Appendix B.
B). Current Street System
College Avenue (US 287) is the principal
north-south arterial that travels through
Fort Collins. In the area of the site,
College Avenue is a 4-lane arterial with
auxiliary turn lanes where needed and a
speed limit of 30 mph. College Avenue is
the most heavily traveled roadway within
the community and carries approximately
40,000 vehicles per day adjacent to the
site. The roadway is classified as an NR-B
under the State Highway Access Code.
The intersections on College Avenue/Jefferson and College Avenue/Cherry are
signalized and have been improved within the last ten years. There are bike lanes and
sidewalks in this area.
Cherry Street is a collector roadway on the
Master Street Plan that has a speed limit
of 25 mph and parking is allowed. There
are bike lanes and sidewalks along Cherry
Street.
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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Maple Street is a local street with a speed
limit of 25 mph, pavement in fair
condition, and has diagonal parking.
Mason Street is a critical roadway to the
development. The current Mason Street has
recently been converted from a one-way north
roadway to two way traffic as part of the MAX
BRT project. The roadway is unique in that the
Burlington-Northern Railroad tracks are in the
middle of the roadway. The site is directly
adjacent to the downtown transit center that will
function as the hub for the MAX project.
The land uses in the area are primarily office, residential, and retail. The site is
considered part of the Fort Collins downtown area.
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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Maple Street
183/189
714/757
55/80
12/14
22/47
12/16
Mason Street
College Avenue
Cherry Street
5/27
70/97
33/35
19/38
389/611
71/96
312/290
98/98
56/69
14/15
615/634
284/269
18/16
354/420
5/9
3/10
3/6
18/42
33/23
286/440
19/17
2/6
17/49
11/31
0/12
112/136
10/23
126/275
143/135
148/107
83/61
571/831
42/32
33/75
75/205
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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C). Current Traffic Conditions
Capacity analyses were performed at the key intersections to determine if existing
deficiencies exist on the roadway network. The analyses followed the procedures of the
Highway Capacity Manual. Level of Service (LOS) is a qualitative term describing
operating conditions and expressed in terms of delay. Table 1 below provides the
definitions of LOS for both signalized and unsignalized intersections. Table 2 displays
the results of the analyses. The worksheets from the analyses can be found in Appendix
C.
Table 1
Level of Service Definitions
Level of
Service
Signalized Intersection
Average Total Delay (seconds/vehicle)
Unsignalized Intersection
Average Total Delay (seconds/vehicle)
A <10 <10
B >10 and ≤20 >10 and ≤15
C >20 and ≤35 >15 and ≤25
D >35 and ≤55 >25 and ≤ 35
E >55 and≤ 80 >35 and ≤50
F >80 >50
It is noted that the City has prohibited the northbound and southbound left turns from
Mason Street onto Maple. However, the prohibition is relatively new and folks are still
making this maneuver regardless of the signage. The intersection was modeled and
analyzed as it is functioning today. Future years treat the intersection as though the left
turn prohibition is being obeyed.
As can be seen in Table 2, the key intersections are currently operating at acceptable
levels of service.
