Summary
To: Mayor and Commissioners
From: Micah Maxwell, Town Manager
Date: 11/10/2016
______________________________________________________________________
Subject:
Title
Traffic Discussion
Summary:
Discussion of traffic overall in the town.
End
Body
Previous Commission Action: None
Background/Problem Discussion:
In 1997 the Town commissioned a traffic study which identified areas where traffic calming should occur and prioritizing specific elements of that traffic calming into three phases. The study included data collection from 18 different locations throughout town, found on page 10 of the report, and the subsequent priority ranking of where the needs were greatest.
Phase I
The roadways listed with the highest priority index were generally placed in phase I of the traffic calming project. This included all of Indian Rocks Road, Belleview, Cypress, and Poinsettia. Ponce de Leon and Belforest we also include in phase one, but were not high priority. For the purpose of this conversation I have included only information on the higher priority Phase I areas.
Indian Rocks Road - Pages 12, 18-20
Indian Rocks Road included three data collection results, which account for the top three highest scoring data points on the priority index. The narrative outlined the need to drop speeds to the posted amount to try and get traffic to divert to an alternative route. The resulting recommended treatment options for this areas were roundabouts at Rosery, Poinsettia, Ponce, and Bayview/Carl along with raised intersections at Pineland, Althea, Eastleigh, Roebling North, and Belleview.
Using the same methodology used during the 1997 study, staff input the data from subsequent traffic studies to see if the priority ranking changed in these areas.
Indian Rocks South |
Year |
Volume |
Rec Volume Max |
factor |
85th% speed |
posted speed |
score |
1997 |
11732 |
3000 |
200 |
38.5 |
30 |
10432 |
2009 |
10989 |
3000 |
200 |
35 |
30 |
8989 |
2011 |
5383 |
3000 |
200 |
35 |
30 |
3383 |
2013 |
9547 |
3000 |
200 |
35 |
30 |
7547 |
Indian Rocks Central |
Year |
Volume |
Rec Volume Max |
factor |
85th% speed |
posted speed |
score |
1997 |
10571 |
3000 |
200 |
36 |
30 |
8771 |
2011 |
2705 |
3000 |
200 |
35 |
30 |
705 |
2012 |
7173 |
3000 |
200 |
35 |
30 |
5173 |
2013 |
6406 |
3000 |
200 |
31 |
30 |
3606 |
Indian Rocks North |
Year |
Volume |
Rec Volume Max |
factor |
85th% speed |
posted speed |
score |
1997 |
10328 |
3000 |
200 |
37 |
30 |
8728 |
2009 |
9314 |
3000 |
200 |
38 |
30 |
7914 |
2013 |
4354 |
3000 |
200 |
36 |
30 |
2554 |
1During the 2011 counts, Indian Rocks Road was closed at Belleview Blvd
2During the 2013 counts, Druid Road was under heavy construction.
3Data collection was not taken at the same exact points.
It appears that volume has dropped over the last few years along Indian Rocks Road and some speed has reduced in the south area, but not in the central and northern areas. That said, it is likely that the closure of the Biltmore Hotel, which was after to the 2009 IRR South count, had some large impact to the number of vehicles traversing Indian Rocks Road. Based on a 200 room hotel, traffic could be effected by between 1800 and 2600 trips per day. The town has installed a roundabout at Ponce as this report called for, however that is the only action it has taken. It is possible to install roundabouts and raised intersections in the other areas identified, however road drainage will play a major factor in the cost of the projects, as it did in the Ponce project.
Belleview - Pages 23-24
Like Indian Rocks, raised intersections were designed to drop speeds and motivate cut through traffic to find an alternative route. Belleview also included raised crosswalks, which were intended to do the same. The roundabout at the Belleview/druid intersection was designed with intersection safety in mind.
Using the same methodology used during the 1997 study, staff input the data from subsequent traffic studies to see if the priority ranking changed in these areas.
Belleview |
Year |
Volume |
Rec Volume Max |
factor |
85th% speed |
posted speed |
score |
1997 |
8204 |
3000 |
200 |
34.5 |
30 |
6104 |
2011a |
7294 |
3000 |
200 |
34 |
30 |
5094 |
2011b |
5880 |
3000 |
200 |
33 |
30 |
3480 |
It appears that based on the 2011 counts, which took place prior to the Belleview Blvd reconstruction, the volume on the street has dropped sharply. It is however assumed that the drop off in volume is directly attributed to the closure of the Belleview Biltmore Hotel. Based on a 200 room hotel, traffic could be effected by between 1800 and 2600 trips per day.
