HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemorandums - Traffic - 07/25/2025
SM ROCHA, LLC
Traffic & Transportation Engineering Consultants
8700 Turnpike Drive, Suite 240 Westminster, Colorado 80031 (303) 458-9798
6 South Tejon Street, Suite 618 Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903 (719) 203-6639
www.smrocha.com
July 25, 2025
Joy Griffin
Blueprint
600 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90017
RE: Academy of Arts & Knowledge / Traffic Generation Analysis
Fort Collins, Colorado
Dear Joy,
SM ROCHA, LLC is pleased to provide traffic generation information for the development entitled
Academy of Arts & Knowledge. This development is located to the south and east of the intersection
of Wheaton Drive with Oak Park Drive at 4800 Wheaton Drive in Fort Collins, Colorado.
This information has been revised to address City Staff review comments dated July 7, 2025
regarding the need for additional discussion on student drop-off/pick-up queues and potential off-site
improvements.
The intent of this analysis is to present traffic volumes likely generated by the proposed development
addition, provide a traffic volume comparison to the existing land use, and consider potential impacts
to the adjacent roadway network.
The following is a summary of analysis results.
Site Description and Access
Land for the development is currently occupied by the existing Academy of Arts & Knowledge school
facility. The school occupies the first floor of an approximate 50,000 square foot, 2-story building,
originally constructed as a corporate office center. The second floor is understood to be unoccupied.
The site is surrounded by a mix of residential and commercial land uses.
The proposed development is understood to entail the refurbishment of the second floor of the
existing structure to allow the current school use to expand. This expansion is anticipated to allow
for an increased student capacity of approximately 180 students, for an estimated total capacity of
423 students. It is noted that full capacity is not anticipated to be achieved for approximately four
years. No other new construction is proposed.
Existing access to the development is provided at the following location: one full-movement access
onto Wheaton Drive (referred to as Site Access). General site and access locations are shown on
Figure 1. Given that the proposed development does not proposed any new construction, only the
re-use of the existing building, no site plan is currently available.
De
v
e
l
o
p
m
e
n
t
Si
t
e
E
H
a
r
m
o
n
y
R
o
a
d
S Lemay Avenue
Whea
t
o
n
D
r
i
v
e
Mcmurry Avenue
Ke
e
n
l
a
n
d
D
r
i
v
e
Ju
l
y
2
0
2
5
AC
A
D
E
M
Y
O
F
A
R
T
S
&
K
N
O
W
L
E
D
G
E
Tr
a
f
f
i
c
G
e
n
e
r
a
t
i
o
n
A
n
a
l
y
s
i
s
SM
R
O
C
H
A
,
L
L
C
Tr
a
f
f
i
c
&
T
r
a
n
s
p
o
r
t
a
t
i
o
n
E
n
g
i
n
e
e
r
i
n
g
C
o
n
s
u
l
t
a
n
t
s
Pa
g
e
2
Fi
g
u
r
e
1
SI
T
E
L
O
C
A
T
I
O
N
No
t
t
o
S
c
a
l
e
Joy Griffin July 2025
Academy of Arts & Knowledge Page 3
25-032365
Vehicle Trip Generation
Standard traffic generation characteristics compiled by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
in their report entitled Trip Generation Manual, 11th Edition, were applied to the existing and proposed
land uses in order to estimate the average daily traffic (ADT) and peak hour vehicle trips. A vehicle
trip is defined as a one-way vehicle movement from point of origin to point of destination .
Table 1 presents average trip generation rates for the existing and proposed development areas.
Use of average trip generation rates presents a conservative analysis. ITE land use code 536
(Charter Elementary School) was used for analysis because of its best fit to the existing and
proposed land use.
Table 1 – Trip Generation Rates
ITE 24
CODE LAND USE UNIT HOUR ENTER EXIT TOTAL ENTER EXIT TOTAL
536 Charter Elementary School 1.85 0.54 0.50 1.04 0.06 0.10 0.16
Key:STU = Number of Students.
Note: All data and calculations above are subject to being rounded to nearest value.