Table 2
Year 2013 Capacity Analysis
Existing Traffic - Year 2013
AM PM
Intersection Movement LOS Delay(sec/vehicle) LOS Delay(sec/vehicle)
College/Cherry/Willow EB L C 28.1 C 27.0
(Traffic Signal control) EB T D 39.0 C 34.5
EB R A 0.1 A 0.1
EB APPROACH C 21.9 C 23.6
WB L C 33.6 C 31.1
WB T D 40.4 D 45.7
WB R D 38.0 D 36.3
WB APPROACH D 38.1 D 41.2
NB L A 6.7 A 7.8
NB T A 9.2 B 13.6
NB R A 1.5 A 1.7
NB APPROACH A 8.5 B 15.2
SB L A 8.1 B 14.6
SB T B 14.2 C 21.2
SB R B 11.7 B 16.5
SB APPROACH B 13.4 B 18.7
OVERALL B 15.1 C 20.7
College/Jefferson/Maple EB L D 35.1 D 36.2
(Traffic Signal control) EB T/R D 40.4 D 46.0
EB APPROACH D 40.2 D 44.3
WB L C 28.8 C 33.0
WB T D 35.0 D 4.7
WB R A 0.3 A 0.3
WB APPROACH B 11.1 B 14.2
NB L B 11.2 B 14.6
NB T B 15.1 C 22.7
NB R A 0.1 A 0.1
NB APPROACH B 12.7 B 15.5
SB L B 16.1 B 15.6
SB T/R A 5.4 A 3.1
SB APPROACH A 8.8 A 6.9
OVERALL B 12.0 B 15.1
Mason/Cherry EB L A 8.0 A 8.6
STOP WB L/T/R A 0.8 A 0.6
NB L/T C 23.5 D 30.0
NB R B 12.6 B 11.8
NB APPROACH C 15.3 C 15.2
SB L/T/R C 21.3 E 11.8
OVERALL A 1.5 B 41.0
Mason/Maple EB APPROACH B 10.1 B 11.5
STOP WB APPROACH B 10.3 B 12.0
NB L A 0.5 A 0.8
SB LEFT A 0.4 A 0.8
OVERALL A 8.0 A 8.2
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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IV. Project Description
A. Project
The project is a multifamily housing project consisting of 94 dwelling units and
comprises 123 bedrooms. There is no retail associated with the project. The project will
set on the southwest quadrant of Block 23 in downtown Fort Collins. The site is
bordered by College Avenue, Cherry Street, Mason Street, and Maple Street. The site
is adjacent to the Mason Street Corridor and within close proximity to Colorado State
University and City and County offices and will offer excellent opportunities for
residents to use alternative modes of transportation for primary trip ends.
Access to the site is being proposed on Cherry Street as well as Maple Street via the
alley. No direct access is proposed on Mason or College. The curb cut on Cherry Street
is directly adjacent to the eastbound double left turn lanes for the intersection of
College/Cherry and should be controlled as a right-in/right-out access. The access on
Maple will be full movement. A preliminary site plan is displayed in Figure 3 on the
following page.
Figure 3: Block 23 Site Plan
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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B. Trip Generation
Trip generation rates for the proposed project are based on Trip Generation, 8th Edition
(Institute of Transportation Engineers). The manual presents trip generation rates from
numerous land use studies. Table 3 below summarizes the proposed trip generation for
the project. During the morning peak hour, 48 trip ends can be expected and 59 trip ends
can be expected from the project during the afternoon peak hours. No trip reductions
were assumed as part of the analyses. Table 3 displays the trip generation estimate for
the Block 23 project.
Table 3 – Trip Generation Estimate
AM Rate AM Trips AM Rate AM Trips PM Rate PM Trips PM Rate PM Trips
Use ITE CODE Size
Daily
Rate
Daily
TripsININOUTOUTININOUTOUT
Apartments 220 94.0 6.72 632 0.1 9 0.41 39 0.4 38 0.22 21
TOTAL 6329393821
C. Trip Distribution
Trip distribution is the process of determining where the trips are coming to and from the
site. The distribution was based on the sites proximity to CSU and to shopping
opportunities as well as engineering judgment. The distribution is expected to remain
fairly constant over the long term. The distribution for the project is displayed in Figure
4. Site distributed traffic is shown in Figure 4.
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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College Avenue
Cherry Street
30%
5%
Figure 4: Trip Distribution
>5%
10 %
Block 23
30 %
20 %
Mason
Maple
5%
North
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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Maple Street
Mason Street
site
5/5
5/5
15/15
25/25
15/20
15/25
5/5
10/1
10/10
5/10
5/10
5/5
5/10
5/5
5/5
5/5
10/10
Cherry Street
5/5
5/5
nominal
Nominal
10/10
Nominal
5/5
<5/<5
College Avenue
5/5
5/5
5/5
5/5
North
Figure 5: Site Distributed Traffic (AM/PM)
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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V. Traffic Projections
Background traffic for the year 2018 was estimated by assuming that all traffic
movements on the public roadway system would increase by approximately 1.5% per
year, as agreed to in the initial scoping meeting with the Traffic Operations Department.
It was assumed that the remaining portions of Block 23 would remain undeveloped in
the short-term (5-year) time frame. The 1.5% per year growth factor takes into account
any other projects that may develop in the area. This traffic projection is consistent with
the recent history of traffic growth in the area.
Within the past year, Mason Street was converted to two-way traffic. The volumes on
Mason Street are significantly less than originally projected as part of the conversion.
