TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS RIZZO CONFERENCE CENTER EXPANSION FINAL REPORT

Transcription

1 TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS RIZZO CONFERENCE CENTER EXPANSION Chapel Hill, North Carolina FINAL REPORT Prepared for: The Town of Chapel Hill, NC Prepared by: Architects-Engineers-Planners, Inc. December 2010

2 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina TABLE OF CONTENTS... PAGE 1.0 Introduction Project Overview Site Location and Study Area Existing and Proposed Uses in Site Vicinity Existing and Committed Surface Transportation Network Existing Conditions Peak Hour Arterial Capacity Analysis Peak Hour Intersection Capacity Analysis Future Traffic Conditions without Proposed Development Background Traffic Proposed Project Traffic Future Traffic Forecasts with the Proposed Development Project Impacts Peak Hour Arterial Capacity Analysis Access Analysis Signal Warrant Analysis Signal Phasing Analysis Crash Analysis Progression Analysis Peak Hour Intersection Capacity Analysis Turn Lane Storage Requirements Sight Distance Analysis Appropriateness of Acceleration or Deceleration Lanes Pedestrian and Bicycle Analysis Public Transportation Analysis Special Analysis/Issues Mitigation Measures/ Recommendations Planned Improvements Background Committed Improvements Applicant Committed Improvements Recommended Improvements TECHNICAL APPENDIX i

3 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina LIST OF TABLES PAGE Table 1. Arterial Capacity Analysis 2010 Existing Conditions... 7 Table 2. Intersection Capacity Analysis 2010 Existing Traffic Conditions... 9 Table 3. Trip Generation Other Development Projects Table 4. Site Trip Generation Table 5. Intersection Level of Service Criteria Table 6. Arterial Capacity Analysis 2014 No Build Traffic Conditions Table 7. Arterial Capacity Analysis 2014 Build Traffic Conditions Table 8. Number of Crashes by Type October 1, 2007 September 30, Table 9. Intersection Capacity Analysis 2014 No Build Conditions Table 10. Intersection Capacity Analysis 2014 Build Conditions LIST OF FIGURES Figure Project Site Map... 2 Figure Project Zoning Map... 3 Figure Existing Conditions... 4 Figure Background Traffic Figure No Build Traffic Conditions Figure Site Traffic Distribution Figure Site Traffic Assignement Figure Build Conditions Figure No Build Conditions Signal Warrant Analysis Figure Build Conditions Signal Warrant Analysis ii

4 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 1.0 INTRODUCTION The subject development is known as and is located on Dubose House Lane in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This report presents the traffic operations impacts of the proposed expansion of the existing Rizzo Conference Center. The existing Rizzo Conference center consists of 120 residential rooms and 20,000 square feet (sq. ft.) of executive education center classrooms. The proposed expansion would add 72 residential rooms and 42,313 sq. ft. of executive education center classrooms. The expansion site would be accessed through the existing parking lot and driveway. The proposed expansion would be built by 2013 and the build analysis year for this report is 2014, one year after the expansion is complete. Figure 1 shows the site plan of the proposed expansion. 1.1 Project Overview The plan proposes to add 72 residential rooms and 42,313 sq. ft. of executive education center classrooms to the existing Rizzo Conference Center. The project is expected to be complete by The site is located in the Residential (R-5-C) zoning district, as indicated in the Town of Chapel Hill zoning map (see Figure 2). 1.2 Site Location and Study Area To determine the traffic impacts of the proposed site development on nearby roadways, traffic flow conditions were analyzed along Dubose House Lane and at the following three intersections: Meadowmont Lane/Friday Center Drive at Raleigh Road (NC 54) Meadowmont Lane at Barbee Chapel Road Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane 1.3 Existing and Proposed Uses in Site Vicinity The proposed project would be an expansion of the existing Rizzo Conference Center. The site proposed for this expansion is surrounded by other amenities of existing conference center and would have direct access to Meadowmont Lane via Dubose House Lane. 1.4 Existing and Committed Surface Transportation Network The transportation network serving the project site and the surrounding area includes Meadowmont Lane, Raleigh Road (NC 54), Barbee Chapel Road, and Dubose House Lane. Figure 3 shows the existing lane configuration and traffic-control (traffic signal or stop sign) at each of the intersections analyzed for this study. Meadowmont Lane is a two/four lane, two-way, north-south collector street which is the main access roadway between the conference center and Raleigh Road (NC 54). To the south of its intersection with Dubose House Lane, this roadway has four-lanes and to the north, Meadowmont Lane has two-lanes. On street parking is permitted along this roadway only to the north of its intersection with Dubose House Lane. The posted speed limit on Meadowmont Lane is 25 miles per hour (mph). A brief description other study area roads and its intersection with Meadowmont Lane is provided in the following section of this report. 1

5 NTS RIZZO CONFERENCE CENTER EXPANSION TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS CHAPEL HILL, NC PROJECT SITE PLAN FIGURE 1 2

