Arlington County, Virginia Prepared for: Arlington County Government Transportation Engineering and Operations Division April 6, 2004 Gorove/Slade Associates, Inc. 1140 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 700 1175 Herndon Parkway, Suite 600 Washington, D.C. 20036 Herndon, Virginia 20170 (202)-785-1276 (703)-787-9595
TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables... ii List of Figures... ii Executive Summary... iii Introduction...1 Project Scope...1 Existing Conditions...1 Traffic Data...1 Crash Data...2 Meetings with Neighborhood Associations...4 Existing Traffic Simulation...5 Focus Areas...6 Possible Improvement Strategies...7 Signal Timing Updates...7 Signing & Striping Improvements...7 Intersection Traffic Control Changes...7 Roadway Directionality Changes...8 Geometric Changes to Restrict Turning Movements...8 Roadway Improvements within the Existing Right-Of-Way...8 Roadway Improvements Outside of the Existing Right-Of-Way...9 Improvements to Pedestrian and Transit Facilities...10 Recommendations...11 Short-Term Recommendations...11 Mid-Term Recommendations...12 Long-Term Recommendations...13 i
LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Summary of Crash Data...3 Table 2 Traffic Simulation Results...6 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Annotated Map of Study Area...14 Figure 2 Peak Hour Turning Movement Traffic Volumes...15 Figure 3 Chart of Daily Corridor Traffic Volumes...16 Figure 4 Summary of Crash Data...17 Figure 5 Areas of Concern Figure 6 Typical Study Area Cross-Section...18 Figure 6 Typical Study Area Cross-Section...19 Figure 7 Short-Term Recommendations...20 Figure 8 Mid-Term Recommendations...21 Figure 9 Left Turn Lane Recommendations...22 Figure 10 Long-Term Recommendations...23 ii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report presents the results of a prepared by Gorove/Slade Associates, Inc. at the request of Arlington County, Virginia. This Corridor Analysis identifies specific traffic and pedestrian related areas of concern along the portion of Lee Highway from N. Buchanan to N. Edison Streets, and contains a list of recommended actions. Gorove/Slade collected corridor traffic data, including turning movement counts at intersections and median breaks, analyzed corridor-wide crash data, and met with several neighborhood associations to hear their concerns. In addition, Gorove/Slade simulated the corridor in a traffic model that identified the areas of the corridor in which significant peak period delays occur. As a result of the analyses of these data, Gorove/Slade identified the following as the areas of concern that form the basis for the list of recommended alternatives. Excessive delays during peak periods occur at many locations within the corridor, most notably at the intersections of Lee Highway with N. Edison Street and N. Columbus Street. Travel speeds exceeding the speed limit throughout the corridor. Truck loading and unloading activity occurs on Lee Highway during peak periods. A large amount of unsignalized median breaks occur in the study area, with a corresponding lack of right and left turning lanes to facilitate movement in and out of commercial parcels. A relatively high number of crashes occur at N. Edison Street and N. Cameron Street compared to other locations in the study area. Difficult pedestrian crossings of Lee Highway are located at its intersections with N. Edison Street and N. Buchanan Street. A high amount of cut-through traffic uses N. Edison Street, N. Buchanan Street, and N. Columbus Street to avoid traffic congestion at the intersections of Lee Highway with George Mason Drive and Glebe Road. The crest of a hill located on Lee Highway between its intersections with N. Cameron Street and N. Culpeper Street creates sight distance issues for turning movements at these intersections. The fire station signal on Lee Highway between N. Culpeper Street and N. Columbus Street negatively impacts the turning movements at N. Columbus Street. The intersection of Lee Highway and N. Columbus Street experiences a large amount of unsignalized turning movements and conflicts, including motorists turning into the McDonald s exit drive, and a large amount of U-turns. iii
Gorove/Slade compared these problem areas to the various alternatives available to improve the efficiency and safety of the corridor, and developed a list of recommended actions sorted into three categories based on cost and ease of implementation. Short-Term Recommendations Add signs discouraging cut-through traffic to N. Edison, N. Columbus, and N. Buchanan Streets Enhance signs near interaction of Lee Highway at N. Columbus Street Alter signal timings at N. Culpeper Street Re-align crosswalks at N. Culpeper Street Improve pedestrian crossing at N. Buchanan Street Mid-Term Recommendations Construct traffic signal at N. Edison Street (a traffic signal is already designated and under design for this intersection). Close median break at N. Cameron Street Close median break at N. Columbus Street or further study the option of signalization Add left turn bay for McDonald s entrance Long-Term Recommendations Construct two roundabouts within the corridor Widen roadway to accommodate a 5 or 6 lane cross section iv
