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TC 03-23-09 Meeting AgendaCOUNTY of FREDERICK TO: Frederick County Transportation Committee FROM: John A. Bishop, AICP, Deputy Director - Transportation RE: March 23, 2009 Transportation Committee Meeting DATE: March 16, 2009 The Frederick County Transportation Committee will be meeting at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, March 23, 2009 in the first floor meeting room of the Frederick County Administration Building, 107 North Kent Street, Winchester, Virginia. AGENDA 1. MPO Transit Study Continued Discussion 2. TIA Standards Update 3. Transportation Module Update 4. December Meeting Date 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: MPO Transit Study -Continued Discussion A number of members of the Committee were able to attend the work session held at the Timbrook Center by the MPO at which the information on this study was presented. The technical reports 1, 2, and 3 are still available on the MPO website (www.winfredmpo.org). What is needed now is for a recommendation for what alternatives to pursue in what order to send forward to the Board of Supervisors. Staff will bring a summary of our recommendations to the meeting that is based off of all the previous discussion that has taken place with Committee members to date. 2 Item 2: TIA Standards Update Attached please find a copy of the most recent version of the County's proposed TIA standards. Staff has presented this version to the local development interests and has been told that the following outstanding concerns still exist: 1. They feel Chapter 527 should be sufficient. 2. They feel there is too much subjectivity in the current draft, though they did note that is has greatly improved and that this is the best draft to date. 3. They have concerns over the inclusion of VDOT in County -required TIA's. 4. Their largest concerns lay in the potential requirement of TIA's at site plan state. Following that meeting, staff presented a summary of all the information to date at the annual Planning Commission Retreat. At the retreat, it appeared that there was support for the program. The request that we did receive was for an outline of how things worked before, how they work now, and how they would work under the program. Staff will be outlining this and providing a handout at the meeting. 3 Traffic Impact Analysis Standards Draft 411/24/08 A Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) is required in order to allow County Officials and staff the opportunity to assess the impact of a proposed development. The TIA should provide sufficient information to allow this assessment to take place. Any application that includes a TIA, as determined by planning staff, which does not meet the standards laid out herein, shall not be considered complete. These TIA standards shall be applicable to rezonings, master plans, subdivisions, and site plans. When a TIA is required Any action that meets the thresholds outlined in the Virginia Department of Transportation Chapter 527 regulations shall require a TIA (see attached VDOT table). Additionally, Frederick County may choose to require a TIA under the following scenarios: For Site Plans: 1. When one has not been done previously AND the development is expected to generate 100 or more vehicle trip ends in the peak hour. For Master Plans and Subdivisions: 1. When a TIA that models the development that is being master planned or subdivided has not previously been done. If item 1 has been satisfied, then none of the following items would apply: 2. Any proposed action that is expected to generate 1,200 or more vehicle trip ends per day or 100 or more vehicle trip ends in the peak hour and has not previously lead a TIA done for similar or greater trip generation. Additionally, staff may require a TIA for any level of traffic generation on corridors facing significant congestion or safety concerns as determined by the professional judgment of the planning staff. 3. A change in use that, while not resulting in greater trip generation, results in a significant change in trip demographics or peak travel times resulting in an unstudied impact on the transportation system. For Rezonings: All rezoning shall require a TIA unless waived by planning staff. 2 Process and Report Requirements 1. Submit a determination form to planning staff which will be used to determine whether the project requires a TIA and whether it will require a VDOT Chapter 527 submittal. 2. Each TIA will be required to undergo a formal scoping meeting with VDOT and County staff at the regular VDOT engineers meeting. The applicant shall be responsible for scheduling the scoping meeting and it will be the responsibility of planning staff to make sure they are in attendance. Applicants will not be required to re -scope the project due to a failure of planning staff to attend the original scoping meeting. 