US 69 RELIEF ROUTE STUDY

Transcription

1 US 69 RELIEF ROUTE STUDY Jacksonville, Texas PUBLIC MEETING #2 May 29 th, 2018 Welcome to the public meeting for the US 69 Relief Route Study in Jacksonville. This is the second public meeting for this project, the first was held on February 22 nd of this year. This presentation will give a recap of the information that was presented at that first public meeting as well as a brief overview of the traffic analysis conducted since the last meeting. 1

2 STUDY AREA 2 This study is intended to determine the feasibility of a relief route for US 69 through Jacksonville. The study area for this project is shown here, and encompasses the city of Jacksonville. The study area is bounded by Craft on the south, Love s Lookout on the north, The approximate location of future Lake Columbia on the east, and Lake Jacksonville and County Road 3405 on the west 2

3 Purpose and Need NEED: US 69 is inadequate to meet current and future traffic volumes Increased travel times Reduced mobility Texas Highway Freight Network High crash rate Increased congestion and decline in efficiency during hurricane evacuations PURPOSE: Improve safety Enhance freight mobility Reduce travel time Increase mobility Improve the overall Level of Service Facilitate efficient hurricane evacuation 3 An early task for the project was the development of the purpose and need for a US 69 relief route. We found that US 69 is inadequate to meet the current and future traffic volumes. In the 200 miles between Tyler and Beaumont, there are 27 traffic signals on US 69 and almost a third of them, 8, are in Jacksonville. The most congested of these 8 intersections, at Loop 456, US 79 and SH 135, are operating with severe congestion The Jacksonville area is projected to have 30% population growth between 2010 to 2040, and traffic is expected to increase similarly. Additionally, US 69 is on the Texas Highway Freight Network and is expected to see an increase in truck traffic in the future In downtown Jacksonville, the crash rate along US 69 is up to 65% higher than statewide average. The purpose of the US 69 relief route will be to increase safety by reducing crashes, give truck traffic along US 69 an alternate route around Jacksonville, instead of forcing the trucks through downtown, reduce congestion through Jacksonville, and in turn reduce the travel time and increase mobility and make hurricane evacuation through Jacksonville more efficient. 3

4 TRAFFIC ANALYSIS - Traffic Patterns 4 As a part of the traffic analysis for the project, we wanted to find out where traffic was entering and exiting the Jacksonville area. To do this we set up gates at 7 locations on major roadways, shown here as blue dots. At each of these gates, we analyzed what vehicles came into, and left, the project area. This gave us insight into where traffic is headed through the Jacksonville area. The next slides will show the results of this analysis. 4

5 TRAFFIC ANALYSIS - Traffic Patterns US 69 Daily vehicles from the south 5 We counted nearly 8,000 vehicles per day that come into Jacksonville on US 69 from the south. The majority, 5,100 vehicles, continue straight through the City on US 69. This represents 65% of the traffic coming from the south. Other significant movements include vehicles that are continuing to go northwest on US 175, 1,400 vehicles and 600 headed east on US 79. Please note that these numbers account for all vehicles, that is, cars and trucks combined. 5

6 TRAFFIC ANALYSIS - Traffic Patterns US 69 Daily vehicles from the north 6 Of the over 8,000 vehicles that entered the area using US 69 from the north, again the majority of traffic, 5,500 vehicles, continue straight through Jacksonville on US 69. This represents 65% of the traffic coming from the north. Other significant movements include 650 vehicles going west on US 79 and 750 going east. 6

7 TRAFFIC ANALYSIS - Traffic Patterns US 79 Daily vehicles from the west 7 We counted over 5,000 vehicles per day entering the area on US 79 from the west. Of these, 3,200 vehicles continue through Jacksonville on US 79. This represents 60% of the traffic from the west. The other significant movement was 1,200 vehicles going north on US 69 7

8 TRAFFIC ANALYSIS - Traffic Patterns US 79 Daily vehicles from the east 8 Of the nearly 5,000 vehicles that enter the area on US 79 from the east, half of traffic, 2,400 vehicles, continue through Jacksonville on US 79 1,100 vehicles go north on US 69 and 700 vehicles go south 8

