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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHICKS SPECIAL REVIEW - COUNTY REFERRAL - 53-88 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - TRAFFIC STUDY• • Leigh, Scott & Cleary, Inc. TRANSPORTATION PLANNING & TRAFFIC ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS Offices in Denver and Colorado Springs June 2, 1988 Mr. Donald S. Wedum 201 No. Link Lane Fort Collins, CO 80524 RE Dear Mr. Wedum: 1889 York Street Denver, Colorado 80206 (303) 333-1105 Proposed Convenience Store/ Truck Stop (LSC *880520) We have completed a traffic access analysis for a proposed convenience store/truck stop facility to be located immediately southeast of the I-25/State Highway 392 Interchange in Larimer County, Colorado. Initial development of the project is planned to consist of a 3,300-square-foot convenience store with eight gasoline pumps. Future project expansion would add four gas pump positions for trucks and a 10,000-square-foot restaurant. Site access is planned at a single location consisting of two one-way drives separated by a 24-foot median located about 140 feet west of the east property line. The remainder of this report addresses the proposed project's access characteristics. Roadway Characteristics Figure 1, enclosed, illustrates the site location relative to the adjacent I-25 Interchange. As shown, the site is located along the south side of State Highway 392 and immediately east of the I-25 East Frontage Road. State Highway 392 is an important east/west highway with continuity between I-25 and Briggsdale. In the vicinity of I-25, it provides for one lane in each direction and it is posted with a 40 mph speed limit. According to 1987 Colorado Division of Highways counts, SH 392 carried an average of 3,550 vehicles per day just east of I-25. West of I-25, SH 392 becomes a low volume, gravel county road. The I-25 East Frontage Road is a two-lane north -south roadway with three miles of continuity between SH 392 and Airport Road. It is posted with a 55 mph speed limit and a south -facing Stop sign controls Frontage Road traffic entering SH 392. Estimated Traffic Generation Table 1, enclosed, presents estimates of the amount of average daily and peak -hour traffic likely to be generated by the proposed project. As Transportation Systems • Transit • Parking • Vehicular Access • Pedestrian & Bicycle Planning • Traffic Operations & Safety • Signal Design • Traffic Impact Studies Mr. Donald S. Wedum Page 2 June 2, 1988 indicated, a daily total of 2,800 external vehicle -trips are projected (1,400 entering and 1,400 exiting vehicles). Of these, 144 will enter and 135 will exit during the evening peak hour. These estimates assume that 25 percent of the future restaurant traffic will be generated by motorists who also stop to purchase gas and/or convenience store items. Estimated Traffic Distribution The directional distribution of traffic to be generated by the proposed development is a function of its location, the type of land uses proposed, the roadway system providing access, and the site's proposed access plan. In this instance, it has been assumed that about two-thirds of the project's traffic will be to and from I-25 with the remainder oriented towards the east along SH 392. Application of the percent distribution to the generation estimates of Table 1 results in the peak -hour and average daily driveway traffic projections shown on Figure 1. - Alternative Access As previously stated, full project development includes the addition of gasoline pumps for trucks. It has been suggested that alternate site access be considered directly off of the adjacent Frontage Road. In order to test the viability of this alternative, we have plotted the turning path of a WB 50 design vehicle (18-wheel semi -tractor trailer truck) on the SH 392/Frontage Road intersection layout. As shown on Figure 2, eastbound- to-southbound right turns at the intersection occupy virtually all of the northbound Frontage Road lane before fully entering the southbound lane. This condition would create safety and congestion problems in the vicinity of the SH 392/Frontage Road intersection. It is therefore concluded that Frontage Road truck access is not a desirable alternative to the current access plan (full access along SH 392). Conclusions and Recommendations Based on the preceding analysis, we have reached the following conclusions and make the following recommendations: 1. The project is expected to be initially developed with a 3,300- square-foot convenience store with gasoline pumps, and a future 10,000-square-foot restaurant plus separate gas pumps for trucks. 2. Full project development is estimated to generate 1,400 entering and 1,400 exiting vehicles during an average weekday. Of these, 144 will enter and 135 will exit during the peak hour. The initial portion of the development will generate less than half of these totals. 3. About two-thirds of the project -generated traffic is expected to be oriented towards I-25. • -• Mr. Donald S. Wedum Page 3 June 2, 1988 4. An alternative site access driveway along the adjacent Frontage Road is not feasible due to the required turning paths of entering trucks. 5. Left -turn, deceleration and acceleration lanes should be constructed along SH 392 at the project's entrance driveway in accordance with requirements of the current State Highway Access Code. We trust that this report will assist with further planning for the proposed convenience store/truck stop. Please call if we can be of additional assistance. Respectfully submitted, LEIGH, SCOTT & CLEARY, INC. Phili/N. Scd6tt III, P.E. PNS/mlc Enclosures: Table 1 Figures 1 and 2 11 Table 1 ESTIMATED TRAFFIC GENERATION Proposed Convenience Store/Truck Stop Generation Rates(1) External Vehicle-Trips(2) ------------------------=------ ------------------------------- Assumed A. M. P. M. A. M. P. M. Trip Average Peak Hour Peak Hour Percent Average Peak Hour Peak Hour 'lei Weekday --------- ---------- External Weekday ------------------ Land Use Description Units Traffic In Out In Out Traffic Traffic In Out In Out 1. Convenience Store W/Gas Pumps Site 1,300 48 48 65 65 100% 1,300 48 48 65 65 2. High -Turn Over, 10 KSF 200.9 10.70 8.41 10.56 9.37 75% 1,500 80 63 79 70 Sit -Down Restaurant ------------------------------- 2,800 128 ill 144 135 NOTES: (1) Source of generation rates: "Trip Generation," Institute of Transportation Engineers, 4th Edition; and "Trip Characteristics of Convenience Markets with Gas Pumps," ITE .Journal, .July 1987. (2) It is assumed that 25% of the restaurant traffic also stops to purchase gas and/or convenience store items. •I 30% to N 1 APPROXIMATE SCALE : t'—' = 200' 7210s 34907 35% 5H-392 3 4 10 90 N%W PROPOSED PROJECT Figure 1 Estimated Traffic Distribution Proposed Convenience Store / Truck Stop LEGEND : 30% - Estimated Directional Distribution 39/47 - AM Peak -Hour Traffic / PM Peak -Hour Traffic 490 Average Daly Traffic Leigh, Scott & Cleary, Inc. 3H-392 r � / SCALE 1,$ = 50' WB 50 WITH 60' TURN RADIUS Q i Q 0 / O h O 1 4WL� Truck Turning Path Leigh, Scott & Cleary, Inc.