6 E RD SIMERVILL RIZZO CONFERENCE ^ R-1 MEADOMONT LN CENTER EXPANSION DUBOSE HOU SE LANE LEGEND EDAR LN GREEN C Zoning MU-R-1 NC SPRUNT ST NC-C OI-2 R-5-C R-1 R-2 R-4 R-5-C Streets MU-R-1 " BA " 54 RBE E CH R-1 FRIDAY CENTER DR OI-2 LEI G HR D AP E L RD RA R-1 NC NC-C R-2 R-4 0 RIZZO CONFERENCE CENTER EXPANSION TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL 300 PROJECT LOCATION RS&H ARCHITECTS-ENGINEERS-PLANNERS INC. CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA Architects -Engineers-Planners Inc. 3 FIGURE Feet

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8 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina Raleigh Road (NC 54) is a six-lane, east-west major arterial connecting the Town of Chapel Hill to I-40 to the east. The route has a posted speed limit of 45 mph. In the project vicinity, on street parking is prohibited along this roadway. At its intersection with Meadowmont Lane / Friday Center Drive, Raleigh Road (NC 54) has two exclusive left-turn lanes, three exclusive through lanes, and an exclusive rightturn lane in the eastbound and westbound approaches. Northbound Friday Center Drive has one exclusive left-turn lane, one through lane shared with left- and right-turning movements and one exclusive right-turn lane. Southbound Meadowmont Lane has two exclusive left-turn lanes, one Looking east on Raleigh Road (NC 54) exclusive through lane and one exclusive right-turn lane. This intersection is controlled by an actuated traffic signal. Barbee Chapel Road is a two-lane, east-west collector which loops around Meadowmont Lane and intersects twice with Raleigh Road. Barbee Chapel Road has a posted speed limit of 25 mph in the project vicinity. In the vicinity of the proposed project, on-street parking is prohibited on Barbee Chapel Road. At its intersection with Meadowmont Lane, Barbee Chapel Road has an exclusive left-turn lane and one through-lane shared with right-turning movements on both eastbound and westbound approaches. Meadowmont Lane has one exclusive left-turn lane, one through lane and one through lane with shared right-turning movements on both northbound and southbound approaches. This intersection is controlled by an actuated traffic signal. Dubose House Lane is a two-lane, east-west collector which provides access to and from the Rizzo Conference Center to Meadowmont Lane. Dubose House Lane has a speed limit of 25 mph and on-street parking is prohibited in the vicinity of the project. At its intersection with Meadowmont Lane, Dubose House Lane has one lane shared with left- and rightturning movements. Meadowmont Lane has one exclusive left-turn lane and one through lane in the southbound direction and one through lane and one through lane with shared right-turning movements in the northbound approach. Traffic along Dubose House Lane is controlled by a stop sign with free flow of traffic along Meadowmont Lane. On-street parking is permitted only to the north of intersection of Dubose House Lane and Meadowmont Lane. 5

9 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina Sidewalks Meadowmont Lane and Barbee Chapel Road have continuous sidewalks on both sides of the roadway. Dubose House Lane has sidewalk on northern side of the roadway beginning from its intersection with Meadowmont Lane to the parking lot near Rizzo Conference Center. A multi-modal path runs along Raleigh Road in the project vicinity, which includes a bike lane and sidewalk. Bicycle Lanes There are bicycle lanes or bicycle facilities along Raleigh Road, Barbee Chapel Road and Meadowmont Lane in the study area. Bike lane and Sidewalk on Raleigh Road (NC 54) Bus Routes Chapel Hill Transit operates the following bus routes through the study area: Routes G, V, S, HU, and FCX along Raleigh Road and Friday Center Drive Routes G and V along Meadowmont Lane and Barbee Chapel Road Also, the Triangle Transit Authority operates bus routes 800, 805, and CRX along Raleigh Road (NC 54) in the study area. Most of these routes serve the study area with 30 minute headways during the weekday peak periods with some routes serving the area in the weekday off-peak periods and weekends. The closest mid-block bus stop to Rizzo Conference Center is at the intersection of Meadowmont Lane and Barbee Chapel Road. 6

10 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS The Existing Conditions capacity analysis included peak hour arterial capacity analysis and peak hour intersection capacity analysis. 2.1 Peak Hour Arterial Capacity Analysis Arterial capacity analyses were performed for the following three segments: Raleigh Road (NC 54) between West Barbee Chapel Road and East Barbee Chapel Road Meadowmont Lane / Friday Center Drive between Marriott Way and Simerville Road Dubose House Lane east of Meadowmont Lane For Raleigh Road (NC 54) and Meadowmont Lane, arterial capacity analysis was performed using the peak hour traffic volumes per direction. For Dubose House Lane, this analysis was performed using the daily traffic volumes for both directions. These traffic volumes for the study roads were obtained from the traffic counts performed for this study. Using these traffic volumes and capacity thresholds for the respective roadway type obtained from Chapel Hill Traffic Impact Analysis Guidelines, volume-to-capacity ratios (V/C ratio) were calculated for the study area roads. The 2010 peak hour arterial capacity analysis indicates that the traffic demand on Meadowmont Lane and Dubose House Lane flows at a volume-to-capacity ratio of 0.15 or less throughout the day, a very good rate of flow. The traffic demand along both directions of Raleigh Road (NC 54) exceeds the roadway capacity limits (volume-to-capacity ratio of greater than 1.0) during at least one peak hour of the day, indicating a need for additional roadway improvements. Table 1 shows the results of the peak hour arterial capacity analysis for the 2010 Existing Conditions. Segment (Facility Type) Raleigh Road (Major Arterial) Meadowmont Lane (Minor Arterial) Dubose House Lane (Local Non- Residential) Direction of Travel No. of Lanes (both directions) Table 1. Arterial Capacity Analysis 2010 Existing Conditions Threshold Capacity* One-Way Traffic Volume AM Peak Mid-day Peak PM Peak AM Peak V/C Ratio Mid-day Peak Eastbound 2,400 1,481 1,390 2, Westbound 2,400 2,636 1,298 1, Northbound 1, Southbound 1, Two-way 2 2,500 (ADT) * For major and minor arterials, analysis was performed using hourly traffic volumes per direction; For Local Streets, analysis was performed using the daily traffic volumes for both directions. Source: Guidelines for Traffic Impact Analysis, Town of Chapel Hill, October, PM Peak 7

