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Lake Havasu City Transportation Study March 2005 FINAL REPORT Prepared for TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS Dave Barber, WACOG Mark Clark, LHC Transportation Division Larry Didion, LHC Community Development Joe Fiumara, LHC Police Department Jim Keane, LHC Engineering Wendy Kemp, LHC Transportation Division Ken Paetz, ADOT Val Striyle, City Council Bob Whelan, Mayor James Zumph, ADOT Prepared by: Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Parsons Brinckerhoff i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I. INTRODUCTION 1 A. Background 1 B. Study Process 1 C. Study Area 2 D. Public Involvement 2 II. GOALS, POLICIES, & OBJECTIVES 4 III. EXISTING CONDITIONS 7 A. Land Use 7 B. Socioeconomic Data 8 C. Existing Street System 13 D. Existing Traffic 15 E. Operating Conditions 19 IV. FUTURE CONDITIONS 22 A. Growth Forecasts 22 B. Planned Street System 22 C. Travel Forecasting Model 26 D. Travel Forecasts 31 E. Operating Conditions 34 V. ALTERNATIVES AND ANALYSIS 37 A. Evaluation Measures 37 B. Description of Cross Sections 38 C. Potential Improvements 40 D. Special Topics 54 VI. RECOMMENDED PLAN 72 A. Recommended Plan 72 B. Title VI Review 77 C. Implementation 78 D. Cost/Revenue 87 APPENDIX 90 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Parsons Brinckerhoff ii LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1 Population Growth, 1990 to 2000 8 Table 2 Existing Population by TAZ 10 Table 3 Employment in Study Area 11 Table 4 2000 Racial Demographics 12 Table 5 Low Income and Disabled Population 12 Table 6 Existing Right of Way Widths 13 Table 7 Road Segment Daily Volumes for LOS D 20 Table 8 Build Out Population and Employment 23 Table 9 Screenline Comparisons 31 Table 10 Traffic Growth Across Screenlines 33 Table 11 Proposed Speed Limit Changes (preliminary) 57 Table 12 Summary of Recommended Projects 74 Table 13 Possible Functional Classification Modifications 77 Table 14 Group 1 Projects 83 Table 15 Group 2 Projects 84 Table 16 Group 3 Projects 86 Table 17 Cost Summary 87 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Parsons Brinckerhoff iii LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1 Study Area 3 Figure 2 TAZ Map 9 Figure 3 Existing Number of Lanes 14 Figure 4 Existing Speed Limits 16 Figure 5 Existing Functional Classification System 17 Figure 6 Existing ADT 18 Figure 7 Existing V/C Ratio 21 Figure 8 Travel Forecasting Process 27 Figure 9 Screenlines 30 Figure 10 2030 Traffic Forecasts 32 Figure 11 2030 Level of Service 35 Figure 12 Issue Areas 36 Figure 13 Mesquite/Swanson One Way: Lake Havasu Ave to Smoketree 42 Figure 14 Mesquite/Swanson One Way: Lake Havasu Ave to Acoma 43 Figure 15 Lake Havasu Extension & North Area Circulation 45 Figure 16 West Frontage Road 46 Figure 17 2nd Bridge Connection to London Bridge Road 48 Figure 18 2nd Bridge Connection to SR 95 49 Figure 19 North South Corridor 51 Figure 20 Parkway Volume 53 Figure 21 Proposed Speed Limits 58 Figure 22 Recommended Plan 73 Figure 23 Percentage of Low Income, Minority, and Elderly Populations 79 Figure 24 Group 1 Projects (2006-2010) 80 Figure 25 Group 2 Projects (2011-2015) 81 Figure 26 Group 3 Projects (2016-2025) 82 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Introduction Parsons Brinckerhoff 1 I. INTRODUCTION This Transportation Study has been undertaken because of the continued high rate of growth within Lake Havasu City and the surrounding unincorporated areas of Mohave County. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the demand on the arterial street system and to develop a roadway plan to accommodate that demand. This study builds upon the SATS reports developed in 1991 and 1997 which were also incorporated in the 1994 and 2002 Lake Havasu City General Plan and Plan Updates. A Background According to the 2000 census, Lake Havasu City, like many cities and towns in Arizona, has had significant growth. The population for the City increased from 24,363 in 1990 to 41,938 in 2000, a growth of 72 percent. The 2004 population estimate for the City was 52,205 people (Arizona Department of Economic Security, July 1, 2004). Mohave County had a 66 percent growth rate from 1990 to 2000. With this growth comes a need to provide additional infrastructure, which includes the transportation system. B. Study Process In order to complete the study, there are a number of work tasks that are performed. During the course of the project, products were prepared to document the results of certain work tasks. These products, submitted in draft form and subject to review and comment, form the basis of the final report. The products prepared during the course of the study include: • Transportation Goals, Policies, and Objectives • Summary of Existing Conditions • Summary of Future Conditions • Summary of Transportation Options • Summary of Public Meeting • Draft Final Report Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Introduction Parsons Brinckerhoff 2 This report is the Final Report and presents information on existing and future conditions, alternatives to accommodate future growth, the recommended street plan, and implementation. A Technical Advisory Committee made up of elected officials and staff from the City, Western Arizona Council of Governments (WACOG) and ADOT guided the study. The TAC provided input throughout the course of the study and reviewed deliverables. C. Study Area The study area includes the corporate limits of Lake Havasu City. In addition, a portion of Mohave County surrounding the City is also part of the study area. Generally, the study area extends from the airport on the north, to the Mohave Mountains on the east, to Sara Park on the south, and to the Lake on the west. The study area is shown in Figure 1. D. Public Involvement Public participation is an integral part of a transportation planning study. As part of the Lake Havasu City Transportation Study, input was obtained from the public and elected officials. Also, the Draft Report was presented to the City Council at a regularly scheduled meeting. A summary of the public involvement activities is described below. Public Meetings Two Public Open Houses were held to present information and to receive citizen comments on issues and concerns with the transportation system in Lake Havasu City. The meetings were held on May 19, 2004 and November 17, 2004. The meetings were staffed by City, ADOT and consultant personnel who were available to provide information, answer questions, and receive comments. Exhibits related to the Transportation Study were provided. Comment forms were made available for use in submitting written comments. The comments were summarized and presented to the Technical Advisory Committee for consideration. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Introduction Parsons Brinckerhoff 3 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Goals, Policies and Objectives Parsons Brinckerhoff 4 II. GOALS, POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES The Lake Havasu City General Plan 2002 includes three goals for the future transportation system throughout the City. The goals and policies were reviewed by the TAC as part of the Small Area Transportation Study process. The goals and associated policies are listed below (Lake Havasu City General Plan 2002, pages 56-58). Goal: Provide for the mobility of all segments of the population in an efficient, cost-effective, and safe multimodal transportation system. Policies: 1. Maximize circulation access to community activity centers such as the downtown area bounded by Mesquite, Swanson, Lake Havasu, and Acoma Avenues; the hospital and other emergency services; employment and retail centers along Highway 95 and at the airport; and recreational areas along the waterfront, Island, and parks. 2. Prioritize transportation improvements and aggressively pursue federal, state, local, and private funding sources for the development of the circulation system. 3. A balance of transportation modes should be attained and maintained to provide mobility for those who cannot or choose not to drive motor vehicles. Create a transit system, beyond the existing door-to-door service, that connects residential, commercial, employment, and activity/recreational areas to provide travel options. 4. Develop Standard Guidelines for Transportation-Related Projects that build upon the foundation provided in the Transportation/Circulation Element. 5. Ensure that multimodal services and facilities are connected to provide a “seamless” system. This requires that someone can walk or bicycle to catch a bus or that park-and-ride facilities are provided in close proximity to highways. 6. Transportation improvements must build upon the existing system to promote system efficiency and ensure connections. 