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.ELB.Engineering, LLC
Transportation Engineering Solutions
Memorandum
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TO: Mr. Ben Massimino, SEEC Enterprises • %1-,
Ms. Martina Wilkensen, PE, PTOE Traffic Engineer ,... r .9,e' .': I:C\'\.' ''.174 6'. n •
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FROM: Eric L. Bracke, P.E., P.T.O.E r
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DATE: 12 September 2016
'376
.
SUBJECT: Brick Stone Apartments on Harmony — Supplemental Infor ahem
•
This memorandum represents an addendum to the Brick House Apartments on I4armony
(a.k.a. Harmony Mixed Use) Transportation Impact Study that was completed by ELB
Engineering, LLC in June of 2016. The addendum will attempt to answer questions that
have arisen by nearby property owners concerning the project.
The first issue to be addressed were comments regarding the potential for pedestrians to
cross harmony Road mid-block to get to the shopping center. Although this scenario is
possible, it is highly unlikely that it will occur with any frequency. Harmony Road is one
of the most heavily traveled roadways with the City of Fort Collins and a mid-block
crossing is a clear danger whose attempt would defy common sense. Additionally, the
median separating east and westbound traffic is raised and landscaped so traversing the
median would be cumbersome. There is an eastbound left turn lane that provides access to
the shopping center, and it too would be a cumbersome journey in an event to cross
Harmony Road.
The Brick House Apartments project will eliminate a critical gap in the pedestrian system
of the area. Residents of the project will be able to go to either College Avenue or JFK to
cross Harmony Road. A pedestrian analysis was completed for the project and it was
found to meet the standards set forth by the City of Fort Collins for pedestrian level or
service. The worksheets for the analysis can be found in Appendix A.
The crossings at the two intersections have pedestrian signal phases, enhanced crosswalks,
visual interest, and good lighting and sight distance. The sidewalk system is wide with
good sight distance, parkways, and visual interest.
The bicycle and transit issues were also brought up by nearby property owners. The
project will construct the third lane of Harmony Road and also construct a bus stop. The
project is in walking distance to the South Transit Center, College Ave and the MAX
system.
IIPage ELB Engineering, LLC
Brick House Apartments - Addendum
5401 Taylor Lane
Fort Collins, CO 80528
970-988-7551
ELBEngineering@lpbroadband.net
The project met the bicycle level of service standards by being connected to the bike lanes
that currently exist on Harmony Road. A cyclist can leave the site and be connected to the
entire bikeway system by connecting to either the Mason Trail or the bike lanes on JFK
Parkway. In addition, the project is including an in-unit bike storage for every residential
unit in the project. Also to be included with the project are 58 additional bike racks (above
code requirements) for a total of 174 bike racks.
It could be easily argued that the projects' efforts towards alternative mode enhancements
could reduce the amount of trips generated by the development. Nevertheless, the project
meets and exceeds all LOS requirements for alternative modes.
A minor issue is that the project has added 2 additional 1 bedroom apartments from the
original TIS. This small increase in density would increase the daily trip generation by 13
trips which is considered insignificant.
The final issue that needs to be addressed were comments related to U-turns at College
Ave and Harmony Road. The concern centered on what would happen if the city
prohibited the eastbound U-turn at the intersection. There was some concern that the
residents of the area wanted a guarantee that the U-turn would not be prohibited.
There are several items that need to be mentioned in this discussion. First U-turns are legal
unless prohibited by the local traffic engineer. When U-turns are prohibited there is almost
always an accident issue that needs to be addressed. At this time, according to city crash
records, there is no safety issues involving U-turns at this intersection and there are no
plans to prohibit it in the future. Second, and most importantly, the city always has the
right to modify an intersection and will not give up that right so there should be no
expectation from local residents that the U-turn will remain in place indefinetly. The third
point in this discussion is that the TIS for the project did not assume any U-turns at the
intersections as part of the analysis. As for the question of what happens if/when the U-
turns are prohibited has already been addressed in the Transportation Impact Study.
For the most part, U-turns are an uncomfortable maneauver for the average driver. It is
assumed that for anyone living or visiting this site will find alternative routes. The project
assumed that anyone heading westbound to the site would use Horsetooth Road or Trilby
Road to get to College Ave and then make either the left or right turn on Harmony to
access the site. If people did choose to use westbound Harmony Road, it is likely they
would use one of two scenarios to access the site:
2IPage ELB Engineering, LLC
Brick House Apartments - Addendum
5401 Taylor Lane
Fort Collins, CO 80528
970-988-7551
ELBEngincering@lpbroadband.net
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FIGURE 1: U-TURN ALTERNATIVES
1. The driver would take Harmony Road westbound to JFK, right on northbound JFK
to Troutman, west on Troutman to College, south on College to Harmony, the left
on Harmony to the site.
2. The driver would take Harmony Road westbound to College, then left on College
to Mason, right on Mason to Harmony Road, then east on Harmony Road to the
site.
3. A third and less likely option would be to cut-thru the shopping center over to
Kensignton Road and College to get to the site. However, the slow speeds and
conflicts with pedestrians would make this an unattractive option.
Both of these maneauvers are somewhat awkward and it is unlikely that a permanent
resident of the site would do either of these maneauvers on a daily basis. Figure 1 below
displays the alternative routes if U-turns were prohibited.
