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TC 06-23-08 Meeting AgendaCOUNTY of FREDERICK Department of Planning and Development 540/665-5651 as FAX: 540/665-6395 Ms Is MEMORANDUM TO: Frederick County Transportation Committee FROM: John A. Bishop, AICP, Deputy Director - Transportation\�Q RE: June 23, 2008 Transportation Committee Meeting DATE: June 16, 2008 The Frederick County Transportation Committee will be meeting at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, June 23, 2008 in the first floor meeting room of the Frederick County Administration Building, 107 North Kent Street, Winchester, Virginia. AGENDA 1. Traffic Impact Analysis Standards 2. Interstate, Primary, and Secondary Road Plans 3. VDOT Six year Program Update 4. MPO Update 5. Article Review 6. Other Please contact our department if you are unable to attend this meeting. Attachments JAB/bad 107 North Kent Street, Suite 202 • Winchester, Virginia 22601-5000 Item 1: Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) Standards Staff will be updating the committee on the progress of the Traffic Impact Analysis standards. Item 2: Interstate, Primary, and Secondary Road Plans Staff will be discussing the status of the Interstate, Primary, and Secondary Road Plan updates for this year. 3 Item 3: VDOT Six Year Program Update Attached please find the latest version of the VDOT Six Year Program. The Board has been very active in pursuing County interests and this program has suffered much less than some other areas in staff's opinion. M VDOT Six -Year Improvement Program Page 1 of 1 4kVDO - Six -Year Improvement Progran He -.me User's Guide About Feedt r 71 1- II Major Projects MPO Fund Reports All Projects z Program: District: Jurisdictions Residencies Road Systen FY09 FINAL SYIP All Districts Frederick County All Route Zip UPC Keyword Search LJ Exp First Previop,s ,' 1 of " Pagea. ] Ne;,),- Las* J C o .: iy ! �C :'5 Vi z.r.,._ ,;n +, t t, mo,' . a�, r.+_� tGt rs i. iii Rianfz Iz A. http://syip.virginiadot. orgILineltems.asp?FormName=Search&ForinAction=search&tab=... 6/16/2008 Sstim;Ato. Pr; v ous F" 09 FY14 Bali Road UPC Description Rr.Yte Dis riet System (1alumt in Thousands of Dollars) RTE 81 -INTERCHANGE 75881 MODIFICATION, EXIT 310 0081 Staunton Interstate $24,100 $2,435 $350 $21,315 RTE 81- SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, 75882 EXIT 315 0081 Staunton Interstate $1,708 $1,035 $673 $0 RTE 81 - SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, 75883 EXIT 317 0081 Staunton Interstate $4,643 $580 $0 $4,063 RTE 81- SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, 75884 EXTEND SB REST AREA ACCEL LANE 0081 Staunton Interstate $845 $1,069 $0 $0 RTE 81 - SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, 75885 EXIT 307 0081 Staunton Interstate $1,679 $871 $808 $0 90218 ADD LEFT TURN LANE US 11 0011 Staunton Primary $50 $0 $50 $0 INSTALL TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND ADD 90221 LEFT TURN LANE 0011 Staunton Primary $350 $0 $350 $0 35972 RTE 37 EASTERN BYPASS (PE ONLY) 0037 Staunton Primary $2,800 $1,500 $0 $1,300 RTE 50 - INSTALL LEFT TURN LANE 10394 EAST AND WESTBOUND LANES 0050 Staunton Primary $44 $150 $0 $0 RTE 277 - WIDEN TO 5 LANES - PE 18003 ONLY 0277 Staunton Primary $27,445 $1,593 $0 $7,971 $17 First Previop,s ,' 1 of " Pagea. ] Ne;,),- Las* J C o .: iy ! �C :'5 Vi z.r.,._ ,;n +, t t, mo,' . a�, r.+_� tGt rs i. iii Rianfz Iz A. http://syip.virginiadot. orgILineltems.asp?FormName=Search&ForinAction=search&tab=... 6/16/2008 VDOT Six -Year Improvement Program Page 1 of 1 XVDOT Six -Year Improvement Program Horne User's Guide About Fecdt MO:Ad Pro= ��ct�. Major Proje is MPS t'un�� R�pct%s All Projects Program: District: Jurisdictions Residencies Road Systen FY09 FINAL SYIP All Districts Frederick County All Route Zip- UPC Keyword Search 0 Exp http://syip.virginiadot. orgILineltems.asp?s_ShowProj ectPool=&county_code=&descriptio... 6/16/2008 - F 10- Estimate Prov o:_as FYft F€'14 Bala Road UPC De :cr; Staunton District Project Delays in FY09 - 14 Six -Year Improvement Program ROUTE PROJECT DESCRIPTION Front Royal Happy Creek Road Reconstruction from Sixth Street & Bradford Drive to west of Route 606, Shenandoah Shores Road Port Republic Road (Rte 253) in Rockingham County 1.6 miles from Harrisonburg city limits to Rte 253 704 (Boyers Rd.) widen to four lanes near new Rockingham Memorial Hospital 277 Reconstruct Route 277 (Fairfax Pike) in Frederick County from Rte 647 (Aylor Rd.) to Rte 636 (White Oak Rd) South East Connector Study in Rockingham County for a new location from Rte 726 near R000 I Harrisonburg city limits to Rte 33, Project Cuts in FY00 - 14. Six -Year Improvement Program ROUTE PROJECT DESCRIPTION 81 1-81 Interchange Reconstruction in Frederick County at Winchester Exit 313 at Rte17/50/522 81 1-81 Rockingham County Interchange Reconstruction at the Mauzy Exit 257 at Rte 11 1-81 Shenandoah County Replace Bridges over North Fork Shenandoah River south of 1-81 Exit 269 81 at Rte 730 81 1-81 Interchange Relocation Study in Frederick County, the Stephens City Exit 307 at Rte 277 81 Augusta County Safety Improvements at Staunton Exit 220 Rte 262 81 Augusta County Safety Improvements at Staunton Exit 222 Rte 250 55 Widen Rte 55 in Warren County from county line in Front Royal to Route 79 250 Replace bridge over White Oak Draft near Rte 728 in Augusta County 311 Replace bridge in Alleghany County over Tygers Creek at Rte 602 Replace Route 340 Bridge over Tributary of S Fork Shenandoah River, near Rockingham Co. line in 340 Page County. 