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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 � 4'(+mtii�a�,,1l;ta,�irt 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 1 .......... AmK q: u fwf 5P 7 r 0 1) r 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.