7. When reviewing new projects, traffic impacts must be analyzed. New development must not degrade mobility as a Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Goals, Policies and Objectives Parsons Brinckerhoff 5 result of its development. If the development negatively impacts mobility, mitigation strategies must be addressed. 8. Embrace promising transportation and information technologies to promote system efficiencies such as coordinated signalization systems and other means of optimizing traffic flow. 9. Relieve traffic congestion associated with accidents by increasing coordination and communication between responding agencies. 10. Develop design guidelines to retrofit existing roadways to connect out to the parkway. 11. Minimize congestion by designing streets with adequate capacity for peak travel demands. 12. Minimize rights-of-way costs associated with transportation projects through early acquisition of properties for planned facilities. 13. Provide a transportation circulation system that fosters an aesthetically pleasing community image. 14. Maintain the integrity of residential neighborhoods by creating an appropriate and supportive circulation system. 15. Improve all arterial connector streets and future Highway 95 improvements to include boulevard-style green space for parkway amenities to add consistency and a higher quality image to the community from the traveler’s perspective. Goal: Develop a basic network of facilities to serve pedestrians and bicyclists. Policies: 1. Encourage land uses that foster pedestrian and bicycle travel. 2. Emphasize pedestrian and bicycle facilities within and between developments to encourage walking and bicycling as major modes of travel. Require pedestrian circulation plans to be submitted, along with vehicular circulation plans, as a part of the review process for new development proposals. 3. Encourage pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly areas on widened roadways. 4. Develop pedestrian and bicycle standards that provide American Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible surface and clearance for all pedestrian areas where possible. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Goals, Policies and Objectives Parsons Brinckerhoff 6 5. Utilize traffic-calming techniques in pedestrian areas to reduce vehicular speed limits and encourage a bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly environment. 6. Provide bicycle-friendly areas on all arterials throughout the Lake Havasu City planning area. 7. Encourage pedestrian and bicycle trips to all major employment, commercial, and activity centers by ensuring that adequate storage/security (bike racks) facilities are made available. 8. Implement the Pedestrian and Bike Path Plan (1998) that proposes a comprehensive system throughout the planning area. Goal: Improve the access to and around the Island and Shoreline. Policies: 1. Provide facilities to support the recreational development of the Island and Shoreline. 2. Encourage the development of the second bridge to the Island area to promote the Island’s development. 3. McCulloch Boulevard and Beachcomber Boulevard on the Island should be expanded to four lanes. 4. Develop bicycle access to the Island’s second bridge. 5. Continue to expand public access to the Island and Shoreline. 6. Create hiking/biking trails or paths along the Shoreline both on the Island and Mainland. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 7 III. EXISTING CONDITIONS Existing conditions provide the baseline for the study. It provides for a review of the current operating conditions as well as a basis for projecting future conditions. Several measures of existing conditions, which have been selected for documentation and analysis, include: • Land use • Socioeconomic data • Environmental justice considerations • Street system inventory • Traffic counts • Traffic analysis Each of these measures is presented in the following subsections of this chapter. A. LAND USE An understanding of the land use data is important for understanding travel characteristics in an area. Land use information is converted to population and employment data for use in the travel modeling. Land use classifications include: • residential • commercial • industrial • public In general, commercial areas are located along McCulloch Boulevard, Lake Havasu Avenue, State Route 95, and on the Island. Industrial development and other employment areas are at the Airport and along Industrial Boulevard, Kiowa Boulevard, and London Bridge Road. Residential areas exist throughout the study area. Public lands include parks, schools, and government facilities. Major traffic generators in the study area include Lake Havasu Municipal Airport, Havasu Regional Medical Center, Lake Havasu High School, Mohave Community Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 8 College, City Hall, downtown shopping area, Walmart shopping area, and the London Bridge area commercial developments. B. SOCIOECONOMIC DATA Growth rates can be an indication of future growth and therefore are important in developing traffic forecasts. Also, population and employment are direct inputs to the travel-forecasting model to determine the number of trips being made each day. Specifically, in the traffic model, population produces trips and employment attracts trips. Population data for Arizona, Mohave County and Lake Havasu City is presented in Table 1 for the years 1990 and 2000. As shown in the table, the highest growth rate from 1990 to 2000 was calculated for Lake Havasu City with an 84% increase. TABLE 1 POPULATION GROWTH, 1990 to 2000 1990 2000 2004 Percent Change (1990- 2000) Percent Change (2000- 2004) Arizona 3,665,339 5,130,632 5,832,150 40% 14% Mohave County 93,497 155,032 180,210 66% 16% Lake Havasu City 24,363 41,938 52,205 72% 25% To tabulate existing and future population and employment data, a system of traffic analysis zones have been established for the area. Traffic analysis zones (TAZs) are geographic subdivisions of the study area that are used in the database of the travel forecasting model. Similar land uses, physical barriers, or major transportation corridors define the zone boundaries. The study area has 121 TAZs that are shown in Figure 2. Two of the zones represent external zones at the edge of the study area on SR 95. Population for Lake Havasu City study area (including the surrounding unincorporated area) is presented for the year 2004 by TAZ in Table 2. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 9 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 10 TABLE 2 EXISTING POPULATION by TAZ TAZ EXISTING POPULATION TAZ EXISTING POPULATION TAZ EXISTING POPULATION TAZ EXISTING POPULATION 1 NA 32 148 63 340 94 1171 2 NA 33 544 64 50 95 646 3 1251 34 707 65 941 96 282 4 557 35 1193 66 50 97 291 5 724 36 614 67 0 98 221 6 928 37 288 68 336 99 421 7 273 38 1431 69 0 100 633 8 137 39 692 70 6 101 633 9 794 40 1489 71 2 102 1036 10 677 41 1182 72 225 103 1130 11 1494 42 872 73 102 104 1659 12 7 43 1984 74 4 105 1101 13 4 44 148 75 479 106 2 14 7 45 1444 76 93 107 0 15 358 46 364 77 728 108 0 16 191 47 4 78 197 109 4 17 2030 48 646 79 367 110 0 18 898 49 0 80 1659 111 0 19 509 50 0 81 1184 112 0 20 50 51 646 82 180 113 4 21 97 52 0 83 651 114 0 22 2 53 0 84 696 115 67 23 180 54 0 85 1329 116 0 24 0 55 0 86 1433 117 351 25 0 56 0 87 1123 118 2 26 206 57 0 88 251 119 609 27 256 58 340 89 494 120 2 28 7 59 6 90 1171 121 0 29 379 60 2 91 646 30 167 61 588 92 282 31 0 62 509 93 291 TOTAL 54,241 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 11 The employment data presented here is an estimate of the number of people employed within the study area. The information is based on employment data of major employers and previous studies. The number of employees in the study area is shown in Table 3. As shown in the table, employees in the area have increased by nearly 57% in the ten years between 1990 and 2000. Downtown is a major employment center. Other large employers include the City of Lake Havasu City, Mohave Community College, Sterilite, Utility companies, and Havasu Regional Medical Center. TABLE 3 EMPLOYMENT IN STUDY AREA Year Employees 1990 11,800 2000 18,500 Title VI Populations Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes assure that individuals are not subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability. In February 1994, President Clinton signed Executive Order 12898, “Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations.” The purpose of the order was to focus attention on the “environmental and human health conditions in minority communities and low-income communities with the goal of achieving environmental justice.” The Order does not supersede existing laws or regulations; rather, it requires consideration and inclusion of these targeted populations as mandated in previous legislation including: • Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 • National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) • Section 309 of the Clean Air Act • Freedom of Information Act The U.S. Department of Transportation issued its final order to implement the provisions of Executive Order 12898 on April 15, 1997. This final order requires that information be obtained concerning the race, color or national origin, and Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 12 income level of populations served or affected by proposed programs, policies, and activities. It further requires that steps be taken to avoid disproportionately high and adverse impacts on these populations. One of the first steps in assuring environmental justice is the identification of those populations specifically targeted by the Order – minority and low-income populations. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the racial composition of Lake Havasu City was predominantly white with about 12.9 percent minorities as shown in Table 4. TABLE 4 2000 RACIAL DEMOGRAPHICS (by percentage) AREA WHITE NOT HISPANIC AFRICAN AMERICAN NATIVE AMERICAN ASIAN OTHER HISPANIC OR LATINO Lake Havasu City 87.1% 0.5% 1.0% 1.0% 2.5% 7.9% The Executive Order also requires the consideration of persons older than 60 years of age. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, approximately 33 percent of the population in Lake Havasu City is 60 years or older. In addition, the Order mandates that impacts on low-income people must also be considered. There are nearly 4,000 people living below the poverty level according to the 2000 Census data. Socioeconomic data for the year 2000 for Lake Havasu City and Mohave County are listed in Table 5. TABLE 5 LOW INCOME AND DISABLED POPULATION LAKE HAVASU CITY MOHAVE COUNTY Females 50.8% 50.3% Males 49.2% 49.7% Persons with disability 25% 24% Persons over age 60 33% 27% Persons living below the poverty level 10% 14% SOURCE: US Bureau of the Census, Census 2000 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 13 An assessment of the impacts on the named populations from any of the proposed roadway improvements is presented in Chapter VI. C. Existing Street System The existing street system is described in detail in the following sections. The existing street system in Lake Havasu City is composed of a state highway, an arterial street system, and collector and local streets. The cross-sections of the existing roadways vary from five-lane paved with curb and gutter to a few two-lane unpaved streets in the unincorporated areas. The street system inventory for the roadways within the study area included: • Right of way • Pavement widths • Number of lanes The existing right of way widths for the roadways within the City are based on the type of roadway. The right of way widths, which were established as part of the original master plan for the City, are listed in Table 6. Also shown in the table are the curb-to-curb pavement widths by type of roadway. The existing number of lanes is shown in Figure 3. TABLE 6 EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY WIDTHS Roadway Type Right-of Way Pavement Width Boulevards 84 feet 54 feet Avenues 70 feet 44 feet Drives 60 feet 42 feet Cul-de-sacs 50 feet 36 feet There are some exceptions to these standards, including both Chenoweth and London Bridge Road which have right of ways or easements of 100’. Beachcomber and McCulloch, on the Island, have easements of 200’. The Parkway will have a right of way of 200’ or more. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 14 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 15 Speed Limits Lake Havasu City recognizes the need to have reasonable, enforceable and safe speed limits throughout the community. Historically, Lake Havasu City has utilized a rule of thumb that included a general 25 MPH speed limit for the majority of the streets in the City. The more traveled avenues and boulevards are signed at 35 MPH and portions of London Bridge Road are signed at 45 MPH. The existing speed limits are shown in Figure 4. Functional Classification The roles and standards for each type of roadway must be established in order to plan an efficient and effective system. In general, State Route 95 provides regional access to Lake Havasu City from other areas of the county and state. The role of the state highway and arterials is to carry through traffic and to provide for the mobility of the community. Whereas, the collector and local streets provide land access and carry local traffic to the neighborhoods and distribute traffic to the arterials. The existing federal functional classification system for Lake Havasu City area streets is shown in Figure 5. D. Existing Traffic Existing daily traffic volumes on the street system in the study area are shown in Figure 6. The data on City streets were obtained from counts conducted by the City in 2002 and 2003. The traffic volumes on SR95 were obtained from ADOT. The existing data on SR 95 were obtained prior to the completion of ADOT’s major widening and improvement project of SR 95 from South McCulloch Blvd to north of the airport. As shown in the figure, the highest daily traffic volumes are on State Route 95 specifically, the segment between Acoma Boulevard West and Kiowa Boulevard with 27,600 vehicles and the segment Industrial Boulevard and South Palo Verde with 22,600 vehicles. Other high volume locations include Acoma Boulevard south of McCulloch Boulevard with 17,000 vehicles, Lake Havasu Avenue south of Mesquite with 15,200 vehicles, and McCulloch Boulevard west of Riviera with 15,000 vehicles. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 16 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 17 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 18 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 19 E. Operating Conditions A review of existing traffic conditions included an analysis of road segment traffic operations. The results of the analysis are expressed in terms of level of service (LOS). Level of service (LOS) is the term used to describe the degree of traffic congestion. The various levels of service range from A to F with A being the best operating conditions and F being the worst operating conditions. LOS is generally defined as follows: • Level of Service A represents free flow. • Level of Service B is in the range of stable flow, but the presence of other users in the traffic stream begins to be noticeable. • Level of Service C is in the range of stable flow, but marks the beginning of the range of flow in which the operation of individual users becomes significantly affected by interactions with others in the traffic stream. • Level of Service D represents high-density but stable flow. Speed and freedom to maneuver are severely restricted, and the driver or pedestrian experiences a generally poor level of comfort and convenience. • Level of Service E represents operating conditions at or near the capacity level. All speeds are reduced to a low but relatively uniform value. • Level of Service F is used to define forced or breakdown flow. This condition exists wherever the amount of traffic approaching a point exceeds the amount which can traverse the point. The following section present the analysis of the traffic conditions along roadway segments (daily traffic). Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 20 Roadway Segments To examine the operating conditions of arterial street segments, the daily traffic volumes are compared to LOS D volumes for various types of roadway as shown in Table 7. If these standards are exceeded on a roadway, travel speeds are greatly reduced and the ability to pass is restricted. TABLE 7 ROADWAY SEGMENT DAILY VOLUMES FOR LOS D and CAPACITY (Vehicles per day) ROADWAY LANES DAILY VOLUME at LOS D DAILY VOLUME at capacity collector 2 through lanes 10,000 12,500 arterial 2 through & center left turn lane 12,000 15,000 arterial 4 through & center left turn lane 25,000 31,250 arterial 4 through & a median 27,500 34,375 State highway 4 lanes & a center left turn lane 32,000 40,000 Based on the existing street system, the current traffic volume forecasts were compared to the volumes listed in Table 6. Segments with volumes exceeding the standards are identified as deficiencies and are shown in Figure 7. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 21 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 22 IV. FUTURE CONDITIONS The Lake Havasu City area population and employment has steadily increased over the last fourteen years. The impact of this growth on the transportation system needs to be quantified so that necessary improvements can be identified and programmed for implementation. The horizon year for this transportation study is 2030. A. Growth Forecasts The primary measure of growth used in this study was population and employment. The current population of the Lake Havasu City area is 52,205 and there are 23,305 people employed there. The population and employment in the study area is tabulated by traffic analysis zones (TAZs) for use in the travel forecasting model. Population and employment forecasts for the year 2030 are based on information presented in the Lake Havasu City General Plan as well as input from City staff. The estimated population for the horizon year is 103,804. The future employment was estimated using a similar employment to population ratio as exists today as well as input from City staff. The estimated future employment is 42,760 people. The General Plan was used to allocate the employment increase in the City. Overall, population growth is spread throughout the City with the north and northeast areas showing a high percentage increase. Employment increases are expected throughout the City with no one area of concentration. The projected population and employment by TAZ is shown in Table 8. B. Planned Street System In order to perform an analysis of future traffic operations, a future base street system must be established. The future base street system for this analysis assumes that the existing street system is maintained and there are no additions. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 23 TABLE 8 BUILD OUT POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT TAZ POPULATION Retail General Office Total 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 2517 75 50 75 200 4 1139 0 0 0 0 5 1262 25 25 25 75 6 1587 50 75 25 150 7 432 25 0 0 25 8 271 0 0 0 0 9 1626 25 25 0 50 10 1239 0 75 0 75 11 2462 25 25 25 75 12 23 300 250 200 750 13 21 50 50 0 100 14 19 450 200 100 750 15 1951 100 25 25 150 16 1151 50 150 75 275 17 6593 0 75 110 185 18 2039 25 50 25 100 19 1406 25 75 0 100 20 50 100 100 50 250 21 165 450 450 350 1250 22 5 625 250 125 1000 23 408 350 150 150 650 24 0 75 75 25 175 25 5 300 350 100 750 26 269 200 300 50 550 27 327 100 200 50 350 28 14 150 100 75 325 29 1499 1750 1750 300 3800 30 211 250 250 50 550 31 0 250 75 25 350 32 188 50 400 100 550 33 1086 350 500 300 1150 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 24 TABLE 8 (continued) BUILD OUT POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT TAZ POPULATION Retail General Office Total 34 1422 550 150 150 850 35 2044 25 25 25 75 36 1032 25 25 25 75 37 499 25 0 0 25 38 2348 25 25 50 100 39 1176 300 150 50 500 40 2336 300 100 25 425 41 2223 0 25 0 25 42 1455 100 25 25 150 43 3246 0 100 0 100 44 188 25 75 50 150 45 1986 25 50 75 150 46 557 75 100 75 250 47 5 75 150 50 275 48 930 100 125 75 300 49 0 100 50 50 200 50 0 500 100 100 700 51 930 600 100 75 775 52 0 200 75 50 325 53 7 450 125 125 700 54 0 125 25 50 200 55 0 500 0 50 550 56 0 150 150 300 600 57 0 150 50 100 300 58 513 325 175 75 575 59 12 300 75 50 425 60 2 350 600 175 1125 61 951 0 50 50 100 62 807 50 50 0 100 63 506 50 100 75 225 64 500 225 25 25 275 65 1596 25 25 0 50 66 500 200 25 0 225 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 25 TABLE 8 (continued) BUILD OUT POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT TAZ POPULATION Retail General Office Total 67 0 200 300 25 525 68 610 0 125 25 150 69 0 50 50 50 150 70 28 350 225 50 625 71 2 175 100 25 300 72 334 275 1700 200 2175 73 218 175 300 25 500 74 7 300 525 125 950 75 800 0 125 25 150 76 155 50 50 50 150 77 1176 0 25 0 25 78 290 0 0 0 0 79 856 275 275 175 725 80 3327 300 25 0 325 81 2322 375 300 150 825 82 408 175 100 25 300 83 1218 100 25 25 150 84 1582 0 100 0 100 85 2420 25 100 50 175 86 2703 0 25 25 50 87 2169 0 0 0 0 88 399 0 150 25 175 89 858 0 100 25 125 90 1898 50 75 25 150 91 1169 600 50 50 700 92 543 25 0 25 50 93 501 0 0 0 0 94 364 75 50 25 150 95 728 250 150 450 850 96 1046 25 25 25 75 97 986 0 50 0 50 98 1703 50 100 50 200 99 1782 25 0 0 25 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 26 TABLE 8 (continued) BUILD OUT POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT TAZ POPULATION Retail General Office Total 100 2745 0 0 0 0 101 1907 25 25 25 75 102 200 0 50 0 50 103 500 50 25 25 100 104 500 25 25 25 75 105 500 50 25 25 100 106 500 25 25 25 75 107 500 100 50 50 200 108 500 25 25 25 75 109 500 50 25 25 100 110 1350 25 25 25 75 111 500 75 75 50 200 112 250 75 50 75 200 113 476 200 225 225 650 114 9 0 700 100 800 115 766 0 50 50 100 116 250 50 0 0 50 117 250 50 200 100 350 118 13 2000 0 250 2250 119 500 0 25 0 25 120 500 175 225 100 500 121 250 50 75 25 150 TOTAL 103,804 19,150 16,175 7,435 42,760 C. Travel Forecasting Model The transportation modeling procedure involves a number of steps. A flow chart summary of the process is presented in Figure 8. To begin with, there are two distinct sets of tasks to be performed which provide the input to a third set. One set involves the compilation of land use data and trip generation rates for the study Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 27 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 28 area. This information is then used to calculate trip productions and attractions for each zone. The other set of concurrent tasks which need to be completed includes the identification of the street system to be included in the model and the development of the highway network to represent the street system. The network data includes the TAZs (traffic analysis zones), street segment lengths, speed, and capacity. Using the street segment lengths and speeds in the network, the minimum time paths between zones are determined. The productions and attractions for each zone and the minimum paths between zones are used as the inputs to the third set of tasks, the trip distribution and assignment process. Trip distribution is accomplished using a mathematical model. The most commonly used distribution model is the gravity model which assumes that the attraction of trips between zones is inversely proportional to the distance between zones. The result of the gravity model is a trip table which is a matrix of all trips distributed to/from each zone. These trips are then assigned to the street system, via the minimum paths (based on time) to produce traffic forecasts for the network. Model Calibration Before the transportation model can be used to forecast traffic volumes, the model's representation of existing traffic conditions must be validated. The first step was to convert the 1997 model from TRANPLAN to TP+ and to develop the existing land use data for each zone. Then, trip generation, distribution and assignment are performed using the modeling software. The result is a loaded highway network with computer-simulated volumes. The converted network was verified to make sure it properly represents the existing street system. Trip generation rates were also derived from published sources and previous models developed for cities and towns in Arizona. From these rates, the total number of trips generated in each internal zone was calculated to identify the relative trip intensity of each of the zones. The rates were adjusted for the Lake Havasu City area to account for the tourist and seasonal population. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 29 In addition to the trips generated by internal zones, the amount of traffic generated by the external zones needs to be estimated. External zones represent traffic entering and exiting the model area from outside the City’s planning area. Traffic from external zones is distributed as through traffic to another external zone or as internal trips to a TAZ. The traffic assignment was accomplished using a capacity restrained process. The capacity restrained assignment is an effort to replicate the actual traffic condition based on the capacity of the streets. If the volume on a road reaches capacity, the path times are re-calculated and the traffic is then re-assigned to the shortest time path. Calibration Factors The computer simulated volumes were compared to the existing traffic to determine how well the existing conditions were being simulated. A number of model parameters and factors can be adjusted to improve the simulation. This adjustment process is the calibration of the model. The factors which can be adjusted include the street segment speed and capacity, friction factors, and intrazonal trip times. The friction factors are used to define the effect that the distance between zones has on the relative attractiveness of trips between zones. The intrazonal trip times add time to the trip within a zone so that a certain percentage of trips must leave a zone to be satisfied. Initially, coarse adjustments were made to the model to shift traffic and replicate travel patterns. Before "fine tuning" the volumes, an additional check was made of the overall traffic in the area using screenlines. Screenlines Another means of analyzing traffic movement in an area is by examining volumes across screenlines. A screenline is an imaginary line across which all the traffic flows can be counted and summed. This technique provides a convenient means for examining major travel trends and removes the discrepancies that are inherent in model generated volumes on individual street segments. The screenlines used for this analysis are shown in Figure 9. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 30 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 31 In the calibration process, screenlines are used to verify the total amount of traffic on area streets. If the total simulated traffic volume across a screenline is lower (or higher) than the existing traffic volumes, then a percentage adjustment is made to the computer simulated volumes across the screenline. This percentage is then applied to adjust the individual forecasts. The comparison between existing and simulated volumes indicates that the model results are reasonable and that existing volumes are being replicated well. As shown in Table 9, the simulation volumes across all but one of the screenlines are within 10 percent of existing traffic counts. TABLE 9 SCREENLINE COMPARISONS Existing vs. Model SCREENLINE EXISTING DAILY VOLUMES MODEL DAILY VOLUMES MODEL/EXISTING 1 35,500 38,500 1.08 2 58,000 63,200 1.09 3 40,000 39,800 1.00 4 63,800 68,100 1.07 5 14,700 18,000 1.22 6 45,000 43,000 0.96 D. Travel Forecasts With the travel forecasting model properly calibrated, traffic forecasts can be developed. The model input for the future condition was based on the population and employment data and the planned street system previously described. In addition, traffic at the external zones was increased to account for growth outside the study area. The volumes at the externals were increased by 50% in accordance with the Arizona Department of Economic Security population growth forecasts for the State and Mohave County. The daily forecasts for the year 2030 are shown in Figure 10. The forecasts were derived from the model output and adjusted where appropriate. The Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 32 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 33 adjustments were made to account for known estimation errors in the model and remove discontinuities that are inevitable in model-generated numbers. As expected, the daily traffic volumes on the street system throughout the study are expected to increase between 2004 and 2030. It should be noted that the traffic forecasts are based on the assumption that the growth rate and development presented in the “Growth Forecasts” section occur by 2030. In 2030, the highest traffic forecasts are projected for segments of SR 95, Lake Havasu Avenue, and McCulloch Boulevard. Specifically, SR 95 between Acoma and Kiowa would carry 46,000 vehicles per day, Lake Havasu Avenue would carry 32,000 vehicles per day between Mesquite and Swanson, and the bridge onto the island would carry 42,000 vehicles per day. London Bridge Road also shows significant percentage increases from 4,000 vehicles per day to 15,000 vehicles per day. Screenlines can also be used to examine the location and amount of traffic growth in the area. Table 10 lists the existing traffic count and the 2030 forecasts for each screenline. To document overall traffic growth, the percent increase between existing and future is presented in the last column of the table. As shown in the table, the highest growth is projected across screenlines number 1 and number 5. TABLE 10 TRAFFIC GROWTH ACROSS SCREENLINES Existing vs. 2030 Model SCREENLINE EXISTING DAILY VOLUMES 2030 FORECAST VOLUMES % increase 1 35,500 75,000 211% 2 58,000 97,000 167% 3 40,000 75,000 188% 4 63,800 102,000 160% 5 14,700 31,000 211% 6 45,000 60,000 133% Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 34 E. Operating Conditions A review of future traffic conditions involved the analysis of projected road segment traffic operations. The results of the analysis are expressed in terms of level of service (LOS) as previously described in Chapter II. The following section present the analysis of the traffic conditions along roadway segments (daily traffic). Roadway Segments To examine the operating conditions of arterial street segments, the daily traffic volumes are compared to LOS D volumes for various types of roadway as previously shown in Table 7. If these standards are exceeded on a roadway, travel speeds are greatly reduced and the ability to pass is restricted. The 2030 forecasts were compared to the volumes for Level of Service D. Roadway segments that are projected to have LOS D or worse are shown in Figure 11. A review of the figure indicates that approximately 38 miles of roadways are expected to be at LOS D or worse by 2030. In addition to the level of service evaluation, a number of other mobility and circulation issues were identified for study. These are summarized in Figure 12. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 35 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 36 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 37 V. ALTERNATIVES AND ANALYSIS According to the City’s General Plan, at build out, Lake Havasu City will double in population and employment. With this growth, comes an increase in traffic volumes and a decrease in mobility and accessibility. The traffic forecasts and operating conditions were presented in the previous chapter. In addition, comments and concerns have been received from the public. This chapter presents potential improvements and additions to the street system to address the projected growth and transportation concerns. A. Evaluation Measures The evaluation measures are a list of factors that should be considered in the review of a potential improvement project. The measures are not all quantifiable; some are purely qualitative. The measures are included in the project descriptions to identify potential benefits, impacts, and constraints. More detailed analysis of the measures would be required during the concept development and design phase of a project. The criteria and their means of measurement are described below. Cost Construction cost estimates will be calculated for each potential improvement. The costs are planning level costs based on a unit cost for each project type. The cost is calculated in 2004 dollars and has not been adjusted for inflation. Costs are a major factor in establishing priorities for improvements and are used to compare to available revenue. Right of Way Impacts The need for new right of way for an improvement should be determined as early as possible in the project development process since the acquisition of right of way typically takes longer than the design and construction. This is a qualitative measure that identifies if additional right of way is needed for a project. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 38 Building Acquisitions This is a quantitative measure that documents the number of buildings expected to be acquired as part of the improvement. The number is a conservative estimate at the planning stage. Relief of Congestion Relief of congestion is a quantitative measure that compares the base condition level of service with the LOS after the improvement. This measure gives an indication of the overall impact of the improvement on the area transportation system. Traffic Service This is a measure of the projected traffic volumes that an improvement is expected to attract. The description of each improvement will include the daily traffic volume. Mobility and Accessibility This is a qualitative measure of the project’s ability to improve the circulation in an area and provide access for new developments. It will be measured in terms of improved travel time between activity centers. Engineering Challenges There can be unique conditions that must be overcome in order to develop a feasible project. These often require special design features in order to construct a project. Engineering challenges are identified in the project descriptions so that they can be used in the prioritization of projects. Engineering challenges could include drainage patterns, terrain, railroad crossings, and utilities. B. Description of Cross Sections The following section describes the features of the street cross sections that will be considered in the evaluation of the potential improvements. THREE LANE CROSS SECTION The three-lane cross section provides one travel lane in each direction with a center two way left turn lane. The cross section can include bike lanes, curb, Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 39 gutter, and sidewalk. If curb, gutter, and sidewalk are not provided, 8’ shoulders would be. At a major intersection, this cross section could be widened to provide one left turn lane, two through lanes, and one right turn lane on each approach, if warranted by the traffic volumes. The suggested right of way for this cross section is 80 