340/522 Widen Route 340/522 in Warren County from 1-66 to Route 661 7, 340, 55, 1-66 Park & Ride Facilities at Routes 7, 340, 55 and 1-66 Clarke, Warren and Frederick counties Winchester Future Route 37 Frederick County Winchester Eastern Bypass from Rte 37/I-81 at Exit 310 to Rte Bypass 522. Winchester Future Route 37 Frederick County Winchester Eastern Bypass from 1-81 north of Winchester to Bypass existin Route 37 located west of I-81 (Stephenson area). VDOT Programming Division Staunton District VDOT Programming Division Project Delays in the FY09-14 Secondary Six Year Plans COUNTY PROJECT DESCRIPTION Rockingham Route 682 Reconstruction from Route 989 to Route 276 Route 665 From Rte. 635 to Dead End -Spot Improvement to widen, improve drainage and surface treat Route 820 Lay back slopes and widen road system - Funds to supplement Safetea-Lu UPC#80532 Shenandoah Route 684 Unpaved Road 1.1 miles Route 611 Unpaved 1.1 miles Bath Route 635 Rural Rustic Road, From 3.84 Mi. N. Int. Rte. 39 to Int. Rte. 640. Bath County, 1.3 Mi. Route 730 Unpaved Road 2.0 miles Rockbridge Construct Rural Rustic Route 717 Goose Creek to connect sections. This project was shortened by 0.5 mi. Route 717, 0.12 Mi. S. Rte. 719 to 0.09 Mi. N. Rte. 719. Redesign Drainage. Page Rte 616, Leakesville Road Reconstruction from Rte 639 Lakewood Road to the Town of Luray Reconstruction of Non -Hard Surface Road Route 653 from Route 675 to Route 654 Augusta Spot widening and reconstruction on Route 601 from north of Route 682 Replace bridge and approaches over Folly Mill Creek Route 648 Reconstruct Non -Hard Surface Road Route 906 at Route 612 Construct Rural Rustic Route 694 south of Route 711 Construct Rural Rustic Route 694 west of Route 693 to Route 695 Highland Bridge Replacement and Approaches at South Branch Potomac River Route 640 to Route 642 Construct Rural Rustic Route 614 from Route 616 to Route 250 Project Cuts in the FYOS-14 Secondary Six Year Plans COUNTY PROJECT DESCRIPTION Frederick Route 676 Pave 0.8 miles of Unpaved Roads Route 709 Pave 1.4 miles of Unpaved Roads Route 671 Pave 0.3 miles of Unpaved Roads -- Bath Rural Rustic Road reconstruction of 2.1 miles on Route 618 near Route 687 Rockbridge Construct Rural Rustic Route 696 VDOT Programming Division Item 4: MPO Update No significant items to report at this time. Item 5: Article Review Idon't give it a second thought when I'm asked to pay an entrance fee to enter Yellowstone National Park. After all, the park's resources and facilities must be maintained and there is elemental justice attached to this fee because I'm the person using the park, not someone 1,000 miles away. Similarly, I don't object to paying an admission fee to Old Dominion University basketball games, or paying for a spot to park on campus, even though we all know ODU is a publicly assisted institution. Once again, I use the services and receive the benefits, so why shouldn't I bear most of the cost? Somehow the fundamental justice associated with user fees gets lost when we begin to talk about how to pay for our roads. Many individuals believe they should not have to pay for the extent to which they drive on public roadways even though they know their own use gradually causes our roads to deteriorate and even though they know these same roads may be essential to their keeping their current jobs, or even to drive to church. I can understand (though not completely agree with) someone who argues, "I don't even own a car, so I shouldn't pay." While I'd argue every citizen benefits from an efficient road system (even bed -ridden individuals rely upon our road system to deliver their food and medicine), one can understand the argument of an individual who doesn't want to pay for things she chooses not to use. That's why transportation user fees are so attractive (at least relative to the alternatives). If I'm going to pay for something, I'd like it to be an item that I use and value rather than something I care nothing about. Transportation user fees (tolls, gas taxes) can be avoided completely by someone who chooses not to drive, or avoided partially by someone who decides to drive less, use a more fuel-efficient car, carpool, cyber -commute or use public transportation. Thus, those who pay transportation user fees do so because of their own choice -making and decisions. This impresses me as a rather good way to do things because it leaves things up to us and