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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005 07 11 Regular Item 503- Resolution Number 2005-26, FDOT Support SR 434 Traffic Circulation and Access Plan 071105_ COMM _Regular _503 ]DOT _Resolution _2005-26 Page 1 on COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM 503 Consent Informational Public Hearin Re ular x July 11, 2005 Regular Meeting Mgr~. Dept. Authorization REQUEST: City Manager requesting the City Commission to approve Resolution Number 2005- 26 requesting FDOT to support the State Road 434 Traffic Circulation and Access Plan for the Town Center Urban Central Business District recommended by the City's consultants. PURPOSE: This agenda item is needed to provide the FDOT with the City's rationale for amending the FDOT's current Traffic Management Plan for that section of S.R. 434 going through the Town Center. CONSIDERATIONS: In December 2004 the City Commission approved a contract with Walter Kulash of Glatting, Jackson to perform a Traffic Circulation and Access Management Study to determine if the City's Town Center Traffic Circulation and Access Plan could be supported on sound engineering data, thus, allowing the City to petition FDOT to amend its plans in the Town Center. In March of2005 the consultant report was completed establishing that the Town Center Circulation and Access Plan was as good as or slightly better than the FDOT's plan. On June 13, 2005 our consultants and city staff met with FDOT officials to review our consultant's findings. Although the FDOT officials indicated some relief from their plan, the minimal levels of change fell far short of our needs to create a pedestrian friendly, rather than vehicle friendly environment in the Town Center. The proposed Resolution Number 2005-26 establishes the City's official request for reconsideration of FDOT's position. 071105_ COMM _ Regular_ 503 ]DOT _ Resolution_ 2005-26 Page 2 of2 FUNDING: N/A RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Commission adopt Resolution Number 2005-26 authorizing the City Manager to forward Resolution Number 2005-26 to the appropriate State Officials. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Resolution Number 2005-26. 2. City Manager letter to Representative David Mealor. 3. City Manager letter to FDOT. COMMISSION ACTION: RESOLUTION NUMBER 2005-26 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA REQUESTING THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO APPROVE THE PREFERRED STATE ROAD 434 TRAFFIC CIRCULATION AND ACCESS PLAN RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY'S CONSULTANTS FOR THE WINTER SPRINGS TOWN CENTER URBAN CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT. WHEREAS, on January 24, 2005 the Winter Springs City Commission approved a Comprehensive Plan Amendment with approval from all appropriate reviewing Local and State Agencies designating certain areas in the City of Winter Springs lying within the Town Center Zoning District to Winter Springs Urban Central Business District, and WHEREAS, the street and road networks, and the access plan for the Town Center Urban Central Business District was developed by consultants with national and international credentials in Town Center and Central Business District Design, and WHEREAS, studies prepared by the City's traffic consultants using recognized SYNCHRO 6 ANAL YSIS SOFTW ARE established that the street and road network, and traffic access plan for the Town Center Urban Central Business District protects S.R. 434 levels of service and performance as well or slightly better than the preferred FDOT plan, and WHEREAS, the consultants study established that the street and road network, and traffic access plan for the Town Center Urban Central Business District eliminates the future need for, and expense of widening S.R. 434 from four to six lanes, and WHEREAS, the consultants study established that the street and road network and traffic access plan for the Town Center Urban Central Business District reduces incidents of high speed, high impact accidents involving serious injuries and fatalities, and WHEREAS, the City acknowledges that the street and road network and traffic access plan proposed by the City's consultants "may" result in some increase in inconvenience to motorists related to decreases in speed and occasional delays, and Page 1 of2 WHEREAS, the City acknowledges FDOT's concern that the street and road network, and traffic access plan proposed by the City's consultants "may" result in some increase in minor low speed low impact traffic accidents, and minor injuries, as opposed to high speed, high impact serious injury accidents which are currently being experienced, and WHEREAS, the Winter Springs Town Center Urban Central Business District project is by far the most important economic development project in the City, representing an estimated investment in excess of 400 million dollars, and WHEREAS, Winter Springs policy makers, staff, and consultants strongly believe that the safer, more pedestrian friendly street and road network, and traffic access plan adopted by the City is essential to the economic success of the Winter Springs Town Center Urban Central Business District provided for in the City's Comprehensive Plan, Development Plan, and Development Codes. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and Commission of the City of Winter Springs request the Florida Department of Transportation to support the economic success of the Winter Springs Town Center Urban Central Business District by accepting the preferred State Road 434 Traffic Circulation and Access Plan "Alternative-lA" contained in a study performed by Transportation Consultants of Glatting, Jackson, Kercher, Anglin, Lopez, Rhinehart, Inc. in a report entitled Traffic Circulation and Access Study, State Road 434, Winter Springs Town Center dated March 5, 2005 demonstrating through SYNCHRO 6 ANAL YSIS SOFTWARE to be as good or slightly better than the FDOT's Plan. Duly Adopted by the Mayor and Commission of the City of Winter Springs duly assembled in Winter Springs, Seminole county, Florida on this the _ day of July 2005. John F. Bush, Mayor ATTEST: Andrea-Lorenzo-Luaces, City Clerk Page 2 of2 CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA 1126 EAST STATE ROAD 434 WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA 32708-2799 Telephone (407) 327-1800 Ronald W. McLemore City Manager July 6, 2005 Representative David Mealor Florida House of Representatives District Office 225 Waymont Court, Suite 101 Lake Mary, Florida 32746 Dear Representative Mealor: Relative to our telephone conference call, I would appreciate you reviewing the following, and provide me with your comments. 