HomeMy WebLinkAbout1.11 Traffic impact studyMRI May 2012
Appendix J
Traffic Impact Study
Level 2 Traffic Assessment
6 Limited Impact Review Appendix J
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eSGM
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: May 24, 2012
TO: Don Van Devander, MRI
CC: Dan Cokley, PE, SGM
Dave Kotz, PE, SGM
FROM: Lee Barger, SGM
RE:
Level 2 Traffic Assessment
MRI Solid Waste Transfer Station
CR 100 in Carbondale, Colorado
MRI, Inc. is proposing to use the existing Mid Continent site along CR 100 (Catherine's Store
Road) just east of Carbondale in Garfield County, Colorado as a solid waste transfer station and
recycle processing facility. The site is planned to be located on a 35.314 -acre site and employ
up to 20 employees on site. Access to the site will be provided by the existing driveway
currently serving the site. This Level 2 Traffic Assessment documents the traffic generated by
the proposed recycle transfer station and investigates the need for turn lanes along the county
road at the site driveway during Opening Day and long-term (20 -year) conditions. This traffic
assessment converts all vehicles to Passenger Car Equivalents (PCE's) to account for the
larger vehicles that will access the MRI site.
Site Conditions
The site of the proposed MRI transfer station is the Mid Continent parcel along the south side of
County Road 100, east of Carbondale. Historically, this site has served a number of industrial
and commercial uses. Currently, the site is used by several commercial businesses and
trucking companies. The site driveway intersects CR 100 450 feet west of the Rodeo driveway.
An existing signed and striped crossing of the Rio Grande Trail is set back (south) about 60 feet
from the south edge of CR 100 asphalt. The driveway then curves easterly and parallels the
trail to the site. A second access to the site is located approximately 0.6 miles to the east
through the Carbondale Self Storage facility. This access will not be used by MRI employee or
truck traffic; all site traffic is assumed to use the access across from the Rodeo (Private Way
License #374.90).
The following figure shows the site driveway along CR 100 and the Rio Grande Trail crossing.
1
GLENWOOD SPRINGS 1 1 8 West Sixth St, Suite 200 I Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 1970.945.1004
GSGM
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Figure 1. Site Driveway and Trail Crossing
The posted speed along CR 100 in both directions adjacent to the site is 30 mph. County Road
100 provides two 12' travel lanes and no turn lanes in front of the site. The driveway to the site
is located along a long, flat, tangent section in the roadway that provides adequate sight
distance in both directions for vehicles entering and exiting the highway. Vehicles accessing the
MRI site will be composed of a mix of passenger cars, trucks, trash/recycle trucks, and WB -67
semi -trucks.
Historically, the site has served a mix of heavy traffic over the years. As recently as 2009, the
site served an average of 218 vehicle trips during an average weekday when MRI, Waste
Solutions, other trucking companies, and various other tenants occupied the site. This equates
to 338 PCE's during an average weekday. A table is contained attached to this memo that
details the traffic generated by site's recent uses.
Existing and Future Traffic Volumes
Peak hour turning movement counts were collected at the site access on Tuesday December 6,
2011. The following figure shows the morning and afternoon peak hour volumes with the PM
peak hour shown in parenthesis.
Figure 2. Existing Traffic Volumes
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The volumes shown are raw counts and include 6 heavy vehicles in the morning and 8 heavy
vehicles in the afternoon traveling along CR 100 through the intersection. A heavy vehicle is
defined as a vehicle with more than two axles and includes school and RFTA buses. The AM
peak hour of CR 100 was observed between 7:30 — 8:30 AM and the PM peak hour was
observed between 4:15 — 5:15 PM. No pedestrians or cyclists were observed on the Rio
Grande Trail, as observations were conducted in December when trail use is minimal.
However, our recommendations account for a higher volume of trail users crossing during the
busier summer season.
