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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006 07 24 Regular 308 Resolution 2006-42 Legacy Park transportation COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM 308 REGULAR X July 24, 2006 Meeting MGR DEPT Authorization REQUEST: Public Works Department is providing the Commission information regarding transportation strategies proposed to monitor and mitigate traffic impacts from the Legacy Park mixed-use project in Casselberry PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is to provide the Commission Information regarding transportation strategies proposed to monitor and mitigate 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 of Seminola Boulevard at the site of the old dog track (see map, Exhibit 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. 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 A venue 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 distribution at buildout. Regular Agenda Item 308 July 24, 2006 Page 2 of 9 The projected trip distribution 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, Exhibit 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 16,914trips 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 distribution 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 be functioning more like a permanent road, and the Centex Homes sales representative indicated that it was indeed a permanent road. However, in a follow-up discussion with a representative from the City of Casselberry on July 6, 2006, it was stated 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 of the single-family units become occupied. TRANSPORTATION STRATEGIES On June 30, 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. A copy of Mr. Lockwood's report and recommendations is included as Exhibit 3. 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. Regular Agenda Item 308 July 24, 2006 Page 3 of 9 Based on Mr. Lockwood's recommendations, Staff proposes to implement the following steps to monitor and mitigate the traffic impacts from Legacy Park: 1. Adopt a Resolution 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 temporary access road to Murphy Road immediately upon completion ofthe Lake Drive Extension project (see Exhibit 4 for a copy of Resolution 2006-42). 2. Design and construct a gateway entrance / traffic calming feature on Murphy Road at the City of Casselberry border. The gateway feature would likely consist of changes in the pavement appearance and/or texture, landscaping, and possibly a landscaped median island. The gateway feature would 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. 3. Perform an ongoing monitoring program consisting of the following activities: a. Conduct mid-block traffic counts and speed studies along Murphy Road and Edgemon A venue. These counts and studies will be used to establish the baseline, or pre-development conditions. b. Conduct an origin-destination study at the intersection of Murphy Road and Edgemon A venue during the AM and PM peak hours. c. Re-perform the traffic counts, speed studies, and origin-destination studies after completion of various stages of the Legacy Park project, including the occupancy of a substantial number of units, the completion ofthe Lake Drive extension, and the expected closure of the temporary access road. If there is a measurable change in traffic volumes and/or speeds, then the appropriate traffic calming measures can be designed and constructed. , d. Continue to monitor the temporary road connecting Legacy Park to Murphy Road to ensure that it is closed upon completion of the Lake Drive extension. FUNDING: None RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends implementing the three transportation strategies listed above. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Exhibit 1 - Legacy Park Vicinity Map 2. Exhibit 2 - Lake Drive Project Map 3. Exhibit 3 - Report from Ian Lockwood dated June 30, 2006 4. Exhibit 4 - Resolution 2006-42 COMMISSION ACTION: EXHIBIT 1 - LEGACY PARK VICINITY MAP EXHIBIT 2 - LAKE DRIVE PROJECT MAP Exhibit 3 - Report from Ian Lockwood, P.E. June 30, 2006 Brian Fields, P.E. City Engineer City of Winter Springs 1126 East State Road 434 Winter Springs, FL 32708 Re: Legacy Park and Murphy Road Dear Mr. Fields, Legacy Park, located in the City of Casselberry, is a mixed use development comprised of housing, retail, and other uses. The developer's traffic studies indicate that about 5% of the development's motor vehicle traffic, or 600 vehicles per day, will access the development site to and from the north via Murphy Road, in the City of Winter Springs. Currently, Murphy Road has about 6,000 motor vehicles per day using it so the increase will be in the order of 10% above today's volumes. The increase in the number of motor vehicles, 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, a residential street. The effects will also be felt to some degree on other residential streets in Winter Springs (e.g., South Edgemon Avenue, East Tradewinds Road, and South Moss Road). Though increases in motor vehicle traffic on public streets are normal and expected as areas in cities infill and develop further, it is important to: i) look at quality of life and driver behavior issues and ii) try to make changes that either mitigate the impacts, avoid the impacts, or address both the impacts and any current issues simultaneously. There are three basic transportation strategies that the City of Winter Springs should consider in this situation, namely a) route modification; b) traffic calming; and c) geometric changes. a) Route Modification: Route modification involves modifying streets through street closures, partial closures, turn prohibitions, one- way streets, medians that block or partially block left turns, and combinations thereof. Route modification will not help in this situation in the long term because it will inconvenience Winter Springs' drivers more than anyone else. However, in the short term, the City of Winter Springs should petition the City of Casselberry to prohibit right turns out of, and left turns into, the temporary construction driveway between Murphy Road and the development. This will significantly reduce the construction-related traffic and the newly-generated residential traffic from cutting through the City of Winter Springs' neighborhoods for some time. However, these turn prohibitions will need to be enforced periodically by the police and the developer. b) Traffic Calming: Once Seminola Boulevard is open to motorists to Tuskawilla Road, then the temporary access drive should be removed and the turn prohibition signs can come down. Access to the development site will then be from Seminola Boulevard. After three to six months, following the removal of the temporary access drive, the