M-58 HIGHWAY ACCESS MANAGEMENT STUDY Mullen Road to Bel-Ray Boulevard. Prepared for CITY OF BELTON. May 2016

Transcription

1 M-58 HIGHWAY ACCESS MANAGEMENT STUDY Prepared for CITY OF BELTON By May 2016

2 Introduction Missouri State Highway 58 (M-58 Highway) is a major commercial corridor in the City of Belton. As development has increased along the corridor, traffic volumes have increased and traffic flow is congested at peak times; due in part to the number of closely spaced intersections commercial driveways. Intersections and driveways are typically the locations where vehicular conflicts and crashes are most prevalent. City staff has concerns about traffic flow and safety along the corridor. In light of these concerns, City staff authorized TranSystems to prepare the following study to identify improvements to manage access along the corridor more effectively to reduce conflicts and improve operations. Study Area The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) classifies M-58 Highway as a minor arterial roadway, which provides access to the regional highway system via a diamond interchange with I-49. The posted speed limit on M-58 Highway is 40 mph. M-58 Highway has a five-lane cross section, which includes a center two-way left-turn lane and two through lanes in each direction. The width of M-58 Highway varies between 64 and 62 feet, measured between the back of curbs. The through lanes are generally 11 feet in width, and the center turn lane is roughly 14 feet in width. The roadway has curb and gutters and sidewalks along each side. The study segment of M-58 Highway from is shown on Figure A-1 in the Appendix. TranSystems conducted traffic counts on M-58 Highway west of Powell Parkway as part of the traffic impact study for the proposed NEWCO development. The average daily traffic volume on a typical weekday is 28,531. According to MoDOT s 2013 traffic count map, the average daily traffic volume on M-58 Highway east of I-49 is 30,048. Traffic Control and Access There are a number of driveways and intersections along the study segment of M-58 Highway as indicated in Table 1 below. Many of these are spaced closely together. In the roughly 1/2 mile segment between Mullen Road and I-49 there are 10 driveways and intersections. There are 15 total driveways and intersections in the 1/3 mile segment between I-49 and Bel-Ray Boulevard. Many of these do not align with access points across M-58 Highway, resulting in offsets between intersections. Figure 1 illustrates the location of the existing access points along the corridor as well as the existing traffic controls and turn restrictions. Street Segment Table 1 M-58 Highway Access Density Segment Length Number of Access Points Access Points Per Mile Mullen Road to I-49 2,350 Feet to Bel-Ray Boulevard 1,800 Feet Mullen Road to Bel-Ray Boulevard 4,150 Feet The traffic impact study for the NEWCO development documented that the five existing signalized intersections between Powell Parkway and the East Outer Road generate queues that spill through adjacent signalized intersections at peak times. Extensive queuing is of concern because it results in congestion, delays, and an increased frequency of rear end crashes. M-58 Highway Access Management Study Belton, Missouri Page 1