CDOT's traffic data website was used to establish a 20 -year factor for CR 100. A 20 -year factor
of 1.6 is specified by CDOT for the adjacent section of SH 82, which will be used to factor
existing traffic to future background volumes. The resulting 2031 forecasts for the site driveway
are shown below. The volumes turning to and from the MRI access were not increased for the
future year. Only the through traffic volumes on the county road were increased by the 20 -year
factor. All traffic counts and forecasts are attached to this memo.
2031 Future
Background Traffic
CR 100 (Calherines Mom Reg
298 (189)-0 4-195 (384)
12 (8) —4, 4-0 (5)
5 3
(i3) (3)
MRJOnvewuy
Figure 3. 2031 Background Traffic Volumes
Trip Generation
Two trip generation scenarios were analyzed to assess opening day traffic (2013) and 20 -year
traffic (2031) conditions at the site access. MRI anticipates about 40% growth in truck trips over
the 20 -year period to serve the valley's needs.
Information from MRI shows that the site will generate approximately 170 vehicle trips on
opening day. This equates to 255 PCE trips on a weekday, if trucks are converted to
Passenger Car Equivalents (PCE's) to account for their size. For this analysis, one
trash/recycle truck equals 2 PCE's and one WB -67 semi -truck equals 3 PCE's. This
corresponds to the site generating 29 trips (39 PCE's) in the AM peak hour and 11 trips (14
PCE's) during the PM peak hour on opening day. The table below shows the trip generation
estimates, including a breakdown of employee trips and truck trips, shown converted to PCE's.
3
Table 1
MRI Traffic Generation on Opening Day
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Proposed Facility
Daily
AM
IN
AM
OUT
PM
IN
PM
OUT
MRI — Employee Trips
95
19
0
0
8
MRI — Trash/Recycle Truck
65
0
10
3
0
MRI — Truck Trips (PCE)
130
0
20
6
0
MRI — WB -67 Semi -Truck
10
1
1
1
1
MRI — Semi Truck Trips (PCE)
30
3
3
3
3
Total Traffic Generation_
170
AM
31
PM
13
Total PCE Generation
255
AM
45
PM
20
The table "Anticipated MRI 2013 Use" is attached to this memo and further details the trip
generation assumptions made by MRI for this application. As the table shows, the majority of
traffic from MRI accesses the site during non -peak hours, and is off-site throughout the day on
routes. Generally, the majority of employees will access the site and go on their routes prior to
7 AM and return prior to 3 PM, missing the peak hours of County Road 100. The five Semi trips
will access the site at regular intervals throughout the day.
For the 2031 analysis, additional truck and employee trips were added to account for future
growth. MRI anticipates generating approximately 228 vehicle trips in 2031. This equates to
355 PCE trips on a weekday, if trucks are converted to PCE's. This corresponds to the site
generating 38 trips (52 PCE's) in the AM peak hour and 21 trips (24 PCE's) during the PM peak
hour in 2031. The table below shows the trip generation estimates, including a breakdown of
employee trips and truck trips, shown converted to PCE's for the 20 -year traffic projections.
Table 2
MRI Traffic Generation in 2031
Proposed Facility
Daily
AM
IN
AM
OUT
PM
IN
PM
OUT
MRI — Employee Trips
121
24
0
_ 0
_ 16
MRI — Trash/Recycle Truck
87
0
14
4
0
MRI — Truck Trips (PCE)
174
0
28
8
0
MRI — WB -67 Semi -Truck
20
1
1
1
1
MRI — Semi Truck Trips (PCE)
60
3
3
3
3
Total Traffic Generation
228
AM
40
PM
23
Total PCE Generation
355
AM
58
PM
_
30
The Semi -trucks that remove the bundled recycled materials will be assumed to grow to 10
loads per day in 20 years.