3. Each submittal must include the following: a. All required VDOT copies and payment for Chapter 527 submittal, and all items on the attached checklists which can be found in the Traffic Impact Analysis Regulations Administrative Guidelines published by VDOT in September 2007. Utilize the subdivision plat or site plan package checklist for master plans. b. One paper copy (or PDF or CD) and one CD with modeling files. If submitting PDF copy of the report, both report and modeling files may be on the same CD. 4. Each TIA must include the following: a. An executive summary which summarizes the development, significant findings of the TIA, and impacts of proposed mitigation. b. Sections on existing traffic, existing traffic with build -out year background traffic, existing traffic with build -out year background and development generated traffic, existing traffic with full background traffic, and existing traffic with full background and development traffic. In certain situations it may be appropriate to eliminate some of the above scenarios or to have other scenarios included; the planning staff in concert with VDOT is enabled to make these modifications at the scoping meeting with the applicant. c. The TIA must include all proposed access points, with details about access type. d. Accident Data for the most recent three year period to include accident type and severity. e. Appendices that include output report sheets from the analysis software grouped according to location. f. Planning staff and/or VDOT may require additional analysis as required by the uniqueness of each development. Technical Details 1. Trip generation must be determined using the most recent addition of the ITE Trip Generation Report unless agreed to by VDOT and planning staff. Only trip generation methodology approved by VDOT and planning staff at the scoping meeting may be used. 2. The TIA must depict a worst case scenario allowable under the proposed zoning as determined by planning staff. The applicant may depict a less than worst case scenario if their proposed proffers would limit their development activities to uses that produce equal or less traffic than what is depicted in the TIA. 5 3. Only scenarios approved by VDOT and planning staff may be included in the TIA. If the applicant wishes to include other scenarios in their presentation to the Board of Supervisors and/or Planning Commission, that will be allowable. 4. Existing signal timings provided by VDOT must be used for existing conditions. However, where existing signal timings are not operating optimally as demonstrated by the applicant and agreed to by VDOT, an improved signal timing plan may be used if that plan will be provided to VDOT. 5. Level of Service (LOS) must be considered for all movements and approaches and shown graphically in the report. 6. When level of service does not meet the requirements of the Comprehensive Plan, the report must include suggested improvements that would meet the requirements of the Comprehensive Plan. 7. When a new signal is proposed, arterial level of service must be analyzed. This must include a signal progression analysis if warranted. 8. When conditions of existing or existing with background scenarios result in level of service F, additional analysis must be done when development traffic is added in so that the impacts of the new development may be considered. Items to include when doing this comparison are intersection capacity utilization, changes in delays, queue lengths, and vehicle to capacity ratio. Planning staff could also consider additional analysis that would depict the development impacts in this situation. G Item 3: Transportation Module Update Attached please find supporting materials on this item. Staff was present at the meeting of the development impact model oversight committee. There was a significant amount of discussion regarding the applicability and appropriateness of the module at that meeting. The following points resulted from that discussion: • That this will give the impression that Frederick County is closed for business. • That the timing, given the economic climate, may not be right for this to move forward. • That we may be better served by doing an impact fee or proffer model. Staff presented this information to the Board and Planning Commission at the Planning Commission Retreat. At that meeting, it was the consensus that while an evaluative tool is likely needed, this module is not currently ready to move forward. 7 M I A71ORANDU -.'OUNTY of FREDERICK [?f v3 i 'i:3?'r3 FTt of l' la in ng Ir: 3-?evel /p d"'sient T 0: Development Impact Model — Oversight Committee FROMI: Eric R. Lawrence, AICP. Planning Director. SUBJECT: .January 23, 2009 DIM - OC Yi eeting DATE: January 8, 2009 The Development Impact Model - Oversight Comi-nittee (DIM -OC) will be meetino on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 8:00 Ali'➢ in the Planning Department Conference Raorn of the County Administration Building. 107 North Kent Street. Suite 202, Winchester, Virginia. The DIM -OC will discuss the following aocnda item: AGENDA L Review of New Transportation ?Module Component of the De,,zlopr,~ient Impact Model. Please contact our department if you are unable to attend chis meetino. ERL/bad Attachment: Transportation Module memorandum 1117 North Kent _ .Virginia 4�kt_. 