1. Letter from me to George Gilhooley that explains everything. 2. A Draft Resolution which will be forwarded to the Commission at their July 11, 2005 meeting for adoption. In summary, we are seeking your assistance as a result of our recent meeting with FDOT staff. Although FDOT staff indicated a measure of relief, they failed to produce the levels of cooperation the City needs to be able to successfully carry out our Town Center Plan, in which millions of dollars have already been invested. I look forward to discussing this urgent and most important matter with you as soon as possible. Finally, I cannot emphasize enough the urgency of this matter due to pending land acquisition contracts and related hard money dates coming due in August. Thanks, again for all the good things you do for us. Sincerely, /~M?Hn Ronald W. McLemore City Manager /jp U:\Docs\Word\Town Center\DMealor SR 434 Traffic Study Assistance.doc CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA 1126 EAST STATE ROAD 434 WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA 32708-2799 Telephone (407) 327-1800 Ronald W. McLemore City Manager July 6, 2005 Mr. George Gilhooley, P.E. District Secretary Florida Department of Transportation 719 South Woodland Boulevard, MS4-503 DeLand, Florida 32720 Re: Winter Springs Town Center Traffic Circulation and Access Study State Road 434 Access Classification Modification Request Dear Mr. Gilhooley: The City of Winter Springs Florida has approved plans to develop a "new downtown" that will give definition and character to the future municipal, business and residential growth within the City, and create an economically viable community that is both financially successful and sustainable. These changes will require the cooperation of local and state government and the developer and contractors that will be responsible for permitting and constructing the various projects in the Town Center. We have conducted numerous public meetings and had the opportunity to review our plans and concepts with staff at the Florida Department of Transportation. A critical element of the new downtown development, in the four quadrants surrounding the Tuskawilla Road/State Road 434 intersection, is the access and roadway network associated with a section of State Road 434. To obtain the goals and objections of the new mixed use community that is envisioned by the City leaders and residents, a fine network of streets and connections to State Road 434 will be necessary. We understand that the Department of Transportation has established rules and regulations governing the addition or modifications of connections to its highway system. We have had a number of discussions with your staff in Traffic Operations on this issue. We also understand that under certain circumstances these rules and regulations allow for changes in the access management classifications on state facilities that would reduce the restrictions placed on new or modified access points/street connections and median openings. It is understandable that the Department is wary of introducing new full access/future signalized intersections to its roadway system as they may produce delay and increased potential for certain types of crashes. The City of Winter Springs is also concerned with this potential. Because of this, we had contracted with the firm Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin Lopez Rinehart, Inc. to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the impacts our proposed roadway network and associated access plans might have on State Road 434. On June 13, 2005, the City and our consultant presented the findings of that study to representatives of the Department (Mr. Morrow and Mr. Carins) and requested general approval of the proposed access plans. As the study had shown that the recommended plan was not only better than the current allowable network connections, the proposed plan would minimize the need for future widening on State Road 434 to 6 lanes and the overall operating conditions (travel time, speed and level of service) was competitive with State Road 434 remaining a four lane facility. We requested that the Department recognize these findings and agree to consider modification of the State Road 434 Access Classification from its current Class 3 designation to a Class 7, allowing for multiple full median openings and the addition of future signals when warranted. That request was not acceptable to your staff. However, the Department representatives did agree that a change to Class 5 would be acceptable. Although we appreciate this consideration, it does not comply with the spacing and number of connections that are needed to support the town center vision and development plan. Therefore, we are requesting that you consider the following issues and benefits before making a final decision that would not be consistent with the direction and request of the City Commission of Winter Springs, Florida. Based on the results of the study, it is apparent that a series of well planned intersecting streets designed in a block and network pattern, will disperse turning movements both to and from the major arterial and significantly improving operations from what will occur under the current access management provisions. The network invites these turns to be made at anyone of numerous opportunities on minor public streets rather than at a single or limited number of collector road intersections. Furthermore, turning movements at the smaller supporting intersections can usually be accommodated with simple two-phase signal operation; a major gain in efficiency compared to the four-six phase operation required at most major intersections. With proper timing and phasing, the minor intersections can operation "in the shadow" of the major intersections and any delay they cause to through motorists is simply a relocation (and usually a reduction) in delay that would have otherwise been incurred and the major intersection. This result was verified by our studies using the Synchro 6 analysis