3b-6 | Comprehensive Traffic Analysis: Woodmont and Aydan Court

ATTTACHMENT 6

Staff Analysis

Comprehensive Traffic Impact Analysis

Woodmont and Aydan Court Developments

The Woodmont development application is one of two current applications along the easternmost edge of the NC 54 Corridor (in Chapel Hill’s zoning jurisdiction) – the other being Aydan Court. Because of concern about the combined impacts of the two developments on traffic in the corridor, an analysis has been created, which combines the findings of each Traffic Impact Analysis (it should be noted that each Traffic Impact Analysis includes the other development in background traffic).

Traffic Impact Analyses (TIA) for the proposed Woodmont and Aydan Court developments were prepared by the Town Consultants in 2007 in accordance with the Town TIA guidelines and procedures. Aydan Court TIA was revised in February 2008. Copies of the executive summaries of the TIAs are attached to this memorandum.

The proposed Woodmont development will consist of 480,200 square feet of office space and 60 residential condominium units with an anticipated full build-out year of 2017 and analysis year of 2018. The development proposes construction in three phases. Phase One, expected for completion in 2009, is proposed to consist of 91,500 square feet of office space and 60 residential condominium units. Phase Two, expected for completion 2012, is proposed to consist of an additional 96,300 square feet of office space. Phase Three, expected for completion in 2017, is proposed to consist of an additional 292,400 square feet of office space. The proposed development is projected to generate 4,882 daily trips consisting of 592 AM peak hour and 656 PM peak hour site trips.

The proposed Aydan Court development will consist of 59 residential condominiums/townhomes with an anticipation build-out year of 2010 and analysis year 2011. The proposed development is projected to generate 346 daily trips consisting of 26 AM peak hour and 31 PM peak hour trips.

The trip generations for the both developments are provided below in a table format:

Development	Daily Trips	AM Peak Trips	PM Peak Trips
Woodmont	4,882	592	656
Aydan Court	346	26	31
Trip generation is based on ITE Trip generation Manual, 7^th Edition Noon peak is assumed to be the pm peak trips or average of am and pm peak trips.

The following intersections were analyzed for existing conditions, future conditions with no site traffic, and future conditions with site traffic:

Woodmont Development-Analyzed Intersections:

1) NC 54 and Hamilton Road - Signalized

2) NC 54 and Finley Golf Course Road/Burning Tree Drive – Signalized

3) NC 54 and West Barbee Chapel Road – Signalized

4) NC 54 and Meadowmont Lane/Friday Center Drive – Signalized

5) NC 54 and Barbee Chapel Road – Signalized

6) NC 54 and Hunting Ridge Road – Signalized

7) NC 54 and Farrington Road/Watkins Road – Signalized

8) NC 54 and I-40 Eastbound On/Off Ramps – Signalized

9) NC 54 and I-40 Westbound On/Off Ramps – Signalized

10) NC 54 and Downing Creek Parkway –Unsignalized

11) NC 54 and Little John Road – Unsignalized

12) Barbee Chapel Road and Stancell Drive – Unsignalized

13) Barbee Chapel Road and Finley Forest Drive – Unsignalized

14) East Barbee Chapel Road and Meadowmont Lane – Signalized

15) NC 54/Stancell Drive and Site Access – (Proposed Signalized)

Aydan Court Development-Analyzed Intersections:

1) NC 54 and Barbee Chapel Road – Signalized

2) NC 54 and Hunting Ridge Road – Signalized

3) NC 54 and Little John Road – Unsignalized

4) NC 54 and Site Driveway – Unsignalized

Traffic generated by the following approved or planned developments are included as background developments for both analyses:

54 East, UNC Hospital Clinic Facility, Gateway Bank, and Belvedere (aka Aydan Court).

Results of Aydan Court development TIA analysis indicated that there are no off-site mitigation site-related improvements are required. However, results of the Woodmont development TIA analysis indicated that some roadway mitigation measures required to address the site-developed trips. In both developments cases, there are number of significant improvements required at several signalized intersections. Also, to mitigate overall traffic growth along NC 54 corridor in the study area, an additional through travel lane will need to be constructed between Barbee Chapel Road and Farrington Road.

Results of capacity analysis for the existing and future conditions indicates that all signalized intersection studies currently operates at an overall LOS C or better with the exception of NC 54/Barbee Chapel Road and NC 54/Farrington Road. NC 54 and Barbee Chapel Road found to be operating at LOS E during AM and PM peak hour. NC 54 and Farrington Road found to be operating at LOS E or F during AM and PM peak hours. We make a note that recently the Town and NCDOT revised signal phasing and pavement markings on Barbee Chapel Road and NC 54 which now operating at Level of Service D or better in all peak hours.

The proposed developments request several changes to the median opening on NC 54 with their respective entrances and N.C. Department of Transportation Durham Office approved the following changes to the median openings on NC 54 subject to the final approval by the State Traffic Engineer.

· Median opening on NC 54 with a leftover at the main entrance to Woodmont development. The Town recommends that a traffic signal with pedestrian and bicycle amenities be installed at this intersection.

· Close the median opening on NC 54 at Little John Road.

· Median opening with leftover on NC 54 at Downing Creek Road

Please see the TIA executive summaries for more information on the analysis results. The Town met with staff from NCDOT and City of Durham and discussed the details of TIA findings and recommendations. The Town staff recommends the following roadway improvements and they are included in the Resolutions for the respective developments.

Recommended Roadway Improvements for Aydan Court

1) Close the median opening at NC 54 and Little John Road and construct a leftover at Downing Creek Parkway. In addition, construct an exclusive left-turn lane with 200 feet of storage and appropriate taper.

2) Construct an exclusive right-turn lane with a minimum of 100 feet of storage and appropriate taper.

