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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 01 22 Informational 501 Legacy Park COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM 501 INFORMATIONAL January 22, 2007 Meeting MGR /DEPT Authorization REQUEST: Public Works Department is providing the Commission an update regarding traffic impacts from the Legacy Park mixed-use project in Casselberry PURPOSE: The purpose ofthis agenda item is to provide the Commission an update regarding traffic impacts from the Legacy Park mixed-use project in Casselberry LEGACY PARK - PROJECT OVERVIEW AND STATUS Legacy Park is a mixed-use development in the City of Casselberry located north ofSeminola Boulevard at the site of the old dog track (see map, Exlnbit 1). At buildout, the project will include 187 single family units, 299 townhome units, 266,000 square feet of retail space, an elementary school, and a church. The Legacy Park site abuts with the City of Winter Springs on the north and east sides, in the vicinity of Murphy Road, Edgemon Avenue, Tradewinds Road, and Morton Lane. The project is currently under construction, with sitework nearing completion and building construction underway for the single-family residential portion of the project. Approximately 75 single-family homes onsite have been constructed and less than half appear to be occupied at this time. Project buildout is estimated to be within the next 1-2 years. TRAFFIC PROJECTION AND DISTRIBUTION At buildout, the project is estimated to generate 16,914 trips per day with 1,497 PM peak hour trips, based on the traffic impact study obtained from the City of Casselberry. The traffic study indicates that 4.9% of the project trips will be directed to or from Murphy Road at buildout, or approximately 829 total trips per day and 73 PM peak hour trips. The latest traffic counts on Murphy Road along the segment from Edgemon Avenue to Seminola Boulevard show a daily traffic volume of approximately 6,000 vehicles per day. Murphy Road has a maximum capacity of 10,000 vehicles per day at the minimum level of service acceptable to the City of Winter Springs, so there is sufficient roadway capacity to handle the additional traffic, based on the Legacy Park trip distnbution at buildout. Informational Agenda Item 50 I January 22, 2007 Page 2 of 6 The projected trip distnbution is based on the existence of the Lake Drive widening to 4 lanes and its extension to Seminola Boulevard. Seminole County has recently awarded a construction contract for the Lake Drive project, which will widen Lake Drive from 2 to 4 lanes from Tuskawilla Road to Seminola Boulevard (see map, Exlnbit 2). In a report titled "Seminola Boulevard East Small Area Study" prepared in March 2006 by the City of Casselberry, it is noted that the Lake Drive extension will create a major east-west transportation corridor. The report also states that "traffic projections developed by Seminole County indicate that daily traffic volumes on Seminola Boulevard would increase from their current level of 14,677 to nearly 40,000 by the year 2013 based on the improvement." It is important to clarifY that the 40,000 vehicles per day figure represents the projected traffic at an unspecified location along the corridor, and it does not represent the traffic generated from Legacy Park, which at buildout is 16,914 trips per day. The Lake Drive widening project is not expected to be complete until March 2008. In the short-term before Lake Drive is complete, Murphy Road may receive a higher percentage of the Legacy Park trips than is projected at buildout. When Lake Drive is complete, the estimated trip distnbution to Murphy Road should more closely match with the 4.9% estimated in the traffic impact study. MURPHY ROAD TEMPORARY ACCESS CONNECTION A temporary construction access road serving Legacy Park has been constructed from the site to Murphy Road. This temporary road was not shown on the original plans reviewed by Staff. At a recent site visit by Staff: the temporary road appeared to still be functioning more like a permanent road. The City of Casselberry has confirmed that the road is temporary, but that it is planned to remain in use until the Lake Drive extension is complete. This will likely require the temporary road to remain open for a period of time after at least a portion ofthe single-family units become occupied. TRAFFIC IMPACT MITIGATION STRATEGIES In June, 2006, Ian Lockwood, P.E., a traffic calming expert from Glatting Jackson, performed an onsite review of Legacy Park and the roadways in the City of Winter Springs most likely to be affected. In summary, Mr. Lockwood thought that the increase in the number of motor vehicles from Legacy Park, coupled with a corresponding increase in poor driver behavior (e.g., speeding, tailgating, etc.) will, to some degree, lower the quality of life and safety along Murphy Road and other nearby residential streets in Winter Springs. The existing conditions along the City streets most likely to be affected (Murphy, Edgemon, Panama, etc.) do not currently warrant the implementation of traffic calming measures. However, Mr. Lockwood recommends that after the City has a handle on which streets are most affected by the new development, it should begin by installing as few traffic calming measures as practicable. The City can build additional measures at a later stage, but adding too many measures to achieve the desired effect is not cost effective. At the July 24,2006 City Commission meeting, the Commission adopted a Resolution (#2006-42) stating the City of Winter Springs' opposition to having any permanent public access road between Legacy Park and Murphy Road and requesting the City of Casselberry to terminate use of the Informational Agenda Item 501 January 22, 2007 Page 3 of 6 temporary access road to Murphy Road immediately upon completion of the Lake Drive Extension project. PROPOSED MURPHY ROAD ENTRANCE FEATURE Based on Mr. Lockwood's recommendations, Staff proposes to construct a gateway entrance / traffic calming feature on Murphy Road at the City of Casselberry border. A draft rendering of this gateway feature is shown in Exlnbit 3. The gateway feature consists of changes in the pavement appearance and texture, the installation of street trees, and a landscaped median island. This gateway feature will enhance the neighborhood, function as a traffic calming device, and it will help to more clearly identify Murphy Road as a residential street, rather than a cut-through to SR 434. Additional traffic calming measures along Murphy Road and the adjoining streets should be considered after the City establishes guidelines for the review, design, and implementation of traffic calming projects. Mr. Lockwood will soon be conducting a traffic calming workshop for the City Commission (see agenda item #304 from this meeting) to help the City develop these guidelines. In the meantime, Legacy Park and the Lake Drive widening projects will continue to be monitored. FUNDING: None RECOMMENDATION: None ATTACHMENTS: 1. Exlnbit 1 - Legacy Park Vicinity Map 2. Exlnbit 2 - Lake Drive Project Map 3. Exlnbit 3 - Proposed Murphy Road Gateway Feature (Draft) COMMISSION ACTION: EXHIBIT 1 LEGACY PARK VICINITY MAP EXHIBIT 2 LAKE DRIVE PROJECT MAP EXHIBIT 3 MURPHY ROAD LANDSCAPE MEDIAN PROJECT MURPHY ROAD LANDSCAPE MEDIAN PROJECT