Trip Distribution and Assignment
Estimates of the directional distribution of site -generated traffic were based on discussions with
MRI regarding their employee base and service area. For this analysis, 25% of the employee
site traffic was assumed to be oriented toward the west (Carbondale) and 75% was oriented
toward the east (SH 82). Truck traffic was split in a similar way, and this report assumes 90% of
truck trips to the site will come from the east and SH 82, while the remaining 10% will come
4
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from the west along CR 100. The following figures show the assignment of site generated traffic
to the driveway during Opening Day and 2031 traffic conditions, Opening Day total traffic, and
2031 total traffic volumes, all in peak hour volumes. Truck volumes are shown as PCE's.
r. --moi,
Peak Hour
2013 Site -Generated
Traffic
CR 100 (o9therkJea Stare RE
o (o)—)
8 (3) -y,
Peak Hour
2031 Site -Generated
Traffic
cR 100 at erk e8 store Rd)
4— 0 (0)
4-14 (8)
r1� f
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(5) (6)
►ewe,.
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MR1 Memo,
Figure 4. Site Generated Traffic Assignment
PION
0
CD
0
Opening Day Traffic
CR 100 (Catherdnes Store Rd)
186 (118)-
20 (11) —4,
<-122 (240)
4-14 (11)
r r
10 21
(20) (9)
MRt Driveway
Figure 5. Opening Day Traffic
5
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•
•`�
GSGM
www.sgm-inc.com
2031 Total Traffic
CR 100 (Catharines store Rd)
298 (189)—> <-195 (384)
21 (11) —4, 4-18 (13)
"r"-'1 r r
10 29
(20) (15) ITT
ARM DMvewa
Figure 6. 2031 Total Traffic
•
When comparing peak hour site -generated traffic to existing traffic on the south leg of the CR
100/SH 82 intersection (Catherine's Store) and accounting for Passenger Car Equivalents, the
MRI project will cause a net change of 8% during the AM peak and 4% in the PM peak. This is
based on counts collected in 2010 at the signal at SH 82 that showed CR 100 carrying 577
vehicles in the AM peak and 755 vehicles in the PM peak. An access permit is not required
from CDOT unless this net change is 20% or greater.
This proposed location of the MRI site will remove daily truck traffic volumes from SH 82
through Glenwood Springs and from downtown Carbondale. Currently, MRI trucks use the
South Canyon landfill to dump, so these trips will be diverted from SH 82 through Glenwood and
1-70 west. This proposed site centralizes MRI's operations in the Roaring Fork Valley. The
anticipated reduction of truck trips through Glenwood Springs as a result of this move is
approximately 33 trips per week, or 4-5 per day (based on a 7 day week). Additionally, the
move from the current address on Merrill Avenue in downtown Carbondale will divert truck and
employee traffic (approximately 110 vehicles per day) from the center of town to this location
along CR 100. As discussed earlier, the majority of the traffic (75% employees and 90% trucks)
will access the site from the east from the intersection of CR 100 and SH 82.
Turn Lane Requirements
Auxiliary turn lane requirements for accesses along Garfield County roads are typically based
on the anticipated peak hour volumes, the speed limit of the highway adjacent to the access,
and the classification of the highway. For design purposes, the speed limit adjacent to the site
is 30 mph along a level two-lane road that could be classified as a non -rural arterial highway
(NR -B), based on the existing access spacing in the vicinity of the site.
6
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For a posted speed 40 mph or less, a left turn lane is required when the peak hour turning
volume exceeds 25 vph, and a right turn deceleration lane is required when the peak hour
turning volume exceeds 50 vph. Based on the forecast turning volumes shown on Figures 5
and 6, no turn lanes are required by the State Highway Access Code at the site driveway.
Sight Distance
The sight distance along the county road for vehicles entering the highway is adequate as a
result of the site's topography and existing conditions along the highway. As stated in the Code,
the required sight distance for the design vehicle (Single Unit Trucks over 10,000 Ib GVW) along
a two-lane roadway is 390'. Vehicles preparing to turn onto the frontage road from either
access will have over 600' of clear sight lines in both directions along the county road to make
safe turning maneuvers. For vehicles traveling along the county road, the sight distance
required is less than that required for vehicles entering the roadway.