3

4 Land Uses Nearly all of the land uses along the corridor are commercial businesses. This is consistent with Belton s future land use map. There are currently vacancies in several of the larger shopping centers in the study area. Several small professional offices are also located along M-58 Highway to the east of I-49. There are some light industrial type developments along Bel-Ray Place, south of M-58 Highway. The names of the businesses in the study area are identified on Figure A-1 in the Appendix. Many of the smaller parcels have individual driveways that access M-58 Highway. These driveways typically have short throat lengths between the street and the parking lots. Some of the larger shopping center developments have longer throat lengths. Proposed Development There are several new restaurant developments under construction in the study area to the west of I-49. A Freddie s restaurant is under construction to the west of Bank of America on the north side of M-58 Highway. Longhorn Steakhouse is being constructed along Peculiar Drive adjacent to the EconoLodge. The NEWCO development is proposed along the south side of M-58 Highway between Powell Parkway and I-49. The proposed development plan includes new pad sites and a renovation of part of the existing North Cass Center. The development plan also includes realignment of Peculiar Drive through the existing parking lots to intersect with Powell Parkway south of M-58 Highway. The existing signalized intersection of M-58 Highway and Peculiar Drive would be eliminated. An operational assessment of the proposed development was discussed in the NEWCO traffic impact study. Crash Experience Crash statistics were obtained from the City for the study segment for the time period between January 1, 2013, and February 29, Over this 39-month time period, 379 crashes were reported. This corresponds to a crash rate of 14.1 crashes per million vehicle miles traveled (crashes/mvmt) along the study segment of M-58 Highway. For comparison purposes, a typical crash rate for five-lane undivided urban roadways is between 5 and 7 crashes/mvmt. The locations of the crashes and types of crashes are illustrated in Figure A-2 in the Appendix. The types of crashes that occurred are summarized in Table 2. Crash Type Table 2 M-58 Highway Crash Statistics 2013 Present Property Damage Injury Fatality Total Front-to-Rear Angle Sideswipe Front-to-Front Fixed Object Other Total The most common crash type that occurred along the corridor is Front-to-Rear (rear end) crashes. Rear end collisions are the most common crash type at signalized intersections, and the crash location map indicates that the rear end crashes are clustered near the signalized intersections. There is a particularly large cluster of 105 rear end crashes in the area between Powell Parkway and I-49. Similarly, there are 66 rear end crashes between I-49 and East Outer Road. These are the areas where the M-58 Highway Access Management Study Belton, Missouri Page 3

5 signalized intersections are closely spaced and queues spill back between intersections during peak times. This situation can result in a higher frequency of rear end crashes. Angle crashes occur when vehicles moving perpendicular to each other collide, and they are generally one of the more severe crash types. This is evidenced by the data, which indicates that 40 percent of the angle crashes that occurred during the study period resulted in a personal injury or fatality. Of particular concern is the high number of angle collisions along M-58 Highway. In general, the angle crashes appear to have occurred at intersection or driveway locations. The majority of the angle crashes (62 percent) occurred east of I-49, where there is a higher number of intersections and driveways. Analysis The study segment of M-58 Highway experiences a crash rate that is nearly twice as high as a typical five-lane roadway. Congestion and delays are common along this heavily traveled commercial corridor. These conditions are due in part to a high density of access points that are closely spaced along the study segment. Each of these access points introduces potential for conflicts along the corridor. Given these concerns, access management strategies should be considered for the M-58 Highway corridor to improve safety and operations. Access Management The vehicular traffic concerns identified above for the study segment are related to access management. Access management is a comprehensive view of property access relative to the function of the streets from which it is provided. The objective of access management is to optimize, or find that right balance, between property access and traffic safety and efficiency, particularly along arterial streets. Access management involves careful planning and design of driveways, median openings, interchanges, and street connections to a roadway. It also involves the application of median treatments and turning lanes, and the appropriate separation of traffic signals. Studies to date indicate that effective access management can result in decreased crash frequency, decreased travel time and congestion, increased roadway capacity, increased economic growth, and improved air quality. On routes where access is not managed, increased congestion can lead to a drop in business revenues and property values as motorist avoid the delays on congested routes. The degree of impact will vary based on the specific circumstances of the street segment, but this experience has provided valuable insight into the factors that have a negative influence on traffic safety and efficiency. Some of these factors include: Driveways or side streets in close proximity to intersections; Driveways or side streets spaced too close together; Short throat lengths for driveways; Deceleration of turning traffic in through lanes; and Traffic signals too close together. The following paragraphs identify some applications of using access management principles to address the identified areas of concern for the study segment. Intersection Spacing Access points introduce conflicts and friction into the traffic stream. Vehicles entering and leaving the main roadway often slow the through traffic, and the difference in speeds between through and turning traffic increases accident potential. The consensus is that increasing the spacing between access points improves arterial flow and safety by reducing the number of conflicts per mile, by providing greater distance to anticipate and recover from turning maneuvers, and by providing opportunities for use of turn lanes. Many studies have shown that driveway spacing is one of the key factors that influence crashes. The MoDOT Access Management Guidelines present several desirable spacings for minor arterial roadways. These spacings are shown on the following page in Table 3. M-58 Highway Access Management Study Belton, Missouri Page 4

