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Home My WebLink AboutZMA202100001 Correspondence 2022-03-21 (6)RAMEY KEMP ASSOCIATES Moving forward. March 21, 2022 Mr. Kevin McDermott, AICP Chief of Planning Community Development Department 401 McIntire Road Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 Phone: (434) 296-5832 Reference: Willow Glen Apartments — Response to TIA Review Comments Albemarle County, Virginia Dear Mr. McDermott, T 804 217 8560 4343 Cox Road Glen Allen, VA 23060 Dickerson Ridge, LLC is proposing to build 308 multifamily units on the east side of Route 606 (Dickerson Road) north of Towncenter Drive with two full -movement driveways on Dickerson Road. Ramey Kemp Associates, Inc. (RKA) submitted the Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) for the project on March 25. The purpose of this letter is to provide a response to the County's TIA review comments dated August 24 and VDOT's TIA review comments dated December 21. County Comments on the Traffic Impact Analysis: The increase in delay for the WBL at Dickerson and Towncenter from 148.1 sec in the 2025 No Build to 246.2 in the 2025 Build is a high concern and does not appear to be addressed. The proposed development would increase delay at this location by over a minute and a half The applicant discusses willingness to work with the County and VDOT to address this exceptional delay, but the current application makes no commitment to this effect. The TIA was updated with 2022 count data instead of using historical 2018 count data as was used in the original TIA. Capacity analysis results based on the 2022 count data indicate excessive queueing and/or delay is not anticipated at this intersection. The recommendations in the TIA include extending the turn lane. However, that does not address the long delays. It also offers solutions including a traffic signal and roundabout both of which could address the issue. VDOT comments appear to not support the traffic signal, and that would not be the County's preference either, because it would likely result in an increase in crashes at the intersection and add delay to the other movements in the intersection. The County would support a roundabout at this intersection which would address the delay and increase safety. ■ This improvement is no longer recommended or necessary based on the 2022 count data. There are no longer expected to be excessive queue lengths and delays, as was projected with the historical count data. A roundabout or traffic signal are therefore no longer recommended. I<Alk rameykemp.com Transportation Consulting that moves us forward. RAMEY KEMP ASSOCIATES Moving forward. The LOS for Towncenter and August shows little to no delay. However, the PM Peak Hour NBL/R would be impacted by the WBL queue at the Towncenter and Dickerson intersection which would result in much longer delays than shown here. This would not be addressed by extending the WBL turn lane as proposed. A signal may improve this situation, but a roundabout appears to be the best option. Separation of the NBL and NBR on August Lane would also improve this significantly. Capacity analysis results based on the 2022 count data do not show WBL queues extending to or beyond the August Lane intersection. WBL queues are not anticipated to impact delay or queue lengths on August Lane. No improvements are recommended. The turn lane warrant analyses appear to show that a right -turn taper would be required at south site driveway and a left turn lane is required at both entrances. Despite the low percentage of southbound advancing traffic that would be making a left turn and the low overall number of left turning vehicles, it is the County's recommendation that at least on location, preferably the south entrance, have a left turn lane so as to not further degrade operations and safety. The TIA was updated with 2022 count data which show a decrease in overall traffic volumes at this location by approximately 35%. The turn lane warrants do not meet thresholds for a full -storage turn lane. A right -turn taper is warranted only at the south driveway in the PM peak hour; however, the applicant is willing to install right -turn tapers at both driveways. VDOT Comments: Under the 2025 Build condition, the overall delay at the intersection of Dickerson and Towncenter Drive is anticipated to increase by 99 seconds during the PM peak hour. The only recommendation RKA offers is to extend the WB right -turn lane at the subject intersection, which will result to no reduction in delay at this location under the 2025 Build condition. ■ The overall delay at the intersection of Dickerson and Towncenter Drive is anticipated to increase by 5 seconds from no -build to build in the PM peak hour when analyzed using the 2022 count data. No improvements are recommended. 2. RKA analyzes two (2) potential alternatives (a traffic signal and a roundabout) to help improve LOS at the aforementioned intersection. They run signal warrants 1, 2, and 3 but TE does not believe warrant 3 would apply to this location, hence the signal would likely not be warranted. According to Section 4C.04 (Paragraph 02) of the MUTCD, Warrant 3 shall be applied only in unusual cases, such as office complexes, manufacturing plants, industrial complexes, or high -occupancy vehicle facilities that attract or discharge large numbers of vehicles over a short -time. There will need to be a discussion on the potential for a roundabout or other alternative intersection types here at this location (possibly using VJUST as a preliminary tool). Analysis results based on the 2022 count data do not indicate the need for a traffic signal or roundabout. Transportation I<AlkConsulting that moves us forward. rameykemp.com RAMEY KEMP ASSOCIATES Moving forward. Both of the left turn lane warrants for the entrances appear to be met. The graph on F-64 should be viewed as appropriate for entrances with -5% left turns. The analysis was revised with 2022 count data instead of historical count data, and the turn lane warrant charts have been revised. Based on the new count data, left turn lanes are not warranted at either site driveway. 4. Right turn tapers will be required at both entrances. It is agreed that neither entrance is likely to meet the full right turn lane warrants, however there is still a fair amount of right turning traffic at each entrance. ■ The northbound right -turn taper is warranted only in the PM peak hour at the southern site driveway and is not even close to meeting the thresholds for a taper at the northern driveway. The applicant is willing to construct the right turn taper at the southern driveway. 5. The Department is not in favor of the proffered round -a -bout funds. a. The proffer indicates the Developer will provide right-of-way from his own lane plus 10% of construction costs, both of which will revert back to the Developer after 10 years if the round - a -bout is not constructed. Without strong support from the County and introduction into SMARTScale Round 5, this timeline is unlikely to be met. b. The estimated cost of constructing a round -a -bout is $4-5 million, inflated to 2030. The total estimated cost of a round -a -bout, including preliminary engineering and right-of-way acquisition, is $5-6 million, inflated to 2030. c. Construction of a round -a -bout at this location would require a larger inscribed radius, and more deflection on Towncenter Drive and Dickerson Road, requiring much more right-of-way than is shown in the proffer, to include some from the subject property. ■ A roundabout is no longer proposed for the intersection. We appreciate your attention to this matter, and trust that this response addresses the County's and VDOT's concerns. Please contact me at (919) 987-1283 if you have any questions. Sincerely yours, Ramey Kemp Associates, Inc. Jessica McClure, P.E. State Traffic Engineering Lead Copy to: Mr. Adam Moore, P.E., VDOT Mr. George Ray, Dickerson Ridge, LLC Mr. Kenneth Owen, Breeden Construction Ms. Valerie Long, Williams Mullen Mr. Steve Edwards, Edwards Design Studio Transportation 1<)k Consulting that moves us forward. rameykemp.com