INTRODUCTION This report presents the results of a corridor analysis for Lee Highway in Arlington County, Virginia. Gorove/Slade Associates, Inc. was asked to examine this corridor due to various areas of concern, including delays experienced by commuters, cut-though traffic, and access issues to the commercial sites that line Lee Highway. Steps in this analysis included collecting data and observing conditions throughout the study corridor, analyzing existing conditions, and making recommendations for improvements to the corridor. PROJECT SCOPE Gorove/Slade met with Arlington County staff in January to discuss details of this project. At this meeting, the formal project study area and scope were established. The study area is the section of Lee Highway in North Arlington between the intersections of N. Buchanan Street to the east and N. Edison Street to the west. Intersections included in the study are: Lee Highway at N. Buchanan Street Lee Highway at N. Columbus Street Lee Highway at N. Culpeper Street Lee Highway at N. Cameron Street Lee Highway at N. Dinwiddie Street Lee Highway at N. Edison Street N. Buchanan Street was not originally included in the project scope, and was added at the request of Arlington County at a later date. In addition to these intersections, several commercial site driveways were included in the analyses, most notably the McDonald s entrance and exit drive, the KFC/Pizza Hut/Taco Bell driveway, the 7-11 driveway, and the driveway leading to Dominion Electric Supply Company/Banker s Building. Figure 1, attached to this document, displays an annotated map of the study area. EXISTING CONDITIONS Existing conditions within the corridor were examined to help determine the problem areas within the corridor and to establish a point of comparison for possible recommendations. This included collecting traffic data, researching the study area crash history, meeting with citizens, and assembling a traffic model of the existing Lee Highway corridor. Traffic Data Turning movement counts were conducted for the study intersections from Tuesday February 10 to Thurdsay, February 12, for the AM, lunchtime, and PM peak periods. The turning movement counts for N. Buchanan Street were performed by Arlington County after this intersection was added to the project 1
scope. Based on the counts, the peak hours for these periods were found to be 7:15 to 8:15 AM for the morning commuter peak, 12:15 to 1:15 PM for the lunchtime peak, and 5:15 to 6:15 PM for the evening commuter peak. Figure 2 displays the peak hour turning movement counts. In addition to the turning movement counts, automatic tube counts were performed at two spots along Lee Highway in the study corridor, between N. Columbus and N. Buchanan Streets, and a short distance west of N. Edison Street. These counts were used to determine daily and weekly patterns in overall Lee Highway traffic. Figure 3 contains a chart of the daily counts performed between N. Columbus and N. Buchanan Streets. Crash Data Gorove/Slade also collected police crash reports for the study area from the last five years. These crash reports, summarized in Table 1 and Figure 4, were used to help determine safety problems within the study area. Areas of concentration within the study area include the intersection of Lee Highway and N. Edison Street, and the driveway leading to the KFC/Pizza Hut/Taco Bell, across from N. Cameron Street. 2
Table 1 Summary of Crash Data Number Date Time Day of Week Road Condition Vehicles Involved Driver Action Collision Type Injury Fatality Property Damage Direction Minor 1 10/29/2003 2:06 PM Wednesday Wet 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End None None Yes EB N. Edison 2 9/19/2003 10:35 AM Friday Dry 2 Driver Inattention Rear-End Yes None No EB 7-11 Driveway 3 9/15/2003 2:27 PM Monday Dry 5 None ( Medical) Angle Yes None No NB N. Edison 4 12/4/2002 1:55 PM Wednesday Dry 2 Did not have right of way Angle None None Yes EB N. Edison 5 10/11/2002 12:00 PM Friday Wet 2 Did not have right of way Angle None None Yes WB N. Edison 6 9/30/2002 6:56 PM Monday Dry 2 Improper Passing Angle None None Yes EB N. Edison 7 8/8/2002 9:00 AM Thursday Dry 2 Did not have right of way Angle None None Yes NB N. Edison 8 7/3/2002 7:51 AM Wednesday Dry 2 Driver Inattention Angle Yes None No EB N. Edison 9 6/18/2002 8:25 AM Tuesday Dry 3 Follow Too Close Rear-End Yes None No EB N. Edison 10 4/4/2002 2:50 PM Thursday Dry 2 Did not have right of way Angle Yes None No EB N. Edison 11 7/31/2001 5:15 PM Friday Dry 2 Did not have right of way Angle Yes None No WB N. Edison 12 2/6/2001 2:06 PM Friday Dry 2 Hit & Run Angle None None Yes WB N. Edison 13 6/7/2001 11:40 AM Thursday Wet 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End Yes None No NB N. Edison 14 4/29/2001 5:30 PM Sunday Dry 2 None Rear-End None None Yes WB N. Edison 15 4/20/2001 11:10 AM Friday Dry 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End Yes None No WB N. Edison 16 7/31/2001 7:42 AM Tuesday Fog 2 Did not have right of way Angle None None Yes NB N. Edison 17 10/25/2000 8:00 AM Wednesday Wet 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End None None Yes EB N. Edison 18 9/23/2000 9:27 AM Monday Wet 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End Yes None No WB N. Edison 19 7/31/2000 3:15 PM Monday Dry 2 Did not have right of way Angle None None Yes NB Driveway 20 1/4/2000 6:54 PM Tuesday Wet 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End Yes None No WB N. Edison 21 7/30/2000 11:51 AM Sunday Dry 3 Follow Too Close Rear-End Yes None No WB N. Edison 22 12/23/1999 5:08 PM Thursday Dry 2 Did not have right of way Head-On None None Yes NB N. Edison 23 10/25/1999 4:04 PM Monday Dry 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End Yes None No EB N. Edison 24 11/4/1999 7:28 PM Thursday Dry 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End Yes None No WB N. Edison 25 8/24/1999 9:50 AM Tuesday Dry 2 Did not have right of way Head-On None None Yes WB N. Edison 26 7/2/1999 7:07 AM Friday Dry 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End None None Yes WB N. Edison 27 4/12/1999 8:21 AM Monday Dry 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End None None Yes WB N. Edison 28 9/27/2002 12:21 PM Friday Dry 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End None None Yes EB N. Dinwiddie St. 29 9/6/2001 7:03 PM Thursday Dry 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End None None Yes EB N. Dinwiddie St. 30 11/11/2000 7:03 PM Sunday Dry 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End None None Yes EB N. Dinwiddie St. 31 9/21/2003 1:19 PM Sunday Dry 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End None None Yes EB N. Cameron St. 32 5/14/2002 5:00 PM Tuesday Wet 2 Changing Lanes Angle None None Yes EB N. Cameron St. 33 11/23/2002 12:23 PM Saturday Dry 3 Follow Too Close Rear-End Yes None No