11 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2.2 Peak Hour Intersection Capacity Analysis Peak hour intersection capacity analyses were performed for the following three intersections: Raleigh Road (NC 54) at Meadowmont Lane Meadowmont Lane at Barbee Chapel Road Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane Because the highest traffic demand on area roads usually occurs during AM and PM peak hours with an additional peak hour due to lunch-time traffic, traffic was analyzed for the following time periods: between 7:00 and 9:00 AM, 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM, and 4:00 and 6:00 PM Traffic counts were conducted on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at the study intersections. The peak hour is defined as the highest four continuous 15-minute traffic counts. Based on the traffic counts collected for the above three intersections, the peak hours for the analysis are taken as follows: Meadowmont Lane at Barbee Chapel Road and Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane: 7:15 AM 8:15 AM; 12:15 PM 1:15 PM; and 5:00 PM 6:00 PM Raleigh Road (NC 54) at Meadowmont Lane: 7:30 AM 8:30 AM; 12:00 PM 1:00 PM; and 4:45 PM 5:45 PM Figure 3 shows the 2010 intersection turning-movement counts for the weekday AM, Mid-day, and PM peak hours. Raleigh Road (NC 54) at Meadowmont Lane: At the intersection of Raleigh Road and Meadowmont Lane, the signalized intersection capacity analysis indicates that the intersection as a whole functions at Level of Service E (approaching the capacity limits) during the AM peak hour and Level of Service C or D during the mid-day and PM peak hours. Left-turn movements along all approaches function at Level of Service E (at the capacity limits) during all three peak hours analyzed in this study. In addition, the westbound left-turn movement has significantly high traffic demand during the AM peak hour (almost 700 vehicles per hour) and hence the capacity of this movement exceeds the roadway capacity limits, indicating a need for roadway improvements. Meadowmont Lane at Barbee Chapel Road: At the intersection of Meadowmont Lane a Barbee Chapel Road, the signalized intersection capacity analysis indicates that all approaches and the whole intersection function without delay at Level of Service of A. Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane: At the intersection of Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane, the unsignalized intersection capacity analysis indicates that all the turning movements at stop conditions would flow at Level of Service B or better throughout the day, a very good rate of flow. Table 2 summarizes the intersection capacity analyses for the 2010 Existing Conditions. 8

12 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina Table 2. Intersection Capacity Analysis 2010 Existing Traffic Conditions Intersection Raleigh Road (NC 54) at Meadowmont Lane (Signalized Intersection) Meadowmont Lane at Barbee Chapel Road (Signalized Intersection) Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane (Unsignalized Intersection) Traffic Movement AM Level of Service Midday AM PM V/C Ratio Midday Overall Intersection E C D N/A N/A N/A Eastbound Westbound Northbound Southbound PM L E E E T B C D R A A A L F D E T B B C R A A A L E E E LTR E D D R B A C L E E E T E E E R A A B Overall Intersection A A A N/A N/A N/A Eastbound Westbound Northbound Southbound L A A A TR A A A L A A A TR A A A L A A A TR A A A L A A A TR A A A Westbound LR B A A Southbound L A A A N/A - Not Applicable 9

13 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 3.0 FUTURE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS WITHOUT PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT Future traffic flow conditions without the proposed are analyzed to provide a benchmark from which the effects of the proposed project s traffic can be measured. This scenario is called the No Build Conditions. The future analysis year is projected to be 2014: one year after the conference center expansion is expected to be completed and fully occupied. The No Build Conditions traffic projections include traffic generated by all other development projects in the area that are already approved but not yet built. The Town of Chapel Hill identified four off-site development projects that should be included in this analysis: Aydan Court Condominiums Gateway Bank Development UNC Clinical Hospitals Development Murray Hill Development The Aydan Court Condominiums is a new development project located on Raleigh Road (NC 54) near Little John Road. This development would consist of 100 condominiums/townhouses with 146 proposed parking spaces (outdoor and indoor lots) and 24 bicycle parking spaces. The UNC Clinical Hospitals Development is located along the southern side of NC 54 between Finley Golf Course and Hamilton Road, west of Meadowmont Lane. The Gateway Bank Development is located on the southern side of Raleigh Road (NC 54) between Friday Center Drive and Barbee Chapel Road. The Murray Hill Development is a new development project located in the northwest quadrant of the intersection of Meadowmont Lane at Sprunt Street, south of Dubose House Lane. The development consists of 15 multi-family homes. No other development that have been approved but not yet built in Chapel Hill has been identified that would affect traffic flow in the site vicinity. 10