3 1Page
Brick Flouse Apartments - Addendum
ELB Engineering, LLC
5401 Taylor Lane
Fort Collins, CO 80528
970-988,-7551
ELBEngineering@Ipbroadband.net
I trust this supplemental information is sufficient for your needs as you proceed through
the development review process. Please feel free to contact me directly if you need
additional information.
Thank you for the opportunity to be of service.
4IPage ELB Engineering, LLC
Brick House Apartments - Addendum
5401 Taylor Lane
Fort Collins, CO 80528
970r988-7551
ELBEngineering@Ipbroadband.net
APFNIPIX A
Harmony Mixed Use Supplemental
Appendix
September 2016
ELB Engineering, LLC
5401Taylor Lane
Fort Collins, CO 80528
970-988-7551
ELBEngineering@lpbroadband.net
3 or feiie
lanes to cross
4 or 5 lanes
o Cross
and/or
Fort Collins Pedestrian Plan
Signalized
Crossings**
,sp or more
lanes o cross
and/or
Missing 5
elements of A
Missing 6
elements of
A
Missing 7
elements of
A
Signal has
clear
vehicular
pedestrian
indications
Well marked
crosswalks
Missing 2
elements of A
Missing 4
elements of A
Good lighting
levels
Standard curb
ramps
Automatic 1
pedestrian r
signal phas
Amenities,
signing, and
sidewalk and
roadway
character
strongly
suggest the
presence of a
pedestrian
crossing
Drivers and
pedestrians
have
unobstructed
views
February 15, 2011 39
; B C D E F
/—Excellent and Excellent and Minimum Increasing Poor N
direct direct acceptable lack of directness oi
connectivity connectivity directness directness, and Cc
vk / through full with clear and connectivity connectivity. Ti
utilization of linear and connectivity and linearity Pedestrian pi
urban space, visual standard. with perception of di
p streets, connection to Perceptions incoherent a linear ni
transit, and transit and urban and connection ai
(
V"'
activity
centers with
facilities,
streets, and
space
become less
confusing
direction and
to desired
destination
C(
clear linear
visual
activities, coherent with
the
visual
connection to
falters and
serves only
statements. beginnings of
discomfort
with visual
clarity and
lack of
linearity.
pedestrian
destinations,
the person
with no other
choice.
(NM Ratio < (AM Ratio 1.2 (NM Ratio (NM Ratio (NM Ratio (i
1.2)* to 1.4)* 1.4 to 1.6)* 1.6 to 1.8)* 1.8 to 2.0)* 2.
Directnes
o directness
nnectivity.
tal
destrian
sorientation;
linearity
id
nfusing.
M Ratio >
0)*
Fort Collins Pedestrian Plan
Table P 2 Pedestrian Level of Service Descriptions
Continuity A B C
Pedestrian Continuous Co
sidewalk stretches of stn
appears as a sidewalks sid
nctionality
erational
h less
portance to
ual interest
amenity.
Design
ignores
pedestrian
with negative
mental
image.
Comfort and
convenience
nonexistent,
design has
overlooked
needs of
users.
Total
discomfort
and
intimidation.
Fort Collins Pedestrian Plan
Unsignalized
Major Street A
Crossinci***
Use Crosswalk Treatment Identification Process
Unsignalized
Minor Street A
_ Crossing ***
Use Crosswalk Treatment Identification Process
Mid-block
major street
crossing ***
Use Crosswalk Treatment Identification Process
A
Visual
Interest and4
Amenity
'
B C
Visually Generous FL
appealing and
compatible
with local
sidewalks,
visual clarity,
some street
op
wi
im
architecture. furniture and viE
Generous
sidewalk
landscaping,
no blank
or
width, active
building
Sense of
security
enhanced by
presence of
other people
using
sidewalks and
overlooking
them from
adjacent
buildings.
Good lighting
and clear
sight lines.
B
Good lighting
levels and
unobstructed
lines of sight.
Security
Fort Collins Pedestrian Plan
C D E F
Unobstructed Sidewalk Major Streetscape
lines of sight. configuration breaches in is pedestrian
and parked
cars may
inhibit
vigilance from
the street.
pedestrian
visibility from
street,
adjacent
land uses,
and
activities.
intolerant.
A/M Ratio: Actual distance between pedestrian origin/destination divided by minimum
distance defined by a right angled grid street system.
A signalized intersection LOS will go up one Level of Service with a dedicated
pedestrian signal phase and/or a colored or textured crosswalk.
Unsignalized crossing at intersection of major street (minor arterial to major arterial) and
minor street (local, connector and collector).
February 15, 2011 41
frontages,
pedestrian
lighting, street
trees, and
quality street
furniture.
street walls.
February 15, 2011 40
single entity which are wh
with a major physically hal
activity area separated by wic
or public open a landscaped ani
space. parkway. Ian
pa
ntinuous Pedestrian Significant Complete
itches of corridors are breaks in breakdown in
ewalks not well continuity. pedestrian
ch may connected traffic flow.
e variable with several All people
ths, with breaches in select
without pedestrian different
dscaped
kways.
network. routes. No
network
exists.
(
February l5, 2011 38