WB N. Cameron St. 34 9/16/2001 2:15 AM Sunday Dry 1 Improer Turn Fixed Object Yes None No EB N. Cameron St. 35 5/21/2001 4:06 PM Monday Wet 3 Follow Too Close Rear-End None None Yes EB N. Cameron St. 36 2/7/2001 5:28 PM Wednesday Dry 2 Did not have right of way Angle None None Yes EB N. Cameron St. 37 10/13/2000 3:49 PM Friday Dry 2 Did not have right of way Angle None None Yes EB N. Cameron St. 38 7/19/2000 1:24 PM Wednesday Dry 4 Follow Too Close Rear-End Yes None No EB N. Cameron St. 39 6/2/2003 4:36 PM Thursday Dry 1 Follow Too Close Fixed Object None None Yes WB N. Culpeper St. 40 10/28/2002 12:04 PM Monday Wet 2 Did not have right of way Angle None None Yes EB KFC Driveway 41 9/15/2002 1:58 PM Sunday Wet 1 None Pedestrian Yes None No EB N. Culpeper St. 42 4/15/2002 4:24 PM Monday Dry 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End Yes None No EB N. Culpeper St. 43 2/1/2002 9:30 AM Friday Wet 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End Yes None No WB Fire Driveway 44 5/3/2001 8:29 AM Wednesday Dry 2 Disregard Traffic Light Angle Yes None No EB N. Culpeper St. 45 5/24/2001 5:50 PM Thursday Dry 2 Driver Inattention Rear-End None None Yes WB N. Culpeper St. 46 4/6/2001 2:00 PM Friday Wet 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End None None Yes WB N. Culpeper St. 47 9/4/2000 2:48 PM Monday Dry 2 Improper Passing Rear-End None None Yes WB N. Culpeper St. 48 5/27/2000 12:48 AM Saturday Dry 1 Other ( Asleep at Wheel) Fixed Object None None Yes EB N. Culpeper St. 49 5/9/2000 11:45 AM Tuesday Dry 2 Improper Lane Change Fixed Object None None Yes WB N. Culpeper St. 50 11/17/1999 3:44 PM Wednesday Dry 1 Other Fixed Object None None Yes WB N. Culpeper St. 51 7/3/1999 11:07 PM Saturday Dry 1 Exceeded Speed Limit Fixed Object None None Yes WB N. Culpeper St. 52 10/23/2003 8:00 AM Thursday Dry 2 Driver Inattention Rear-End None None Yes EB N. Buchanon St. 53 9/18/2002 8:55 AM Wednesday Dry 2 Other Bicyle Yes None No EB N. Buchanon St. 54 1/17/2002 5:27 PM Thursday Dry 2 Did not have right of way Angle Yes None No WB N. Buchanon St. 55 3/2/2000 4:28 PM Thursday Dry 2 Follow Too Close Rear-End None None Yes WB N. Buchanon St. 3
Meetings with Neighborhood Associations Gorove/Slade, in coordination with Arlington County staff, met with three neighborhood associations that border the study area; the Langston, Old Dominion, and Yorktown Neighborhood Associations. The purpose of these meetings, which took place on February 18, was to gather concerns and thoughts from the community as to the problem areas and possible solutions in the study area. The following is a list of concerns expressed by community members during the meetings: Corridor-Wide o The amount of truck loading and unloading on Lee Highway during rush hours. o The overall high speeds of through traffic on Lee Highway. North Buchanan o Cut-through traffic avoiding Lee Highway and Glebe Road intersection traveling on N. Buchanan Street. o Pedestrian crossing of Lee Highway is difficult. Traffic Patterns do not provide many gaps for pedestrians (too much turning traffic at intersection of Glebe Road and Lee Highway). North Columbus o Subway parking lot is too small for demand. Patrons park illegally on and off street, and on sidewalk, creating a sight distance problem for vehicles from southbound N. Glebe Rd. accessing Lee Highway. o Cut-through traffic avoiding Lee Highway at N. Glebe Rd. intersection travels on N. Columbus Street. o Bar and restaurant patrons are parking on Columbus Street and crossing Lee Highway, due to lack of parking at these establishments. o There are a high number of U-turns at this intersection from westbound Lee Highway because of the median on Lee Highway eliminating left turn access to many of the bars/restaurants/shops on Lee Highway, such as Domino s. o Drivers turn into the McDonald s exit. o The on-street parking on Columbus can restrict the roadway width, thus limiting capacity on the street. (This was brought up by Yorktown as a problem and Old Dominion/Langston as a possible solution to the cut-through problem). o The fire station signal is close enough to Columbus to create queuing problems in the WB direction. Drivers turning left from McDonald s to Lee Highway often cannot because of WB queues generated by the signal in front of the fire station. North Culpeper o The green times for the northbound and southbound approaches are not sufficient to accommodate the demand, especially when opposing left turns are present. The Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe and the County Re-Fueling Station generate most of this traffic. Also attributing to this problem is community center activity, especially that of the senior center, departing the Langston School and attempting to access Lee Highway. o The skew at this intersection creates long crosswalks. 4
o This intersection is located at the crest of a hill, which creates sight distance limitations, including westbound left turns due to the inability to see oncoming traffic. North Cameron o The hill on Lee Highway creates sight distance limitations, leading to difficulty entering and exiting the KFC/Pizza Hut/Taco Bell driveway. Citizens also commented that the driveway and parking lot layout of the KFC/Pizza Hut/Taco Bell is confusing. North Edison o There is a prevalence of cut-through traffic at this intersection generated by drivers avoiding the intersection of Lee Highway and George Mason. It is unclear how the addition of a left turn lane at George Mason and a traffic signal at Edison will affect the amount of cut-through traffic. o Pedestrian crossings here, related to the retail activity and the bus stops, are dangerous. The installation of a traffic signal will help increase the safety of this pedestrian crossing. Existing Traffic Simulation Gorove/Slade assembled an existing analysis of the study corridor using the turning movement counts, observations from the field including existing lane configurations, and information provided by Arlington County staff. The analysis was performed using the Synchro/SimTraffic 6 software package. The results of the analysis included average delay per vehicle at each intersection and the travel times from one end of the study area to the other. Table 2 contains these results. 5