Cypress - Pages 26-28
The narrative identified that Cypress has a speeding problem, and attributed that problem to overly wide streets, and a speed limit at 30mph that was too high. The report recommended dropping the speed of Cypress to 25 mph as well as the narrowing of the street with the installation of three center islands to narrow lanes to 9 feet in width.
Using the same methodology used during the 1997 study, staff input the data from subsequent traffic studies to see if the priority ranking changed in these areas.
Cypress |
Year |
Volume |
Rec Volume Max |
factor |
85th% speed |
posted speed |
score |
1997 |
998 |
1000 |
200 |
40 |
30 |
1998 |
2009a |
193 |
1000 |
200 |
34 |
30 |
-7 |
2009b |
451 |
1000 |
200 |
32 |
30 |
-149 |
2011a |
356 |
1000 |
200 |
29 |
30 |
-844 |
2011b |
335 |
1000 |
200 |
29 |
30 |
-865 |
2012 |
84 |
1000 |
200 |
27 |
30 |
-1516 |
2013 |
222 |
1000 |
200 |
31 |
30 |
-578 |
It appears that volume has dropped significantly since the 1997 study, despite the narrowing never occurring. The town did drop the speed in 2013. It is important to note that the original methodology showed cypress as a sub-collector, which would allow more traffic volume, however the street is not classified as such and should be considered a local street. Below we have made that adjustment to the formula as well as the speed limit adjustment to show updated priority scoring.
Cypress |
Year |
Volume |
Rec Volume Max |
factor |
85th% speed |
posted speed |
score |
1997 |
998 |
250 |
200 |
40 |
20 |
4748 |
2009a |
193 |
250 |
200 |
34 |
20 |
2743 |
2009b |
451 |
250 |
200 |
32 |
20 |
2601 |
2011a |
356 |
250 |
200 |
29 |
20 |
1906 |
2011b |
335 |
250 |
200 |
29 |
20 |
1885 |
2012 |
84 |
250 |
200 |
27 |
20 |
1234 |
2013 |
222 |
250 |
200 |
31 |
20 |
2172 |
Poinsettia - Pages 23-24
Like Indian Rocks, raised intersections were designed to drop speeds and motivate cut through traffic to find an alternative route. Poinsettia also included raised crosswalks, which were intended to do the same.
Using the same methodology used during the 1997 study, staff input the data from subsequent traffic studies to see if the priority ranking changed in these areas.
Poinsettia |
Year |
Volume |
Rec Volume Max |
factor |
85th% speed |
posted speed |
score |
1997 |
2483 |
3000 |
200 |
36 |
30 |
683 |
2009 |
2201 |
3000 |
200 |
34 |
30 |
1 |
Volume appears to have remained steady, and in at least the instance of the singular study undertaken, speed has reduced. It appears that the researcher who calculated the previous priority score probably made some sort of adjustment to raise the score to 1200, my assumption is that it is based on the fact that sidewalks did not exist along Poinsettia.
Vertical Traffic Calming
Speed Humps - 5-6 feet long rather than the 1-2 foot speed bump
Speed Cushions - Similar to Speed Humps, but they are separated in the middle to allow emergency vehicles to avoid them if needed
Speed Tables - Similar size to speed humps, however they rise sharply and level off instead of gradually rising and falling. This allows it to be used as a pedestrian crossing.
Rumble Strips - small strips that make for an uncomfortable, noisy ride, and can help catch a driver’s attention
Horizontal Traffic Calming
Narrowing streets - This entails bringing the curb lines closer together and narrowing the drive lanes
Raised Medians - Instead of bringing curbs closer together, this application places a raised median in the middle of the street, which has the effect of narrowing without impact to the curb line
Choke points - Again similar to narrowing, however they are not continuous, but more sporadic
Traffic Control Options
Roundabouts - Similar to IRR and Ponce, but likely smaller
Diverters - This would include cutting streets off from one another and creating a more non-linear path
Stop Lights - Much like IRR and Melenbacher
Stop Signs - Much like IRR and Poinsettia.
Expenditure Challenges N/A
Financial Implications: N/A
Recommendation: N/A
Proposed Motion N/A