HomeMy WebLinkAboutTransportation Access and Safety Review received 9/17/2018 Michaelis, Jessica .
From: Lanza, Heather Y p W .,
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2018 4:00 PM "fprlrYa �
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To: Terry, Mark; Michaelis, Jessica; Cummings, Brian A.
Subject: AKRF Review for Vineyard View review
Attachments: 2018-09-14 Southold Vineyard View Transportation Review.docx
From: Matthew T. Carmody, P.E. [mailto:mcarmc)dy a akrf.. mm]
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2018 3:43 PM
To:Terry, Mark<n ark.terry(@town.southold,ny,us>
Cc: Lanza, Heather<breather.lan7a@town.southold.njs>
Subject:Vineyard View review
Hi Mark,
Attached is the Vineyard View review. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks,
Matt
IMatthew T„ Carmody, PJE.
Senior rechnicaV Director
AIKIRIF, Inco
Environmental, Planning, and Engineeting Consultants
440 Park Ave oath, 7th Floor I New York, NY 10016
P) 646.388,9799 1 C) 914.950.1731
www.akrf.com
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Environmental, Planning, and Engineering Consultants c,1�,:,��+i f�, jG
1695 Church Street
Unit 3
Holbrook, NY 11741
tel: 631 285-6980
fax: 631 285-6919
www.akrf.com
Memorandum
To: Mark Terry, AICP, Town of Southold
From: Matthew T. Carmody, P.E. and Luti Zhang
Date: September 14, 2018, 2018
Re: Vineyard View Transportation Access and Safety Review
At the request of the Town of Southold Planning Board, AKRF, Inc. ("AKRF") is presenting this
memorandum to assess the transportation access and safety of the proposed 50-unit Vineyard View
residential project at 62600 Suffolk County Route (CR) 48 ("proposed project"). Safety and projected
traffic conditions at and near the access point have been evaluated, and concerns and recommendations
have been included. A single access point to CR 48 has been proposed which would have one entering
lane and one exiting lane on the driveway; the cross section of CR 48 at this point would not be improved
and would remain at one lane per direction with approximately seven-foot wide paved shoulders.
CRASH HISTORY
The most recent three years of available crash data from NYSDOT from 2014 through 2017 was used to
assess the safety conditions near the study area. Five crashes took place in the 0.3 mile segment around
the intersection of site driveway and CR 48 during this period. In consideration of the latest average
annual daily traffic in the study area, the segment crash rate is 1.2 crashes per million vehicle miles
(MVM), which is lower than the latest average segment crash rate for this type of roadway (2.1 crashes
per MVM), according to NYSDOT. When considering the existing traffic volumes at the proposed
intersection, the additional traffic generated by the proposed project would not exceed the average
highway crash rate. Therefore, there is not a future safety concern at the intersection related to the
additional traffic generated by the proposed project according to the calculated versus expected average
crash rate.
TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
Appendices in the Final Environmental Assessment Form (FEAF) Study show the turning movements at
the study intersection for weekday AM, PM and Saturday peak hours. These volumes indicate average
two-way volumes of 1,292 vehicles per hour on CR 48. According to traffic capacity analysis software
results provided in the FEAF, the projected traffic entering the proposed project turning left from
westbound CR 48 will have lower delays and more easily find gaps in the oncoming traffic flow
compared with vehicles exiting the site. However. it is not anticipated that vehicles entering or exiting the
site would experience high enough delays that motorists Would be forced to enter or cross traffic flow
with an inadequate gap. It should be noted that the applicant's traffic consultant assumed more
New York City• Hudson Valley Region e Capital District• Long Island 9 Baltimore/Washington Area • New Jersey . Philadelphia
Town of Southold—Vineyard View 2 September 14, 2018
conservative conditions to reflect the platooning effect of vehicles exiting the Cross Sound Ferry at Orient
Point and passing by the site on westbound CR 48 in a platoon.
Under the projected future traffic conditions, the only unacceptable level of service (LOS) reported was
exiting the site driveway during the weekday PM peak hour, which would operates at LOS E for fixture
conditions consisting of an average of approximately 38 seconds of delay per vehicle. However, the
traffic flows from the site would relatively low during that peak hour, with eight vehicles per hour turning
left and six vehicles per hour turning right, which would not cause a queuing issue along the site driveway.
Also, this unacceptable delay would not affect CR 48 safety or traffic conditions. Therefore, based on the
projected delays of vehicles entering and exiting the site and relatively low volume of site-generated trips
during peak hours, there are not traffic safety concerns related to traffic delays and capacity on CR 48 at
the driveway location.
CR 48 LEFT TURN LANE STUDY
CR 48 near proposed project site consists of one travel lane and a paved shoulder in each direction, with a
paved width that varies from 35 to 37 feet. The FEAF states that a dedicated left-turn lane on westbound
CR 48 at the site driveway is not needed. An independent study of the left-turn lane feasibility has been
conducted by AKRF, which supports the initial conclusion; additional information is provided below.