9 TRAFFIC ANALYSIS - Traffic Patterns US 175 Daily vehicles from the northwest 9 Finally, we measured 3,500 vehicles coming into the area using US 175 from the northwest. The majority of this traffic, 2,100 vehicles, goes south on US 69. This represents 60% of the traffic coming into Jacksonville on US vehicles go north on US 69 and 500 vehicles go east on US 79 9

10 TRAFFIC ANALYSIS Travel Time Relief Route Travel Time Comparison 10 As a part of the traffic analysis of the relief route alternative corridors, the team analyzed the time it would take to travel the length of the corridor, with and without a relief route. This analysis was done using traffic volumes projected for the year The map on the left shows the time it would take to travel south through the corridor, if no improvements are made. 18 minutes. The right side shows the travel time with a relief route in place. 11 minutes, for a total time savings of 7 minutes. The analysis showed similar results for northbound traffic, as well as a relief route on the west or east side of Jacksonville. 10

11 TRAFFIC ANALYSIS Truck Traffic Truck Traffic on Relief Route Western Alternatives 700 trucks ,050 trucks trucks No Improvements Relief Route Projection 11 For the next part of our traffic analysis, we looked at the number of trucks that would potentially use the relief route, and in doing so, reduce the number of trucks driving through downtown on US 69 Again looking at the projected traffic for 2040, the left side shows the total number of trucks, including both northbound and southbound traffic, that would be traveling through Jacksonville on US 69 if no relief route was built. If nothing is done we project 700 trucks per day using US 69 north of US 175, 1,050 trucks between US 175 and US 79, and 900 trucks south of US 79. If a relief was constructed on the western side of Jacksonville, our projections show that 575 trucks per day would use the relief route from US 69 to US 175, with 125 still using US 69 From US 175 to US 79, 950 trucks would use the relief route, leaving 100 trucks using US 69 And from US 79 to US 69 to the south, 875 trucks would use the relief route, leaving only 25 trucks per day on US

12 TRAFFIC ANALYSIS Truck Traffic Truck Traffic on Relief Route Eastern Alternatives trucks 125 1,050 trucks trucks 350 No Improvements Relief Route Projection 12 If a relief was constructed on the eastern side of Jacksonville, our projections show that 575 trucks per day would use the relief route from US 69 to US 79, with 125 still using US 69 From US 175 to US 79, 475 trucks would still use US 69 And from US 79 to US 69 to the south, 550 trucks would use the relief route, leaving 350 trucks per day on US

13 TRAFFIC ANALYSIS - Crash Rates % Above Statewide Avg Rate Statewide Avg Crash Rate crashes per 100 million vehicle miles % Above Statewide Avg Rate Source: TxDOT CRIS Crash rates in the US 69 corridor through Jacksonville exceed the statewide average rate for an urban 4-lane roadway of 377 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. The segment of US 69 from Tena St to US 79 averages 530 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles, 40% above the statewide average. From US 79 to SH 135, the crash rate goes up to 620 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles, which is 65% above the statewide average The other segments are at or below statewide average crash rate. 13

14 SCHEDULE 2018 Winter Spring Summer Present recommended Alternative Public Meeting #3 Summer 2018 Develop and analyze Potential alternatives Public Meeting #2 May 29 th, 2018 Data collection Purpose and Need Public Meeting #1 February 22 nd, 2018 Project kickoff (2017) 14 The US 69 Jacksonville relief route study started in At the start of the project the team began collecting available data and defining the purpose and need for the project. This information was presented at the first public meeting, held on February 22 nd, Following the first public meeting, the team developed route alternatives and began our analysis. We are here tonight to present these alternatives to you and gain your input. After tonight s meeting, the team will make revisions to the alternatives based on your input, and then complete our analysis. Later this summer, we will hold our third, and final, public meeting to present our findings and the recommended alternative. After that meeting we will produce a final report. The study is anticipated to be complete in the Fall of

15 US 69 RELIEF ROUTE STUDY Jacksonville, Texas PUBLIC MEETING #2 May 29 th, 2018 This concludes the presentation. Thank you for attending the US 69 Relief Route Study public meeting. In the main room, you will find maps with the alternative corridors and project team members that can answer your questions. Each of the tables in the main room has the same information on it, so please go to whichever table you prefer. Please remember that comments to the project can be made via comment card or . Have a safe and enjoyable evening. 15