There are more than likely two reasons for the low volumes on Mason Street. The first
would be that people are not yet used to the change and a normal traffic pattern has not
yet formed. The second explanation for the lower than expected volumes on Mason
Street would be that access along the corridor has been restricted by the removal of
turning movements across the center railroad tracks. Background traffic is displayed in
Figure 6 on the following page.
Site-generated traffic was then added to the background traffic to determine the total
traffic volumes at the key intersections. Total traffic for the year 2018 is displayed in
Figure 7.
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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Maple Street
200/205
765/810
60/85
15/20
15/20
25/50
Mason Street
College Avenue
Cherry Street
5/30
75/10 5
35/40
20/40
415/655
75/105
335/310
105/105
60/75
15/15
660/680
305/390
20/20
380/450
10/10
5/15
5/10
20/45
35/25
305/470
20/20
20/55
15/35
15/15
120/145
15/25
135/295
155/145
160/115
90/65
610/890
45/135
35/80
80/220
40/50
10/5
35/40
5/5
105/140
5/10
North
Figure 6: Year 2018 Background Traffic (AM/PM)
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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Maple Street
205/210
765/810
60/85
15/20
15/20
25/50
Mason Street
College Avenue
Cherry Street
North
10/5
110/145
5/10
5/5
10/35
85/11 5
45/50
20/40
415/655
75/105
335/310
105/105
60/75
20/20
615/634
284/269
20/20
380/450
15/15
10/20
5/10
25/50
35/25
305/470
20/20
30/65
20/45
20/20
125/150
20/30
145/305
155/145
160/115
90/65
615/895
45/135
35/80
80/220
40/50
360/595
15/15
25/25
15/25
140/160
15/20
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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VI. Traffic Analysis
Capacity analysis was performed at the key intersections for the Year 2018 background
traffic as well as the total traffic for the year 2018. The analyses followed the
procedures of the Highway Capacity Manual 2000. Table 4 and 5 display the results of
the analyses.
As can be seen in Table 4 (2018 background), all the key intersections continue to
operate at acceptable levels of service with just the growth in background traffic. The
southbound approach at Mason and Maple begin to experience delay, albeit still within
the LOS standards.
Table 5 is the capacity analysis for the Year 2018 with the project traffic added to the
background traffic. The analysis shows that there is not a noticeable impact on the
surrounding intersections with the implementation of the project and acceptable levels of
service are still maintained.
Capacity worksheets for the two scenarios are found in Appendices D and E.
Table 4 Year 2018 No-Build Scenario
Capacity Analysis
YEAR 2018 BACKGROUND TRAFFIC
AM PM
Intersection Movement LOS Delay(sec/vehicle) LOS Delay(sec/vehicle)
College/Cherry/Willow EB L C 27.5 C 27.1
(Traffic Signal control) EB T D 38.8 C 34.9
EB R A 0.1 A 0.1
EB APPROACH C 21.6 C 23.4
WB L C 33.2 C 31.5
WB T D 40.1 D 45.1
WB R D 37.6 D 36.8
WB APPROACH D 37.8 D 41.5
NB L A 7.5 A 8.7
NB T A 8.8 B 16.1
NB R A 1.1 A 3.8
NB APPROACH A 8.2 B 12.8
SB L A 8.5 B 13.5
SB T B 15.0 C 20.0
SB R B 12.1 B 15.9
SB APPROACH B 14.1 B 19.8
OVERALL B 15.2 C 21.1
College/Jefferson/Maple EB L C 33.8 D 36.4
(Traffic Signal control) EB T/R D 38.8 D 45.9
EB APPROACH D 38.6 D 44.3
WB L C 27.6 C 33.7
WB T C 33.7 D 41.4
WB R A 0.3 A 0.3
WB APPROACH B 10.6 B 14.0
NB L B 12.9 B 11.9
NB T B 17.5 B 18.2
NB R A 0.1 A 0.1
NB APPROACH B 14.7 B 19.5
SB L C 21.8 B 16.8
SB T/R A 5.8 A 2.7
SB APPROACH B 10.8 A 6.7
OVERALL B 13.2 B 13.8
Mason/Cherry EB L A 8.0 A 8.6
STOP WB L/T/R A 1.1 A 0.6
NB L/T C 20.2 D 30.0
NB R B 10.9 B 11.8
NB APPROACH B 14.0 C 18.3
SB APPROACH C 19.9 E 41.0
OVERALL A 2.4 A 4.6