6 Table 3 MoDOT Access Spacing Guidelines Spacings Along Urban MoDOT Recommendation Minor Arterials Interchange Ramps Between Public Road Intersections Between Traffic Signals 750 Feet to the first Right-In/Right-Out access 1,320 Feet to the first full access intersection 1,320 Feet 2,640 Feet Between Driveways 330 Feet 165 Feet for Right-In/Right-Out access When comparing the recommendations shown in Table 3 to the study segment, it is evident that many of the existing spacings are much less that the recommendations. The existing distances from ramps to the first full access intersections are only 300 feet. The maximum distance between any two adjacent traffic signals is 1,400 feet, which is well short of the recommendations. There are a number of full access driveways, especially east of I-49, which are less than 150 feet apart. This is the same section of the corridor where there is a high concentration of angle crashes. It is often not be possible to incorporate and attain all of the access management guidelines in a retrofit project along an existing corridor. This is due to existing development, economic, physical, and other constraints. In such situations, reasonable solutions should be pursued, through public involvement and cooperation with property owners. Modifications to the street network to should be pursued to improve spacings at key locations. Increased spacing would be most beneficial at the signalized outer road intersections adjacent to the I-49 ramps. Full access intersections and driveways should also be lined up across the public roadway from each other whenever possible, such as at Bel-Ray Circle and Bel-Ray Place. Access should be consolidated or restricted to right-in/right out at the closely spaced full access driveways. Raised Medians Raised medians are the most effective access management strategy on high-volume urban routes. Studies have shown that roadways with raised medians have lower crash rates than multi-lane undivided sections and two-way left-turn lane cross sections. The MoDOT Access Management Guidelines recommend raised medians where current and projected traffic volume is greater than 28,000 vehicles per day. Raised medians are especially recommended in corridors where the density of commercial driveways is high (over 24 per mile in both directions). Raised medians should be installed along M-58 Highway, because these conditions exist on the study segment. The existing center two-way left-turn lane on M-58 Highway is 14 feet wide. This width will allow for a raised median to be constructed where a left-turn lane is not needed. However, where left-turn lanes are needed at intersections, a raised median cannot be provided. The left-turn lane should be at least 11 feet wide, which does not leave enough remaining width for an adequate raised median. Where there are driveways located within areas where leftturn lanes are needed, other devices are necessary to provide the type of access restriction that a median would M-58 Highway Access Management Study Belton, Missouri Page 5