000 TO: FROM: RE: DATE: Development Impact Mode- Oversight Committee John A. Bishop,`UCP. Depuv. Director - Transponation Transportation Module January 7, 2009 x'-'OUNTY of FREDERICK c4' P- ._n 7 ott! P;_ 31�(o pri(c))t As you are aware; staff and the Transnort,at;on Urnmitte: h—vt,been working wit.l. G consulapt to create a' transportation module for the devil^prnem impact model. This is a rrstilt of t A direCtive from t11e Board of Supervisors and. w .s intended to create a told chat woul+i a,�slst the Coutity in evaluating d .elopment impacts aril iiidustl-ia.: reroi_ir2� in order to dctermine now offered proff r -s con_oare" with t?,c impacts r,� chc site.l r��m spat#' lierspectiUc, this mouu:e will gine that guidance r� a it will b,.- incumbent upon the Board oil - Supervisors to determine: to what o ton, tlicy feel the imoeots shouid be addressed before approving a rezoning. Staff would also r� tip that tits ef'f�)l� i� i:<<�related to the creation of traffic impact analysis standards for the Couw-y. The user'; manual for the new module is attached and shoals nswer maty questions you niay have about how itis: inouel works. it stxould be noted that the outputs of is to ira tsportat'son module do riot li-nipact the outputs of the ot: cr nodules the d-:-elopmcrt iMPL1Ct ztiouel•. jAB/bad 10'7 North rent rf Si,irs ` i2 • Winchester, Virginia216 ' -5000 �tm T"- r— 470'. SA�'G.AmORE RCAD SU 7E 5240 SET. ESDA, ND 20S 6 Ischled3ise T: 800.424.43: 8 : 301.320.486C Fiscal, Economic & Planning Consultants 80, ANNANDALE ROAD PASADENA, CA 91 i 05-:4'04 -: 81 3.790.61 70 F: 8.8.79C.6235 W W V,/J-SC-:'ERS:5E_COM To: John Bishop, AICD, Deputy Director-Transporta on Frederick County, Virginia From: L. Carson Bise II, AICP, President TischlerBise, Inc. Date: December 10, 2008 Subject: Description of Transportation Methodology Utilized in Development Impact Model The methodology developed for the transportation. module of the County's Development Impact Model uses an incremental expansion approach. As shown in Figure 1, weekday vehicle trip ends and trip length adjustments by type of development are multiplied by the number of trips to arrive at the arterial vehicle miles of travel (VMT). Using the change in VMT over time as a function of increased demand, the annual average lane -miles needed to maintain current level -of -service is figured. This approach calculates how much infrastructure is needed to support new development. It calculates an average vehicle mile of travel (VMT) for each type of land use and determines how much it will cost per VMT to provide that amount of infrastructure, namely lane miles. Fsca! Imoact Analys..s .:rnpact Fes • \evl ::lui:. 5 'c::�.F�: S � Eccno, -.. Iirr:ac-nail'S'.� • Fisc S�"iw":'E' . Figure 1: Transportation Methadology Vehicle Miles of Travel by Type of Development multiplied by Lane Miles Per Vehicle "dile of Travel multiplied by Construction Cost Per Lane bile I. E"' i i_ f ; l X11 CE VEHICLE MILES OF TRAVEL VMT is the product of the number of vehicle trips multiplied by the average trip length. Vehicle trips are discussed below. To derive average trip length in Frederick County rewires an inventory of current lane miles and a lane capacity standard. Each of these components is discussed in turn. VEHICLE TRIPS ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPMENT INTREDERICK COUNTY Vehicle trips are average weekday vehicle trip ends from the reference book, Trip Generation, 7th Edition, published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) in 2003. A vehicle trip end represents a vehicle either entering or exiting a development (as if a traffic counter were placed across a driveway). To calculate road impacts, trip generation rates are adjusted to avoid double counting each trip at both the origin and destination points. For all nonresidential development except commercial/shopping center development, the trip adjustment factor is 50 percent. As documented in the Fifth Edition of Trip Generation (see Table VII -1 of the 5th edition, 1991), there is an inverse relationship between shopping center size and pass -by trips. Therefore, appropriate trip adjustment factors have been calculated according to shopping center size. (See Figure 2.) For commercial/shopping center development (ITE code 820), the trip adjustment factor is less than 50 percent because retail uses attract vehicles as they pass by on arterial and collector roads. For example, when someone stops at a convenience store on the way home from work, the convenience store is not the primary destination. For a small -size shopping center of 50,000 square feet of floor area, the ITE manna: indicates that on average 48 percent of the vehicles that enter are passing by on their way to some other primary destination. The remaining 52 percent of attraction trips have the shopping center as their primary destination. Because attraction trips are half of all trips, the trip adjustment factor is 52 percent multiplied by 50 percent, or approximately 26 percent of the trip ends. I~igure 2: C ornmercial/Shopping Center Trip hates and Pass -By Adjustments Shappisrg Cer:ten f11'E 820) Sf b CN f' u3t�ff1LJ1" Flo ar AY�c P= -3y I_rj,A-a'. f.