Table 2 Traffic Simulation Results Peak Hour* Peak Hour* AM Lunch PM AM Lunch PM Cross Street Approach Movement Delay Delay Delay Cross Street Approach Movement Delay Delay Delay North Edison Eastbound Left 184.6 8.3 17.6 North Culpeper Eastbound Left 33.3 19.8 47.7 Through 55.1 1.5 3.3 Through 7.1 5.6 6.4 Right 68.7 0.5 1.9 Right 4.0 1.9 2.6 Westbound Left 23.5 6.0 11.6 Westbound Left 75.8 18.8 18.9 Through 1.7 0.9 1.5 Through 13.8 3.5 4.6 Right 0.1 1.0 0.1 Right 6.7 0.4 0.3 Northbound Left 439.7 77.1 175.2 Northbound Left 43.1 44.9 46.2 Through 370.2 84.9 271.0 Through 44.4 30.7 44.7 Right 117.2 7.4 13.3 Right 15.6 8.4 8.7 Southbound Left 676.4 122.2 297.6 Southbound Left 38.1 39.2 50.9 Through 494.9 90.1 304.1 Through 36.4 40.1 49.2 Right 407.2 45.8 219.2 Right 14.7 8.4 9.5 7-11 Driveway Eastbound Through 4.2 0.5 2.1 North Columbus Eastbound Left 21.4 9.5 36.3 Right 1.6 0.1 0.3 and McDonald's Through 1.0 1.5 0.9 Westbound Left 34.6 4.5 13.2 Westbound Through 32.6 7.5 18.3 Through 0.5 0.3 0.6 Right 18.3 1.1 9.9 Northbound Left 387.0 21.1 63.6 Northbound Left 942.6 304.4 488.2 Right 118.7 3.4 12.0 Right 71.4 24.7 29.5 Dominion Electric Eastbound Left 13.2 4.8 19.8 Southbound Left 189.3 86.4 200.9 and Bankers Building Through 1.8 0.2 0.5 Right 228.7 65.6 189.8 Driveway Westbound Through 4.9 0.7 2.5 North Buchanan Eastbound Left 14.1 10.3 40.1 Right 0.4 0.1 0.2 Through 2.2 1.5 3.3 Southbound Left 0.0 24.3 26.4 Westbound Through 3.0 0.4 2.3 Right 6.3 8.2 1.9 Right 11.2 0.3 1.8 North Dinwiddie Eastbound Left 10.9 5.7 18.6 Southbound Left 51.2 18.8 96.7 Through 5.0 0.8 2.9 Right 17.7 4.9 19.3 Westbound Through 2.5 0.6 1.2 Right 0.2 0.1 0.2 TRAVEL TIMES Eastbound 131.0 59.8 71.5 Southbound Left 147.3 23.1 43.1 Westbound 120.3 63.0 81.0 Right 24.6 7.3 14.4 North Cameron Eastbound Left 14.9 11.6 24.7 & KFC/Taco Bell Through 6.5 2.5 4.7 Right 3.5 0.2 0.2 Westbound Left 24.2 8.1 8.7 Through 3.0 1.3 1.8 Right 0.0 0.4 0.4 Northbound Left 89.9 47.2 70.2 Right 76.6 32.4 33.6 Southbound Left 0.0 67.0 273.1 Right 12.7 6.3 12.6 * - Average Delay in Seconds Focus Areas Based on the results of the meetings with the neighborhood associations, the simulation analysis, and observations within the field, a list of problem areas within the corridor was assembled. Figure 5 displays these areas of concern. These areas of concern form the basis of generating and comparing the various improvement alternatives. 6
POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES There are many alternatives to improving the corridor s efficiency and safety. This section lists these alternatives by group and discusses their applications to the study corridor. The following section discusses specific recommended strategies, including figures, based on this group of alternatives. Signal Timing Updates Updating or changing signal timings can help increase intersection capacity and overall corridor throughput. Advanced timing strategies, such as signal coordination, preemption or priority, although sometimes requiring infrastructure improvements, are also viable strategies to increase corridor efficiency. There is only one existing traffic signal within the study area, at the intersection of Lee Highway with N. Culpeper Street. Existing analyses show that altering signal timings at this intersection will not significantly increase capacity in the corridor. Citizens have expressed difficulty on the northbound and southbound approaches due to short green-times. Improved signal coordination between the signal at N. Culpeper and adjacent signals at George Mason Drive and Glebe Road would generate a slight increase in capacity, although increased efficiently along the Lee Highway corridor might negatively impact other corridors. A signal optimization study is presently underway for the Lee Highway corridor. The new traffic signal planned for the intersection of Lee Highway with N. Edison Street is being incorporated into the signal optimization study for the Lee Highway corridor. Signing & Striping Improvements Changing, removing or adding signs and lane markings can help organize or control traffic throughout a corridor. Within the study area, signs could be used to reinforce existing traffic controls, or implement turning restrictions. For example, No Left Turn or No U-Turn signs can be placed at median breaks to limit turn movements. A good location for this improvement could be at the McDonald s exit, across from N. Culpeper Street, where drivers attempt to turn into the exit drive. Signs can also be used at points on side streets to discourage cut-though traffic. Placed after access to commercial sites, signs such as Residential Access Only or similar, can discourage cut-through traffic generated from drivers avoiding delays at nearby signalized intersections. Signing and striping improvements are generally easy to implement, with low cost. Intersection Traffic Control Changes Traffic controls at intersections can sometimes be altered to beneficially change traffic patterns. This includes examining what the best controls are for an intersection, such as a two-way stop sign, an allway stop sign or a traffic signal, and if any changes would help increase efficiency or safety within the corridor. An improvement using this strategy is already in planning with a traffic signal under design for the N. Edison Street intersection. The signal will replace the two-way stop sign control. Four-way stop control intersections would be inappropriate for Lee Highway; they would reduce capacity and possibly increase the number of accidents. 7