software that is accepted by the Department. A network of streets within downtown or town center areas also has several advantages for travel within the center. Vehicular trips within the center can be made on local streets and reducing the travel demand on the major arterial (in this case SR 434) serving the project and regional traffic. Local traffic can cross the arterial, rather than travel on and making an upstream or downstream turning movement and adding to the volume and delay at the major intersections. A network of small/local streets also gives pedestrians and cyclists many direct and safe routes within the center and allows for more opportunity to conveniently cross the arterial roadway. With a defined street and block pattern, parking spaces and trips are reduced as motorists no longer seek parking options immediately adjacent to their destination, but rather accept parking at any number of locations in the center. This results in reduced trip production as a "park once" mentality is predominate and what may have been 4-6 trips on the external roadway network then becomes 2 trips as the level of internal traffic increases and is converted to a walking trip from an automobile trip. Finally, the network and access as proposed, with its concentration of travel origins and destinations and multiple route choices, is the ideal setting for transit service. This will eventually translate to even higher reductions in regional trips on the arterial. In summary, we believe that the Department should reconsider its position regarding State Road 434 in the Winter Springs Town Center Corridor Area for two reasons. First, the results of the study and the values inherent with the network and block system and access plan are sufficient to support the changes indicated in the proposed (Alternative "1") preferred roadway network, which can be located on page 16, Figure 6 of our consultant's report included herein. Second, the network and block system, and access plan are entirely consistent with the future land use plan, development plans, and development codes already adopted by the City. We would appreciate your direct and immediate attention to his request. Sincerely /l~~ 'N~ Ronald W. McLemore City Manager /jp cc: Mayor and Commission Brent A. Lacy, GJ Walter Kulash, GJ Kipton Lockcuff, Public Works Rick Morrow, FDOT Chris Carins, FDOT 07060S/FDOT /SR434/Study J RESOLUTION NUMBER 2005-26 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA REQUESTING THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO APPROVE THE PREFERRED STATE ROAD 434 TRAFFIC CIRCULATION AND ACCESS PLAN RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY'S CONSULTANTS FOR THE WINTER SPRINGS TOWN CENTER URBAN CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT. WHEREAS, on January 24, 2005 the Winter Springs City Commission approved a Comprehensive Plan Amendment with approval from all appropriate reviewing Local and State Agencies designating certain areas in the City of Winter Springs lying within the Town Center' Zoning District to Winter Springs Urban Central Business District, and WHEREAS, the street and road networks, and the access plan for the Town Center Urban Central Business District was developed by consultants with national and international credentials in Town Center and Central Business District Design, and WHEREAS, studies prepared by the City's traffic consultants using recognized SYNCHRO 6 ANAL YSIS SOFTWARE established that the street and road network, and traffic access plan for the Town Center Urban Central Business District protects S.R. 434 levels of service and performance as well or slightly better than the preferred FDOT plan, and WHEREAS, the consultants study established that the street and road network, and traffic access plan for the Town Center Urban Central Business District eliminates the future need for, and expense of widening S.R. 434 from four to six lanes, and WHEREAS, the consultants study established that the street and road network and traffic access plan for the Town Center Urban Central Business District reduces incidents of high speed, high impact accidents involving serious injuries and fatalities, and WHEREAS, the City acknowledges that the street and road network and traffic access plan proposed by the City's consultants "may" result in some increase in inconvenience to motorists related to decreases in speed and occasional delays, and City of Winter Springs Resolution 2005-26 Page lof2 WHEREAS, the City acknowledges FDOT's concern that the street and road network, and traffic access plan proposed by the City's consultants "may" result in some increase in minor low speed low impact traffic accidents, and minor injuries, as opposed to high speed, high impact serious injury accidents which are currently being experienced, and WHEREAS, the Winter Springs Town Center Urban Central Business District project is by far the most important economic development project in the City, representing an estimated investment in excess of 400 million dollars, and WHEREAS, Winter Springs policy makers, staff, and consultants strongly believe that the safer, more pedestrian friendly street and road network, and traffic access plan adopted by the City is essential to the economic success of the Winter Springs Town Center Urban Central Business District provided for in the City's Comprehensive Plan, Development Plan, and Development Codes. NOW THEREFORE, BE. IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and Commission of the City of Winter Springs request the Florida Department of Transportation to support the economic success of the Winter Springs Town Center Urban Central Business District by accepting the preferred State Road 434 Traffic Circulation and Access Plan "Alternative-lA" contained in a study performed by Transportation Consultants of Glatting, Jackson, Kercher, Anglin, Lopez, Rhinehart, Inc. in a report entitled Traffic Circulation and Access Study, State Road 434, Winter Springs Town Center dated March 5, 2005 demonstrating through SYNCHRO 6 ANAL YSIS SOFTWARE to be as good or slightly better than the FDOT's Plan. Duly Adopted by the Mayor and Commission of the City of Winter Springs duly assembled in Winter Springs, Seminole county, Florida on this the 11th day of July 2005. ATTEST: de4tL ~~ Andrea-Lorenzo-Luaces, City Clerk City of Winter Springs Resolution 2005-26 Page 2 of2