14 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 3.1 Background Traffic The No Build or background traffic assignment is a two-step process. First, the 2010 existing traffic on area roads was increased by a growth rate of two percent per year for four years to obtain future background traffic volumes 1. Second, traffic generated by other development projects that have not yet been completed was added to the background traffic. Traffic for the approved development projects is estimated as follows. Trip Generation: The AM, Mid-day, and PM traffic generation for the Aydan Court Condominiums was obtained directly the Traffic Impact Analysis report 2. The peak hour traffic generation for Gateway Bank Development and UNC Clinical Hospitals was obtained from the Appendix C of the Aydan Court Condominiums Traffic Impact Analysis Report. The trip generation for Murray Hill was performed based on the information provided by Town of Chapel Hill. The trips generated by each of these developments are shown in Table 3. Table 4 illustrates the total number of trips to be generated by these developments. Trip Distribution: The traffic distribution for Aydan Court Condominiums, Gateway Bank and UNC Clinical Hospitals development was obtained from the sources mentioned in the trip generation section. Murray Hill Development which was distributed based on existing traffic patterns. Modal Split: Although there are bus routes on Raleigh Rd (NC 54), Barbee Chapel Road, and Meadowmont Lane / Friday Center Drive, this study conservatively assumes that all site travel is via auto. Any transit travel generated by other development projects would decrease the number of auto trips and improve the traffic conditions projected by this study. Trip Assignment: Off-site traffic is assigned to area roads using the trip distribution described in the traffic studies cited above. The trip assignments traffic diagrams for all the above mentioned developments is attached in the technical appendix - Trip Assignment for Other Developments. Figure 5 illustrates the No Build traffic conditions. 1 The background traffic growth rate was obtained from the Town of Chapel Hill Traffic Engineering Office. 2 Aydan Court Condiminiums,HNTB,September

15 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina Table 3. Trip Generation Other Development Projects Weekday (veh. per day) AM Peak Hour (veh. per hour) Mid-day Peak Hour (veh. per hour) PM Peak Hour (veh. per hour) Land Use Size Inbound Outbound Inbound Outbound Inbound Outbound Inbound Outbound Aydan Court Condiminiums 100 Condominiums/Townhouses and 146 Parking Spaces (Outdoor & Indoor) Gateway Bank Development UNC Clinical Hospitals Development Murray Hill Development NA* NA* NA* NA* NA* NA* Multi-Family Homes *NA- Not Available Source: - Aydan Court Condiminiums,HNTB,September Gatebank Bank Development, Appendix C,Aydan Court Development, HNTB, September UNC Clinical Hospitals Developments, Appendix C,Aydan Court Development, HNTB, September Murray Hill Development, No Traffic Impact Analysis was performed by Town of Chapel Hill. Trip Generation, Distribution and Assignment were performed by RS&H based on the land use data given by Town of Chapel Hill. 12

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18 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 4.0 PROPOSED PROJECT TRAFFIC The proposed development would add 72 residential rooms and 42,313 square feet (sq. ft.) of executive education center classrooms. The expansion site would be accessed through the existing parking lot and driveway. Trip Generation: ITE Trip Generation Manual 8 th Edition does not have a trip rate or equation for a land use such as Rizzo Conference Center which is a combination of residential rooms and executive education center classrooms. Therefore, in order to determine the additional trips that will be generated by the proposed development the following procedure was adopted. Currently Rizzo Conference Center has 120 residential rooms and 20,000 sq. ft. executive education center classrooms. The current number of trips generated by the existing Rizzo Conference Center were obtained from the mainline counts on Dubose House Lane. The mainline traffic counts were performed from 11:00 AM, Monday October 25, 2010 to 11:00 AM, Thursday October 28, Based on activity list obtained from Rizzo Conference Center for these days, it was determined that Tuesday had 95% occupancy and the total number of trips on this day were counted as 379 vehicles. Using this information, the number of trips for the proposed expansion of the Rizzo Conference Center were estimated as an additional 479 trips per day. This study assumes that ten percent of the daily trips (48 vehicles) would occur during each of the three peak hours analyzed in this study. The inbound/outbound (enter/exit) split for each peak hour was obtained from Hotel (Code 310) land use of ITE Trip Generation Manual 3. Table 5 shows the trip rates and the number of trips generated and added to the roadway network by the proposed. Paul Rizzo Conference Center on Meadowmont Lane Loudermilk Hall one of the buildings in Rizzo Conference Center 3 Trip Generation published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), 8 th Edition, Washington, D.C.,

19 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina Table 4. Site Trip Generation Time Period Size & Land Use % of Traffic Inbound % of Traffic Outbound Trips (vehicles per hour) Inbound Outbound Total Weekday 72 Residential 50% 50% Rooms & 42,313 sq. AM Peak Hour 61% 39% ft. of Executive Mid-day Peak Hour Education Center 50% 50% PM Peak Hour Classrooms 53% 47% Adjustments to Trip Generation Rates Pass-by Trips: There is no adjustment for pass-by trips for the proposed site land use. Internal Capture: There is no adjustment for internal capture for the proposed site land use. Modal Split: The site is presently served by transit on Raleigh Road (NC 54), Barbee Chapel Road and Meadowmont Lane / Friday Center Drive. However, to present a conservative approach, this study assumes that all site travel is via auto. Trip Generation Budget: As the proposed development will be completed in a single phase, no trip generation budget is used. Trip Distribution: The additional site traffic was distributed to area roads on the basis of current travel patterns developed from the traffic counts in the study area. Figure 6 shows the site traffic distribution for the. Trip Assignment: The additional site traffic is assigned to area roads using the trip distribution. Figure 7 illustrates the site traffic assignment with traffic generated from the proposed Rizzo Conference Center Expansion. 16