The installation of a traffic signal has been considered at N. Columbus Street to control traffic movements although it does not appear the traffic volumes will meet the minimum MUTCD warrant criteria. A traffic signal can be warranted due to a high amount of accidents. Although the crash data examined by Gorove/Slade did not show a relatively high number of accidents at this location, citizens expressed concerns about safety at this intersection. A signal at this location appears to have merit. However, further study would be required to fully understand the implications of a signal at this location for fire station emergency access, the impact on the side street traffic patterns and a better understanding of the interaction with the signal at N. Glebe Street. Roadway Directionality Changes Changing a roadway from two-way to one way, or vice-versa, is sometimes a good method to alter traffic patterns in a corridor. Mostly the addition of one-way streets is beneficial due to the creation of one-way pairs or from the desire to eliminate cut-through traffic. In the study area, changing roadways from two-way to one-way is an option for eliminating cut-through traffic. For example, the N. Buchanan and N. Columbus Streets can be changed to one-way northbound for the section of roadway immediately north of Lee Highway. This would eliminate some cut-through on these roadways and reduce conflicts at their intersections with Lee Highway. At the same time, these changes would increase the amount of traffic at the intersection of Glebe Road and Lee Highway and would limit access from residents to Lee Highway. Changing the directionality of a roadway would require further study, although the physical changes needed are easy to implement, and generally low in cost. Geometric Changes to Restrict Turning Movements Restricting turning movements within the study corridor would increase safety by reducing conflicting movements. Signing and lane markings can sometimes be used to restrict turns, but in many cases infrastructure changes to a roadway are necessary, whether through the addition of barriers or the extension of a median. In the study area, there are many median breaks along Lee Highway that are good candidates for closing. Citizens expressed concerns about the left turns into and out of driveways along the corridor, and closing median breaks on Lee Highway would be an easy way to restrict these turning movements. Disadvantages to this approach include fewer paths for drivers to reach their destinations, creating longer trips, more U-turn movements at full access intersections, and encouragement of cut-through traffic along with increased corridor speed. Extending median breaks would require further study and has a moderate cost and implementation time. Roadway Improvements within the Existing Right-Of-Way Most roadway improvements involve widening or adding turn lanes. Capacity on a corridor can often be increased through altering roadway geometry within the existing right-of-way. Within the study area, Lee Highway has no shoulders, a small median (3.5 feet wide), and its paved roadway width of 53 feet is relatively narrow for a four-lane highway. This is due to the history of the roadway and prior widening within the right-of-way. Thus, there are limited options for changing the existing layout of the road. 8
One suggestion made by a community member was to change Lee Highway from a four-lane road without turning lanes, to a two-lane roadway with turn lanes. This would eliminate many conflicts that exist within the study area and could increase the efficiency of through traffic. Examining this idea in detail, using simulation software shows that during off peak periods through traffic efficiency is improved. However, this alternative does not work during peak periods as the existing volume of through traffic is above the capacity for one through lane. The lack of a second through lane for the peak hour traffic would cause major delay. Unless peak hour demand can be accommodated elsewhere, this option cannot be recommended. Another option could be to modify the roadway to accommodate a fifth-lane, used for a left turn lane at the major points of congestion. Figure 6 shows the typical cross-section of Lee Highway. The existing curb-to-curb width could accommodate five 10-foot travel lanes not including the 18-inch gutter pans on either side of the roadway. Removing the median and using this fifth lane for left turn storage would help alleviate the impact of left turn queues. Further study would be required to determine if 10-foot lanes are acceptable, but such lane widths are commonly employed in urban areas. Roadway Improvements Outside of the Existing Right-Of-Way Improvements outside of the existing right-of-way include such options as the addition of turn lanes, or widening the road to accommodate more traffic. Though often the most expensive option, these strategies usually provide the largest increase in capacity and safety. In the study area, there are several ways to add transportation infrastructure to increase capacity: 1. Widening Lee Highway to six lanes Increasing the number of through lanes on Lee Highway would require an extensive amount of resources. It would displace many commercial properties and would create a major transportation facility adjacent to residential properties. In addition, higher speeds and longer pedestrian crossing times and distances would likely create greater safety issues. 2. Adding turn lanes at intersections and median breaks Widening Lee Highway at points within the corridor to create left and right turn lanes would be beneficial for several reasons. First, it would help reduce left turning conflicts at intersections or median breaks. Second, it would reduce lane changes required for motorists avoiding queued turning vehicles. Adding left and right turn lanes though would require acquiring property adjacent to Lee Highway. 3. Widening Lee Highway to accommodate two-way left turn lane Accommodating a two-way left turn lane can be accomplished through widening. It was previously mentioned that it is possible to fit five 10-foot lanes through most of the study area, however 10-feet is typically not considered sufficient width for a two-way left turn lane. The benefit to having a multi-purpose turn lane is that through drivers will not be slowed down by left turning vehicles, and there could be a reduction in rear-end collisions due to left turns. Disadvantages to this option include the loss of the median for controlling traffic movements and as a pedestrian refuge, and the large percentage of left turning vehicles and the closely spaced driveways along Lee Highway make this configuration undesirable because there is a strong likelihood for opposing left turns to compete for the turn lane. 9
