HomeMy WebLinkAboutMOUNTAINRIDGE FARM PUD PRELIMINARY - 18 92 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - TRAFFIC STUDYMOUNTAINRIDGE FARM
SITE ACCESS STUDY
FORT COLLINS, COLORADO
APRIL 1992
Prepared for:
Community Construction, Inc.
531 California Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93304
Prepared by:
MATTHEW J. DELICH, P.E.
3413 Banyan Avenue
Loveland, CO 80536
Phone: 303-669-2061
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M SITE PLAN
Figure...4
- Geographic location within the City of Fort Collins;
- Location of employment and business centers which are likely
to attract trips from this area;
- Access to the site.
Figure 5 illustrates the trip. distribution percentages used in the
subsequent traffic assignments.
D. Traffic Assignment and Intersection Operation
Using the vehicular trip generation estimates presented in
Table 2 and the trip distribution assumptions, the site generated
traffic was assigned to the area street network. The initial
network consisted of Horsetooth Road, Shields Street, and Troutman
Parkway as they are today. Wabash Street was added to the network
as shown in Figure 4. The analyzed intersections were Horsetooth/
Shields with the existing signalization, and Shields/Troutman and
Shields/Wabash with stop sign control. Due to property lines, no
connection could be made between Wabash Street and Seneca Street
via a short segment of Troutman Parkway.
Figure 6 shows the Phase 1 peak hour traffic assignment. This
assignment also includes a 3 percent per year increase in
background traffic assuming a 1995 future year. .Table 3 shows the
peak hour operation at the key intersections. Calculation forms
are provided in Appendix E. The signalized Horsetooth/Shields
intersection will operate acceptably with the existing geometrics.
At the Shields/Troutman and Shields/Wabash intersections, operation
will be acceptable for all movements, except the left -turn exits
from the minor streets, which will be at level of service E. Based
upon the recent research cited earlier, the delay per approach
vehicle will be 19-29 seconds during the morning peak hour and 21-
31 seconds during the afternoon peak hour at the Shields/Troutman
intersection. The delay per approach vehicle will be 18-28 seconds
during the morning peak hour and 17-27 seconds during the afternoon
peak hour at the Shields/Wabash intersection. Using delay criteria
from the 1985 Highway Capacity Manual, the operation of these left
turns would be largely in the level of service D category even
though the operations technique shows the level of service in
category E. It is recommended that this operation be accepted.
At the new Shields/Wabash intersection, the following geometry
is recommended: 1) southbound Shields - one through lane and one
right -turn deceleration radius and taper' (radius >40' and taper =
2401); 2) northbound Shields - one through lane and one left -turn
'The southbound through and right -turn volumes do not warrant
a full width deceleration lane based upon criteria in "Intersection
Channelization Design Guide," NCHRPR 279, TRB,1985, Pg 63-65. The
taper will allow right -turning vehicles to enter the taper slowing
to 15 mph to make the turn.
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TRIP DISTRIBUTION Figure 5
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PHASE 1 PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC Figure 6
Table 3
Phase 1 (1995) Peak Hour Operation
Level of Service (*)
Intersection AM PM
Horsetooth/Shields [signal] C C
Shields/Troutman
WB LT E (D) E (D)
WB RT C C
SB LT A B
Shields/Wabash
EB LT E (D) E (C/D)
EB RT A B
SB LT A A
(*) Level of service considering recent research pertaining to
vehicle delay.
Table 3
Phase 1 and 2 (1995) Peak Hour Operation
Level of Service (*)
Intersection AM PM
Horsetooth/Shields [signal] C C
Shields/Troutman
WB LT E (D) E (D)
WB RT C C
SB LT A C
Shields/Wabash
EB LT E (D) E (D)
EB RT A B
SB LT A B
(*) Level of service considering recent research pertaining to
vehicle delay.
deceleration/storage lane (325 feet including taper); 3) eastbound
Wabash - one left -turn lane (50 feet) and one right -turn lane; and
4) westbound Wabash - one lane. This development will be required
to build the west half of Shields Street to an arterial cross
section. Assuming that existing Shields Street is centered in the
right-of-way, there will be 41 feet of pavement adjacent to the
Mountainridge Farm property. Wabash Street intersects Shields
Street 80 feet south of the north property line. Some of the
southbound taper paving will occur along a portion of Shields
Street that is not adjacent to Mountainridge Farm. The other
aforementioned auxiliary lanes can be striped on the new pavement
area.
Figure 7 shows the Phase 1 and 2 (including the church site)
peak hour traffic assignment which includes the background traffic
on the area streets. Table 4 shows the peak hour operation at the
key intersections. Calculation forms are provided in Appendix F.
The range of delay per approach vehicle will be 19-29 seconds in
the morning peak hour and 21-31 seconds in the afternoon peak hour
at the Shields/Troutman intersection. At the Shields/Wabash
intersection, the range of delay per approach vehicle will be 21-
31 seconds in both the morning and afternoon peak hours. There is
little that can be done to improve this operation. With good
signal progression on Shields Street, this operation could be
improved by one level of service category. This level of service
occurs at many arterial/local street intersections throughout Fort
Collins. This type of operation is generally accepted.
Development of Phase 3 or 4 (36 D.U. and 40 D.U.,
respectively) would require primary access via Seneca Street to
Harmony Road and via Wakerobin to Shields Street. A previously
prepared traffic analysis for the Platt Property recommends a level
of development of that property before alternative access (Troutman
Parkway) be provided. Development of Phase 3 or 4 of Mountainridge
Farm would push the Shields/Wakerobin intersection to unacceptable
operation categories when coupled with the continued development
of the Platt Property. City staff has suggested that alternative
means of access be provided if Phase 3 or 4 of Mountainridge Farm
develops. The suggested access is a continuation of Seneca Street
north to Horsetooth Road. However, this segment goes through land
not controlled by the developer of Mountainridge Farm. This option
does not appear to be possible unless other developments .occur.
Secondary access via Westfield Drive and Crescent Drive to
Horsetooth through Imperial Estates would provide a second means
of access. However, these streets are not suited for higher
traffic volumes and would not fit the ,same role as Seneca Street
continuing to Horsetooth Road.
If agreements could be reached to build the short segment of
Troutman Parkway as shown in Figure 8, then Phases 3 and 4 of
Mountainridge Farm would have a second means of access via Wabash
Street. However, this presents a complication. While this will
9
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TROUTMIN
AM / PM
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PHASES 1 & 2 PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC Figure 7
TROUTMAN PARKWAY LINK BETWEEN
14 SENECA STREET AND WABASH STREET
Figure 8
serve as an access for Phases 3 and 4, it will also change some of
the travel patterns of the existing traffic in the area. This
connection will provide another means of access to the two schools,
the Platt Property, and other existing residential areas. This
will reduce some of the traffic load on the Shields/Wakerobin
intersection, but increase the traffic load on the Shields/Wabash
intersection.
It is concluded that Phases 1 and 2 of Mountainridge Farm can
be developed with access via the Shields/Wabash intersection.
Development of Phases 3 or 4 can occur when alternative access is
provided either via the extension of Seneca Street to Horsetooth
Road or connecting Troutman Parkway to Shields Street.
The auxiliary turn lanes at the Shields/Wabash intersection,
mentioned earlier, will.provide safe, efficient operation through
Phase 1 and 2 of Mountainridge Farm. When the property to the
south of Mountainridge Farm develops, a traffic study should be
performed which analyzes the impact of that property development
and also the development of Phases 3 and 4 of Mountainridge Farm.
It is likely that a signal will be warranted at the Shields/
Troutman intersection with the development of the property to the
south. The convenience of using this signal by area motorists
will, in turn, reduce the traffic volumes at both the Shields/
Wabash and Shields/Wakerobin intersections.
IV. Conclusions
The following summarizes the significant findings as a result
of this study:
- Traffic from a portion of the Mountainridge Farm can be
handled on the area streets with various improvements.
Current traffic operation at the area intersections is
acceptable.
- The Mountainridge Farm, Phases 1 and 2 will gain primary
access to the street system via Wabash Street, which will intersect
with Shields Street at a T intersection.
- With development of Phase 1, the key intersections operate
acceptably. At the Shields/Wabash intersection, the eastbound left
turns will experience delays which are common at arterial/local
street intersections with stop sign control. The following
auxiliary lanes should be built at the Shields/Wabash intersection:
1) southbound right -turn radius and taper, 2) northbound left -turn
lane, 3) eastbound right -turn lane, and 4) eastbound left -turn
lane. These can be striped on anticipated new pavement. Some
widening will likely be necessary of Shields Street, not adjacent
R
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to Mountainridge Farm, to meet the requirements of the southbound
right -turn taper.
- With development of Phases 1 and 2, the key intersections
will operate acceptably. During peak hours, eastbound left turns
at the Shields/Wabash intersection will experience some delays.
The auxiliary lanes mentioned above will handle the traffic at this
level of development in a safe, efficient manner.
- Phases 3 and 4 of Mountainridge Farm can occur when
alternative access is provided either via extension of Seneca
Street to Horsetooth or connecting Troutman Parkway to Shields
Street.
Troutman Parkway will go through the property to the south
of Mountainridge Farm. When development proposals are put forth
for this property, the traffic study should evaluate the long range
impacts which will include development on all the nearby properties
including Mountainridge Farm..
7
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mountainridge Farm is a proposed .single family detached
residential development located west of Shields Street and south
of Horsetooth Road in Fort Collins. This traffic study assessed
the impacts of Mountainridge Farm at various phases of development.
The following summarizes the significant findings as a result of
this study:
- - Traffic from a portion of the Mountainridge Farm can be
handled on the area streets with various improvements.
_- Current traffic operation at the area intersections is
acceptable.
- The Mountainridge Farm, Phases 1 and 2 will gain primary
access to the street system 'via Wabash Street, which will intersect
with Shields Street at a T intersection.
- With development of Phase 1, the key intersections operate
acceptably. At the Shields/Wabash intersection, the eastbound left
turns will experience delays which are common at arterial/local
street intersections_ with stop sign control. The following
auxiliary lanes should be built at the Shields/Wabash intersection:
1) southbound right -turn radius and taper, 2) northbound left -turn
lane, 3) _eastbound right -turn lane, and 4) eastbound left -turn
lane. These can be striped on anticipated new pavement. Some
widening will likely be necessary of Shields Street, not adjacent
to Mountainridge Farm, to meet the requirements of the southbound
right -turn taper.
- With development of Phases 1 and 2, the key intersections -
will operate acceptably. During peak hours, eastbound left turns
at the Shields/Wabash intersection will experience some delays.
The auxiliary lanes mentioned above will handle the traffic at this
level of development in a safe, efficient manner.
Phases 3 and 4• of Mountainridge Farm can occur when
alternative access is provided either via extension of Seneca
Street to Horsetooth or connecting Troutman Parkway to Shields
Street.
- Troutman Parkway will go through the property to the south
of Mountainridge Farm. When development proposals are put forth
for this property, the traffic study should evaluate the long range
impacts which will include development on all the nearby properties
including Mountainridge Farm.
I. Introduction
Community Construction, Inc. is proposing to build a single
family detached residential development, located south of
Horsetooth Road and west of Shields Street in Fort Collins,
Colorado. The site location is shown in Figure 1. This
development is known as Mountainridge Farm. This development is
proposed to be built in four phases. The total development period
will be dependent upon market conditions.
Figure 2 shows the area street system, existing and future.
Land adjacent to the south of Mountainridge Farm has some legal
constraints, which may delay its development. Troutman Parkway,
which will serve Mountainridge Farm and other properties as a
collector street, is proposed to go through the legally constrained
property. Since Troutman Parkway is proposed to be signalized when
warranted in the future, delay in implementation of the west leg
of Troutman Parkway may place temporary development limitations. on
Mountainridge Farm. Due to these questions, this traffic study
analyzed development of Mountainridge Farm with access to Shields
Street (at Wabash) and Seneca Street to the south. The analyses
in this traffic study assumed no west leg of Troutman Parkway.
j When Troutman Parkway is built through the legally constrained
LJU property, a traffic study should analyze the impacts of this
connection and the adjacent development.
Horsetooth Road is classified as an arterial on the Fort
Collins Master Street Plan. The segment between Shields Street and
Taft Hill Road is currently two lanes with a rural cross section,
with widening at the Shields Street and the Taft Hill Road
' intersections. East of Shields Street, Horsetooth Road has a
standard four lane arterial cross section with raised medians.
There is signal control at the Horsetooth/Shields and Horsetooth/
Taft Hill intersections. other intersections in this area are stop
sign controlled with Horsetooth Road receiving the right-of-way.
It is posted at 35 mph. In the future, Horsetooth Road west of
Shields is expected to have a four lane cross section with turn
lanes at appropriate locations.
Shields Street is classified as an arterial on the Fort
Collins Master Street Plan. It is a street of varying width south
of Horsetooth Road. The segment adjacent to Mountainridge Farm has
a two lane rural cross section. North of Horsetooth Road, Shields
Street has a four lane urban cross section with auxiliary turn
lanes and a raised median at some locations. It is proposed to
have a four lane urban cross section with turn lanes at appropriate
locations in the future. It is posted at 35 mph in this area.
There are signals at the Shields/Harmony and Shields/Horsetooth
intersections.
Troutman Parkway is a collector street east of Shields Street.
It intersects Shields Street at a T intersection with stop sign
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SITE LOCATION Figure 1
AN
(EXISTING AND FUTURE) Figure 2
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control. According to the Fort Collins Master Street Plan,
Troutman Parkway will continue west of Shields Street, intersecting
with Seneca Street near Phase 3 of Mountainridge Farm.
Land uses in this area are residential, school, and vacant.
Residential uses.are north and west of the proposed Mountainridge
Farm. There is vacant land south and east of Mountainridge Farm.
Johnson Elementary School is to the southwest. The .center of Fort
Collins lies northeast of Mountainridge Farm.
II. Existing Conditions
The most recent daily traffic counts were obtained in 1991.
These counts are one way volumes on Shields Street and Horsetooth
Road, and are shown in Figure 3. Peak hour intersection counts
were obtained in March 1992 at the Horsetooth/Shields intersection
and at the Shields/Troutman intersection. These counts are also
shown in Figure 3. Raw data is shown in Appendix A.
With the existing control at the two counted intersections,
the peak hour operation is shown in Table 1. The operation at the
signalized intersection is deemed to be acceptable. Acceptable
operation is defined as level of service D or better. Descriptions
of level of service from the 1985 Highway Capacity Manual for
signalized and unsignalized intersections are provided in Appendix
B. Calculation forms for the operation shown in Table 1 are
provided in Appendix C. At the stop sign controlled Shields/
Troutman intersection, minor street left turns are at levels of
service E. Based upon recent research, it was found that the 1985
HCM capacity technique for stop sign controlled intersections gives
an overstatement of the level of service. The expected delay to
the westbound left turns would be 16-26 seconds per approach
vehicle in the morning peak and 20-30 seconds per approach vehicle
in the afternoon peak. By other criteria in the 1985 HCM, the
level of service of these left turns is more appropriately defined
as level of service C/D. Attached is a copy of two research papers
discussing this subject in Appendix D. The conclusions of the one
research paper are supported in a similar study conducted in
Boston, Massachusetts. The signals at the Horsetooth/Shields and
the Harmony/Shields intersections also have an impact on the queue
of vehicles approaching the Shields/Troutman intersection. It is
concluded that the level of service E shown in Table i should be
tempered when considering the additional operational information
provided above. The left -turn exits from Troutman Parkway are in
the level of service C/D category.
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AM / PM
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RECENT DAILY AND PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC Figure 3
Table 1
Existing (1992) Peak Hour Operation
Level of Service (*)
Intersection AM PM
Horsetooth/Shields (signal] C C
Shields/Troutman
WB LT E (C/D) E (D)
WB RT C B
SB LT A B
(*) Level of service considering recent research pertaining to
vehicle delay. .
Table 2
Trip Generation
Daily A.M. Peak P.M. Peak
Land Use Trips Trips Trips Trips Trips
in out in out
Phase 1
39 D.U.
390
8
21
25
14
Church -
25 KSF
190
2
1
9
8
Phase 2
- 35 D.U.
350
7
19
22
13
Phase 3
- 36 D.U.
360
8
20
23
13
Phase 4
- 40 D.U.
400
8
22
25
15
I
III. Proposed Development
Community Construction, Inc. is proposing to develop 150
single family lots on a parcel of land west of Shields Street. A
site plan showing expected phasing is shown in Figure 4. Phases
1 and 2 will gain access to the arterial street system via Wabash
Street. Phases 1 and 2 also include a church site near the
Shields/Wabash intersection. Phases 3 and 4 will access Seneca
Street. At the present time, traffic accessing Phases 3 and 4 will
be from the south. City staff has indicated that alternative
access via an extension of Seneca Street to Horsetooth Road and/or
Troutman Parkway to Shields Street will be necessary. This will
ffl" be discussed further in this report.
A. Trip Generation
Trip generation estimates for Mountainridge Farm were obtained
from Trip Generation, 4th Edition, ITE. Table 2 shows trip
generation on a daily and peak hour basis.
B. Background Traffic
Background traffic is defined as the traffic that is and/or
will be on the area streets that is not related to the proposed
development. The intersections considered for the operations
analysis are Horsetooth/Shields, Shields/Troutman, and Shields/
Wabash.
Background traffic for impacted streets was projected for each
of the future years analyzed. Background traffic was projected to
increase at 3 percent per year for the short range future. This
rate of increase is normal for streets and roads in the City of
Fort Collins. It accounts for general traffic growth and some
level of continued development in the vicinity that would also
contribute .to traffic growth. Long range traffic projections were
not made due to the legal constraints of the property to the south.
When development proposals are put forth on this property and
Troutman Parkway continues west of Shields Street, this long range
analysis would be more appropriate. That study should include the
development of Mountainridge Farm as described in this traffic
study.
C. Trip Distribution
Trip distribution was determined based upon an evaluation of
attractions for home -based productions and the most likely routes
available to travel to those attractions. The directional
distribution of the approaching and departing traffic generated at
the proposed uses is a function of:
3