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22 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 5.0 FUTURE TRAFFIC FORECASTS WITH THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT To obtain future traffic volumes with the proposed construction of, new traffic generated by the development is added to the No Build or future traffic conditions without the new development traffic volumes. Figure 8 illustrates the total traffic volumes with the proposed construction of for the year Looking north on Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane Paul Rizzo Conference Center sign on Dubose House Lane 19

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24 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 6.0 PROJECT IMPACTS Traffic flow through an intersection is affected by the volume of traffic, by the intersection geometry and by the traffic control device. These intersection-specific characteristics are used to define two measures of congestion: the average vehicle delay time and the Level of Service (LOS). At intersections with signals, six levels of service -- from A to F -- are related to vehicle delay, with Level of Service A representing no congestion; Level of Service E representing long delays; and Level of Service F representing excessive delays with vehicles having to wait several signal cycles to clear an intersection. Table 5 summarizes the Level of Service criteria. Table 5. Intersection Level of Service Criteria Level of Service Mean Delay Time per Vehicle (seconds) With Signal Without Signal Description A Less than 10 Less than 10 Little or no delay B 10 to to 15 Short traffic delays C 20 to to 25 Average traffic delays D 35 to to 35 Longer but acceptable delays E 55 to to 50 Very long traffic delays F More than 80.0 More than 50 Unacceptably long traffic delays Source: Highway Capacity Manual, Special Report 209, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., At intersections with signals, while Level of Service is related to capacity, and the volume-to-capacity (V/C) ratio is one of the parameters used in calculating Level of Service, the relationship is not a simple one. Signal cycle lengths, the quality of vehicle progression through adjacent intersections with signals and green signal time can affect the levels of service without varying the V/C ratio. It is possible therefore, to have an intersection operating with a V/C ratio of 1.0 (i.e. capacity), while maintaining relatively low average delay times because of efficient intersection operating conditions, i.e., orderly progression, short cycle length, etc. Similarly, poor operating conditions could result in Level of Service F (i.e. long delays to traffic) with V/C ratios considerably below 1.0 (capacity). Therefore, the designation of Level of Service F does not automatically imply that the intersection, approach, or lane group is overloaded, nor does a Level of Service in the A to E range automatically imply that the intersection is operating efficiently. At intersections without signals, Level of Service is evaluated for left-turning traffic from the main road and for all traffic on the minor street. It should be noted that the unsignalized intersection capacity analysis is extremely conservative. That is, if traffic on an approach is predicted to flow at Level of Service F (over capacity), then the intersection should be monitored to determine if a traffic signal on other intersection improvements are needed. In some cases, gaps in the traffic stream created by upstream and downstream signals will enable traffic at nearby unsignalized intersections to flow with little or no delay. This may not be reflected in the technical analysis. 21

25 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina The following factors have been used in the intersection capacity analyses: Ideal saturation flow rate is 1,900 passenger cars per hour per lane (PCPH). Peak hour factor is 0.90 for uncongested intersections, and increases to 0.95 as an intersection becomes congested. 6.1 Peak Hour Arterial Capacity Analysis The 2014 No Build Conditions peak hour arterial capacity analysis indicates that the traffic demand on Meadowmont Lane and Dubose House Lane would flow at a volume-to-capacity ratio of 0.16 or less throughout the day, a very good rate of flow. The traffic demand along both directions of Raleigh Road (NC 54) would exceed the roadway capacity limits (V/C ratio of greater than 1.0) during at least one peak hour of the day, indicating a need for additional roadway improvements. The 2014 Build Conditions peak hour arterial capacity analysis indicates that the traffic demand on Meadowmont Lane would flow at a volume-to-capacity ratio of 0.35 or less throughout the day, a very good rate of flow, which is same as under the No Build Conditions. The traffic demand along Dubose House Lane would almost be doubled as a result of the proposed Rizzo Conference Center expansion. However, the traffic demand would flow at a volume-to-capacity ratio of 0.59 or less throughout the day, a good rate of flow. The traffic demand along both directions of Raleigh Road (NC 54) would continue to exceed the roadway capacity limits (V/C ratio of greater than 1.0) during at least one peak hour of the day, indicating a need for additional roadway improvements. Improvements along Raleigh Road would be required irrespective of the proposed development. Table 6 and Table 7 show the results of the peak hour arterial capacity analysis for the 2014 No Build and Build Conditions respectively. Table 6. Arterial Capacity Analysis 2014 No Build Traffic Conditions Segment (Facility Type) Raleigh Road (Major Arterial) Meadowmont Lane (Minor Arterial) Dubose House Lane (Local Non- Residential) Direction of Travel No. of Lanes (both directions) Threshold Capacity* One-Way Traffic Volume AM Peak Mid-day Peak PM Peak AM Peak V/C Ratio Mid-day Peak Eastbound 2,400 1,622 1,569 3, Westbound 2,400 2,890 1,457 1, Northbound 1, Southbound 1, Two-way 2 2,500 (ADT) PM Peak 22