we can change our choices at any time. But, user fees have other benefits. They'll cause us to drive fewer miles. This will moderate highway congestion, reduce highway deaths, and even dampen carbon -dioxide emissions. We'll be stimulated to purchase more fuel-efficient vehicles. Not such a bad combination! Note that increasing the state's income tax or sales tax, or imposing a grab bag of other taxes, to pay for transportation improvements would yield virtually none of these benefits. Of course, one can argue that we don't need any additional revenue because we don't really need to maintain or improve our roads. However, this is a failing argument to anyone who faces increasing congestion in his commute, or who thinks we need adequate evacuation routes when we face natural disasters, or who believes the presence of the military in Hampton Roads is partially dependent upon a viable road system. Thus, the real question is how we should pay for repairing our potholes and building the new roads we need. User fees easily are the best way to go. They provide us with incentives to change our behavior (and thereby avoid paying so much) even while they raise revenue. True, user fees (especially gas taxes) don't have lots of political sex appeal, but then legitimate, long-term solutions to tough problems seldom do. It would be a mistake to kid ourselves that somehow we will find a painless solution to our transportation challenges that will magically be paid for by "someone else." A variety of elected officials seem to be pursuing that strategy. Let's get real. There's no free lunch to be found in the transportation arena. Let's increase user fees and stop digging our transportation hole even deeper. Koch is a member of the Board of Visitors, a professor of economics and president emeritus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk. Copyright © 2008, Newport News, Va., Daily Press E Oversized Load To Affect Northbound I-81 Lanes By Emily Sharrer HARRISONBURG - On Tuesday, a 28 -foot -wide oversized load carrying a steel structure for the U.S. Navy will block both 12 -foot -wide travel lanes on Interstate 81, causing significant delays for northbound drivers in Virginia. According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, the truck will travel the state's entire 1-81 corridor from Bristol to the West Virginia state line as it heads toward a destination in Baltimore. At 1 a.m. Sunday, the truck will enter Virginia and remain parked at a rest stop near mile marker 13 until its scheduled departure at 9 p.m. Tuesday. State transportation officials say the truck is scheduled to be out of the state by 6 a.m. Wednesday, but, if not, will use additional travel time set to begin Wednesday at 9 p.m. If the extra day is used, the truck will cross the West Virginia state line by Thursday at 6 a.m. Travel is scheduled during off-peak hours to minimize traffic, however the truck will stop at predetermined areas to allow traffic to pass, according to VDOT. Virginia State Police will escort the oversized load's trip, which is weather permitting. Contact Emily Sharrer at 574-6200 10 VDOT to curb cul-de-sac production, pushing congestion into neighborhoods William C. Flook, The Examiner 2008-06-04 07:00:00.0 Current rank: Not ranked WASHINGTON - Virginia transportation officials are expected to restrict the construction of dead-end streets in new developments, hoping to pull cars off congested arteries but risking a rash of cut -through traffic through neighborhoods. The changes are part of a larger set of transportation and land -use reforms mandated by the General Assembly last year and likely to be implemented in 2009. For dense, heavily built -out areas like Fairfax County, new subdivisions will be required to incorporate more connections to local roads and forego numerous cul-de-sacs. Otherwise, the Virginia Department of Transportation won't maintain them. While state officials hope the "connectivity" measure will allow motorists more direct access to their destinations instead of funneling them onto overused highways, it could undermine local efforts to keep neighborhoods from becoming shortcuts for speeding motorists. The change poses a potential safety threat, especially with VDOT's traditionally wide road standards, said Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust, who represents the Dranesville District. "I just don't think that the public is aware of what is being proposed, the consequences," he said. "I'm also concerned that what is being proposed is taking away authority that the local jurisdictions should have to make decisions about how subdivisions are served with roads." Assistant Virginia Transportation Secretary Nick Donohue said VDOT recognizes that "cut -through traffic is a real issue." Street designs under the plan will seek to minimize vehicle speed, according to a spring report on the changes, which Donohue said could include narrower roads. "The purpose of this is, we put down lots of