STU
TRIP GENERATION RATES
AM PEAK HOUR PM PEAK HOUR
Table 2 summarizes the projected ADT and peak hour traffic volumes likely generated by the land
use area proposed and provides comparison to traffic volume estimates for the existing land use.
Table 2 – Trip Generation Summary
ITE 24
CODE LAND USE SIZE HOUR ENTER EXIT TOTAL ENTER EXIT TOTAL
Site Development - Existing
536 Charter Elementary School 243 STU 450 131 121 253 14 25 39
Existing Total:450 131 121 253 14 25 39
Site Development - Proposed Additional
536 Charter Elementary School 180 STU 333 97 90 187 10 19 29
Proposed Additional Total:333 97 90 187 10 19 29
Build-Out Total:783 229 211 440 24 44 68
Key:STU = Number of Students.
Note: All data and calculations above are subject to being rounded to nearest value.
PM PEAK HOURAM PEAK HOUR
TOTAL TRIPS GENERATED
As Table 2 shows, the proposed development addition has the potential to generate approximately
333 daily trips with 187 of those occurring during the morning peak hour and 29 during the afternoon
peak hour. Compared to the existing land use, this represents a cumulative build-out site generation
of approximately 783 daily trips with 440 of those occurring during the morning peak traffic hour and
68 during the afternoon peak traffic hour.
Joy Griffin July 2025
Academy of Arts & Knowledge Page 4
25-032365
Adjustments to Trip Generation Rates
A development of this type is not likely to attract trips from within area land uses nor pass -by or
diverted link trips from the adjacent roadway system, therefore no trip reduction was taken in this
analysis.
Trip Generation Distribution and Assignment
The overall directional distribution of site-generated traffic was determined based on the location of
development site within the City, proposed and existing area land uses, allowed urning movements,
and available roadway network.
Site-generated traffic is anticipated to be distributed through the existing Site Access. Distribution
along Wheaton Drive is general and assumed to be 50 percent to/from the north and 50 percent
to/from the south.
Traffic assignment is how the site-generated and distributed trips are expected to be loaded on the
roadway network. Applying assumed trip distribution patterns to site-generated traffic provides the
peak hour trip volume assignments for existing access. Table 3 below uses the total new trip
generation volumes from Table 2 and denotes projected additional traffic volumes at the existing Site
Access intersection due to the proposed expansion.
Table 3 – Site Generated Trip Assignment
DEVELOPMENT ACCESS
TURNING MOVEMENTS Inbound Volume Outbound Volume Inbound Volume Outbound Volume
Site Access / Wheaton Drive
Westbound Left -45 -9
Westbound Right -45 -10
Northbound Right 49 -5 -
Southbound Left 48 -5 -
AM PEAK HOUR PM PEAK HOUR
Development Impacts
As Tables 2 and 3 show, there is an increase in peak hour traffic volumes anticipated for the proposed
development addition. Dependent on existing through volumes and capacity along the Wheaton
Drive corridor, these added volumes may be able to be accommodated without significantly
impacting current intersection and roadway operations.
Joy Griffin July 2025
Academy of Arts & Knowledge Page 5
25-032365
Student Drop-Off/Pick-Up Queue Length Analysis
Pursuant to City review, additional assessment of vehicle queuing for student drop-off/pick-up was
considered based on the anticipated trip generation. Pursuant to various urban/suburban sites
surveyed, ITE’s Trip Generation Manual describes how Charter Elementary School land uses
typically experience their greatest demand between the morning peak period of 7:15 AM to 8:15 AM
and the afternoon peak period of 2:45 PM to 3:45 PM during typical weekdays.
It is important to note that typical afternoon peak periods for adjacent street traffic occur from 4:00
PM to 6:00 PM, outside of the Charter Elementary School peak period.
Pursuant to ITE, the proposed Charter Elementary School land use experiences 453 vehicle trips
during the AM peak hour of generation (7:15 AM to 8:15 AM) based on a student capacity of 423
students. Of the 453 trips anticipated, 53 percent enter the site or approximately 240 vehicles.