Mason/Maple EB APPROACH B 10.2 B 11.1
STOP WB APPROACH B 10.5 B 11.5
OVERALL A 8.0 A 8.1
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Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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Table 5 – Year 2018 Build Scenario
Capacity Analysis
Year 2018 - TOTAL TRAFFIC
AM PM
Intersection Movement LOS Delay(sec/vehicle) LOS Delay(sec/vehicle)
College/Cherry/Willow EB L C 27.6 C 27.0
(Traffic Signal control) EB T D 38.8 C 34.4
EB R A 0.1 A 0.1
EB APPROACH C 21.8 C 23.5
WB L C 37.6 C 31.0
WB T D 40.1 D 45.5
WB R D 37.6 D 36.2
WB APPROACH D 37.8 D 41.3
NB L A 8.3 C 24.7
NB T A 7.2 B 11.5
NB R A 0.4 A 1.3
NB APPROACH A 6.9 B 13.2
SB L A 8.5 B 15.5
SB T B 15.0 C 23.7
SB R B 12.1 B 18.3
SB APPROACH B 14.1 C 22.0
OVERALL B 14.9 C 21.3
College/Jefferson/Maple EB L C 33.0 D 35.1
(Traffic Signal control) EB T/R D 38.4 D 46.4
EB APPROACH D 38.0 D 44.4
WB L C 27.1 C 32.6
WB T C 33.2 D 39.9
WB R A 0.3 A 0.3
WB APPROACH B 10.7 B 13.7
NB L B 12.8 B 13.9
NB T B 18.0 C 22.7
NB R A 0.1 A 0.1
NB APPROACH B 15.2 B 19.3
SB L C 21.6 C 20.7
SB T/R A 6.2 A 2.9
SB APPROACH B 11.0 A 8.1
OVERALL B 13.7 B 15.8
Mason/Cherry EB L A 8.0 A 8.6
STOP WB L/T/R A 1.1 A 0.7
NB L/T C 21.2 D 32.3
NB R B 11.0 B 11.9
NB APPROACH B 14.8 C 19.6
SB APPROACH C 20.3 E 43.4
OVERALL A 2.6 A 5.0
Mason/Maple EB APPROACH B 12.8 B 11.5
STOP WB APPROACH B 14.6 B 11.9
OVERALL A 8.2 A 7.9
Cherry/North Alley NB R B 11.1 B 12.2
OVERALL A 0.1 A 0.1
Maple/South Alley EB APPROACH A 0.9 A 7.4
WB APPROACH A 0.0 A 0.0
SB APPROACH B 10.3 B 12.9
OVERALL A 8.0 A 4.7
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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VII. Improvements
A. Traffic Signals
Traffic signals are never installed until Warrant is satisfied under the Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 2000. In a preparing a transportation study, Warrant
#3, the Peak Hour Warrant, is usually the best indication of a whether or not a traffic
signal will be needed in the future. Based on a review of the two STOP sign controlled
intersections, the following can be concluded:
• The intersection of Maple and Mason will continue to operate at
acceptable levels of service under STOP sign control
• The intersection of Mason/Cherry will not likely need a traffic signal in
the long range future.
B. Auxiliary Lanes
A review of the LUCASS was conducted regarding auxiliary lanes was undertaken as
part of this study. In particular, Figure 8-01 and 8-04 were reviewed to determine if the
thresholds for right and left turn lanes were satisfied.
Based on the review and in consideration of the “built environment” of the area, no new
auxiliary lanes are required with this project.
The intersection of the alley and Cherry Street has come into question. There is an issue
on whether auxiliary lanes should be required. At this time, it is not known if the
intersection will remain open if a “quiet zone” is implemented by the City. An
eastbound right turn lane is not warranted at this time and would be difficult to construct
with such close proximity to the RR tracks. A westbound left turn from Cherry to the
alley should not be allowed. Cherry is only one lane, would have to cross over an
eastbound double left turn lane at College and would back Cherry Street traffic into
College Avenue.
B. Sight Distance
The project proposes a full movement access on Maple Street. The City currently allows
diagonal parking on Maple Street. At the location of the driveway, sufficient parking
needs to be removed to allow adequate sight distance at the intersection. This distance
should be a minimum of 30 feet on either side of the driveway. The removal of parking
will also allow for more efficient egress and ingress for turning movements at the
driveway.