7 otherwise provide. Tubular markers can be used to create the effect of a raised median. Tubular markers are flexible posts that can be installed on the road surface as shown in the image on the previous page. If hit by a vehicle, the marker is likely to require replacement, so tubular markers can require frequent maintenance. Turn Lanes Vehicle slowing to turn disrupt through traffic and can result in increased crashes. Thus it is important to provide turn lanes to store queues and separate turning traffic from through traffic. Left-turn lanes are currently provided along M-58 Highway and should continue be included at all median openings. Left-turn lanes should be sized to allow for adequate storage plus appropriate tapers. To improve efficiency of traffic flow along the corridor, additional length should be considered to accommodate deceleration in the turn lane when possible. Right-turn lanes are recommended in the MoDOT guidelines when the right-turn volume during a peak hour is 70 or more for a posted speed limit of 40 mph. Right-turn lanes should also be long enough to allow for some deceleration in the turn lane. Short-Term Improvements Concept Relocating intersections to achieve more desirable spacings will have significant impacts on the study area and will take some time to implement. A phased strategy is needed to implement access management in the short-term and long-term. Short-term improvements would include more localized improvements at individual access points, while long-term improvements would focus on the surrounding street network. The short-term improvements are illustrated in Figure 2 and described in the following paragraphs. Several new raised medians are shown on Figure 2, especially west of I-49. To the east of I-49 there are more left-turn lanes and fewer opportunities to construct raised medians. Where raised medians cannot be constructed, but driveways are present, tubular markers are proposed to be installed along the centerline in order to restrict left-turn movements into and out of these driveways. Raised medians would be the highest priority of the short-term improvements, as they are likely to have the most significant safety impacts. Medians will restrict left-turn access at several locations and will require some of the other short-term improvements to provide alternate access. Figure 2 illustrates several driveways that are to be removed. At Walgreen s there is an existing driveway at the northwest corner of the site that is too close to Mullen Road. Also the right-turn out movement from Walgreens onto M-58 Highway is within the functional area of the Mullen Road intersection. A driveway to the car wash on Mullen Road, just south of M-58 is also to be removed as it is within close proximity to the M-58 Highway intersection. Two new street connections are shown on the west end of the study area to improve circulation and access by providing these properties with alternate routes to Mullen Road. A number of driveways are also proposed to be removed along M-58 Highway near Bel-Ray Place. The properties affected by driveway closures are to be linked to adjacent properties in order to share access points. This will require some new connections between parking areas. Access easements may also be required for shared access to be implemented. Driveway closures and shared access would be a second priority to improve access management along the corridor. New right-turn lanes are shown on Figure 2 at locations where the right-turn volume is anticipated to be 70 or more during a peak hour. The addition of right-turn lanes at signalized intersections is likely to require traffic signal modifications, as signal poles, controllers, and other equipment could be in conflict with the pavement widening. Right-turn lanes would be the lowest priority of the short-term improvements. M-58 Highway Access Management Study Belton, Missouri Page 6

8

9 Long-Term Improvements Concepts More significant modifications to the street network should be considered in the long-term to improve intersection and traffic signal spacings along the M-58 Highway corridor. TranSystems developed several options which are shown on Figures A-3 to A-5 in the Appendix, and described in the following paragraphs. Option 1 Relocate East Outer Road and Realign Bel-Ray Place The intent of the first option shown on Figure A-3 in the Appendix is to eliminate the signalized intersections that are within 300 feet of the I-49 ramps. Peculiar Drive is to be realigned to intersect Powell Parkway, as is shown in the NEWCO traffic impact study. The realigned roadway is shown continuing to the west to intersect Cunningham Industrial Parkway and Starlight Drive. This will form a backage road to improve circulation for the properties on the south side of M-58 Highway. A connection is also shown between Cunningham Industrial Parkway and 173rd Street. New street connections are also shown on the north side of M-58 Highway, linking Powell Parkway and Larkspur Circle. Powell Parkway is to remain as the location of the first signalized intersection to the west of the I-49 interchange. Traffic signal spacing would be better if the signalized intersection was located at Cunningham Industrial Parkway, rather than Powell Parkway. However, there is no ability to extend Cunningham Industrial Parkway to the north without major changes to the Cedar Tree Center. Immediately north of M-58 Highway, the driveway becomes a drive aisle in the parking lot adjacent to the front doors of several businesses. On the east side of I-49, the East Outer Road is shown to be realigned to follow Bel-Ray Place and intersection M-58 Highway at Bel-Ray Circle. A signalized intersection is shown on M-58 Highway at Bel-Ray Circle, and the existing East Outer Road intersection would provide right-in/right-out access only. A new east/west backage road is shown on the north side of M-58 Highway. A new access road is shown on the south side of M-58 Highway, to connect existing East Outer Road to Bel-Ray Place to provide a route to the full access intersection on M-58 Highway. It should be noted that Bel-Ray Place was likely not designed for the type of traffic volume that the East Outer Road carries. Further, there are a number of driveways along Bel- Ray Place that were permitted for a low volume cul-de-sac type roadway, and would not be suitable for a through street. Signalization would also require a raised median on Bel-Ray Circle through the QuikTrip and Landmark Dodge driveways, as they are too close to M-58 Highway. Option 2 Relocate East Outer Road and Realign Bel-Ray Circle Option 2 is shown on Figure A-4 in the Appendix. It is similar to Option 1. The difference is that Bel-Ray Circle is realigned to the location of the existing M-58 Highway and Bel-Ray Place intersection. All other road connections remain the same as shown in Option 1. Option 3 East Outer Road Grade Separation The most significant feature of this option is to realign the East Outer Road closer to the northbound I-49 ramps and construct an underpass at M-58 Highway to eliminate the existing signalized intersection. This is illustrated in Figure A-5 in the Appendix. Access between East Outer Road and M-58 Highway would be provided from right-in/right-out access at the location of the existing intersection on M-58 Highway. This option would require significant grading, a new bridge structure, and retaining walls. The grading require for Option 3 would result in access modifications for several properties along East Outer Road to the north and south of M-58 Highway. A new east/west connector street is shown between East Outer Road and the Wal-Mart parking lot to provide local circulation and access. A street is also shown from the connector street to the M-58 Highway and Bel-Ray Boulevard intersection to provide an alternate route to the existing traffic signal. The M-58 Highway intersections with Bel-Ray Place and Bel-Ray Circle are shown with left-in/right-in/right out access. The streets do not need to be realigned if the left-out movements are restricted as proposed in this option. M-58 Highway Access Management Study Belton, Missouri Page 8