traffic Regular Agenda Item 308 July 24, 2006 Page 7 of9 situation along the City of Winter Springs' streets should be monitored to see if there are any changes from today. Consequently, a mid-block "before count" and "before speed study" on Murphy Road and Edgemon Avenue should be done during this summer, while school is out, and in a couple of months, while school is in, for comparison purposes to similar times of year in the future. The monitoring should be repeated three to six months after the completion of the development's retail components as well. If there is a measurable change in volumes and/or speeds and ifthere are complaints by the residents along the streets, then traffic calming measures should be considered for the affected streets. The City should also consider conducting a license plate trace study or some other form of origin-destination study at the intersection of Murphy Road and South Edgemon Drive during the a.m. and p.m. peak hours. The effects, on traffic routing and volumes, of extending Seminola Boulevard to Tuskawilla Road may be significant compared to the effects of the development. The origin-destination study allows the City to better understand the broader shifts in travel patterns by this significant change in the street network. If traffic calming measures were to be considered in the future along Murphy Road, South Edgemon Avenue, East Tradewinds Road, and South Moss Road, then the menu of measures should be similar to those that are already in use elsewhere in the City, such as mini-traffic circles, short medians, etc. Once 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 a waste of money. c) Geometric Changes: The information that the City of Winter Springs has received to date (e.g., the site plan), regarding the temporary access drive, indicates that the drive will be removed following the opening of Seminola Boulevard to Tuscawilla Road. However, a site map obtained from the development's sales office on June 30, 2006, indicates that the temporary access drive will become a permanent part of the development's street network, called Grand Rue Drive. Furthermore, the land uses along the east side of Murphy Road in the City of Casselberry are shown as commercial sites which would be out of character with the vast majority of Murphy Road which is in the City of Winter Springs. If the latter is the case, then the City of Winter Springs should take issue, through its engineering and/or legal departments, with the changes in access and land use because direct street access to Murphy Drive and the change in character will impact the City of Winter Springs more than an indirect access via Seminola Boulevard and no commercial development along Murphy Road. If the developer desires a direct connection to Murphy Road with Grand Rue Drive and to build commercial land uses along Murphy Road, then the developer should be required to i) pay for any resulting traffic calming measures; ii) alter the geometry of the intersection of Grand Rue Drive and Murphy Road to encourage the development's drivers to avoid using Murphy Road to the north, and iii) provide an entrance feature and street design on Murphy Road between Grad Rue Drive and South Edgemon Avenue that indicates (i.e., sends the message through its design) that Murphy Road to the north is a small, quiet, residential street. Sincerely, Ian Lockwood, P.E. Principal Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin Lopez Rinehart Inc. 33 East Pine Street Orlando, FL 32801 Regular Agenda Item 308 July 24, 2006 Page 8 of9 EXHIBIT 4 RESOLUTION NO. 2006-42 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF WINTER SPRINGS OPPOSING ANY PERMANENT PUBLIC ROAD ACCESS FROM LEGACY PARK TO MURPHY ROAD; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF PRIOR INCONSISTENT RESOLUTIONS; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, as provided in the Intergovernmental Coordination elements of the City of Winter Springs and the City of Casselberry Comprehensive Plans, Winter Springs and Casselberry are obligated to work together to minimize the impact of new development traffic on existing neighborhoods; and WHEREAS, significant increases in traffic through established neighborhoods is generally recognized to decrease the quality of life and in those neighborhoods; and WHEREAS, the Casselberry City Commission approved the Legacy Park project in Casselberry immediately adjacent to the City of Winter Springs; and WHEREAS, the original concept plans provided to Winter Springs staff had no direct access from Legacy Park to Murphy Road; and WHEREAS, the final engineering plans for Legacy Park contained a temporary construction access road onto Murphy Road; and WHEREAS, the traffic study performed by the consultants for Legacy Park projected five percent of the Legacy Park trips, equal to 829 trips per day, would be distributed to Murphy Road based on no direct access to Murphy Road; and WHEREAS, the delays to the Lake Drive improvements have necessitated the use of the construction access road to Murphy Road as a public access road until Lake Drive is complete; and WHEREAS, sales representatives for the developer are representing to potential buyers that the Murphy Road access will be a permanent access creating certain future expectations among the buyers; and WHEREAS, despite assurances from Casselberry staff that the access to Murphy Road is temporary and directly linked to the completion of Lake Drive, which is currently Regular Agenda Item 308 July 24, 2006 Page 9 of9 under construction, the Winter Springs City Commission is concerned about the future disposition of the access road from Legacy Park to Murphy Road; and WHEREAS, the Winter Springs City Commission finds that the permanent use of the temporary access road connecting Legacy Park with Murphy Road would increase traffic volumes on Murphy Road far in excess of those projected in the approved traffic study, and result in impacts detrimental to the neighborhoods located along Murphy Road in Winter Springs. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS: SECTION I - The City of Winter Springs opposes the permanent public use of the access road connecting Legacy Park to Murphy Road and requests the City of Casselberry to terminate the use of the temporary access road connecting Legacy Park to Murphy Road immediately upon completion of the Lake Drive Extension project. SECTION II - All prior inconsistent resolutions of the City Commission are hereby repealed in their entirety to the extent of the conflict with this resolution. SECTION III - This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption by the City Commission. Passed and adopted this day of , 2006. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA JOHN F. BUSH, MAYOR ATTEST: ANDREA LORENZO-LUACES, CITY CLERK