``IDG:w uFsl �r�,"'e L~ut3flY 25 56.46% 22°< 50 48.29% 26%, 100 41.31% 29'110 200 35.33% 3 201f 400 30.220iS 35"'o 600 2-1.58% 36% so -s— i'7'Syd �.rPll'T..^7�' ,'wt -t-* Of T7CwhiS�Gi7: :".,[9: i *B ased on the rrF, data in Table TJII-1 of the 5t Shappisrg Cer:ten f11'E 820) + u � f' u3t�ff1LJ1" y 758. 110.32 4,328 886.56 y 791 67.91 10,656 53.28 16, 720 41.80 2� 767 36.27 �i PPYS, 000 hedition of Trip Gene2:31to . the bestiaendline cccielationbet-ween pass -by trips sr_d+looz azea is a po-srer cumme. T to equation used to dezi ti the pass -by trip percentage is 116.63 x (i%5: "-0..2 5). The relationship between development units in Frederick County and travel demand is documented in the following two Figures. Figure 3 summarizes the input variables to be used in the model. The variables with mint green are ITE trip rates and adjustment factors.' The variables with blue shading are factors from the National Personal Transportation Survey (NPTS) data (see the section below on Average Trip Length Adjustment by Type of Land Use for further discussion), and the yellow are entries provided by the user of the model that are used to calibrate the model to the existing road network, and are discussed further below. ' Trip rates used in this analysis are intended to be averages for prototypical development in the County. Actual traffic demand may vary according to specific land uses. --- _W -, 'T- Figure 3: input Variables for Road Capital--npact Methodology *KSF stands for 1,000 square feet # Average trip length is weighted to account fort' length variation by type of land use. As documented by the National Personal Transportation Survey (see Table 5) vehicle trips from residential development are approximately 122% of the average trip length. Conversely, shopping trips associated with commercial development are roughly 68% of the average trip length while other nonresidential development typically account for trips that are 75% of the average trip length. `Knowing current vehicle trips, lane miles currently accomrnodatin.0 the existing travel and lane capacity, it is possible to derive the average trip length. The average ,ANT MILES Vehicular travel within Frederick County requires a system of controlled access roads, major and minor arterials, major and minor collectors, major access roads, and local streets provided by the Commonwealth of Virginia and/or Frederick County. However, the intent of the transportation module of the Development Impact Model is to measure the impact or, non -local streets (i.e. minor arterial roads and collectors). Based on data provided by the County there are a total of 157.68 lane miles of arterials within the Sewer and Water Service Area. This factor is shown below in Figure 4. It is important to note that this does not include major arterials such as Route 50, Route 522, etc., as it was the shared opinion of TischlerBise and staff that is would drastically overstate the level of service standard used to determine the capital impact. Trips Ends Ad] Factor Single Family Units 9.57 50%0 Townhomes 5.86 50% Apartments 6.591 50% Housing Unit Type 4 0.001 50% I Housing Unit Tv 5 0.00 1 50% Housing Unit Type 6 0.00 1 50% Housing Unit Type 7 0.00 50% Housing Unit Type 8 0.00 50% Retail Sf 67.91 j' 32% Office Sf 15.65 j 50% Nonresidential Type 3 Sf 0.00 On/o ,Nonresidential Type 4 Sf 0'r,00 O0i9 i Nonresidential Type 5 Sf 0,00 0% Nonresidential Type 6 Sf 0.00 0% Residential Trip Length# Commercial Trip Length# 68% Other Nonres Trip Length# 75%" Capacity Per Lane 4,.300 Trips Avo Miles/Tri ** 3.60 Mles *KSF stands for 1,000 square feet # Average trip length is weighted to account fort' length variation by type of land use. As documented by the National Personal Transportation Survey (see Table 5) vehicle trips from residential development are approximately 122% of the average trip length. Conversely, shopping trips associated with commercial development are roughly 68% of the average trip length while other nonresidential development typically account for trips that are 75% of the average trip length. `Knowing current vehicle trips, lane miles currently accomrnodatin.0 the existing travel and lane capacity, it is possible to derive the average trip length. The average ,ANT MILES Vehicular travel within Frederick County requires a system of controlled access roads, major and minor arterials, major and minor collectors, major access roads, and local streets provided by the Commonwealth of Virginia and/or Frederick County. However, the intent of the transportation module of the Development Impact Model is to measure the impact or, non -local streets (i.e. minor arterial roads and collectors). Based on data provided by the County there are a total of 157.68 lane miles of arterials within the Sewer and Water Service Area. This factor is shown below in Figure 