VIII. Multi-Modal Evaluation
Section 4.5.3 (B) of the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards requires that
projects undergo a level of service analysis for alternative modes of transportation. The
modes of transportation that must meet LOS standards are bicycles, and pedestrians.
Transit service LOS must also be analyzed at the time of development review.
However, transit LOS is not part of the Adequate Public Facilities test. The area of
interest for the alternative modes of transportation is shown below in Figure 8. It is
likely that the project will generate numerous transit trips, bicycle and pedestrian trips
and it is therefore important that the alternative mode system be adequate to serve this
need. The area of the project is considered the “Downtown District” based on the City
Structure Plan and for purposes of these analyses.
Block 23
Figure 8: Multimodal Evaluation Area
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Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
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A. Pedestrian Level of Service
The project area was evaluated for compliance with the pedestrian level of service
standards. When the TIS was scoped, no specific pedestrians destinations were provided
for analyses. However, it is assumed that the key destination from this site were the
following:
• Transit Center
• Downtown (in general to the south)
• City and County Buildings to the south
• Lee Martinez Park/Poudre River Trail
Currently, the site satisfies the required standards of the City. Sidewalks along College
Avenue are attached and improved to enhanced standards. The project will improve the
sidewalks along Mason, and Maple as part of the construction project. There are
improved/enhanced pedestrian crossings, constructed by the City, at the following
intersections:
• Mason/Maple
• Cherry/College
• Jefferson/Maple/College
On the north side of Block 23 (not in this development project), the east-west sidewalk
from Mason to College is absent. It is assumed that when a development project comes
to this site, it will be responsible for the sidewalk construction. The area is also in a grid
street pattern. Pedestrians coming from destinations from the north can easily use
Mason or College without adding distance to their trip.
From the northern property line on the west side of the site, the sidewalk and RR track
crossing will need to be discussed. There is a sidewalk in place with sections in both
asphalt and concrete.
The results of the analysis reveal that the project is in compliance with the standards.
The following is a review of the evaluation.
Directness – The project is adjacent to the Mason Street Corridor that will allow
direct pedestrian access to CSU to the south and shopping opportunities to the
south. The project will greatly enhance the sidewalk system adjacent to the site
on both Maple and Mason.
Continuity – The area is surrounded by well used sidewalks. There is not a lack
of continuity in the pedestrian system within the study area with the exception of
the sidewalk on the south side of Cherry between Mason and College.
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Street Crossings – The majority of street crossings in the area are currently to
the highest standard that the city requires.
Visual Interest and Amenity – The project is located in the downtown area and
is considered to have significant visual interest and amenities for the pedestrian.
Security – The sidewalks in the area are well lit, good sight distances, and
numerous pedestrians in the area.
The intersection of Mason and Cherry is a STOP Controlled intersection. There are
crosswalks in place, the intersection is lighted, and provides direct connection from the
project to the northern destinations of the Park and the Poudre River. In its current state,
visual interest is probably labeled as fair but will improve as other properties in the area
develop. Security is good, sight distance isn’t an issue, ADA ramps are in place, and the
crossing distance is only two lanes of traffic. It is likely that as traffic increases, a traffic
signal will be warranted and it will include pedestrian phases.
B. Bicycles Level of Service
The surrounding street system was evaluated for compliance with the City of Fort
Collins bicycle level of service standards. Acceptable LOS for bicycles is considered B.
To achieve LOS B, the project must have at least direct access to either north/south or
east/west on-street bike lanes.
There are bike lanes on Cherry Street (direct access through the alley) as well as on
Mason Street (south of the site) which place the project in the LOS A category. There is
an issue with the northbound bike lane on the east side of Mason Street, adjacent to the
site. The NB bike lane drops off at Maple through Cherry Street. The site plan, as
shown in Figure 3, displays a 10’ wide sidewalk and also a potential bike access that
would allow a perpendicular crossing of the railroad tracks. There are several design
options to improve the bikeways adjacent to the site. The proposal in the site plan is one
of them. Another would be to widen Mason Street to accommodate the bike lane and
engineer a perpendicular crossing. In either case, the LOS standard of B is met and can
be improved.
The project will have excellent connectivity for bikes since the site is located adjacent to
the Mason Corridor as well as the Poudre River trail. The functionality of the bicycle
system at this location is outstanding.