26 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina Segment (Facility Type) Raleigh Road (Major Arterial) Meadowmont Lane (Minor Arterial) Dubose House Lane (Local Non- Residential) Direction of Travel No. of Lanes (both directions) Table 7. Arterial Capacity Analysis 2014 Build Traffic Conditions Threshold Capacity* One-Way Traffic Volume AM Peak Mid-day Peak PM Peak AM Peak V/C Ratio Mid-day Peak Eastbound 2,400 1,636 1,581 3, Westbound 2,400 2,905 1,469 2, Northbound 1, Southbound 1, Two-way 2 2,500 (ADT) * For major and minor arterials, analysis was performed using hourly traffic volumes per direction; Source: Guidelines for Traffic Impact Analysis, Town of Chapel Hill, October, PM Peak 6.2 Access Analysis The Rizzo Conference Center expansion site would be accessed through the existing driveway off of Dubose House Lane. No new driveways would be built as a part of this expansion. 6.3 Signal Warrant Analysis Signal warrant analysis was performed for the unsignalized intersections of Meadowmont Lane and Dubose House Lane for both the 2014 No Build and Build Conditions. Of the eight signal warrants described in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) 2010 edition, the following two warrants for which the required data was available were analyzed: Warrant 2 - Four-Hour Vehicular Volume; Warrant 3 - Peak Hour Vehicular Volume; A brief description of each of these warrants is given below. Warrant 2 Four-Hour Vehicular Volume: According to the MUTCD, the need for a traffic signal under the Four-Hour Vehicular Volume Warrant shall be considered if, during any four hours of an average day, the plotted points representing the vehicles per hour on the major street (total of both approaches) and corresponding vehicles per hour on the higher-volume minor-street approach (one-direction only) fall above the applicable curve representing the warrant threshold. Warrant 3 - Peak Hour: According to the MUTCD, the need for a traffic signal under the Peak Hour Warrant shall be considered if, for any one hour of an average day, the plotted points representing the vehicles per hour on the major street (total of both approaches) and the corresponding vehicles per hour on the higher-volume minor-street approach (one-direction only) fall above the applicable curve representing the warrant threshold. 23

27 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2014 No Build Conditions: Warrant 2 Four-Hour Vehicular Volume: As shown in Figure 9, zero points corresponding to the four hour counts available for this intersection fall above the four-hour vehicular volume curve. Based on this information, the conditions for Warrant 2 are not met. Warrant 3 Peak Hour: As shown in Figure 9, zero peak hour counts for this intersection fall above the peak-hour vehicular volume curve. Based on this information, the conditions for Warrant 3 are not met. Figure No Build Conditions Signal Warrant Analysis 24

28 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2014 Build Conditions: Warrant 2 Four-Hour Vehicular Volume: As shown in Figure 10, zero points corresponding to the four hour counts available for this intersection fall above the four-hour vehicular volume curve. Based on this information, the conditions for Warrant 2 are not met. Warrant 3 Peak Hour: As shown in Figure 10, zero peak hour counts for this intersection fall above the peak-hour vehicular volume curve. Based on this information, the conditions for Warrant 3 are not met. In Summary, traffic demand at the intersection of Meadowmont Lane and Dubose House Lane would not warrant traffic signals under both the 2014 No Build and Build Conditions. Figure Build Conditions Signal Warrant Analysis 25

29 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 6.4 Signal Phasing Analysis The intersections analyzed for this study have multi-phase signal controllers that can accommodate variations in traffic flow. 6.5 Crash Analysis Crash data were obtained from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for the 36- month period (3 years) from October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2010 for the locations most likely to be impacted by the proposed development. These locations include the segment of Meadowmont Lane between Raleigh Road (NC 54) and Simerville Road and the following three intersections: Raleigh Road (NC 54) at Meadowmont Lane Meadowmont Lane at Barbee Chapel Road Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane On Meadowmont Lane between Raleigh Road (NC 54) and Simerville Road, six crashes were reported during the three-year study period. Of these, five were angle/left/right-turning crashes and one was rear end crash. This low crash rate of two crashes per year indicates that there are no major safety concerns along Meadowmont Lane. During the three-year period, 13 crashes were reported at the intersection of Raleigh Road (NC 54) and Meadowmont Lane. Of these, two were angle/left-turn/right-turning crashes and 11 were rear end crashes. The possible causes of these crashes might be attributed to the congestion at the intersection. Also, the angle/left/right-turning crashes are likely the result of impatient drivers who misjudge the speed of oncoming traffic. Two crashes were reported at the intersection of Meadowmont Lane and Barbee Chapel Road. Both the crashes were involved angle maneuvers. This low crash rate of about one crashes per year indicates that there are no major safety concerns at this intersection. There were no crashes reported at the intersection of Meadowmont Lane and Dubose House Lane during the three-year period. Overall, the crash data shows that the travel conditions in the study area are relatively safe as of today. Table 8 presents the number of crashes by type in the study area. The additional traffic generated by the proposed project will have little effect on safety conditions in the study area. Table 8. Number of Crashes by Type October 1, 2007 September 30, 2010 Location TOTAL Rear-end Sideswipe Angle Other* Intersections Raleigh Road (NC 54) at Meadowmont Lane Meadowmont Lane at Barbee Chapel Road Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane Roadway Segments Meadowmont Lane between Raleigh Road (NC 54) and Simerville Road * Other crashes include crashes caused by side-swipe, running-off the road, collisions with animal, parked vehicle, head on, overturn, backing up, pedal cyclist or pedestrian. Source: Collision Data, North Carolina Department of Transportation from October 1, 2007 to September 30,

