HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 09 10 Informational 101 Sheoah Boulevard/State Road 434COMMISSION AGENDA
ITEM 101
September 10, 2007
Meeting
CONSENT
INFORMATIONAL X
PUBLIC HEARING
REGULAR
~~
MGR ~~ /DEPT
Authorization
REQUEST: Public Works Department providing the City Commission with information
regarding the travel lane configuration at the Sheoah Blvd / SR 434
intersection
PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is to provide the City Commission with
information regarding the travel lane configuration at the Sheoah Blvd / SR 434
intersection
CONSIDERATIONS:
• The Public Works Department recently completed an analysis of the southbound approach
at the Sheoah Blvd / SR 434 intersection in response to several requests. The southbound
approach currently has a shared right/through lane and a left-only lane (see photo below).
One request was to move the through lane to the left turn lane to avoid having the through
movements delay right turns on red. The through movement serves only Winter Springs
Elementary School. Another request was to increase the green time for vehicles turning
on SR 434 from Sheoah Blvd.
Sheoah Blvd at SR 434 -
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North
Informational Agenda Item 101
September 10, 2007
Page 2 of 2
• Staff evaluated the intersection and performed several traffic counts on school and non-
school days. A 30-minute AM peak traffic count was taken on Wednesday, August 8, a
non-school day. AM and PM peak traffic counts were taken on Wednesday, August 23, a
school day, during the school's peak drop-offand pickup periods. This data is attached as
Exhibit A. The traf~ic data shows that in both the AM and PM peak periods, there are
almost no through movements from southbound Sheoah Blvd. to Winter Springs
Elementary School.
FINDINGS:
1. The traffic counts indicated there were a maximum of only two through movements from
southbound Sheoah Blvd to the school in any 30-minute peak period. The through
movement has no impact on the right-turn delay.
2. The southbound green time was sufficient to clear the maximum observed queue of 9
vehicles in the AM peak.
3. No operational problems were observed, other than during the PM peak period the car
line from the school spills out onto 434.
4. Southbound right turns on red (from Sheoah Blvd onto SR 434 westbound) experience
delays of up to 50 seconds due to the high traffic volume on westbound 434. Drivers on
Sheoah Blvd. further back in the queue may believe that the delay is for a through
movement, but in reality the delay is for right-turning vehicles waiting for a gap.
5. There is a"no right turn" digital sign on the southbound Sheoah mast arm, but the sign
was not in use and does not appear to be needed in the AM or PM peak periods.
6. The properties north of SR 434 in The Highlands are zoned to a Highlands Elementary
School to the north, which helps explain the very low number of through movements from
Sheoah Blvd to the school.
7. An 8-hour traffic count taken in January 2006 showed a total of only 16 through
movements from southbound Sheoah Blvd to the school, which is very low and consistent
with the data recently collected as shown in Exhibit A.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. No changes in lane configuration are recommended, as the very limited number of through
movements has no impact on the right-turn delay.
2. The southbound green time was sufficient to clear the maximum observed queue of 9
vehicles in the AM peak. No additional green time is recommended.
3. The intersection appears that it could accommodate shifting the straight movement to the
left turn lane, if this became necessary.
4. Seminole County Traffic Engineering reviewed the City's findings and also recommended
no changes at this time.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit A- Sheoah Blvd / SR 434 Intersection Traffic Data
COMMISSION ACTION:
Exhibit A
Sheoah Blvd / SR 434 Intersection Traffic Counts
August 2007
Inter~ection
Date
Conditions
Time of Count
Left
Through
Right (Total)
RTOR (as a subset of the total
rights listed above)
Southbound Gr~een Time
Total Cycle Time
Max Queue - Straight/Right
Max Queue - Left
Maximum Southbound Delay
Pedestrians / Likes
Sheoah / 434 (southbound only)
Wed 8/8/2007 Wed 8/22/2007
sunny, clear sunny, clear
7:30 - 8:00 AM 7:30 - 8:00 AM
21 28
2 1
94 105
39
varies
varies
6
3
45 seconds
0
33
varies
varies
9
4
50 seconds
5
Thu 8/23/2007
sunny, clear
2:45 - 3:15 PM
19
0
43
161
varies
varies
4
2
50 seconds
9