4. Closing all median breaks and adding jug-handles Another method to eliminate turning movements from Lee Highway is to eliminate all median breaks and install jug-handle movements for motorists desiring to turn left. Installing jughandles would involve extending the median to cover all breaks, and creating turn around roadways on either end of the corridor to allow vehicles to make u-turns via side streets to access driveways on the opposite side of the roadway. The main benefit of this option is the elimination of left turns from Lee Highway. Due to the amount of land and construction required, this option would be difficult and costly to implement. 5. Enlarging intersections to accommodate roundabouts Installing roundabouts at intersections is a similar idea to two previously mentioned options: creating jug-handles and installing turn lanes at intersections. Roundabouts would lessen queuing due to turning movements at intersections and slow through traffic on Lee Highway. Another major benefit of roundabouts is their ability to facilitate u-turns, which would allow for the elimination of median breaks, if two roundabouts were provided, one on either end of the corridor. The speed limit of Lee Highway and the number of turning movements on the corridor is ideal for roundabouts, making them a feasible alternative. One disadvantage to this approach is the amount of land required at the intersections. The intersections would need to be enlarged, similar to adding left and or right turn lanes, thus increasing the complexity and cost of this option. Roundabouts can accommodate pedestrians with crosswalks located at approaches, similar to traffic signals. Roundabouts can decrease pedestrian level of service if vehicles fail to give the right of way, and through longer walking distances due to the radius of the roundabout. If all signalized intersections were removed it might be desirable to install a mid-block crossing, including a sensor and lights between the roundabouts, to ease pedestrian crossing of Lee Highway. Improvements to Pedestrian and Transit Facilities Improvements along a corridor to improve pedestrian access include better signing of pedestrian uses, altering or re-locating crosswalks, and installing crosswalks with sensors, lights and/or warning beacons. In a corridor with bus service, improvements include adding bus shelters and pull-outs. Due to the nature of the study corridor with several bus stops, a school and various commercial uses many pedestrians attempt to cross Lee Highway at all times. There are several crossings, two unsignalized at N. Buchanan Street and N. Edison Street, and one signalized at the crosswalks on N. Culpeper Street. The planned traffic signal at N. Edison Street will include pedestrian signal heads and will significantly improve pedestrian access. At N. Buchanan Street many pedestrians cross from on-street parking north of Lee Highway to the commercial establishment on the south side. Many times, there are few gaps in traffic from the nearby Glebe Road traffic signal due to a heavy number of turning vehicles. Improvements to this crossing could include a lighted pathway or a separate pedestrian traffic signal. The crosswalks located at the traffic signal at N. Culpeper Street cross Lee Highway diagonally. Further study and examination of sight distances and traffic signal design should be performed to determine if these crosswalks can be re-aligned perpendicular to the roadway to shorten the crossing distance and pedestrian crossing times. 10
Enhancing pedestrian crossing indirectly aids transit in the corridor through improved access to bus stop locations. Further improvements can come in the form of better facilities, either through adding bus shelters or bus pull-outs. Shelters should be placed at stops with a high amount of ridership, or key locations in the corridor. Bus pull-outs will be difficult to implement due to the lack of space throughout the study area. Another option is to implement technological improvements such as signal preemption or signal priority throughout the Lee Highway corridor. Data collected for this analyses is not detailed enough to determine the effectiveness of these technologies on the study area. Further study and construction of pedestrian and transit improvements has a generally low cost timeline. The planned N. Edition traffic signal will incorporate pedestrian movements in its design. RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the areas of concern presented in Figure 5, the strategies listed above, and analyses built upon the existing simulation, Gorove/Slade assembled a list of possible recommendations for the study corridor. These recommendations are split into three sets, based on their cost and ease of implementation. Short-Term Recommendations Illustrated on Figure 7, the short-term recommendations represent ideas that can be implemented with little further study, low cost, and in a short time span. They are as follows: 1. Add signs discouraging cut-through traffic Signs with messages such as Resident Parking Only or No Through Traffic can be placed at strategic spots on cut-through routes to discourage traffic from using these streets. Good candidates for these signs are N. Edison, N. Columbus and N. Buchanan Streets. 