feet. The estimated construction cost for one mile of this cross section would vary as described below. • With curb, gutter, and sidewalk, no bike lanes $1.6 million per mile • With curb, gutter, sidewalk, and bike lanes $1.8 million per mile • With shoulders $1.0 million per mile FIVE LANE CROSS SECTION The five-lane cross section provides two travel lanes in each direction with a center two way left turn lane. The cross section includes curb, gutter, and sidewalk and may or may not have bike lanes. If curb, gutter, and sidewalk are not provided, 8’ shoulders would be. At a major intersection, this cross section could be widened to provide two left turn lanes, two through lanes, and one right turn lane on each approach, if warranted by the traffic volumes. The suggested right of way for this cross section is 100 feet. The estimated construction cost for one mile of this cross section would vary as described below. • With curb, gutter, and sidewalk, no bike lanes $2.1 million per mile • With curb, gutter, sidewalk, and bike lanes $2.3 million per mile FOUR LANE DIVIDED CROSS SECTION The four-lane divided cross section provides two travel lanes in each direction with a 4’ inside shoulder and an 8’ outside shoulder. At a major intersection, this cross section could be widened to provide two left turn lanes, two through lanes, and one right turn lane on each approach, if warranted by the traffic volumes. The suggested right of way for this cross section is 200 feet. The estimated construction cost for one mile of this cross section would be $2.2 million per mile. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 40 C. Potential Improvements A number of potential improvements have been developed to accommodate future traffic, improve accessibility to all parts of the City, to improve mobility within and through the City, and to provide opportunity for development. Mesquite/Swanson One-Way Streets This option would convert both Mesquite and Swanson to one-way streets. Mesquite was evaluated as one-way in the westbound direction and Swanson in the eastbound direction. The direction of travel could be reversed if it is more conducive to local businesses and provides a more logical terminus. According to the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Traffic Engineering Handbook, the capacity of each street should be equal. Additionally, the one-way pair should be adjacent streets, although systems with two-way parallel streets in between operate satisfactorily. Given the proximity of Mesquite, McCulloch, and Swanson, and the familiarity of the users; the one-way operation should be understood. One-way streets, which are generally used to increase the capacity of the roadway network, may also improve safety. An intersection of a one-way street with a two-way street has significantly fewer conflict points than the intersection of two two-way streets. One way streets can also reduce vehicle/pedestrian conflicts. Advantages of one-way streets include: • Reduced intersection delay • Reduced travel time • Improved bus operations • Improved signal progression • Potential for on-street parking Disadvantages of one-way streets include: • Perception that business is negatively impacted • Transition from one-way to two-way Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 41 Mesquite and Swanson were coded into the traffic model as one-way streets to assess the traffic impact. Two variations were examined. One was to extend the one-way from Lake Havasu Avenue to Smoketree and one was to extend the one-way from Lake Havasu Avenue to Acoma. There is little difference in the traffic impacts of the two options. Mesquite and Swanson would each carry 7,000 to 8,000 vehicles per day in the future. The impact on adjacent streets is shown on Figures13 and 14 for the two options. The volume on McCulloch increases 1,000 to 5,000 vehicles per day compared to the future base. The volume on Lake Havasu Avenue increases 2,000 to 3,000 between Smoketree and South Palo Verde. The capacity of a three lane street with one lane in each direction plus a two way left turn lane is 13,900 vehicles per day. The level of service D service volume is 10,600 vehicles per day. The total level of service D volume of Mesquite and Swanson with the existing lane configuration is 21,200 vehicles per day. The capacity of a three lane one-way street is 18,800 vehicles per day. The level of service D service volume is 14,300 vehicles per day. The total level of service D volume of Mesquite and Swanson with the one-way lane configuration would be 28,600 vehicles per day. The cost to convert Mesquite and Swanson from two-way streets to one-way streets is $25,000. The cost includes removal of existing pavement markings, new pavement markings and new signs. There is no right of way required and traffic service is improved. Another option that was discussed was the restriping/reconstruction of both Mesquite and Swanson to provide two lanes in one direction, a center left turn lane and one lane in the other direction. Initial review indicates that this configuration would provide similar capacity to the one-way couplet option. Advantages include the additional capacity. Disadvantages include cost and the elimination of on-street parking. It is the TAC’s recommendation that this lane configuration is implemented in the near future and the one-way couplet option is studied for the long term. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 42 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 43 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 44 Lake Havasu Avenue Extension and North Area Circulation With this option, several new streets are added to the north area including extending Lake Havasu Avenue north 1.75 miles to Chenoweth and extending Chenoweth east about 1.75 miles. An unnamed north-south street would extend from North Palo Verde to Chenoweth, approximately 1.9 miles and an unnamed east-west street would extend from SR 95 east, then turn southeast and connect to Cherry Tree, a distance of six miles. It should be noted that this last street is also a portion of the Parkway which is discussed elsewhere. These new streets were coded into the traffic model to evaluate the impact of these additional streets. As can be seen in Figure 15, Chenoweth would carry 8,000 to 17,000 vehicles per day and the Lake Havasu Avenue extension would carry 8,000 to 10,000 vehicles per day. The traffic volume on SR 95 would be reduced 13,000 vehicles per day between North Palo Verde and Chenoweth. Other reductions from 1,000 to 4,000 would occur on North Palo Verde and Kiowa. The cost for the north area streets if they are all constructed as three lane streets is $19.4 million. New right of way is required, but it is expected that much of it will be dedicated as new development occurs. One to two residences may be impacted with the extension of Lake Havasu Avenue. Traffic congestion on the north end of SR 95 is greatly alleviated with this improvement. Mobility and accessibility is enhanced by providing new access to the airport. West Frontage Road The West Frontage Road alternative is a new roadway that connects Sweetwater at Acoma South to Mulberry following the SR 95 alignment. The primary purpose of this alternative is to provide access to potential development on the west side of SR 95 so that access does not have to be provided from SR 95. This alternative was coded into the travel forecasting model as a three lane roadway. The traffic impact of this alternative is shown in Figure 16. This portion of the West Frontage Road would divert about 3,000 vehicles per day from SR 95. The cost for the West Frontage Road with curb, gutter, and sidewalk would be $3.6 million. New right of way is required, but it is expected that much of it will be dedicated as new development occurs. No buildings will be impacted. The West Frontage Road will have little or no impact on traffic congestion, but will improve mobility by limiting access onto SR 95. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 45 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 46 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 47 2nd Bridge Terminus The City continues to study the location and features of the 2nd Bridge to the island. The 2nd Bridge is planned north of the existing London Bridge. As part of this study, two alternate termini for the bridge were examined. One option is to connect the crossing to London Bridge Road and one option is to connect the bridge to SR 95. These two options were coded into the travel forecasting model for comparison. The results are presented in Figures 17 and 18. When the crossing connects to SR 95, slightly more traffic (2,000 vehicles per day) uses the second crossing compared to the connection to London Bridge Road. When the second crossing connects to London Bridge Road, traffic increases 1,000 to 4,000 vehicles per day compared to no impact when to SR 95. North-South Corridor In this central area of the City, the streets are curvilinear. Many of the local roads in the street system are discontinuous and do not connect between arterials. Traffic cannot follow a direct path to its destination, thus creating circuitous trips. As the area continues to grow, traffic volumes within the center of the City will continue to increase as previously shown in the 2030 traffic forecasts. Acoma Boulevard provides an access route through the center of the City. However, it is curvilinear and its capacity is limited by existing residential development frontage with driveways directly onto the roadway. The proposed North-South Corridor would extend from SR 95 east of the Sara Park entrance to north of the Airport. The Corridor, which follows a northwesterly diagonal route, is approximately 17 miles long. Existing land uses along the southern half of the Corridor is primarily residential. The northern half is currently undeveloped. The General Plan indicates that future land uses would be residential, employment, and open space. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 48 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 49 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 50 The Corridor was input to the travel forecasting model to evaluate traffic demand and impacts. The Corridor forecasts are shown in Figure 19. The daily traffic on the North-South Corridor is expected to range from 14,000 to 35,000 vehicles. According to the model forecasts, the Corridor will reduce traffic volumes on several area streets including Lake Havasu Avenue, SR 95, South McCulloch, and London Bridge Road. Development of this corridor would require the elimination of 40 - 45 crossings or the incorporation of these crossing (and associated delays) in to the corridor. The proposed Corridor would have a limited number of access points as shown on the figure. This preliminary plan shows access points at South McCulloch (2), Chemehuevi, Kiowa, Palo Verde, and Chenoweth. Approximately 200 acres of right of way would have to be acquired including 110 houses. The construction cost of the Corridor is estimated to be $40 million. Parkway In the current street system, SR 95 is the only continuous route through the study area. The Parkway is a proposed north-south roadway that would function as a major arterial on the eastside of the study area. It would provide an alternative to SR 95 for traffic that is not destined to properties or developments on the west side of the City. The ultimate roadway width would have two through lanes in each direction with a two-way center left turn lane or a raised median. A raised median would provide a measure of access control beneficial to a major arterial. The proposed Parkway would extend from SR 95 near the Sara Park entrance north to SR 95 north of the Lake Havasu City Airport. The Parkway location has been initially identified as following a north-south route from SR 95 on the south end to approximately ten miles north. At this point it turns west and follows an east-west alignment for five miles. At a point, two miles east of SR 95 the roadway turns north on a diagonal route parallel to the runway connecting to SR 95 north of the Airport. The roadway would be approximately 21 miles in length. At the south end of the corridor, the land is a developing area with new residential subdivisions planned. As the Parkway turns to the west, the land is largely undeveloped. The Parkway would provide access to this area and allow for Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 51 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 52 additional developments. The General Plan indicates that future land uses would include employment, commercial developments and open space. Continuing to the north, it would serve as an additional access to the Airport and surrounding industrial development. The Parkway is proposed to be a limited access facility with access provided at several defined intersections. Local street access is being shown at Arizona Boulevard, Cherry Tree Boulevard, the MCC/BLM Park Area northwest of Bison, Chenoweth, and the Airport Industrial Park Roadway. Two new streets are also proposed as part of the corridor plan to provide indirect access to SR 95 to the Parkway. One roadway would continue from the east-west segment of the Parkway and intersect SR 95 north of the wash approximately one-half mile north of the SR 95/North Palo Verde intersection. The other new street would be an east-west roadway just south of the Airport property. To examine the traffic impacts of a Parkway, this roadway was added to the street system in the travel forecasting model. The results are shown in Figure 20. It is important to remember that future land uses are included in the model and are inherent in the results. The 2030 daily traffic volumes on the Parkway are projected to range from 12,000 vehicles near the south end to 22,000 vehicles per day along the middle of the route. The changes in traffic volumes on adjacent streets are also on the figure. A decrease in daily traffic volumes is expected to occur on SR 95, Lake Havasu Avenue, London Bridge Road, Palo Verde, Acoma Blvd and McCulloch Blvd South. The largest decrease in traffic is shown on SR 95 north of Kiowa with a decrease of 17,000 vehicles per day. Approximately 380 acres of right of way is needed. Land ownership in the area includes private land owners, BLM, and the State Land Department. No building acquisitions would be required for the Parkway construction. The estimated cost of construction is $47 million. Design considerations include drainage and environmental conditions. There are several watercourses that could cross the proposed Parkway alignment and would require pipes and box culverts to protect the roadway from the design year storm. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 53 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 54 Construction segments would have to be five to six miles to develop usable segments. The Parkway could be built initially as two lanes until the demand warrants four through lanes. The recommendation of the TAC is that the Parkway be developed as a limited access higher speed roadway. The intention of this recommendation is that this corridor would serve as a location for a long-range option for SR 95 with a width of six lanes. In this context, the minimum right-of-way necessary would be 200 feet plus any additional slope easements. In order to preserve the option for a state highway designation, the number of at-grade access points should be limited. Potential access points include SR 95, Arizona Boulevard, Cherry Tree Boulevard, the future northern park area, Chenoweth, and North of the Airport. At a maximum, intersections should be limited to one per two or more miles. This configuration would require developments to rely on frontage roads to provide direct access to their projects. D. Special Topics A number of special topics were addressed during the course of the study. The topics included issues and concerns that affect the overall efficiency and safety of the transportation system. The topics may be addressed by modifying or establishing a policy that guides future projects and developments. The topics include speed limits, jake break noise/truck routes, crosswalks, mailbox placement, and traffic calming. Speed Limits Speed limits in the community were analyzed in conjunction with the Small Area Transportation Study (SATS) and presented to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). Speed studies completed over the last 8 years indicate that the majority of drivers are exceeding the posted speed limits but are driving in a safe manner as evidenced by a review of the accident data. Detailed explanations of speed limit signage and effects are included as a separate handout from this report. It is proposed that the City’s historical policy (as described in the Existing Conditions chapter) be supplemented by a more uniform application of engineering Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 55 judgment and field studies that also recognizes that growth and changes have occurred in the community. By raising the speed limits on those roadways found to be appropriate, we will bring our community more in compliance with accepted engineering and traffic safety guidelines. These changes would be done under the authority designated to the City in ARS 28-703. 28-703. Alteration of speed limits by local authority. A. If a local authority determines on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the maximum speed permitted under this article is greater or less than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist on any part of a street or highway in its jurisdiction, the local authority may determine and declare a reasonable and safe maximum speed limit at the location and, based on the investigation, may: 1. Decrease the limit at intersections. 