4. It is important to note that this does not include major arterials such as Route 50, Route 522, etc., as it was the shared opinion of TischlerBise and staff that is would drastically overstate the level of service standard used to determine the capital impact. figure 4: Base Year Inventory for Road Capacity Calculations Capital Facilities Standards and Costs LANE CAPACITY The transportation impacts are based on a lane capacity standard of 4,300 vehicles per lane, which is an average day volume for a three -lane, minor arterial street operating at level of service "C." AVERAGE TRIP LENGTH The average trip length is determined through a series of iterations in the Development Impact Model. Knowing current vehicle trips, lane -miles currently accommodating the existing travel (157.68) and lane capacity (4,300), it is possible to derive the average trip length. TischlerBise determined the average trip length on County arterials to be 3.6 miles. The basic formula for calculating the average trip length is to multiply the lane miles by the capacity and divide by the number of trips. Figure 5 shows the variables used to calculate vehicle miles of travel. As Figure 4 indicates, new and existing vehicle trips are multiplied by the average miles per trip and multiplied again by the trip length adjustment factors by land use (tip length adjustment is discussed further below). To determine the average trip length, the user should perform a series of sensitivity evaluations until the average trip length entered into cell E24 results in cell K52 approximating cell B64, which is the input shown above in Figure 4. Countywide Need For LOS by Current Facility Type Base Year Inventory• Facility Based On: Capital Facility COSI/Un:t Arterial Roads 157.65 Lane Miles DIRECT EN'TRY $3.20C.000 Per Lane Vile USEFUL FACILITY LIFE: New Facility (years): 30 ---------------------------------- LAG/LEAD ------------------------------------- Funding to --------------------------------------------- FUNDING NMTHOD: --------------------- --------------------------------- TMC: Delivery (years): 0 1 Percent Bonded: C% LANE CAPACITY The transportation impacts are based on a lane capacity standard of 4,300 vehicles per lane, which is an average day volume for a three -lane, minor arterial street operating at level of service "C." AVERAGE TRIP LENGTH The average trip length is determined through a series of iterations in the Development Impact Model. Knowing current vehicle trips, lane -miles currently accommodating the existing travel (157.68) and lane capacity (4,300), it is possible to derive the average trip length. TischlerBise determined the average trip length on County arterials to be 3.6 miles. The basic formula for calculating the average trip length is to multiply the lane miles by the capacity and divide by the number of trips. Figure 5 shows the variables used to calculate vehicle miles of travel. As Figure 4 indicates, new and existing vehicle trips are multiplied by the average miles per trip and multiplied again by the trip length adjustment factors by land use (tip length adjustment is discussed further below). To determine the average trip length, the user should perform a series of sensitivity evaluations until the average trip length entered into cell E24 results in cell K52 approximating cell B64, which is the input shown above in Figure 4. -ig re 5: Calculation. of Vehldes Miks of + ravel (V:IM" n Road Capital Facilities .. C�pi:ai FaaL:ie:. titae:d�: ds wC Cos::. Start ? ;en: ¢:ms - mfc... _ .�... Car.:al Farlices Drn —d Add. ;ed C.r R—dCF Scr—o"CjA. —_•.. model COnnt'C: to . •t RG lwd Rodd M... •, ITunt", !Alt: Of. EMC('.... AVERAGE TRIP LENGTH ADJUSTMENT BY TYPE OF ,AND USE The average trip length is weighted to account for trip length variation by type of land use. As documented by the National Personal Transportation Survey (see Table 5 in the 1999 publication by Federal Highway Administration.) vehicle trips from residential development, for Home-based work trips, social and recreational purposes, are approximately 122 percent of the average trip length. Conversely, shopping trips associated with commercial development are roughly 68 percent of the average trip length while other nonresidential development typically account for trips that are 75 percent of the average trip length. iI r Mont Mud P9W/4W loan— OM1 A— VMy 1pA.fN •aoW V �sm. FMnWt ' �'w•O!t'M9ent1 �fna GMetwv - -• .-.. .,n A-0, U— hn•nWl to!" T. r:<k 199rwpfln N9rt Nenr '6JVumF9rmW- TD TiAr• Aerrrin<t-NLinq- yngp9nl 41snlger ll[�i/tNrerom St:etu9r. Aenov!:rrc9n s•]7 l..lutlr fO�mu:s „'no9•. `�n•.nn r•^ JCNtunit Snell SF' ,N—H.24- p C Co•r Pt. U,, --T C.I.v 6.. fn. F,.W P ^' Road Capital Facilities .. C�pi:ai FaaL:ie:. titae:d�: ds wC Cos::. Start ? ;en: ¢:ms - mfc... _ .