2. Enhance signs near intersection of Lee Highway at N. Columbus Street The illegal parking situation on the Subway lot can be mitigated through a combination of improved signing and enforcement. Signing can be improved by adding short term parking signs to N. Columbus Street to encourage parkers to park off-street when parking lots are full. In conjunction with these signs, No Parking signs can be enhanced to discourage people from overflowing into parking spots that decrease sight distance for drivers at this intersection. In addition to these signs, a No Left Turns sign on the median facing westbound traffic can be added to remind motorists that the McDonald s driveway at this location is an exit. 3. Alter signal timings at N. Culpeper Street The traffic signal at N. Culpeper Street will be evaluated during the traffic signal coordination project. This project should incorporate longer northbound and southbound green times to address citizens concerns. 4. Re-align crosswalks at N. Culpeper Street The crosswalks on N. Culpeper Street should be re-aligned perpendicular to Lee Highway, if possible. This will shorten the pedestrian crossing distance and crossing times. 5. Improve pedestrian crossing at N. Buchanan Street The pedestrian crosswalk at N. Buchanan Street can be improved though the addition of sensors, 11
blinking pedestrian lights, and/or overhead beacons. Further study and coordination with VDOT would be necessary to approve this recommendation. Mid-Term Recommendations Illustrated on Figure 8, the mid-term recommendations represent ideas that can be implemented with further study, and with a moderate cost and implementation time. They are as follows: 1. Construct traffic signal at N. Edison Street A traffic signal at this location is already under design. Based on the results of this analysis and observations in the field, this report concludes that this signal would be a beneficial addition to the corridor. It will help side street traffic access Lee Highway, help slow through traffic, aid pedestrian crossings, and reduce right-angle crashes. 2. Close median break at N. Cameron Street The median break at N. Cameron Street serves residential areas to the south of Lee Highway and the KFC/Pizza Hut/Taco Bell parcel to the north. Closing the median break accomplishes several goals, (1) it lowers the number of left turns made onto and off of Lee Highway, (2) it eliminates some hazardous turning movements due to the intersection s proximity to the crest of a hill on Lee Highway, and (3) it addresses the high number of crashes at this location by eliminating the conflicts. The residential traffic from the south will experience more difficulty accessing Lee Highway, but they will also be able to use the new traffic signal at N. Edison Street to access Lee Highway westbound. This report recommends that the County discuss with the owner of the KFC/Pizza Hut/Taco Bell property the possibility of altering their N. Culpeper Street driveway configuration to allow exit movements onto N. Culpeper Street, and accessing Lee Highway using the traffic signal located there. 3. Close median break or install traffic signal at N. Columbus Street Closing the median break at N. Columbus Street results in a reduction of conflicting movements at the intersection, mainly left turns. The high number of left turns and U-turns creates an unsafe and confusing intersection. A disadvantage to this recommendation is that drivers making these turns will use nearby intersections instead, most notably N. Buchanan and N. Culpeper Streets. The community does not favor this alternative because although it reduces conflicting movements, it limits access to the community and encourages cut-through traffic. An alternative to closing the median break is to place a traffic signal at this intersection. Closing the median break reduces the number of conflicts at this location, while a traffic signal would permit the same movements as today but would control the timing of conflicting movements. It should be noted that traffic signals do not always increase overall intersection safety. Often there is an increase in the number of rear end collisions with the installation of a new signal. A drawback of a signal is that it is much costlier to implement and maintain when compared to closing the median break. Lastly, given that the Lee Highway corridor is heavily utilized by through commuter traffic, the consideration of a new traffic signal should be approached carefully. The analysis performed for this study regarding a signal at this intersection is not conclusive and further study is necessary to determine the best alternative for the treatment of this intersection. 4. Add left turn bay for McDonald s entrance, and if possible extend to N. Culpeper Street There is limited flexibility due to the lack of right of way and the location of structures near the 12
edge of the roadway. However, it appears that the face of curb to face of curb measurement of 53, feet subtracting 3 feet (18 inches x 2) for gutter, would allow for five 10-foot lanes. The center lane could be used to provide a left turn lane for westbound traffic entering McDonald s. This would require removal of a portion of existing median and restriping of traffic lanes. Simulation runs from the traffic model indicate that this would greatly benefit the westbound traffic flows, due to the amount of vehicles entering McDonald s during peak periods. Upon further examination, if it is determined that 10-foot lanes are acceptable, it would be beneficial to extend similar accommodations to include the intersection at N. Culpeper Street. Figure 9 shows this alternative conceptually. Long-Term Recommendations Illustrated on Figure 10, the long-term recommendations represent ideas that cannot be implemented without significant cost and effort. They are as follows: 1. Construct two roundabouts within the corridor Based on the advantages and disadvantages listed in the previous section, combined with the nature of the corridor and the simulation results, a possible long-term option would be to install roundabouts at locations within the corridor to facilitate turning movements, including u-turns. The roundabouts would be located at either end of the corridor, for example N. Edison Street, and possibly N. Columbus Street, although the ideal places for the roundabouts might be outside the study area. This option is preferred due to the low speed limit of Lee Highway, and the primary function of Lee Highway as access for commercial and residential properties compared to its secondary function of serving as an east-west commuter route. As part of this long-term plan, all median breaks could be closed, and the traffic signal at N. Culpeper Street removed. Further studies would be required to determine a preferred way to handle pedestrian and transit activity throughout the corridor, and ingress and egress of emergency vehicles from the Fire Station. 