10 Additional Recommendations As properties along the corridor redevelop, opportunities to implement access management should be considered. Redevelopment could provide opportunities to eliminate or consolidate driveways that do not meet the driveway spacing criteria in the MoDOT Access Management Guidelines. This can be accomplished by providing alternate access or sharing driveways with adjacent properties. Access easements may be required for shared access situations. Any future street improvement projects along M-58 Highway should consider widening to allow for wider raised medians to be constructed. The current 14-foot center turn lane is not wide enough to allow for raised medians to be constructed adjacent to left-turn lanes. At least 16 feet is needed between the opposing through lanes to provide narrow raised medians adjacent to leftturn lanes. A larger width would allow landscaping, street lighting, or other aesthetic features to be installed in the median. Conclusion The above study has focused on access management improvements to enhance safety and operations along the M-58 Highway corridor between Mullen Road and Bel-Ray Boulevard in Belton, Missouri. The study included a brief review of the existing access points and crash data. The access conditions were compared to the recommendations in MoDOT s guidelines for access management. The study segment of M-58 Highway was found to experience a crash rate that is nearly twice as high as a typical five-lane roadway. Congestion and delays are common along this heavily traveled commercial corridor. These conditions are due in part to a high density of access points that are closely spaced along the study segment. Each access point introduces potential for conflicts along the corridor. Given these concerns, access management strategies should be considered for the M-58 Highway corridor to improve safety and operations. A phased strategy is needed to implement access management in the short-term and long-term. Short-term improvements would include more localized improvements at individual access points, while long-term improvements would focus on the surrounding street network. The short-term improvements are illustrated in Figure 2, and are listed in order of priority, 1) construct raised medians, 2) remove/consolidate access points, and 3) construct right-turn lanes. Three options for long-term improvements are shown in Figures A-3 through A-5 in the Appendix. M-58 Highway Access Management Study Belton, Missouri Page 9

11 Appendix Study Area Sketch... Figure A-1 Crash Types and Locations... Figure A-2 Long-Term Improvements Concept Option 1... Figure A-3 Long-Term Improvements Concept Option 2... Figure A-4 Long-Term Improvements Concept Option 3... Figure A-5 M-58 Highway Access Management Study Belton, Missouri Appendix

12

13

14

15

16