C. Transit Level of Service
According to the LUCASS Multimodal Level of Service Manual, transit level of service
for the City of Fort Collins is based on the routes and service levels planned for the year
2015. However, the Manual was written in 1997 and is significantly outdated and no
longer considered valid. The transit LOS analyses are therefore based on the 2010
Transfort Strategic Plan. The analysis is based on 4 factors – hours of weekday service,
weekday frequency of service, travel time factor, and peak load factor. The LOS
standard for transit is “B” based on this site location being within a commercial corridor.
The 2010 transit plan shows that the site will have close access to the Mason BRT
(directly across Maple Street) with bike and pedestrian connections as well as being
directly served by all Transfort Routes. The Mason BRT is proposed to have 10-minute
service.
Hours of Weekday Service: Since the site is directly adjacent to the Mason
Corridor and a short walking distance to the primary transit station. it is assumed
that the site will be served by 18 hours of service on an average weekday. The
standard can be assumed to be met.
Weekday Frequency of Service: The site is directly adjacent to the Transfort
station and will have access to all routes. The minimum of 15-minute service
requirement is met.
Travel Time Factor: The travel time factor is portal-to-portal travel time
divided by auto travel time (peak hour). The standard for the criteria is for the
travel time in bus to be no more than two times that of the automobile. This
standard is not met for the project. The BRT line will serve to increase the travel
time significantly over standard bus service. The downtown trip was not
evaluated for obvious reasons. However, all other destinations meet the required
standard as shown in Table 6 below.
Table 6: Transit Travel Time Comparisons
Destination Mode
Distance
(miles)
Travel
Speed
(mph)
Travel
Time
(hours)
Walk/Park
Time
(hours)
Transfer/
Wait
Time
(hours)
Total
Travel
Time
(hours)
Time
Differential
(bus/auto)
LOS
Standard
Met?
Downtown Bus NA
automobile NA 0.08
Foothills Mall Bus 3.75 20 0.19 0.25 0.44 1.88 Yes
automobile 3.75 25 0.15 0.08 0.23
FC High School Bus 6.25 20 0.31 0.30 0.61 1.80 Yes
automobile 4.5 25 0.18 0.16 0.34
CSU Campus Bus 1.5 20 0.08 0.15 0.23 1.61 Yes
automobile 1.5 25 0.06 0.08 0.14
Peak Load Factor: The standard for the peak load factor is calculated by
dividing the number of passengers by the peak time of day by the available seats.
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
21
Based on the above, the transit LOS achieved 4 out of the 4 criteria and is therefore the
LOS is calculated at “A”, which is obviously acceptable.
IX. Conclusion
This TIS assessed the impacts associated with the Block 23 Project located in
downtown Fort Collins, Colorado. The project is a mixed use development
consisting of 94 apartments. Based on the analyses, investigations, and findings
documented in the various sections of this Transportation Impact Study, the
following can be concluded:
o Current operation is acceptable at all of the key intersections.
o During the morning peak hour, 48 trip ends can be expected and 59 trip
ends can be expected from the project during the afternoon peak hours.
o No new traffic signals or signal modifications will be required with the
construction of the project.
o A new traffic signal/roundabout may be needed in the long-range future
at the intersection of Mason/Cherry.
o Traffic LOS for the short-term build scenario is acceptable based on the
LUCASS standards.
o Sight distance should be maintained at the driveway on Maple Street.
o In terms of multi-modal LOS, the project will meet all of the Alt-Modes
LOS standards.
o The northbound bike lane on Mason Street should be accommodated in
the site design.
o No new auxiliary lanes are required with this project.
o The project is feasible from a traffic engineering perspective.
Statement of Adequacy: The transportation facilities will be adequate and available
to serve this development as contained in the Larimer County Urban Area Street
Standards. All applicable LOS standards will be met since all transportation facilities
are in place or will be in place upon issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
The standard requires that this value be ≤ 1.2. Based on the LOS Manual, for all
future routes, the presumed peak load factor is 1.0 and therefore the standard is
satisfied.
Block 23 Development Project – Fort Collins, CO ELB Engineering, LLC
Transportation Impact Study 5401 Taylor Lane
REVISED: August 2013 Fort Collins, CO 80528
20
125/180
5/5
425/545
5/5
45/60
Figure 7: Year 2018 Total Traffic (AM/PM)
38/47
3 / 4
99/1 2
31/38
2/1
3
5/10
9/1
North
Figure 2: Existing Peak Hour Turning Movements (AM/PM)