asphalt every year [in] those urban/suburban areas; we're trying to lay that asphalt a little differently," he said. Coalition for Smarter Growth Executive Director Stewart Schwartz, who supports the measures, pointed to Old Town Alexandria as an example of a successful lattice of interconnected suburban streets. "There is significantly less traffic congestion on that street network and many more options for getting where you need to," he said. State transportation officials are working out the details of the changes. The Commonwealth Transportation Board is expected to finalize them in December or early next year, Donohue said. wflook@dcexaminer.com Examiner INCLUDED 11 Hirst Road Park & Ride Lot Plan Sparks Objections By Margaret Morton (.tireat»�: vVYu > say, June 4, 2008 1:35 PM Er" Finding locations for needed park and ride lots in western Loudoun has become a thorny issue for the Loudoun Office of Transportation Services, as ridership has increased to the point where there are many more cars in designated lots than originally planned. The problem is expected to grow worse given rising gas prices. Not only is there a pressing need to find more parking space for commuters, but the owners of several lots leased to the county for the service say they need to use them for their own projects. The county has been searching for a permanent park and ride location to serve western Loudoun commuters for several years, and has come up with a series of interim locations until it can find a suitable location for a permanent lot. But its latest proposal has already run into strong opposition. That plan, announced this week by Acting OTS Director Terrie Laycock, envisions a lot with 200-250 spaces at the junction of Hirst Road and Rt. 287 in Purcellville. The county's lease of spaces at the Church of the Latter-day Saints location at the west end of Hamilton ends June 30. Talks to establish a 79 -lot facility at the Hamilton Safety Center failed to reach agreement. The safety center plan, which had been in the works for two years, was dropped by the center's board after safety concerns were raised by both the town government and residents, while the Mormon Church leaders said they wanted to use the space for their own projects. That space, which originally was planned for between 50 and 60 cars, has been measured recently as holding as many as 115 cars, according to Mayor Ray Whitbey. The new plan, which is designed to accommodate commuters from Hamilton, Purcellville and Round Hill, is under preliminary review by VDOT's Location and Design department to see whether there is sufficient room to accommodate 200 to 250 spaces and whether the resulting traffic can be handled, according to VDOT representative Steve Terrell, in the department's Leesburg office. Under a proposal still being worked out, VDOT would design and build the lot, which the county would pay for its construction. Laycock wrote Purcellville Director of Planning & Zoning Martha Mason Semmes June 2 to inform her of the proposal, at the request of Supervisor Jim Burton (I -Blue Ridge). In the e-mail, Laycock informed Semmes of the temporary arrangements OTS is making over the three to four years VDOT estimates it will take to permit and build the new lot. The temporary arrangements include use of spaces at Harmony Intermediate School during the summer months while school is out; then switch to spaces at Franklin Park near the swimming pool when school returns because the pool closes after Labor Day. The office is also working with Patrick Henry College for temporary use, up to two years, of some of its excess parking, which is destined to be removed when the new Student Life Center opens and until a permanent parking area can be built. In terms of permanent solutions, Laycock said later that a one -acre proffered park and ride lot in Round Hill could be used, but a solution that could accommodate general western Loudoun ridership was the best way to go. The office appears to be backing away from earlier enthusiasm for a permanent lot at a property, owned by James Roncaglione, on the north side of the Rt. 7 Bypass north of Purcellville, citing access concerns. Dominion Power is planning to build a gravel lane to the site of the new Hamilton substation, which will be located on an adjacent parcel Roncaglione sold the power company, but Laycock said OTS would need at least a 14 -foot paved road to serve the site. Laycock said this week that the proposed lot to is replace the one at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Purcellville and to accommodate Hamilton commuters/bus riders when the Mormon Church lease ends June 30. Plans are still in hand to find a lot to serve the greater Hamilton area and, eventually, the Round Hill site, as funding is identified for what Laycock called an expansion of service to the existing Purcellville and Hamilton area commuters. The VDOT property on the north side of Hirst Road, between it and the Rt. 7 Bypass, came to the county's