30 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 6.6 Progression Analysis The two signalized intersections in the study area are analyzed as isolated intersections; therefore no Progression Analysis was conducted as part of this study. 6.7 Peak Hour Intersection Capacity Analysis A comparison of the 2014 traffic flow conditions without the proposed project (the No Build Conditions) to the 2014 traffic flow conditions with the proposed project in place (the Build Conditions) determines the impacts of the proposed project on the surrounding roadway network No Build Conditions Raleigh Road (NC 54) at Meadowmont Lane: At the intersection of Raleigh Road and Meadowmont Lane, the signalized intersection capacity analysis indicates that the intersection as a whole would function at Level of Service E (approaching the capacity limits) during both the AM and PM peak hours and Level of Service C during the mid-day peak hour. Several left-turn movements and through movements would function at Level of Service E or F (approaching or exceeding the capacity limits) during at least one peak hour of the day, indicating a need for roadway improvements. Meadowmont Lane at Barbee Chapel Road: At the intersection of Meadowmont Lane and Barbee Chapel Road, the signalized intersection capacity analysis indicates that all approaches and the whole intersection would function without any delay (LOS A) during the peak hours. Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane: At the intersection of Meadowmont Lane and Dubose House Lane, the unsignalized intersection capacity analysis indicates that all the turning movements at stop conditions would flow at Level of Service B or better throughout the day, a very good rate of flow. In summary, the 2014 No Build traffic flow conditions would be similar to the 2010 Existing traffic flow conditions. The intersection capacity analyses for the 2014 No Build Conditions are summarized in Table 9. 27

31 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina Table 9. Intersection Capacity Analysis 2014 No Build Conditions Intersection Raleigh Road (NC 54) at Meadowmont Lane (Signalized Intersection) Meadowmont Lane at Barbee Chapel Road (Signalized Intersection) Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane (Unsignalized Intersection) Traffic Movement AM Level of Service Midday AM PM V/C Ratio Midday Overall Intersection E C E N/A N/A N/A Eastbound Westbound Northbound Southbound PM L E E E T B C F R A A A L F D E T C B C R A A A L E E E LTR E D E R A A C L E E E T E E E R A A B Overall Intersection A A A N/A N/A N/A Eastbound Westbound Northbound Southbound L A A A TR A A A L A A A TR A A A L A A A TR A A A L A A A TR A A A Westbound LR B A A Southbound L A A A N/A Not Applicable 28

32 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2014 Build Conditions Raleigh Road (NC 54) at Meadowmont Lane: At the intersection of Raleigh Road and Meadowmont Lane, the signalized intersection capacity analysis indicates that the intersection as a whole would function at Level of Service E (approaching the capacity limits) during both the AM and PM peak hours and Level of Service C during the mid-day peak hour. Several left-turn movements and through movements would function at Level of Service E or F (approaching or exceeding the capacity limits) during at least one peak hour of the day, same as under the No Build Conditions. Meadowmont Lane at Barbee Chapel Road: At the intersection of Meadowmont Lane and Barbee Chapel Road, the signalized intersection capacity analysis indicates that all approaches and the whole intersection would function without any delay (LOS A) during the peak hours which is similar to the 2014 No Build traffic flow conditions. Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane: At the intersection of Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane, the unsignalized intersection capacity analysis indicates that all the turning movements at stop conditions would flow at Level of Service B or better throughout the day, a very good rate of flow, which is similar to the 2014 No Build traffic flow conditions. In summary, the proposed would have minimal impact on the traffic flow conditions. The intersection of Raleigh Road/Meadowmont Lane would require roadway improvements irrespective of the proposed development. The intersection capacity analyses for the 2014 Build Conditions are summarized in Table Turn Lane Storage Requirements The capacity analysis indicates that no separate left-turn lanes or additional storage lengths will be necessary at any of the intersections analyzed for this study. 6.9 Sight Distance Analysis At the intersection of Meadowmont Lane and Dubose House Lane, the required intersection sight distance is 240 feet for right-turns from a stopped position and 280 feet for left-turns from a stopped position. According to the proposed site plan and the existing conditions at the intersection, there would be no obstructions blocking the driver s view of potentially conflicting vehicles Appropriateness of Acceleration or Deceleration Lanes The speed limit on Meadowmont Lane and Dubose House Lane, the roadways which would provide the access/egress to the existing or proposed development, is low (25 miles per hour) indicating that there is no need for acceleration/ deceleration lanes along Meadowmont Lane or Dubose House Lane. 29