According to the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Web-only Document 193
titled "Development of Left-Turn Lane Warrants for Unsignalized Intersections," the New York State
Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) considers the volume of left turns compared to oncoming
traffic, crash history, potential for additional crashes due to volume or operating speeds, sight distance,
cost, and right-of-way impacts. This is also shown in the NYSDOT Highway Design Manual Chapter 5,
Basic Design. To determine whether the traffic volume warrants a dedicated left-turn lane, NYSDOT
refers to Table 9-23 titled "Guide for Left-Turn Lanes on Two-Lane Highway" in the 2011 AASHTO
Green Book (American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials "A Policy on Geometric
Design of Highways and Streets"). This table was consulted, and the projected volumes for the driveway
and CR 48 do not fall into the range of this table since the left-turn volumes are too low. In addition, the
1967 publication from the Transportation Research Board titled "Volume Warrants for Left-Turn Storage
Lanes at Unsignalized Grade intersections" which is the basis for the 2011 AASHTO Green Book left-
turn lane volume warrant table was consulted since it contains additional volume tables. Per that
publication, the minimum percentage of left-turn traffic as a proportion of through plus left turn traffic on
an approach where a left-turn lane may be considered is five percent. Since the corresponding percentage
is only about one percent for the proposed project, this falls below the additional volume warrants.
SIGHT DISTANCES AT PROPOSED DRIVEWAY
The FEAF states that there is adequate sight distance per the design speed and speed limit along CR 48 at
the proposed driveway location, and AKRF concurs with this assessment. The site development plan
dated February 23, 2018 indicates that a sign and plantings will be placed along the site frontage. To
ensure that appropriate sight distances are maintained, it is recommended that vegetation and other
obstructions not be placed in the line of sight along CR 48 near the proposed project site driveway.
TRANSIT,PEDESTRIAN, AND BICYCLE CONNECTIVITY
The FEAF states that the applicant is willing to accommodate any shuttle or trolley service within their
site for pick-up/drop-off activity to provide connections to the LIRR Greenport Station. Also, the site
development plan dated February 23, 2018 shoves 15-foot wide entry and exit lanes at CR 48 and interior
roadways of at least 24 feet wide, which should safely accommodate pedestrians and cyclists along with
vehicles given the low hourly traffic volume projections. The 15-foot wide entry and exit lanes, combined
with the paved shoulders along CR 48 should also provide ample maneuverability for trucks accessing the
site For deliveries or residents moving. There are also bike racks and marked crosswalks shown on the site
plans to promote and facilitate walking and biking for the future residents. However. the roads connecting
Town of Southold—Vineyard View 3 September l4, 2018
the proposed site to existing transit and bike routes do not provide accommodations for pedestrians or
cyclists, and additional connectivity improvements are recommended off-site.
According to Suffolk County Transit, the S92 bus stop that is closest to the proposed project is at Front
Street and 9th Street in the Village of Greenport, which is about 1.4 miles away. To increase transit
connectivity to the proposed project, it is recommended that a new S92 bus stop be added at Chapel Lane
and Main Road, which would reduce the distance to the nearest bus stop to approximately 0.7 miles, or a
15-minute walk.
Pedestrians are permitted to walk along CR 48, and the paved shoulders can accommodate pedestrians
and allow them to travel along CR 48 without encroaching on vehicular traffic in the travel lanes. It is
unlikely in the foreseeable future that development density in this area of CR 48 would justify sidewalks.
Therefore, if the proposed project did not build sidewalks along its frontage, it is unlikely that there would
be sidewalks built nearby in the foreseeable future, causing a gap in the sidewalk network. However,
since sidewalks provide additional safety and accessibility benefits compared to paved shoulders to
pedestrians, it is recommended that space for future accommodation for sidewalks along CR 48 is
considered.
Cyclists are also permitted to travel along CR 48, and this portion of CR 48 is designated as part of the
Seaview Trails Bike Route,yet there are no signs or markings to indicate so. To promote cycling as a way
to access the proposed project, increase the visibility of cyclists to motorists, and provide wayfinding to
cyclists, it is recommended that signage and bike markings be considered along CR 48 in the area of the
proposed project.
CONCLUSION
Based on an independent assessment conducted by AKRF of the projected low vehicular peak hour
volumes that would be generated by the proposed project, through traffic along CR 48, existing and
proposed geometries, and crash history, the proposed access configuration and operation of the site
driveway at CR 48 is acceptable. The access point as currently proposed should safely accommodate
pedestrian, bicycle and auto/taxi traffic generated by residents, trucks regularly accessing the site for
residents moving or deliveries, or a shuttle/trolley stop to provide access to the LIRR Greenport Station.
Recommendations include leaving room along the site frontage on CR 48 for appropriate sight distances
and potential future sidewalk accommodation, adding an S92 bus stop closer to the proposed project at
Chapel Lane and Main Road, and adding bicycle signage and markings on CR 48 in the vicinity of the
site.