2. Widen roadway to accommodate a 5 or 6 lane cross section If approximately six to twelve feet were added to Lee Highway on either side, turning lanes could be added within the corridor to reduce conflicts and increase capacity. Widening of Lee Highway would be difficult due to the amount of commercial development along the corridor. It is possible that acquiring land for roundabouts at selected locations could be easier than widening the roadway throughout the entire corridor. The first goal of widening the roadway would be to add left turn lanes at signalized intersections and major median breaks, followed by right turning lanes where heavy right turn movements exist. 13
N N. Buchanon Street STOP Rte. Rte. 29 29 (Lee (Lee Highway) Highway) Pharmacy Retail Retail Dominion Electric Electric Supply Company Supply Company Medical Medical Building Building Bankers Bankers Office Retail Office Church Pizza Pizza Hut/ Taco Bell KFC Auto Repair Retail/Office McDonald's McDonald's Tatoo Tatoo Parlor Parlor 7-11 Pastry Shoppe Shoppe Subway Subway STOP In Planning N. N. Columbus ColumbusStreetStreet Fire Fire Station B N. N. Culpeper CulpeperStreetStreet B N. Cameron CameronStreetStreet STOP N. Dinwiddie Street STOP Figure 1 Annotated Map of Study Area Dominion B STOP STOP BS N. Edison Street
13/45/22 1435/833/856 28/47/45 N 895/866/1359 12/21/58 20/41/34 1/7/15 22/48/37 1576/957/1018 794/903/1417 10/17/42 51/95/36 19/28/26 66/89/42 9/9/17 761/790/1397 0/64/35 16/5/5 4/9/10 36/35/44 7/9/13 1596/879/844 102/75/51 59/41/54 729/828/1411 8/28/15 36/26/33 4/5/4 77/63/72 6/34/12 3/4/3 5/9/5 3/21/7 1516/914/950 70/49/64 0/46/14 0/0/0 1/74/47 12/5/4 0/1/0 36/32/36 6/3/3 764/887/1446 0/20/35 15/20/25 Figure 2 Peak Hour Traffic Volumes 30/21/12 1/3/3 8/22/8 32/41/52 785/790/1304 29/27/29 24/10/25 14/5/15 2/8/12 39/24/20 6/12/15 2/2/2 1451/961/1003 2/51/28 1447/906/963 5/6/16 AM/Mid-Day/PM Peak Hour Volumes Peak Hours: AM 7:15 to 8:15 AM Mid-Day 12:15 to 1:15 PM PM 5:15 to 6:15 PM 3/2/4 11/2/9 15/16/8 0/4/2 51/97/83
3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 Figure 3 Chart of Daily Corridor Traffic Volumes 11:00 AM 2:00 PM 5:00 PM 8:00 PM 11:00 PM 2:00 AM 5:00 AM 8:00 AM 11:00 AM 2:00 PM 5:00 PM 8:00 PM 11:00 PM 2:00 AM 5:00 AM 8:00 AM 11:00 AM 2:00 PM 5:00 PM 8:00 PM 11:00 PM 2:00 AM 5:00 AM 8:00 AM 11:00 AM 2:00 PM 5:00 PM 8:00 PM 11:00 PM 2:00 AM 5:00 AM 8:00 AM 11:00 AM 2:00 PM 5:00 PM 8:00 PM 11:00 PM 2:00 AM 5:00 AM 8:00 AM 11:00 AM 2:00 PM 5:00 PM 8:00 PM 11:00 PM 2:00 AM 5:00 AM 8:00 AM 11:00 AM 2:00 PM 5:00 PM 8:00 PM 11:00 PM Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Day/Hour Vehicles/Hour (Both Directions)
Figure 4 Summary Study of Crash Area Data N LEGEND Angle Collision Rear-End Collision Head-On Collision Collision with Pedestrian Collision with Object Not in Roadway
Figure 5 Areas of Concern Study Area N Cut-through Traffic Cut-through Traffic Insufficient Parking Lot Size Generates Illegal Parking Problem Difficult Pedestrian Crossing Crest of Hill-- Sight Distance Issues Small green time on NB & SB Approaches Difficult Pedestrian Crossing Cut-through Traffic Relatively High Number of Crashes Skewed Intersection Queues from Fire Station Signal Block N. Columbus High Amount of U-Turns Corridor-Wide Concerns Truck loading and unloading on Lee Highway (during peak hours) Speed of through traffic Large amount of unsignalized median breaks Movements that experience excessive delay noted as:
Figure 7 Short-Term Study Recommendations Area N Add signs discouraging cutthrough traffic Add signs discouraging cutthrough traffic Increase green time to NB & SB approaches Add no parking signs to discourage illegal parking Add pedestrian sensors and lights to crosswalk at N. Buchanan Re-align crosswalks perpendicular to Lee Highway Add no left turn signs, and exit only signs to discourage traffic from entering into McDonald s Exit
Figure 8 Mid-Term Study Recommendations Area N Add signs discouraging cutthrough traffic Encourage owner to reconstruct entrance to allow exiting onto N. Culpeper St Add no parking signs to discourage illegal parking Add signs discouraging cutthrough traffic Close median break in front of KFC/Taco Bell/Pizza Hut Driveway Increase green time to NB & SB approaches Add pedestrian sensors and lights to crosswalk at N. Buchanan Add no left turn signs, and exit only signs to discourage traffic from entering into McDonald s Exit Close Median Break at N. Columbus, or Install traffic signal Install traffic signal at N. Edison Re-align crosswalks perpendicular to Lee Highway Build left turn lane for McDonald s Entrance, and possibly to N. Culpeper St
Figure 10 Mid-Term Study Improvements Long-Term Recommendations Area N Add signs discouraging cutthrough traffic Install roundabout at eastern edge of corridor Encourage owner to reconstruct entrance to allow exiting onto N. Culpeper St Add no parking signs to discourage illegal parking Add signs discouraging cutthrough traffic Close median break in front of KFC/Taco Bell/Pizza Hut Driveway Consider removing traffic signal Increase green time to NB & SB approaches Add pedestrian sensors and lights to crosswalk at N. Buchanan Add no left turn signs, and exit only signs to discourage traffic from entering into McDonald s Exit Close Median Break at N. Columbus Install traffic signal at N. Edison Install roundabout at western edge of corridor Re-align crosswalks perpendicular to Lee Highway Close all unsignalized median breaks within corridor Build left turn lane for McDonald s Entrance