attention through a suggestion from a commuter. Laycock said it is adjacent to the W&OD Trail and OTS would plan to accommodate cyclists by providing bike racks and bike lockers at the site, which would be available at weekends for use by users of the W&OD Trail. Praising the location for its direct bus access to the Rt. 7 Bypass, Laycock noted by 12 using government land OTS would not remove property from the tax base, and said the county and VDOT were "very excited" about the project. But that excitement failed to resonate with Purcellville leaders, as the proposal quickly ran into strong opposition from the town, which says it already cannot cope adequately with the traffic impacts from 12 county facilities located in the town, including the new Purcellville Safety Center, a short distance west of the intersection. The intersection also is a major point of access for school traffic, both Loudoun Valley High School and the proposed Woodgrove High School. In her response to Laycock, Semmes pointed out that the town already has accommodated a park and ride lot at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church on the west end of Purcellville. The site proposed "within the Purcellville corporate limits at the corner of Hirst Road and Rt. 287 is so problematic that Town staff cannot see how the Town or VDOT could approve it," she wrote June 2. Although she had not yet seen concept plans, Semmes noted that the intersection already backs up along Hirst Road and both directions of Rt. 287. With the current traffic flows, the Rt. 7 Bypass exit ramp traffic backs onto the main lanes of the bypass during morning and evening rush hours. With an added 200 to 250 cars at the new lot, trying to get cars and buses in and out of the site safely would be very difficult, she wrote. She also noted that the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority moved the intersection of the trail farther along Hirst Road for safety reasons. Adding vehicular access in the vicinity of the trail crossing would create new safety concerns, she said. Additionally, Semmes wrote, the town does not consider that that southwest Bypass quadrant is surplus property, as it perhaps could accommodate future improvements to the Bypass/Rt.287 intersection. Terrell noted that funding for dedicated left turn lanes at the intersection is included in the Six -Year Secondary Road Plan, although the original $1.7 million in funding has been cut to about $1.1 million. Laycock was optimistic about the project, saying "We think we can make it work." Semmes said the town was open to considering the proposal, but would need to see a long-term intersection design, and then take a look to see if a lot could work there. 13 C VDOT NEWS RELEASE Published: June 3, 2008 Read the News Release below The Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation has selected the Virginia Department of Transportation's Knowledge Management program as one of 15 finalists in its 2008 Innovations in American Government Awards competition. The competition recognizes the best in government innovation from all levels of the public sector. Picked from nearly 1,000 applicants and 50 semi-finalists, VDOT's program is the only government program in Virginia and only state department of transportation in the nation selected for this honor. "VDOT is changing to better serve the demands of a 21 st-century transportation system," said Commissioner David S. Ekem. "Our Knowledge Management program has resulted in improved best practices and thus has improved our overall performance — saving time and money." VDOT initiated its Knowledge Management program in 2003, initially to stem the loss of institutional memory as a growing number of long-time employees began to retire. Another 30 percent of VDOT's workforce is expected retire in the next five years. The practice of knowledge management is the sharing and use of an organization's intellectual capital, or the knowledge and experience of its employees, to increase effectiveness and efficiency. "Explicit knowledge — what is written and documented — is easy to access," stated Dr. Maureen Hammer, VDOT's Knowledge Management director. "Tacit knowledge — information that people store in their memories and is based on experiences — is harder to track and record." Hammer and her staff collect this information in the form of lessons learned and best practices for VDOT. The department also sets up "communities of practice" for employees with common backgrounds but in different jobs and locations throughout the agency to address and share mutual concerns. Established in 1985 at the Harvard Kennedy School by the Ford Foundation, the Innovations in American Government Awards program is designed to improve government practice by honoring effective government initiatives and encouraging the dissemination of such best practices across the country. In September, the Harvard Kennedy School will announce the six 2008 finalists 14 Item 6: Other 15