Rio Grande Trail Crossing
Trail counts were collected from RFTA for the past two years. The automatic counters are
located along the Rio Grande Trail at the Main Street/CR 100 crossing on the east end of the
Town of Carbondale and near the CR 100 bridge across the Roaring Fork River, east of the MRI
site. Using data from the counts for the months of June — September, the peak hourly count
was 137 pedestrians in an hour at the Main Street counter on June 26, 2010. Only 5 hours out
of the 2,928 hours from June 1 to September 30 experienced trail volumes over 100 pedestrians
per hour in 2010. Three of these hours occurred from 11 AM — 12 PM while the other two were
at 6 and 8 AM, possibly associated with a race. Only one hour in 2011 experienced an hourly
trail user volume over 100 at this location.
A signalized crossing at this location would be warranted by the Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices (MUTCD) when a pedestrian crossing volume exceeds 100 pedestrians per
hour for four hours of the day or when the volume exceeds 190 for a single hour during the day.
Based on the counts collected by RFTA for trail use over the last two years, the volumes using
the crossing at the MRI driveway do not warrant a traffic signal or any higher level of control
than what exists today.
The existing trail crossing at the MRI driveway is well signed and striped for trail users as well
as for road users. For trail users, the approaches are signed with warning signs denoting the
intersection, pavement markings to slow pedestrians and cyclists, and yield signs on either side
of the driveway for trail users. Clear sight lines exist at the crossing, allowing trail users to see
oncoming vehicles from the MRI driveway as well as vehicles along the county road that may be
turning into the access.
For roadway users, warning signage is posted before the trail crossing along the driveway and
along both approaches of CR 100. A warning sign for vehicles approaching the crossing from
the site should be posted about 200' before the crossing, in addition to the existing warning sign
located at the crossing. The current 90 degree bend in the driveway on this approach naturally
slows exiting vehicles to a safe speed before the crossing, but an additional warning sign for this
approach would serve to compliment what exists today. Other existing signing and striping is
adequate for this crossing, based on SGM's observations and input from RFTA. The photos
below show the crossing looking in both directions at the driveway.
7
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View to West From Driveway at Rio Grande Crossing View to East From Driveway at Rio Grande Crossing
All MRI employees and truck drivers will be trained to be aware of the seasonal traffic that this
trail serves and will expect the potential for a trail user conflict due to daily use of the driveway.
SGM feels this crossing is well signed for the safety of all users, but a more active warning
system could be employed if deemed necessary in the future.
No accident experience has been reported by RFTA since the trail was constructed. Since MRI
proposes to generate approximately the same traffic volume as this site generated in 2009 (228
vs. 218), a simple letter of record to RFTA should be sufficient to update the existing crossing
agreement at this location.
Summary of Findings
According to this analysis, no turn lanes are required by the State Highway Access Code for the
proposed access to the MRI site along County Road 100, east of Carbondale. On opening day,
the site will generate 170 daily trips, 29 AM peak hour trips, and 11 PM peak hour. Based on
passenger car equivalents, the projected trip generation will be 255 daily, 39 AM and 14 PM
trips, as Table 1 shows. For the 20 -year scenario, the site will generate 228 daily trips, 38 AM
peak hour trips, and 21 PM peak hour trips when fully developed. Based on passenger car
8
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equivalents, the projected trip generation will be 355 daily, 52 AM and 24 PM trips, as Table 2
shows.
The sight distances at the proposed access points provide adequate length for safe stopping
distances. The trail crossing near the site driveway and CR 100 could be made safer with an
additional advance warning sign for motorists exiting the MRI driveway. Additional
improvements could be employed in the future to make the trail crossing safer, but are not
necessary based on existing experience at this crossing, as noted by RFTA officials and based
on trail count data from the last two summers.
Attachments
1. Traffic Counts — 12/6/11 & Forecasts
2. Anticipated MRI 2013 Use (Trip Generation)
3. Anticipated MRI 20 -Year Use (Trip Generation)
4. Mid Continent Site Historic Traffic
9
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