Pursuant to information on anticipated school operations as provided by the school, it is understood
that all pre-kindergarten parents must park to drop off their students and therefore are not expected
to occupy the drop-off queue for any significant length of time. As such, assuming an even distribution
of vehicles to the site by grade, the effective number of entering vehicles that may join the queue, as
opposed to parking, is estimated at approximately 180 vehicles. Student drop-off is expected to occur
within a 15-minute period from 8:00 AM to 8:15 AM, and it is expected that as many as 15 percent
of the total inbound trips may arrive within the queue at one time. This would result in an anticipated
peak queue length of approximately 27 vehicles. Assuming a typical vehicle length of 2 0 feet, this
equates to a queue of approximately 540 feet.
A site circulation plan and description of drop-off and pick-up procedures, prepared by Academy of
Arts & Knowledge, is included for reference in Attachment A.
Pursuant to the provided site circulation plan, an examination of the existing site reveals that the site
provides pick-up/drop-off queue capacity of approximately 570 feet.
Based on these considerations, it is anticipated that proposed student pick-up/drop-off queues are
able to be accommodated on-site. As such, no significant negative impacts are anticipated due to
student pick-up/drop-off queues, and it is not expected that adjacent roadways or intersections will
be negatively impacted by the proposed school expansion.
Additionally, should queuing occur exceeding that estimated for the site and the available capacity,
it is noted that available on-site parking as well as adjacent on-street parking along Wheaton Drive
may provide a suitable alternative to vehicle queuing.
Joy Griffin July 2025
Academy of Arts & Knowledge Page 6
25-032365
07/25/2025
Conclusion
This analysis assessed traffic generation for the Academy of Arts & Knowledge development,
provided a traffic volume comparison to the existing land use, and considered potential impacts to
the adjacent roadway network.
It is our professional opinion that the proposed site-generated traffic resulting from the additional
expansion may be accommodated by the existing roadway network, dependent on existing available
capacity along the Wheaton Drive corridor. Additionally, it is expected that proposed student drop-
off/pick-up queues are able to be accommodated on site and therefore no significant impacts to the
adjacent roadway network are currently identified.
We trust that our findings will assist in the planning and approval of the Academy of Arts & Knowledge
development. Please contact us should further assistance be needed.
Sincerely,
SM ROCHA, LLC
Traffic & Transportation Engineering Consultants
Stephen Simon, PE Fred Lantz, PE
Traffic Engineer | Project Manager Traffic Engineer
ATTACHMENT A
Student Drop-Off/Pick-Up Procedures
AAK Families,
Below are the drop off and pickup plans and directions and attached maps to help
explain the process for each.
Morning Drop Off
Families will enter our parking lot from Wheaton and turn right, drive all of the way to
the south end of the parking lot and turn left towards the building. Pull up in front of
the building, remain in your vehicle, a staff member will open the car door and help
your child out of the car. Continue straight ahead to the stop sign, turn left and exit
the parking lot.
The far north side of the parking lot heading west is one way. Do not enter the parking
lot using the far left lane.
Pre-K families will follow the same route until they reach the stop sign, at the stop sign
turn right and park. You will meet the teacher at the side door under the stairs.
Drop off will be from 8:00am-8:15am!
Afternoon Pick Up:
Families will park and pick up their children from the classroom. To ensure the safety
of all students, families must adhere to the following traffic pattern.
Doors will open from 3:20pm-3:35pm.
We will not be calling students out early from 3:00pm-3:20pm, this is extremely
disruptive to the end of the school day.
You will enter the parking lot from Wheaton Drive and immediately turn right into the
parking lot. You may then choose to turn left and park in any of the available lanes. All
parking lanes are one way towards AAK. Once you have entered the building and you
have your child, an AAK staff member will be out front providing opportunities for
groups to safely cross to get back to your car. Once in your car, you will exit the
parking lot towards AAK, at the stop sign you will turn left and exit the parking lot. The
north side of the parking lot heading west is one way.
Pre-K families will follow this same pick up procedure!
●You must have a permit to park for ANY length of time in a handicap parking
spot. Violators will be ticketed.
●Afternoon pick up is not a time to have a conference with your child’s teacher.
Please email them to schedule an appointment.
A few reminders: