HomeMy WebLinkAboutPENNY FLATS (BLOCK 33) - PDP - 32-05 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - TRAFFIC STUDY8. No new traffic signals will be warranted in the study area through the long-
term time frame.
9. Acceptable operating levels of service, as defined by the City, will be real-
ized at all intersections with Penny Flats fully built. Of importance is the fact
that conditions are unchanged whether or not Penny Flats is built. Conse-
quently, Penny Flats will not produce a noticeable impact on area opera-
tions.
10.Acceptable operating conditions will be maintained through the long-term
time frame with Howes and Mason Streets converted to two-way operation.
11.A high visibility pedestrian crosswalk with appropriate signage should be
provided on Cherry Street in conjunction with this project.
' 12.An investigation into the project impacts on Cherry Street determined that
Penny Flats will not be a significant impact. This determination was made
using City criteria.
13.All pedestrian and bicycle facilities will operate acceptably in the long-term.
14.Transit operations are expected to be very acceptable through the long-
term given the project's proximity to the Downtown Transit Center.
15.The project will generate a parking demand requiring 254 spaces. This
' demand is easily satisfied by the proposed on -site. parking. This parking
demand is considered conservative (high) since no reductions in the num-
ber of spaces were taken for shared parking or transit usage.
16.Adjustments to on -street parking will be necessary to provide adequate
sight distance at the site access points. This should be undertaken during
preliminary design
1
Based on the above documented analyses and investigations, it is concluded that,
with the identified improvements, very acceptable operating conditions can be ex-
pected in the area of Penny Flats for the foreseeable future.
47
I X. CONCLUSIONS
' Based on the investigations, analyses, and findings documented in earlier sections of
this report, the following can be concluded:
1. Current operating conditions in the area of Penny Flats are acceptable.
' This is true of automobile, pedestrian, bicycle, and transit operations.
2. Penny Flats will generate a modest amount of traffic. It is expected to gen-
erate 79 morning peak hour trips, 142 afternoon peak hour trips, and 1,988
trips per day at build out.
3. Penny Flats is a mixed use development, which will promote internal site
trips. Additionally, it is located across the street from the Downtown Transit
Center thereby affording quick and efficient transit usage. These features
typically reduce automobile traffic related to a given site. No reductions in
site traffic were taken and therefore, fewer vehicle trips than used in this
study will likely be realized.
4. The site design appears reasonable with proper intersection spacing, pe-
destrian facilities, bicycle routes, and transit accessibility. It provides excel-
lent connections to the bicycle,_ pedestrian and transit systems serving this
area.
5. A north -south pedestrian spine will be built through the site linking Cherry
Street and Maple Street. This spine will be fully integrated into the Mason
Street Transportation Corridor.
6. Automobile access will primarily be from Maple Street with two access
points serving the underground parking garage. Additional access points
are planned to Mason Street, Cherry Street, and Howes Street. This ac-
cess scheme is considered reasonable.
7. No auxiliary lanes were determined warranted in conjunction with this de-
velopment.
' 46
present excellent opportunities to share parking between daytime, early evening and
nighttime uses.
Per the ULI, residential and employment land uses are prime candidates to share
parking. This is primarily due to complementary (off -setting) peak parking demand
times. For example, residential uses typically have low parking demands during work
times while employment areas peak at this time. Retail uses are also compatible with
residential uses since retail parking'demand in this area of downtown Fort Collins is
expected to peak during the daytime and severely taper off after 6:00 P.M. The
calculated parking space demand is conservative since no reductions were taken for
non -auto traffic and the proximity of transit. Additionally, shared parking, while difficult
to quantify, will further reduce the actual number of parking spaces needed on this
site.
Additional off -site parking will be available on Maple Street, the east side of Howes
Street, the south side of Cherry Street, at the City building to the south and the Civic
Center parking garage. These added spaces can be used for additional nighttime
uses or special events.
C). Intersection Sight Distance
A review of the current site plan indicates insufficient sight distance at the parking
garage and site access intersections. These intersections should be reviewed to
assure that sufficient sight distance for the posted 25 mile per hour speed limit is
available from both the driveway to the street and from the street to the driveway.
This is best evaluated during preliminary design. In all likelihood some on -street
parking will need to be removed.
45
The indicated parking demand does not reflect a reduction for non -motorized travel
nor transit usage both of which should be significant in this area. It is therefore con-
sidered a conservative (high) estimate of the parking needs associated with Penny
Flats. Case studies have indicated that the availability of transit plus offsetting land
uses have resulted in parking reductions of 40 — 60% of the ULI (Urban Land Institute)
demand rates.
In the case of Penny Flats, the residential and commercial land uses have the great-
est overlap in parking demands from about 5:00 — 6:00 P.M. During this hour, resi-
dents will be returning home from work and the commercial areas will be fully
operational. At this time, on -street parking should become available as employees
leave the various nearby offices. There will likely be some 40 spaces available along
both sides of Maple Street, 10 spaces available along the south side of Cherry Street,
and 9 spaces available along the east side of Howes Street. These vacated spaces
will add almost 60 on -street spaces to the available parking inventory. Additionally,
the City building to the south will have surplus parking as will the nearby parking
garage.
In summary, it appears that sufficient parking is currently planned on this site. The
proposed 314 spaces (on -site) is almost 25% greater than the calculated parking
demand generated by the proposed uses.
Shared Parking
Shared parking possibilities were also investigated compared to the parking needs of
the standalone uses. The impacts of shared parking have been shown dramatic in a
downtown environment. In this setting, peak demands typically offset each other,
multiple stops are made with only a single parking space being used, transit and non -
motorized travel modes are common, and vehicle occupancy is somewhat higher due
to higher parking fees than other locations. For these reasons, downtown areas
2. Peak parking demands for the spectrum of commercial uses were re-
viewed. While not directly attributable to any identified tenant at Penny
Flats, the following uses'appear to be comparable to the potential tenant
' mix. When data was available, demand was adjusted to reflect the 5:00 —
6:00 P.M. time frame. During this time frame, residents will be arriving
' home while the commercial uses are still operational.
' An office supply super store generated a parking demand of 0.61 vehicles
per 1,000 square feet between 12:00 — 1:00 P.M. in September.
• A walk-in bank has a peak parking demand of 2.30 vehicles per 1,000
square feet between 9:00 —11:00 A.M. and 3:00 — 4:00 P.M. based on
three study sites.
' A dry cleaners averaged 1.4 vehicles per 1,000 square feet during peak
hours based on 5 study sites.
' Office parking demand during the high conflict time of 5:00 — 6:00 P.M. is
1.03 vehicles per 1,000 square feet based on 7 study sites.
On average, the above uses will generate an average parking demand of 1.34 spaces
per 1,000 square feet. It should be noted that only the office parking demand could
be correlated to the 5:00 — 6:00 P.M. time frame. The peak parking demand was
used for the other uses even though the times associated with those peak demands
occur at different times.
The parking demand at Penny Flats was calculated using the above ratios. This
resulted in the following parking demand for this site:
USE PEAK PARKING DEMAND SPACES
' 147 Condominiums 1.46/D.U. 215
29,246 S.F. Commercial 1.34/K. S.F. 39
TOTAL DEMAND 254
43
percentage of walking customers. Such commercial uses require a maximum parking
' ratio of 2 spaces per 1,000 square feet or 58 spaces, per the Fort Collins Land Use
Code.
There are currently about 9 parking spaces along the east side of Howes Street, 11
spaces along the south side of Cherry Street, and 27 spaces along the north side of
Maple Street. These on -street spaces have been observed on 4 — 5 occasions over
the last few months. Routinely some 20 unoccupied spaces were available during
business hours with more available at other times. Seven new spaces will be pro-
vided with this project by recessing the curb along Mason Street. Additional off -site
parking is available in the Civic Center parking garage located about one block away.
A review of several Institute of Transportation Engineers' (ITE) publications was
undertaken to determine parking demand and shared parking possibilities. Primary
resources included "Parking Generation, 3`d Edition" and "Shared Parking, Planning
' Guidelines". While the available literature is limited, basic assumptions employed in
this study are identified below:
• Parking is not a concern during night time and on weekends.
• Commercial parking will generally be short turnover while residential
traffic will be long turnover.
• On -site underground parking will be reserved for residents with sur-
face parking used by residential visitors and commercial activities.
• High conflict times will be from 5:00 P.M. — 6:00 P.M.
' Pedestrian/bicycle traffic could significantly reduce the indicated de-
mand since most studies were conducted in suburban locations.
A literature review resulted in the following findings:
1. Peak suburban residential condominium parking demand was observed to
' average 1.46 vehicles per dwelling unit in 5 different study sites. Peak de-
mand time was from 5:00 P.M. — 6:00 A.M.
42
quently, the increase in the length of the queue due to site traffic is meaningless. This
queue will not be problematic nor will it create safety problems.
Cherry Street is a collector street which functions as an arterial since Vine Street is
not continuous. Consequently, vehicles divert from Vine Street to Cherry Street in this
area. This is evidenced by the fact that 8,610 vehicles were counted using Cherry
Street, west of Howes Street earlier this year. Application of City criteria to assess the
impact of site traffic to the west on Cherry Street is tabulated below for the short-term.
Cherry Street ADT Site Traffic ADT Total ADT % Site Traffic
9,040 100 9,140 1.10%
Since the City defines a significant impact as a 10% or greater increase in traffic due
to project traffic, it is evident that Penny Flats will not significantly impact Cherry
Street.
B). Parking
Penny Flats will have a total of 314 on -site parking spaces of which 212 will be under-
ground. A limited number of additional underground tandem parking spaces may be
added but are not considered in this analysis. The remaining 102 spaces will be
surface parking. City standards for the residential uses on this site indicate a need for
256 spaces for those locations in a zoning district predominated by residential land
uses.
The site will also accommodate 29,246 square feet of commercial space. Users for
this space are uncertain at this time; however, floor plates for the commercial area
range from 1,428 to 7,722 square feet. This precludes high intensity retail activity. In
reality, the best guess at this point in time is that the ultimate tenants of this space will
likely be a blend of low intensity retail. Such users might include an art gallery, an
office supply store, a dry cleaners, a travel agent, a florist, a `sandwich' shop, etc.
These uses typically draw customers from the surrounding area and have a very high
41
A. For Signalized Intersections.
1. When the added project traffic causes an intersection to fail the mini-
mum acceptable level of service standard', or
2. When the background traffic conditions (without project traffic) causes
an intersection to fail the minimum acceptable level of service stan-
dards; and when the project traffic causes more than a 2 percent in-
crease in the intersection delay.
B. For Unsignalized Intersections.
1. When backstacking to adjacent intersections would create impeded
traffic flows and/or excessive congestion; or
2. When added project traffic is determined to create potential safety
problems.
3. For Local Residential Streets:
Projected Avg. Daily Traffic
With Project (Total ADT)
Up to 2,000
2,000
Project Related Increase in ADT
12 percent or more of Total ADT
10 percent or more of Total ADT
Each of the above items were reviewed and assessed. Findings are presented
below.
The College Avenue — Cherry Street intersection will operate acceptably with this
project fully built and functional. Consequently, this signalized intersection will not be
significantly impacted.
All investigated stop sign controlled intersections along Cherry Street will also operate
acceptably per City standards. Since all stop sign controlled traffic movements will
operate at LOS 'C' or better in the short-term, only short delays are expected. A
review of 95% queue lengths determined that less than one vehicle will be waiting to
turn onto Cherry Street with only one exception. That exception is the northbound
right -turn from Mason Street to Cherry Street. There will be 1.74 vehicles waiting to
make this turn. Without this development, the queue will be 1.62 vehicles. Conse-
al
Table 3
Future Transit Level of Service
Travel Time Factor Worksheet
Destination
Approximate
Distance
Auto Travel
Time
Bus Travel
Time
Travel Time
Factor
Fort Collins High School
6 miles
28 min.
50 min.
1.8
Foothills Fashion Mall
3 1/2 miles
20 min.
30 min.
1.5
CSU Transit Center
1 1/4 mile
14 min.
10 min.
0.7
Downtown
1/10 mile
Total Travel Time
Service Level Standards Worksheet
Standard
Mixed Use
Centers and
Commercial
Corridors
Remainder of
the Service
Area
Meets
Standard
Fails
Standard
Score
Hours of Weekday Service
118 Hours
16 Hours
X
1
Weekday Frequency of Serv,
15 Minutes
20 Minutes
X
1
Travel Time Factor
2.0 X
2.0 X
X
1
Peak Load Factor
<= 1.2
<= 1.2
X
1
* Standards satisfied.
assumed a 20 - 25 mile per hour travel speed on the City street system and a park
and walk time of 5 minutes on both ends of the trip. Total travel times for bus and
auto traffic were estimated at 94 minutes and 56 minutes, respectively, resulting in a
travel time factor of 1.68. Work sheets are presented in Appendix H. Given the
location of the Downtown Transit Center, trips to and from this destination were
assumed to easily satisfy City criteria.
City published standards were applied to determine the future transit level of service
in the area of the site. It appears that all four standards and ratings criteria are satis-
fied. This indicates a future level of service rating of "A'. A level of service worksheet
is presented on Table 3.
IX. SPECIAL STUDIES
In the scoping session for this study, the City requested that three special studies be
conducted. They are:
1. an assessments of site traffic impacts on Cherry Street,
2. a parking study, and
3. a sight distance evaluation at the site access points.
Each of these issues is addressed below.
A). Cherry Street Impacts
The City defines a project as significantly impacting an area when one of the following
criteria are satisfied:
A number of bus routes either start at or connect with the Downtown Transit Center.
' Typically, service is provided about 13 hours per day from 6:15 A.M. to 7:10 P.M.
Current peak load factors are estimated in the range of 1.0 for a representative week-
day peak hour. Bus Route 1 provides service to most destinations along College
Avenue while Route 15 provides service to CSU every 20 minutes.
1
' B). Planned Improvements
' No transit improvements are planned with this development.
' C). Future Conditions
' The 2015 Fort Collins Transit System classifies Mason Street as an enhanced travel -
corridor while College Avenue is classified as a high frequency transit corridor. As
such, the number and frequency of buses is expected to increase resulting in more
' frequent service and an overall reduction in travel time.
D). Level of Service
Using the criteria presented in the LOS Manual, the future transit level of service was
determined. Over the long-term, it is expected that weekday service hours will be
extended to at least 18 hours per day and the frequency of service will be in. the 15
' minute range. These assumptions are consistent with the high frequency transit
corridor designation.
tTravel time factors were calculated for both transit and automobile trips to Fort Collins
' High School, Foothills Fashion Mall, the CSU Transit Center, and the downtown area
as defined in the Manual. Since the Downtown Transit Center essentially abuts the
site, only minor walk time was assumed to access the transit system. Auto travel time
37
W I
rn
Table 2
Bicycle LOS Worksheet
level of service - connectivity
minimum actual F
osedbase connectivity: C AA
specific connections to priority sites:
description of
destination area within 1,320'
including address
Poudre Trail & Park
Commercial
Aztlan Center
destination area
classification
see text
Recreation
Commercial
Recreation
FIMIM!MI
B
A
A
B
A
A
VII. BICYCLE FACILITIES
A). Existing Conditions
Penny Flats is bordered on all sides by on -street bicycle lanes.
B). Planned Improvements
As part of the Penny Flats project, the Mason Transportation Corridor pedes-
trian/bicycle way will traverse the site between Cherry Street and Maple Street.
C). Level of Service
The planned improvement will significantly upgrade the area's bicycle system. The
improvement, however, is not expected to raise the levels of service for this develop-
ment. Since adjacent bicycle lanes currently exist in all directions, level of service "A"
will be realized by Penny Flats residents. A level of service work sheet is presented in
Table 2.
VIII. PUBLIC TRANSIT
A). Existing Conditions
The Downtown Transit Center is located diagonally across from Penny Flats. This
provides quick, easy, and efficient access to transit service.
35
TABLE 1
Pedestrian LOS Worksheet (cont.)
project location classification: Pedestrian District I
description of applicable
destination area within 1,320'
including address
Aztlan Center
w
❑
I❑
destination area
classification
Pedestrian
District
level of service minimum based on project location classification
directness
ntinuity
F
street
crossings
visual
interest &
amenities
security
minimum
A
A
B
A
A
actual
A
A
B
A
A
minimum
actual
minimum
actual
minimum
actual
�0 11
w
w
TABLE 1
Pedestrian LOS Worksheet
project location classification: Pedestrian District
F1
level
of service
minimum based
on project
location
classification
directness
[continuity
street
crossings
visual
interest &
amenities
security
minimum
actual
A
A
B
A
A
Q2
A
A
A
A
A
proposed
A
A
A
A
A
minimum
A
A
B
A
A
F3
actual
proposed
minimum
actual
proposed
minimum
actual
proposed
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
A
A
JE1]
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
description of applicable
destination area within 1,320'
including address
Poudre Trail &Park
Mason Corridor
Institutional
(City &County Buildings)
Office/Commercial
destination area
classification
Pedestrian
District
Pedestrian
District
Pedestrian
District
Pedestrian
District
Maple Street and become an integral part of the Mason Transportation Corridor. The
pedestrian system internal to the site is comprised of a series of pedestrian ways
leading through and between the various site components. The north -south spine will
align with the pedestrian/bicycle trail to the north of Cherry Street. The planned
improvements will be constructed in conformance with current City standards and will
maximize porosity with both internal and external elements. A high visibility crosswalk
and advance warning signs should be provided on Cherry Street to warn drivers of
possible pedestrian activity.
C). Levels of Service
The City of Fort Collins Multimodal Transportation Level of Service Manual (LOS
Manual) was used to assess both current and future pedestrian conditions. It was
determined that the site fits the "pedestrian district' classification. This classification
provides the basis for determining minimum level of service criteria. Each of five
pedestrian environment factors was assessed under current and proposed conditions
along nine City identified pedestrian routes. These routes lead to various office,
commercial, institutional, and recreational areas.
Current levels of service on the selected travel routes were determined to satisfy or
exceed the minimums established by the City. With the planned improvements to the
Mason Transportation Corridor, additional benefits can be expected. Future levels of
service are expected to improve with the addition of the bike/pedestrian trail. It will
benefit area pedestrian/bicycle operations and provide a key link to the planned
network.
Based upon the calculated current and future pedestrian levels of service, the mini-
mum acceptable levels of service will be met or exceeded for the foreseeable future.
A pedestrian level of service work sheet is presented on Table 1.
32
}• j r '
' 0�
-fY..
J
Capyngftt O 1988-2004 Microsoft Cory. endlm ifs suppllent. All ngnts mwrved. Mtp:IMw .eJvmoB.coMstmts!
Figure 14
31 PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE STUDY AREA
As indicated, all intersections are expected to operate acceptably per City standards
through the long-term. The minor differences between background and total traffic
levels of service are not considered significant. Capacity work sheets are in Appendi-
ces F and G for background and total traffic conditions, respectively.
VI
A). Existing Conditions
PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES
The existing sidewalk system was field reviewed within 1,320 feet of the Penny Flats
site. The study area is roughly shown on Figure 14.
Pedestrian facilities in the study area were installed under previous editions of City
design standards. This has resulted in a series of different sidewalk widths, locations,
and designs. For the most part, the condition of the sidewalk system is representative
of an older facility — showing signs of age but still very functional. With the exception
of the south side of Cherry Street, east of Mason Street, sidewalks exist along all
streets. The traffic signals at the Cherry Street — College Avenue intersection have
pedestrian phasing.
Students living in Penny Flats will attend Putnam Elementary School, Lincoln Middle
School, and Poudre High School. Per Bruce LaBarr at the school district, all students
are currently bused to school and bussing will continue for the foreseeable future.
Consequently, school access is not an issue.
B). Planned Improvements
In conjunction with the Penny Flats development, a north -south bicycle/pedestrian
spine will be built through this project. It will traverse the site from Cherry Street to
30
LONG-TERM TOTAL TRAFFIC CONDITIONS (With Project)
Intersection
Control
Movement/
Direction
Level of Service
AM Pk Hr.
PM Pk Hr.
College — Cherry
Signal
EB LT
D
D
EB LT/TH
D
E
EBRT
C
C
.WB LT
D
D
WB TH/RT
D
D
NB LT
C
D
NB TH
C
C
NBRT
C
C
SB LT
C
E
SB TH
D
D
SBRT
B
B
Overall
C
D
Mason — Maple
Stop
SB LT/TH/RT
A
A
WB LT/TH/RT
B
C
EB LT/TH/RT
B
B
Mason — Cherry
Stop
EB LT
A
A
WB LT
A
A
NB LT/TH
C
C
NBRT
B
B
SB LT/TH/RT
C
D
Howes — Cherry
Stop
WB LT
A
A
NB LT
C
C
NBRT
B
B
Howes — Maple
Stop
NB LT
A
A
SB LT
A
A
WB LT/TH/RT
B
B
EB LT/TH/RT
B
B
Major Access — Maple
Stop
EB LT/TH
A
A
SB LT/RT
A
B
29
i
This time frame assumes that Mason and Howes Streets have been converted to two-
way operation and the earlier indicated turn restrictions have been implemented. A
review of long-term peak hour traffic determined that no site related turn lanes are
' needed and no new traffic signals will be warranted.
Future operations are shown below for both background and total traffic.
LONG-TERM BACKGROUND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS (Without Project)
Intersection
Control
Movement/
Direction
Level of Service
AM Pk Hr.
PM Pk Hr.
College — Cherry
Signal
EB LT
D
D
EB LT/TH
D
E
EB RT
C
C
WB LT
D
D
WB TH/RT
D
D
NB LT
C
D
NB TH
C
C
NB RT
C
C
SB LT
C
E
SB TH
D
D
SB RT
B
B
Overall
C
D
Mason — Maple
Stop
SB LT/TH/RT
A
A
WB LT/TH/RT
B
C
EB LT/TH/RT
B
B
Mason — Cherry
Stop
EB LT
A
A
WB LT
A
A
NB LT/TH
C
C
NB RT
B
B
SB LT/TH/RT
C
C
Howes — Cherry
Stop
WB LT
A
A
NB LT
C
C
NB RT
B
B
Howes — Maple
Stop
NB LT
A
A
SB LT
A
A
WB LT/TH/RT
B
B
EB LT/TH/RT
B
B
M.
.t
►� , . O
�►`�� �. fir' � 0'�1�
Cherry
/ N d
N �
� d d
U O
1� Q U
I
�l
1 Access Access
Y"
N N
N N
d d
U U
U _ U
Q � Q
Maple
N C
3 0 -
N
x
,mr
,7
Figure 13
LONG-TERM ROADWAY GEOMETRY
27
SHORT-TERM TOTAL TRAFFIC CONDITIONS (With Project)
(continued)
Intersection
Control
Movement/
Direction
Level of Service
AM Pk Hr.
PM Pk Hr.
Mason — Maple
Stop
NB LT/TH
A
A
WB TH/RT
B
C
EB LT/TH
B
C
Mason — Cherry
Stop
EB LT
A
A
NB LT
B
C
NB TH
B
C
NBRT
B
B
SB LT
C
C
SBRT
B
B
Howes — Cherry
Stop
WB LT
A
A
Howes — Maple
Stop
SB LT/TH
A
A
WB LT/TH
B
B
EB TH/RT
B
B
Major Access — Maple
Stop
EB LT/TH
A
A
SB LT/RT
A
B
' As indicated, both background and total traffic conditions will be acceptable. Both
conditions are essentially identical. Consequently, Penny Flats will not have a mean-
ingful impact on roadway operations. Capacity worksheets for background conditions
' are presented in Appendix D with capacity work sheets for total traffic conditions
available in Appendix E.
Long -Term
Long-term operations were evaluated using traffic estimates for long-term background
and total traffic conditions and the long-term roadway geometry shown on Figure 13.
rV
SHORT-TERM BACKGROUND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS (Without Project)
(continued)
Intersection
Control
Movement/
Direction
Level of Service
AM Pk Hr.
PM Pk Hr.
Mason — Cherry
Stop
EB LT
A
A
NB LT
B
C
NB TH
B
B
NBRT
B
B
SB LT
C
C
SBRT
B
B
Howes — Cherry
Stop
WB LT
A
A
Howes — Maple
Stop
SB LT/TH
A
A
WB LT/TH
B
B
EB TH/RT
B
B
SHORT-TERM TOTAL TRAFFIC CONDITIONS (With Project)
Intersection
Control
Movement/
Direction
Level of Service
AM Pk Hr.
PM Pk Hr.
College — Cherry
Signal
EB LT
D
D
EB LT/TH
D
D
EB RT
C
C
WB LT
D
D
WB TH/RT
D
D
NB LT
C
C
NB TH
C
C
NBRT
C
C
SB LT
C
D
SB TH
C
C
SBRT
B
B
Overall
C
C
25
are considered normal, if not better than normal, at unsignalized intersections during
' peak hour conditions in urban areas. At other times significantly better operating
conditions can be expected.
Short -Term
Operating conditions were assessed using short-term background and total traffic.
The existing roadway geometry was used in background analyses. Short-term oper-
ating conditions both with and without the Penny Flats development are indicated
' below.
SHORT-TERM BACKGROUND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS (Without Project)
Intersection
Control
Movement/
Direction
Level of Service
AM Pk Hr.
PM Pk Hr.
College — Cherry
Signal
EB LT
D
D
EB LT/TH
D
D
EB RT
C
C
WB LT
D
D
WB TH/RT
D
D
NB LT
C
C
NB TH
C
C
NB RT
C
C
SB LT
C
D
SB TH
C
C
SB RT
B
B
Overall
C
C
Mason — Maple
Stop
NB LT/TH
A
A
WB TH/RT
B
B
EB LT/TH
B
B
24
00
Cherry Al
/ N d
N �
4 d N
v
1� Q U
llr' Access Access
"y Y"
N N
N d
U U
Q Q
Maple
N C
3 0
N
l0
*U�* '7-
Figure 12
SHORT-TERM ROADWAY GEOMETRY
23
' V. TRAFFIC IMPACTS
' To assess operating conditions with Penny Flats fully developed, highway capacity
analyses were performed at all key intersections. Analyses were undertaken for
' short- and long-term conditions. At the onset of these undertakings, traffic volumes
were reviewed to identify the need for auxiliary lanes or an upgrade in intersection
control. Findings for both short- and long-term conditions are documented in the
following sections.
' A). Auxiliary Lanes and Intersection Controls
' Future traffic was reviewed to determine the need for additional roadway geometry,
auxiliary lanes, and traffic control improvements. This involved a review of peak hour
traffic and roadway geometry at key intersections. It was determined that no auxiliary
lane improvements will be needed nor would traffic signals be warranted at intersec-
tions currently under stop sign control.
B). Future Traffic Conditions
Capacity analyses were conducted using the short-term geometry shown on Figure
' 12. Traffic signal cycle lengths reasonably consistent with those currently used were
maintained in the future. Analyses resulted in the morning and afternoon peak hour
' operating levels of service shown below. For evaluation purposes, acceptable opera-
tions are defined by the City as overall level of service "D" or better at signalized
tlocations with individual traffic movements and approaches allowed to operate at LOS
"E" or better. At unsignalized locations, level of service "E/F is considered normal
' and therefore, acceptable for critical left -turn movements. These levels of service
22
L
4-- 305/5:
i 100/8.
545/445
30/25 �
g
M /
5/5
T
COco o
N
coo /
' 4---400/585
5/10
560/6 /0 -+
5/5�
Access
10 i� o k- 5110
0 -385/54
105/90
5/5
5/580 --* �
25/25 :Z
oin_
V
Q
Access
d 41
U U
Q Q
Maple
3 0
O N
2
/ C'o
roi !L 15/20
95/140
1(- 55/55
10/10 V) I
105/85 000 m m
20/20
\ N R N
LEGEND: AM/PM Peak Hour
o_o
I �5/5
A% y-155/200
5/10 }
ni1nt-►
00
N
o -C 35/60
M W m 4-- 80/185
4) t* 25/50
275/4501 1 (�
155/125 o o n
120/100� moo,
5/30
_o
N
L 15/20
-40145
10/151 1 �'
100/145-
30/40 i 10 N
O
V
00
N N L
5125
140/190
51201
145/140 -►
NOTE: Rounded to nearest 5 vehicles with a minimum of 5 vehicles.
21
Figure 11
LONG-TERM TOTAL TRAFFIC
Ell
•— 305/525
i 100/85
545/440
25/20 � o
ch V
cn
Ma
n �o L5/10
�385/540
1—100/85
5/5 1 ,"'
i5/565 O ,n ,O
25/20-1 o-o /
N C
3 c
N
10
2 rL
no
r`
co
LO t 35/60
c,) m coo r 80/185
*J 1 (* 25/50
270/445--" 1
155/125 o o cn
120/100� �oM
\ O�N /
go" 35
0/10
jr-195/2
J+--�:z
F+_�
LEGEND: AM/PM Peak Hour
N = Nominal
NOTE: Rounded to nearest 5 vehicles with a minimum of 5 vehicles.
20
Figure 10
LONG-TERM BACKGROUND TRAFFIC
*-- 440/605
5/5
430/32—► V
5/5__ u n
*— 275/495
175/145
455/370
45/35
5/10
•-425/
5/5--o I (�
170--* onn
O � N
N O
a,
Access
C)_
U N
U' ` f— 65/115
95/100
5/65 —+
)/35 -),
LEGEND: AM/PM Peak Hour
M, \
p O
L5/15
-6-150/210
5/5
95/85
o
L 30/50
N
4-- 70/165
�J 1
20/45
240/390 1
1 ('
135/105 --*
o u O
\5/85 �
o � M
N
I
15/30
•— 120/170
15/25
851110—► o
/\� �nrnv
\ ONE/
NN L10/30
�) (. 4-135/215
5/10 0
100/85 --+
NOTE Rounded to nearest 5 vehicles with a minimum of 5 vehicles.
19
Figure 9
SHORT-TERM TOTAL TRAFFIC
�o
L 5/10
— 420/535
270/490 5/5�
170/140 430/365--m-�
v
450/365LO
LON
45/35-),
/rnvoio t30/50
N 4--- 70/160
�J 1 jr- 20/45
235/385--o '11) I
135/105—+ o,no
105/85 ocoM
o
V
2
O
1--b-
t 10/20115/145
5/151
1 (�65/90—►cDN
c Qp
N n
Mn�
LEGEND: AM/PM Peak Hour
N = Nominal
NOTE: Rounded to nearest 5 vehicles with a minimum of 5 vehicles.
18
Figure 8
SHORT-TERM BACKGROUND TRAFFIC
E). Future Roadway System
Major roadway changes are planned in the future. The improvements assumed
operational for each evaluation time frame are indicated below:
Short-term No improvements
Long-term Conversion of Mason and Howes Streets from a
one-way pair to two-way streets. As part of this im-
provement, northbound left -turns will be prohibited
at the Maple Street — Mason Street intersection.
Site specific improvements related to future traffic and the development of Penny
Flats will be determined in the following sections of this report.
F). Future Traffic
Peak hour traffic was developed for the following scenarios:
• short-term background traffic,
• short-term total traffic,
• long-term background traffic, and
• long-term total traffic.
Total traffic is the combination of site traffic and background traffic. Figures 8 through
11 present background traffic and total traffic estimates for the short-term and long-
term time frames during morning and afternoon peak hours. These estimates fully
consider the future street system changes described above.
17
j 2110 2/3
1/2� 1/9—+ 1
MIS 1/3� O`N
Cherry
/ N
N
N
4-- 1 /3 cUi
1/2 Q
1/2
2/5
to NII
r
1 /30 --4
L 1/3 Access Access
co Mo
� N
L 2/10
4-- 8/33
5/41
19/15--*
ai ayi
o u
U u
Q Q
Maple
It If v
d o
0
N k— 3/3
4-4/5
1417 M M
1/21 1 nn NN
2l5—+ M coL 2/6 4) L 5126
N N
a0 2/10 4 4/12
LEGEND: AM/PM Peak Hour
Figure 7
LONG-TERM SITE TRAFFIC
16
LEGEND: AM/PM Peak Hour
Figure 6
SHORT-TERM SITE TRAFFIC
15
Cherry
Maple
Residential
LEGEND: -
Retail
Figure 5
SITE TRAFFIC DISTRIBUTION
14
00
C). Trip Distribution
' Trip distribution is a function of the origin and destination of site users, their working,
shopping, and other travel patterns, and the available roadway system. In this case,
all site traffic will access the site via multiple access points to the adjacent streets.
' These roadways presently connect to the arterial street system either directly or
' indirectly. The overall directional distribution of site traffic is estimated as shown on
Figure 5.
Site traffic was assigned to the nearby street system as presented on Figure 6 for
' morning and afternoon peak hours in the short-term time frame. Figure 7 presents
site traffic in the long-term with Mason and Howes Streets converted to two-way
' operation.
D). Background Traffic Volumes
Both short- and long-term traffic estimates were developed at all critical intersections.
' The short-term was selected as the year 2010, the point at which Penny Flats is
assumed to be fully built and occupied. The long-term time frame is represented by
the year 2025, consistent with area planning documents and the widely accepted
long-term planning horizon.
' The City indicated that one percent annual traffic growth is reasonable on area
' streets. Since Penny Flats will be built on an in -fill site, in a mature urban environ-
ment, this growth rate is considered reasonable. Considering on -going development
' to the north of Penny Flats and other local development activity, only minor growth in
background traffic is expected.
1 13
The procedure to determine the impact of site traffic is a multi -step process. Initially,
' traffic generated from each land use is estimated using ITE trip generation rates. In
the case of Penny Flats, a forecast of trips for each land use was made and then
added together. Given the mix of planned land uses, internal trips will likely occur. In
order to conduct a conservative analysis, no internal trip reductions were taken.
Penny Flats is located on the north side of downtown Fort Collins and less than a
' block northwest of the downtown transit center. This location lends itself to a high
amount of transit usage and pedestrian activity. In all likelihood, the actual amount of
vehicular site traffic will be much less than evaluated in this study since only a 10%
' reduction was taken for the use of alternate transportation modes such as walking,
bicycling, and using transit.
1 Traffic volume estimates are presented in the following table.
Daily
AM Peak Hour
PM Peak Hour
Land Use
Unit
Rate
Trips
Rate
In
Out
Rate
In
Out
Condominiums
147
5.86
861
0.44
11
54
0.52
51
26
Specialty Retail
30,000 S.F.
44.32
1,330
0.65
11
9
2.71
35
46
Sub -Total
2,209
22
63
86
72
10% Alternate Mode
(221)
(2)
(6)
(9)
(7)
TOTAL.;
1 988
20
, s 457
;t
77 .'
65`
As indicated above, Penny Flats is expected to generate 77 morning peak hour trips,
' 142 afternoon peak hour trips, and 1,988 trips per day when fully developed. This
traffic is considered very manageable.
12
PENNY FLATS SCHEMATIC SITE DESIGN
Lots 1-8 & 13-16, Block 33
Fort Collins, Colorado
Project Info►mabon
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Figure 4
CONCEPT PLAN
IV. FUTURE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
A). Development Overview
The current development schedule anticipates that Penny Flats will commence activi-
ties as soon as the necessary approvals are obtained and will be completed based on
market demands. As required by City guidelines, a five-year horizon is assumed in
this study. Uses will include 29,246 square feet of commercial space and 147 con-
dominiums. A concept plan is presented on Figure 4.
Most retail uses will front on Mason and Maple Streets. Residential units will either be
above the retail space or in separate buildings in the north and west areas of the site.
Underground and surface parking will be provided as part of this development.
Site access is planned via five driveways to the adjacent streets. Two driveways are
proposed to Maple Street to serve the underground parking. Both are planned as full
movement driveways as is a planned driveway to Cherry Street. Limited turn ac-
cesses are planned to both Mason and Howes Streets. These accesses will be
limited to left -in and out traffic movements as long as the adjacent streets are one-
way operation. When the streets are converted to two-way operation, both driveways
will be restricted to right -in and out traffic movements.
B). Site Traffic
Site generated traffic was estimated using generation rates and procedures consistent
with those present in "Trip Generation, Seventh Edition". This publication is prepared
by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and is nationally recognized.
I $]
CURRENT TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
Intersection
Control
Movement/
Direction
Level of Service
AM Pk Hr.
PM Pk Hr.
College — Cherry
Signal
EB LT
D
D
EB LT/TH
D
D
EB RT
C
C
WB LT
D
D
WB TH/RT
D
D
NB LT
C
C
NB TH
C
C
NB RT
C
C
SB LT
C
C
SIB TH
C
C
SIB RT
B
B
Overall
C
C
Mason — Maple
Stop
NB LT/TH
A
A
WB TH/RT
B
B
EB LT/TH
B
B
Mason — Cherry
Stop
EB LT
A
A
NB LT
B
C
NB TH
B
B
NB RT
B
B
SIB LT
B
C
SIB RT
B
B
Howes — Cherry
Stop
WB LT
A
A
Howes — Maple
Stop
SIB LT/TH
A
A
WB LT/TH
B
B
EB TH/RT
B
A
Given the indicated levels of service, acceptable conditions currently exist. Capacity
' work sheets are presented in Appendix C.
Pe
Eo
Figure 3
CURRENT ROADWAY GEOMETRY
8
D). Surrounding Land Uses
Downtown Fort Collins generally lies to the south of the Penny Flats site with residen-
tial areas located to the west and north. City, County, and other offices are located to
the south and east. The north end of the downtown retail area is located about a
block to the east.
E). Existing Operating Conditions
Current operating conditions were evaluated at key intersections using morning and
afternoon peak hour traffic and the existing roadway geometry. The existing roadway
geometry is shown on Figure 3. All key intersections were evaluated. As shown on
the following table, all intersections operate at acceptable levels of service (LOS)..
7
3110
A% y f-400/510
4-- 257/457 1 /11 '� 1 i,
r 161 /135 408/347 ---o o m M
428/346 (0-- o
41/34�
Cherry
m
a�
m
0
U
"�
L 28/49
N n 64/150
A) 1 r 19/42
222/3651 1
127/101—b. N n
100/81 co
LOON
V
Maple
N C
3 0
2 L
0 N
�O t0
MN — 4—56/103
1 (. (—� 67/73 109/1840
30/34 —), 4/13-0 1 (�
60/87--* Wv—
�coc
(7 �
LEGEND: AM/PM Peak Hour
Figure 2
CURRENT TRAFFIC
6
B). Existing Traffic Conditions
' Peak hour and daily traffic was collected in the area of Penny Flats as part of this
' study. This was supplemented by City of Fort Collins counts. Count sheets are
presented in Appendix B.
Significant directional biases were noted in traffic on College Avenue. During the
' morning peak hour, traffic flow is higher inbound to CSU and downtown Fort Collins
with the opposite movement higher during the afternoon peak hour.
Peak hour traffic on other streets is also biased toward areas of employment. Recent
' peak hour traffic is shown on Figure 2.
C). Existing Bicycle -Pedestrian -Transit Conditions
Pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities currently exist in the area surrounding the
' Penny Flats site. Easy and efficient access is therefore readily available. Most
pedestrian and bicycle facilities conform to earlier City design standards. These
' facilities are, however, considered very functional. The downtown transit center is
located catty corner to the southeast...
Alternate modes of transportation (pedestrian, bicycle, and transit) are addressed in
' separate sections of this report. Each is evaluated for current and future operating
levels of service.
1
I✓
EXISTING CONDITIONS
A). Existing Road Network
The site is bordered by Howes Street on the west, Mason Street on the east. Cherry
Street on the north and Maple Street on the south. All streets are under City of Fort
Collins jurisdiction. Howes and Mason Streets carry two lane arterial street designa-
tions, Cherry Street is a two lane collector street, and Maple Street is a local street per
the Fort Collins Transportation Plan.
Howes and Mason Streets are a north -south one-way pair in the southbound and
northbound directions, respectively. The posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour.
There are two to three travel lanes in each direction. On -street bike lanes currently
exist on both streets as do sidewalks. Parallel parking is presently available along
both sides of Howes Street while parking is prohibited on Mason Street. Railroad
tracks run down the center of Mason Street.
Cherry Street travels through the north central part of Fort Collins. It has one lane in
each direction and a center left turn lane adjacent to the site. To the west of Howes
Street, it changes to one lane in each direction. Parking exists along both sides of
Cherry Street.
Maple Street is a local street with one lane in each direction and on -street parking.
College Avenue is a major north -south arterial street to the east of the site. Both
Cherry and Maple Streets intersect College Avenue. These two intersections are
under traffic signal control with all other intersections under stop sign control.
4
' II. AGENCY DISCUSSIONS
' At the onset of this study, scoping sessions were held with several Fort Collins staff
members. Key elements are noted below.
' 1. The City identified the Cherry Street intersections with College Avenue,
Howes Street, and Mason Street as needing investigation. Other critical in-
tersections were identified as the Maple Street intersections with Howes
and Mason Streets.
' 2. Future traffic can be estimated using annual growth of 1 % per year.
' 3. No major roadway widening can be anticipated in the short- or long-term.
The City, however, is planning to convert Howes and Mason Streets to two-
way operation in the long-term.
4. Site access should be limited to left -in and out movements to and from Ma-
son and Howes Streets in the short-term. In the long-term, access will be
converted to right -in and out movements.
5. The City asked if the Mason Street — Cherry Street intersection will warrant
' traffic signals in the future.
6. An assessment of site traffic impacts on Cherry Street to the west of Howes
' Street was requested.
7. A parking evaluation was also requested.
' The above issues/comments. and others were incorporated into this study. A copy of
the 'Base Assumptions" worksheet is provided in Appendix A.
1 3
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Figure 1
VICINITY MAP
1
' I. INTRODUCTION
Penny Flats is a proposed mixed use development bordered by Cherry, Maple,
Howes, and Mason Streets in downtown Fort Collins, Colorado. The location of the
' site is shown on Figure 1. The development is considered an in -fill project and will be
comprised of specialty retail and residential land uses. A total of 147 condominium
tunits and 29,246 square feet of retail space are planned. For purposes of this study,
Penny Flats is assumed fully developed in the next 5 years.
t
This study follows the established guidelines for transportation impact studies as are
applicable and appropriate to the proposed project. The study addresses the follow-
ing areas:
• Obtain current transportation data.
t• Evaluate current transportation operations.
' • Review and evaluate the proposed development from a transportation
standpoint.
' • Estimate site traffic and distribute it to the nearby street system.
' • Assess future traffic operations with Penny Flats fully operational. This
includes an evaluation of the short-term condition and the long-term
' 2025 design year.
• Review and assess current and future bicycle, pedestrian, and transit
' conditions.
' • Identify mitigating measures, if any, to resolve unacceptable conditions.
• Investigate the traffic impacts of this development on nearby streets.
' Assess site parking demands.
' The above items form the basis of this study.
' List of Tables
Table 1
Pedestrian LOS Worksheet.......................................................................33
' Table 2
Bicycle LOS Worksheet.............................................................................36
Table 3
Transit LOS Worksheet.............................................................................39
' List of Figures
' Figure 1
Vicinity Map................................................................................................2
Figure 2
Recent Peak Hour Traffic...........................................................................6
' Figure 3
Existing Roadway Geometry ......................................................................8
Figure4
Concept Plan............................................................................................11
' Figure 5
Site Traffic Distribution.............................................................................14
Figure 6
Short -Term Site Traffic.............................................................................15
' Figure 7
Long -Term Site Traffic.............................................................................16
Figure 8
Short -Term Background Traffic................................................................18
' Figure 9
Short -Term Total Traffic...........................................................................19
Figure 10
Long -Term Background Traffic.................................................................20
' Figure 11
Long -Term Total Traffic............................................................................21
Figure 12
Short -Term Roadway Geometry ..............................................................23
' Figure 13
Long -Term Roadway Geometry ...............................................................27
Figure 14
Pedestrian Study Area.............................................................................
31
.1
IX. SPECIAL STUDIES.............................................................................................38
A). Cherry Street Impacts................................................................................38
B). Parking.......................................................................................................41
C). Intersection Sight Distance.........................................................................45
X. CONCLUSIONS..................................................................................................46
Table of Contents
I. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................1
II. AGENCY DISCUSSIONS......................................................................................3
III. EXISTING CONDITIONS......................................................................................4
' A). Existing Road Network.................................................................................4
B). Existing Traffic Conditions............................................................................5
' C). Existing Bicycle -Pedestrian -Transit Conditions............................................5
D). Surrounding Land Uses...............................................................................7
' E). Existing Operating Conditions......................................................................7
IV. FUTURE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS......................................................................10
' A).
Development Overview..............................................................................10
B).
Site Traffic..................................................................................................10
' C).
Trip Distribution..........................................................................................13
D).
Background Traffic Volumes......................................................................13
' E).
Future Roadway System............................................................................17
` F).
Total Traffic Volumes.................................................................................17
' V. TRAFFIC IMPACTS............................................................................................22
A).
Auxiliary Lanes and Intersection Controls..................................................22
B).
Future Traffic Conditions............................................................................22
'
VI. PEDESTRIAN
FACILITIES..................................................................................30
A).
Existing Conditions.....................................................................................30
-1 B).
Planned Improvements..............................................................................30
C).
Levels of Service........................................................................................32
'
VII. BICYCLE FACILITIES.........................................................................................35
A).
Existing Conditions.....................................................................................35
B).
Planned Improvements..............................................................................35
C).
Level of Service..........................................................................................35
'
VIII. PUBLIC
TRANSIT...............................................................................................35
A).
Existing Conditions.....................................................................................35
' B).
Planned Improvements..............................................................................37
C).
Future Conditions.......................................................................................37
' D).
Level of Service..........................................................................................37
Transportation Impact Study
PENNY FLATS
Fort Collins, Colorado
Prepared For:
Coburn
1811 Pearl Street
Boulder, CO 80302
Prepared By:
Eugene G. Coppola P.E.
P. O. Box 260027
Littleton, CO 80163
303-792-2450
July 28, 2005
Transportation Impact Study
PENNY FLATS
Fort Collins, Colorado
Eugene G. Coppola, P.E.
P.O. Box 260027 Littleton, CO 80163 303-792-2450