3) Construct a two-lane cross-section consisting of one ingress and one egress lane providing a right-in/right-out movement only.

Recommended Roadway Improvements for Woodmont

Phase One Roadway Improvements:

1. Prior to a Zoning Compliance Permit for the first phase, provide a payment-in-lieu of $5,000 to review and revise the traffic signal timing plans at the following intersections:

· NC 54/Barbee Chapel Road/E. Barbee Chapel Road

· NC 54/Meadowmont Lane/Friday Drive

· NC 54/W. Barbee Chapel Road

· NC 54/Burning Tree Drive/Finley Golf Course Road

· NC 54/Hamilton Road

2. Barbee Chapel Road and Finley Forest Road/Site Entrance Intersection: Prior to the first Certificate of Occupancy for phase one:

· Construct a right turn lane with appropriate storage and taper on

northbound of Barbee Chapel Road.

· Construct a left turn lane with appropriate storage and appropriate taper on

southbound of Barbee Chapel Road.

· Improve the frontage for the above travel lanes and existing travel lanes

with standard 30 inch curb & gutter, 3 foot wide utility strip, 5 foot wide concrete sidewalk plus additional pavement width for a 5-feet bicycle lane.

· Construct a three (3) lane cross-section consisting of one ingress lane and

two egress lanes on westbound of Site Entrance. The egress lanes should consist of an exclusive right-turn lane and a combination through/left-turn lane.

The design and construction details of the above improvements must be reviewed and approved by the Town Manager and the North Carolina Department of Transportation prior to the issuance of a Zoning Compliance Permit.

3. Raleigh Road (NC 54) and Barbee Chapel Road Intersection: Prior to the first Certificate of Occupancy for phase one:

· Construct an additional exclusive left-turn lane with appropriate storage and taper on northbound of Barbee Chapel Road.

· Convert the existing through-right lane into exclusive through-left lane on northbound of Barbee Chapel Road.

· Construct an exclusive right-turn lane with appropriate storage and taper on northbound of Barbee Chapel Road.

· Upgrade the traffic signal to include the above roadway improvements with pedestrian amenities on all approaches with street imprinted crosswalks, countdown pedestrian heads, and bicycle activated loops.

4. Public Street through the Site connecting Barbee Chapel Road and Raleigh Road: The main internal street transecting the site must be a public street. Prior to the first Certificate of Occupancy for phase one, construct the proposed internal street to Town of Chapel Hill standard:

· With a 27 foot wide public street cross-section with standard 30 inch curb & gutter, 3 foot wide utility strip, 5 foot wide concrete sidewalk on both sides of the street, traffic calming, and dedication of a 45 foot wide right-of-way to the Town.

· The section from NC 54 to a point approximately 300 feet south shall be constructed as a 3 lane section.

· No angled parking is permitted.

· The distances between the driveways must be consistent with Town of Chapel Hill public street design.

Phase Two Roadway Improvements:

5. Prior to a Zoning Compliance Permit for the second phase, submit a payment-in-lieu for the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Barbee Chapel Road and the new street proposed as part of this development. The cost estimate should provide for the installation of mast arms and pedestrian signals. If a traffic signal is not warranted within five years after full build-out of the project, the payment will be returned to the applicant.

6. Little John Road: Prior to a Certificate of Occupancy for Phase two:

· Improve Little John Road frontage to Town Standard with 20 feet of strip asphalt paving and 4-foot wide shoulder, roadside ditch.

· Dedicate public right-of-way to a point eight feet behind the back of ditch.

· Provide payment-in-lieu for construction of sidewalk along the site frontage on Little John Road.

7. Raleigh Road (NC 54) and Site Entrance: Prior to a Certificate of Occupancy for the second phase:

· New crossover at this intersection is subject to the approval of N.C. Department of Transportation.

· If a crossover is approved by the N.C. Department of Transportation:

· Construct an exclusive left-turn lane with 300 feet of full storage and appropriate transitional taper on westbound NC 54. This recommendation is under the condition that both, the N.C. Department of Transportation and the Downing Creek Development approve of closing the median break at Little John Road and construction of a left-over type intersection at the Downing Creek Parkway and NC 54.

· Construct an exclusive right-turn lane with 200 feet of full storage and appropriate transitional taper

· Install a traffic signal with pedestrian amenities and bicycle activated loops. If a traffic signal is not approved by the N.C. Department of Transportation, a payment-in-lieu for the installation of a traffic signal. The cost estimate should provide for the installation of mast arms and pedestrian and bicycle amenities. If a traffic signal is not warranted within five years after full build-out of the project the payment will be returned to the applicant.

· Construct a three (3) lane cross-section consisting of one ingress lane and two egress lanes. The egress lanes should consist of an exclusive right-turn lane and an exclusive left-turn lane.

8. Raleigh Road (NC 54) and Meadowmont Lane/Friday Center Drive: Prior to the Certificate of Occupancy for the second phase, upgrade the traffic signal at this intersection to include pedestrian crosswalks and countdown heads crossing NC 54 and install bicycle activated loops. The design and construction details of the signal upgrades must be reviewed and approved by the Town Manager and the North Carolina Department of Transportation prior to the issuance of a Zoning Compliance Permit.

9. Stancell Road: Prior to the Certificate of Occupancy for the second phase, relocate Stancell Road to the south of the existing alignment with NC 54 and the Site Entrance (creating a “jug handle”) including dedication of necessary public right-of-way. This realignment will provide necessary separation between Stancell Road and the new NC 54 intersection that is proposed as part of this application. The design and construction details of the relocation of Stancell Road must be reviewed and approved by the Town Manager and the North Carolina Department of Transportation prior to the issuance of a Zoning Compliance Permit.