33 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina Table 10. Intersection Capacity Analysis 2014 Build Conditions Intersection Raleigh Road (NC 54) at Meadowmont Lane (Signalized Intersection) Meadowmont Lane at Barbee Chapel Road (Signalized Intersection) Meadowmont Lane at Dubose House Lane (Unsignalized Intersection) Traffic Movement AM Level of Service Midday AM PM V/C Ratio Midday Overall Intersection E C E N/A N/A N/A Eastbound Westbound Northbound Southbound PM L E E E T B C F R A A A L F D E T C C C R A A A L E E E LTR E D E R A A C L E E E T E E E R A A B Overall Intersection A A A N/A N/A N/A Eastbound Westbound Northbound Southbound L A A A TR A A A L A A A TR A A A L A A A TR A A A L A A A TR A A A Westbound LR B A A Southbound L A A A N/A Not Applicable 30

34 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 6.11 Pedestrian and Bicycle Analysis Meadowmont Lane and Barbee Chapel Road have sidewalks and bikes lanes on both sides of the roadway. Raleigh Road (NC 54), major arterial in the study area has a separate bike/pedestrian path running parallel to the roadway. Dubose House Lane which provides direct access to the expanded Rizzo Conference Center is already connected by sidewalk on one side of this road. Both signalized intersections in the study area have a pedestrian signal phase Public Transportation Analysis Chapel Hill Transit operates the following bus routes through the study area: Routes G, V, S, HU, and FCX along Raleigh Road (NC 54) and Friday Center Drive Routes G and V along Meadowmont Lane and Barbee Chapel Road Also, the Triangle Transit Authority operates bus routes 800, 805, and CRX along Raleigh Road (NC 54) in the study area. Bus Stop at the intersection of No bus stop will be added as part of this project. Barbee Chapel Road / Meadowmont Lane There are no bus stops at the intersection of Meadowmont Lane and Dubose House Lane. The closest mid-block bus stop to Rizzo Conference Center is at the intersection of Meadowmont Lane and Barbee Chapel Road. The proposed expansion would add less than 50 trips in each peak hour. This minimal increase in traffic demand in the study area does not warrant any additional transit routes or bus stops Special Analysis/Issues No special issues were identified for analysis. 31

35 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 7.0 MITIGATION MEASURES/ RECOMMENDATIONS Roadway improvements are divided into four categories: improvements already planned by the Town or the North Carolina Department of Transportation, those required regardless of development at the proposed site, improvements proposed as part of the site development, and any additional improvements required as a result of site development. 7.1 Planned Improvements There are no planned improvements to roadways in the study area. 7.2 Background Committed Improvements No other roadway improvements that directly impact this analysis are committed by other development projects in the area. 7.3 Applicant Committed Improvements The Rizzo Conference Center expansion site would be accessed through the existing parking lot and driveway. 7.4 Recommended Improvements The proposed would generate 479 trips per day. As a result of this development, the traffic on Dubose House Lane would almost be doubled. However, this development would add less than 50 vehicles during the peak hours of the day and would have minimal effect on the travel conditions of the surrounding roads in the study area. The arterial and intersection capacity analysis also indicated that this development would have minimal effects on the study area roads. The crash analysis indicated that the current travel conditions are relatively safe in the study area. The traffic demand at the intersection of Raleigh Road/Meadowmont Lane exceeds roadway capacity limits under the existing and future conditions. This intersection would require roadway improvements irrespective of the proposed development. Therefore, no improvements are recommended to any roadways in the study area. 32

36 Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina 8.0 TECHNICAL APPENDIX Traffic Count Data Intersection Capacity Analysis Worksheets Trip Assignment for Other Developments Crash Data 33

37 Traffic Count Data Traffic Impact Analysis Chapel Hill, North Carolina

38 Mulkey, Inc Tryon Rd. Cary, NC Page 1 Site Code: Station ID: Dubose Home Lane Eastbound Latitude: 0' Undefined Start Cars & 2 Axle 2 Axle 3 Axle 4 Axle <5 Axl 5 Axle >6 Axl <6 Axl 6 Axle >6 Axl Not Time Bikes Trailer Long Buses 6 Tire Single Single Double Double Double Multi Multi Multi Classe Total 10/25/10 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 01:00 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 02:00 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 03:00 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 04:00 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 05:00 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 06:00 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 07:00 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 08:00 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 09:00 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 10:00 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 11: PM : : : : : : : : : : : Total Percent 0.0% 90.1% 8.4% 0.0% 1.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% AM Peak 11:00 11:00 11:00 Vol PM Peak 14:00 15:00 12:00 14:00 Vol

39 Mulkey, Inc Tryon Rd. Cary, NC Page 2 Site Code: Station ID: Dubose Home Lane Eastbound Latitude: 0' Undefined Start Cars & 2 Axle 2 Axle 3 Axle 4 Axle <5 Axl 5 Axle >6 Axl <6 Axl 6 Axle >6 Axl Not Time Bikes Trailer Long Buses 6 Tire Single Single Double Double Double Multi Multi Multi Classe Total 10/26/ : : : : : : : : : : : PM : : : : : : : : : : : Total Percent 0.0% 90.4% 6.9% 0.0% 2.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% AM Peak 07:00 11:00 05:00 07:00 Vol PM Peak 14:00 15:00 12:00 14:00 Vol