�... Car.:al Farlices Drn —d Add. ;ed C.r R—dCF Scr—o"CjA. —_•.. model COnnt'C: to . •t RG lwd Rodd M... •, ITunt", !Alt: Of. EMC('.... AVERAGE TRIP LENGTH ADJUSTMENT BY TYPE OF ,AND USE The average trip length is weighted to account for trip length variation by type of land use. As documented by the National Personal Transportation Survey (see Table 5 in the 1999 publication by Federal Highway Administration.) vehicle trips from residential development, for Home-based work trips, social and recreational purposes, are approximately 122 percent of the average trip length. Conversely, shopping trips associated with commercial development are roughly 68 percent of the average trip length while other nonresidential development typically account for trips that are 75 percent of the average trip length. iI ROAD IMPROVEMENTS INCREMENTAL EXPANSION COMPONENT Figure 6 below shows projected travel demand based on the input variables above. Development projections at the top of the figure are multiplied by the input variables from the previous table to yield average weekday travel demand on roads the County will need to contribute funding for. Trip generation rates and trip adjustment factors convert projected development into average weekday vehicle trips, shown in the center, boxed, portion of the figure. For example, in the year 2012 the projected 200 new single family -detached housing units will produce 239 weekday trips 200 x 9.57 x 50"x, = 957). This incremental expansion method documents the current level -of -service (LOS) of the system, based on an existing service standard (provided by the County to be LOS C, or 4,300 vehicle trip capacity per arterial lane). Using this method, the Development Impact Mode, measure the cost to expand or provide additional capacity, as needed, to accommodate new development and to maintain the current LOS. An incremental expansion method is best suited for improvements that will be made in regular increments, with LOS standards based on current conditions in the community. Further, it indirectly provides the County with a plan, calculating how many lane - miles will need to be constructed each year to maintain the LOS provided existing residents. Figure 6 shows the expected future demand on the County's road system. The County has confirmed that the current system has 521 arteriai lane -miles. Thus, maintaining the current LOS builds off the current system demands. Fig=ure 6: Reads Capacity Needs Based or, Future Demand Base 1 2 3 4 5 Existing and New Development 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Ex Lu Sisig:c F:zrnily Des -ached 19,228 19,2_'8 I9,228 19,228 19,:25 10,,2'8 Single Family -Attached 2,106 2,106 2,106 2,106 2,106 2,106 Multifamily 1,538 1,528 1. X28 1,528 1,528 1,528 Mobile Home/Other 2,376 2,376 ',376 2,376 2,376 2,376 Exeti,�lvs Vait/crrtid Ind./Flex 4,406 4,406 4,406 4,406 4,406 4,406 Reta1 1,679 1,679 1,679 1,679 1,h79 ';679 Office 1,487 1,457 1,457 1,487 1,457 1,437 :7'cz,,Dt-,dop17m Single Family Units u" 10;, 200 2016 20,01 200 Townhomes 0 50 100 150 200 250 Apartments G 0C G C ^ V Housing Unit Type 4 0 n 0 0 10 Housing Unit Type 5 C C C 0 0 n Housing Unit Type 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 Housing Unit Type 7 0 G 0 0 0 Housing Unit Type S 0 0 0 0 0 0 Retail Sf G 10 000 10;000 16,000 16,000 10,060 Office St C u C C 0 Nonresidential Type 3 Sf 0 C C G 0 G Nonresidential Type 4 Sf 0 C 0 C 0 0 Nonresidential Type 5 Sf 0 0 G C 0 0 Nonresidential Type 6 Sf 0 G 0 0 0 0 Existing and New Vehcle Trips 2007 2005 2009 2010 2011 2012 Exith?gDewspnv& Residential 109,139 109,134 109,139 109,139 109,139 1079,139 Retail 36,633 ,36,633 35,633 36,633 36,633 36,633 Other Nonresidential 39,699 39,699 39,699 39,699 39,699 39,699 A'eaDc�dgpmm Single Family Units 0 479 957 957 957 957 Townhomus 0 147 293 440 586 733 Apartments 0 0 0 0 0 C Housing Unit Type 4 0 C 0 0 C 0 Housing Unit Type 5 0 0 0 0 G 0 Housing Unit Type 6 0 0 0 G 0 G Housing Unit Type 7 0 0 0 0 0 Housing Unit Type S 0 0 0 0 0 0 Retail Sf n 217 _ 217 217 217 217 Office Sf C 0 0 0 0 0 Nonresidential Type 3 Sf 0 G 0 0 G G Nonresidential Type 4 Sf C 0 0 0 0 0 Nonresidential Type 5 Sf C C 0 C Nonresidential Tvoe 6 Sf 0 C 0 10 0 0 0 0 TOTAL TRIPS 0 842 1,467 1,614 1,7610 1,907 ARTERIAL SWT 676,2016 679,483 682,228 682,872 653,515 654,159 ARTERIAL IN M 157.3 158 155.7 158.5 159 159.1 ANI. ARTERIAL LN MI 0.7 0.7 0.1 102 0.1 Item 4: December Meeting Date There appears to be conflicts with the meeting scheduled for December 28, 2009. Staff would recommend setting the meeting for December 21, 2009 with the understanding that we will have a goal of cancelling the meeting unless the work load renders that detrimental to ongoing projects. Item 5: Article Review Drivers Question Proposed VDOT Cuts Verona, Va. Posted: 4:42 PM Mar 12, 2009 Last Updated: 1:58 PM Mar 13, 2009 Reporter: Michael Hyland Email Address: mhyland,c whsv.com Drivers Question Cuts Al Al a Many of the rest areas along Interstate 81 could be closing under a proposal presented to the Commonwealth Transportation Board in February. The Virginia Department of Transportation is facing a $2.6 -billion budget shortfall. So it's trying to cut costs, but some drivers and legislators are angry about this proposal. Now, they're getting a chance to share their frustration with VDOT. The department