AGENDA #7b

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W.  Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Report on the Proposed Mobility Report Card

 

DATE:             June 11, 2001

 

This report reviews elements of the proposed Mobility Report Card. The attached resolution would authorize the Manager to contract with LSA Associates, Inc. for preparation of a Mobility Report Card.

 

BACKGROUND

 

On March 24, 1999, the Town Council held a work session with Ray Moe of Balloffet Associates to discuss the Town’s transportation policies, including procedures and requirements for traffic impact studies for new development and the preparation of a mobility report card.

 

On July 7, 1999, the Council received a summary report with recommendations from Mr. Moe on a variety of transportation related topics including suggested guidelines for improving traffic impact analyses and information about the Mobility Report Card concept for assessing the Town’s transportation system through data collection/analysis.

 

On October 11, 1999 the Council reviewed additional information on several transportation issues and directed the Manager to negotiate a scope of services and cost for several studies, including a Mobility Report Card. (Attachment 1)

 

On January 8, 2001, the Council, as part of a discussion on changes to the Town’s transportation impact analysis guidelines the Council directed the Manager to request cost estimates from Mr. Ray Moe for preparation of a Mobility Report Card for Chapel Hill.

 

DISCUSSION

 

The preparation of a mobility report card would include the following tasks:

 

• Daily traffic counts along key arterials with the community.
• AM and PM Peak hour intersection turn movements counts and levels of service analysis of key intersections.
•  AM and PM peak and off-peak travel time and delay runs which determines the average time it takes to travel from one end of the City to another along various corridors and where are the key congestion points are within each corridor.
•  Inventory of miles of sidewalks and bicycle lanes
•  Bicycle and pedestrian counts at key locations
•  Annual and daily transit passenger summaries by total and route.

 

The 2000 Chapel Hill Comprehensive Plan includes a discussion of the need for a mobility report card. The Plan also includes an implementation strategy to prepare a periodic mobility survey to track the progress in achieving transportation goals and objectives. (See Strategy 10 F-1, page 107) The Action Plan sets the goal of completing an initial survey by December 31, 2001.

 

The data from the Mobility Report Card will be used to assess the existing condition of various elements of the Town’s transportation system. Subsequent surveys would be conducted, collecting data at the same locations. This new information would be compared to the baseline survey to determine what changes have occurred within the community.

 

LSA Associates has provided a scope of services to complete a Mobility Report Card.  (Attachment 2) LSA has provided two alternative budgets, reflecting a minimal effort and a more thorough effort.  The cost difference between the two efforts relates to differences in the number of survey locations and the types of data to be collected. The estimated cost of the minimal effort is approximately $34,550, while the more comprehensive survey would cost approximately $71,000.

 

We believe that a Mobility Report Card would be useful to the Council and community to assess the status of the Town’s transportation system and monitor changes in the system. We believe that the more detailed program, estimated to cost $71,000, would provide the most complete assessment of the Town’s transportation system. We recommend that the initial set of data be collected in the Fall of 2001. We anticipate coordinating with Town Advisory Boards to identify appropriate locations for data collection.

 

We note that the preliminary discussions with the University of North Carolina concerning the rezoning of the main campus have included an agreement by the University to collect transportation data in a manner that is very similar to the information proposed collection in the Mobility Report Card. By coordinating the efforts of the University with the Town’s Mobility Report Card we believe that we can complete a much more detailed evaluation of the Town’s transportation system. It is anticipated that the University would update their information every two years. We anticipate that the Town’s Mobility Report Card would be updated every 2-3 years.

 

We propose to request Surface Transportation Program Direct Allocation funding from the Transportation Advisory Committee for this project.  Direct Allocation funds would be used to fund 80% ($56,800). We propose that the 20% ($14,200) would be provided from fund balance.  We believe that we can secure the Direct Allocation funding in August, 2001.

 

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Manager’s Recommendation:  That the Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the Manager to enter into a contract with LSA, Associates to complete a Mobility Report Card.

 

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.                  October 11, 1999 Council Memorandum (begin new page 1).

2.                  LSA Proposal (p.19).

 

 

 

A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE TOWN MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. TO COMPLETE A  MOBILITY REPORT CARD(2001-06-11/R-14)

 

WHEREAS, the Chapel Hill 2000 Comprehensive Plan includes a recommendation to complete a Town-wide mobility survey by December 31, 2001; and

 

WHEREAS, LSA Associates, Incorporated. has estimated the cost of performing a comprehensive mobility survey within the Town; and

 

WHEREAS, the Town Council desires to have an initial mobility survey performed before the end of 2001;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council directs the Manager enter into a contract with LSA Associates, Incorporated, to complete the proposed comprehensive Mobility Survey at a cost not to exceed of $71,000.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Council directs the Manager to request reallocation of Surface Transportation Direct Allocation Funds for this project and prepare a budget amendment for the local match.

 

This the 11^th day of June, 2001.