is holding a public meeting in Verona Thursday night at 6 p.m. Some drivers say some of the proposed cuts are simply dangerous. The rest area near mile marker 232 is one of the 25 that would close, and some drivers say VDOT's effort to save money is putting people at risk. "You got to go, you got to go," says driver Rodney Gibson. However, you may not be able to go at the rest area anymore. Maryann Puglisi frequently drives from Washington, D.C. to Natural Bridge. Trips down I-81 are a common thing for her. "If safety is an issue out on the highway, which it is, I don't like the idea that I'm going to be driving on the road with a bunch of really tired people," says Puglisi. VDOT even has the word safety written on the plaque where they ask for driver's comments. The department says closing the rest areas would save $12 million annually. The only ones that would stay open on I-81 would be the welcome centers at the northern and southern state lines. "This place should be bigger," says Gibson, who drives back and forth from Pennsylvania to 0 North Carolina. The rest area in northern Augusta County is a usual stop for him. "Where [are] you going to put the people, the cars and stuff? We need an appropriation for this," says Gibson. Drivers may not have just themselves and other people to think about when they need to stop. Some of them also have pets that travel with them. Ted Hansen is driving to Atlanta with his dog, Desiree. If the rest area closes, they may look for a different route to Atlanta that bypasses the Valley. "And, I would suppose some of the merchants along this route might want to think a little bit about that kind of thing as well. Because in a half hour we're going to stop and get lunch. If we're not doing that, well...," comments Hansen. Find this article at: http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/41167682.html 10 Lawmakers Rap VDOT Plan Valley Legislators, Concerned For Safety, Pledge Review By Jeff Mellott HARRISONBURG - A state proposal to reclassify some roads so that they receive less care - particularly during bad weather - would imperil public safety as well as the local economy, according to county representatives and lawmakers from the Valley. The reclassification is one component of the Virginia Department of Transportation's plan to cut $2.6 billion in spending through 2014. Sen. Mark Obenshain, R -Harrisonburg, and Del. Todd Gilbert, R -Woodstock, expressed those concerns in a letter to VDOT Commissioner David S. Ekern. In the letter, dated Thursday, the lawmakers said they understood the state's difficult budget situation. "The dramatic reduction in maintenance and snow and ice removal standards, however, poses a direct threat to the safety and well-being of rural Virginians," Gilbert and Obenshain wrote. Legislative Pledges Del. Steve Landes, R -Weyers Cave, has pledged to urge fellow lawmakers to initiate a legislative review of the VDOT cost-cutting plan called "Blueprint for the Future." Landes made that vow during Thursday night's public hearing on the VDOT proposal at the Augusta County Government Center in Verona. And Gilbert told department officials at the hearing that he would intensify his efforts to make it more accountable for its spending. One way in which the state hopes to save money is by reducing roadside and roadway maintenance in some areas. The plan proposes reclassifying some state roads with the result they will get less maintenance and could be temporarily closed because of bad weather. Ekern tried to assure his audience of about 300 people that snow and emergency road service would not be compromised. But Landes called the statement inaccurate based on VDOT's proposal. "Do you all realize that there is another part of Virginia other than Northern Virginia and the Hampton Roads area? Citizens do cross to this side of the mountain," Landes said. Rockingham Concerns The budget plan has raised several concerns among members of the Rockingham County Board of Supervisors. The county, which is 854 square miles in size, has 8,831 children in school traveling 15,182 miles each day, said Rockingham County Administrator Joe Paxton at the hearing. The county relies on VDOT to maintain its roads to an appropriate standard so that those students can be safely transported, Paxton said. Paxton said that based on the department's proposal, 19 percent of Rockingham's roads would get little or no service. Another 57 percent of the roads would be classified so they would get a greatly reduced level of maintenance, especially during inclement weather, he said. Closing the Verona and Luray residency offices - as the plan calls for - and consolidating them into the Rockingham County office will only compound the service problems, Paxton said. If the residency administrator must serve three or four counties comprising an area of 2,000 -plus square miles, Paxton said, then VDOT would have to change how it addresses emergency issues. "As the number one agricultural county in the commonwealth, the board [of supervisors] believes we must maintain a system of roads and bridges that allow for the easy movement of people and goods to enhance our local economy, as well as the commonwealth's," Paxton said. At the hearing, all six members of the Page County Board of Supervisors lined up in the order of their districts to voice similar concerns about the plan. VDOT's proposal, the Page supervisors contended, would reduce road service and make travel on them more difficult for everyone, including emergency services. "Houses are going to burn," predicted Page County Supervisor Carol Lee Fischer -Strickler. "People are going to die from [having] no rescue squad." Best Bang For The Buck? Safety concerns extended to the proposal in the VDOT plan to close almost all the rest areas on Interstate 81. Landes called the idea the most illogical he's ever heard. Responding to a question before addressing state officials, he said "we are going to have a public safety problem." "What about all the truckers that are going to be stopped along the road because of the mandates to rest?" Landes asked. Among Gilbert's criticisms of the cost-cutting proposal was his perception that VDOT developed it without a serious effort to find the most efficient way to reduce spending. Gilbert also criticized VDOT officials for being resistant to an external audit to improve the department's performance. Jim Davis, the Staunton District's Commonwealth Transportation Board representative, responded that VDOT was the most audited organization that he knows of. Contact Jeff Mellott at 574-6290 or jmellott(,i�nronline.eom 12 Officials conduct cutback hearing Leave a comment By Preston Knight pknight(anvdaily. com VERONA -- The Virginia Department of Transportation has some wising up to do, several government officials said during a public hearing Thursday night at the Augusta County Government Center. The meeting allowed VDOT officials to receive comment from Staunton District residents on a proposal to cut $2.6 billion from its expenses. As of the 6 p.m. start time, 51 people, including representatives from all counties in the Northern Shenandoah Valley, were signed up to speak. Del. Steve Landes, R -Weyers Cave, had the most blunt statement among officials when talking about the proposed closing of the Verona residency. "That's just stupid," he told VDOT officials. Landes's displeasure with the plan, which includes closing 25 rest areas, eliminating thousands of jobs and shutting down 15 residencies, mirrors concerns made publicly by Del. Todd Gilbert, R - Woodstock, this week. He continued his adamant stance against the reductions, which he calls an attack on rural Virginia and a ploy to get the General Assembly to raise taxes, after Landes spoke Thursday. "I fully intend to branch out and start a new hobby to constantly take a look at what you do right and wrong," Gilbert said. Clarke, Frederick and Warren counties, officials said, are concerned with the closing of the Luray residency and the likelihood that services will be lost as a result. The Edinburg residency will absorb Clarke and Warren counties into its coverage area. Richard Shickle, chairman of the Frederick County Board of Supervisors, said the county would have an increased burden to respond to road problems because the Edinburg residency will be busier, and Warren County Administrator Douglas P. Stanley said the decision to have Edinburg be the residency makes no practical sense. Instead, he said, the office should be relocated to Front Royal or Strasburg. The potential loss in services, according to a memo from Pamela McInnis, the superintendent of Warren County Public Schools, also could lead to as many as 35 additional days of schools lost. Gravel roads will be graded only once a year and will not have additional gravel spread to cover bare spots, causing undue wear and tear on equipment, the memo states. Shenandoah County District 2 Supervisor Steve Baker also shared concerns about the loss of services on secondary roads. Additionally, he said the closure of rest areas would be "very detrimental" to the Interstate 81 corridor. According to the plan, only I-81 rest areas at southbound Clear Brook and northbound Bristol would remain. 13 To overcome reductions in revenue from federal aid and state taxes, $2 billion in highway construction projects, totaling about 800 projects, will be reduced in the next six years, VDOT Commissioner David Eckert said. The rest of the reductions at administrative and service levels would account for the remaining $600 million, including $12 million a year saved by closing 25 rest areas. Virginia's 411 rest areas cost $2 i million a year to operate, Eckert said. Closing rest areas, however, is not a wise idea from a tourism standpoint, according to John Crim, who owns the Quality Inn and Johnny Appleseed Restaurant in New Market. In a prepared statement, he said property owners all agree that closing rest areas would be "disastrous" to the state's tourism business. Written comments can be submitted to VDOT through April 15. For more information, visit www.virginiadot.org. 14 Item 6: Other 15