2. Increase the limit within any business or residence district to not more than sixty-five miles per hour. 3. Decrease the limit outside any business or residence district. 4. Increase or decrease the speed limit on streets adjacent to school grounds. B. A local authority shall determine by an engineering and traffic investigation the proper maximum speed for all arterial streets in its jurisdiction and shall declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit on the arterial streets in its jurisdiction that may be more or less than the maximum speed permitted under this article for a business or residence district. C. A local authority may decrease the limit to not less than fifteen miles per hour on an unpaved street or road within any district in its jurisdiction if the local authority determines that the limit is necessary to achieve or maintain national ambient air quality standards. D. An altered limit established as provided for in this section is effective at all times, or during hours of darkness, or at other times as may be determined if appropriate signs giving notice of the altered limit are erected on the street or highway. E. The alteration of maximum speed limits on state highways or extensions of state highways in a municipality by a local authority is not effective until the director approves the alteration. F. A local authority shall not make more than six alterations per mile along a street or highway pursuant to this section, except for reduced Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 56 limits at intersections. The difference between adjacent limits shall not be more than ten miles per hour except for school crossings. The SATS TAC recommends that the speed limits in Lake Havasu City be standardized to the largest extent possible by establishing a standard 35 MPH speed limit on all fully widened avenues and boulevards, subject to an engineering and traffic investigation. The preliminary data with regards to the 85th percentile speed on the majority of Lake Havasu City’s roadways indicates that this finding is consistent with standard engineering procedures and the driving characteristics of the traveling public in our community. When changes are proposed to a speed limit on a roadway, the following steps will be completed: • a comprehensive review of the roadway geometrics will be completed to ensure that sight distance at intersections is maintained. • a review of the accident data for the roadway will be completed. A current 85th percentile speed study will also be completed for that section of the roadway in which the speed limit is being changed. Proposed changes include the standardization of a short 25 MPH zone near schools, the creation of a 30 MPH zone in heavier business/parking areas, the extension of the 35 MPH zone onto completed avenues, boulevards and the appropriate drives (after an engineering and traffic study) and the use of the 45 MPH zone on some rural type roadways such as London Bridge Road. Avenues, Boulevards, or Drives will not normally be signed for 35 MPH unless the majority of the roadway is widened. The 30 MPH zone for use in business/parking areas will be limited to commercial areas that would normally be signed 35 MPH but due to a large amount of on street parking and pedestrian activity are being signed at the lower speed limit. If the 35 MPH zone is currently in place in a location and the accident data indicates no safety concerns exist, the speed limit will not be reduced to the lesser speed. 25 MPH Speed Limit Signs would normally be posted off of a higher speed zone roadway. 25 MPH Signs and School Signs would be placed on all roadways adjacent to a school. The 15 MPH School Zone Signs and crosswalks would only Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 57 be placed at locations that met the Arizona Department of Transportation School Zone warrants. It is suggested that a public notification process be developed to provide citizen input to the proposed Speed Limit changes. Preliminary data gathered indicates that the roadways listed in Table 11 are expected to meet the engineering and traffic studies criteria for speed limit changes. The recommended speed limits are also shown graphically in Figure 21. TABLE 11 PROPOSED SPEED LIMIT CHANGES (preliminary) ROADWAY LIMITS From To AVG. 85th % SPEED (mph) COMMENTS SUGGESTED 35 MPH ZONES* Avalon Avenue Havasupai No Palo Verde 34.0 Empress Drive Palo Verde Havasupai 37.0 Not an Avenue or Boulevard London Bridge Road Dover north of Sailing Hawks 39.3 Remove 25 MPH at Kirk and Replace with 25 MPH Advisory Mulberry Avenue Entire Length 35.5 Smoketree Avenue Entire Length 32.5 30 or 35 MPH Southwind Avenue Entire Length 36.8 Thunderbolt Avenue Entire Length 33.6 30 or 35 MPH Saratoga Avenue Acoma Saddleback 39.9 Change 25 MPH to 35 MPH at end of Saratoga SUGGESTED 30 MPH ZONES Acoma Kiowa Industrial 35.5 30 MPH Swanson Entire Length 32.3 30 MPH Mesquite Entire Length 32.1 30 MPH McCulloch Boulevard LH Ave Smoketree 30.3 30 MPH London Bridge Road SR 95 Countryshire 30.8 30 MPH *North Lake Havasu Avenue, North Avalon, Sweetwater to 35 MPH once widened. Jake Brake Noise/Truck Routes The issue of Engine Brake (Jake Brake) Signs and Ordinances or Truck Route Designations in the community were analyzed in conjunction with the Small Area Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 58 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 59 Transportation Study (SATS) and presented to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). City staff has received comments regarding trucks. The comments include concerns about truck noise and the number of trucks on City streets. For the most part, truck complaints (noise or traffic) do not represent a large percentage of the issues brought up by the public (1%). In addition, the issues and concerns are typically related to a nuisance issue as opposed to a safety issue. A review of accident data indicates that only a small percentage of accidents involve trucks. As an example, for the last three months of the year, there were 213 accidents with only 13 involving trucks. Of those 13, all the incidents occurred in one of three areas: the downtown, SR 95 Highway areas or in signed construction areas. None of the truck accidents would have been impacted by a truck route or engine brake ordinance. The issues associated with jake brake noise and truck traffic can be addressed in one of two ways: with signing or with a City ordinance. Although an attempt to address both issues can be made by installing signs, true compliance requires some level of enforcement on the part of the Police Department. The placement of signs that are not enforced reduces the effectiveness of all signs. In addition, signs cost approximately $100.00 per installation and have an ongoing maintenance cost. An Internet search shows that many communities have tried to address this issue with very comprehensive ordinances. A review of the documentation also shows that the issue is very controversial with regards to the trucking industry, safety, noise and enforcement. A survey of 14 Arizona communities indicated that only four have an Engine Brake Ordinance (Bullhead City, Flagstaff, Peoria and Phoenix). Ten of the communities have some truck restrictions, typically weight limits in residential areas, but only eight install signs. The communities surveyed include Bullhead City, Chandler, Flagstaff, Gilbert, Glendale, Kingman, Mesa, Parker, Peoria, Phoenix, Prescott, Scottsdale, Tempe and Tucson. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 60 If action is desired, there are several levels of activity that could be accomplished. They include the following: Engine Brake Ordinance Action Possibilities • Take No Action (Recommended by the TAC) • Install Signs at Limited Locations entering the community without the benefit of an ordinance. (Not enforceable) – Voluntary Compliance, some installation and maintenance cost. Creates the expectation from the public that we will enforce the signs. • Install Signs at Limited Locations entering the community and on SR 95 with an ordinance. (Enforcement issues related to how enforced and to what extent forces are delegated to the activity.) Some installation and maintenance costs. • Install Signs entering the community, on SR 95 and at certain other roadways such as McCulloch Boulevard or other main avenues and boulevards. (Enforcement issues and placement issues – which roadways qualify and how.) Enforcement, installation and maintenance costs. Truck Route Designation Action Possibilities • Take No Action (Recommended by the TAC) • Install Signs at Limited Locations entering the community without the benefit of an ordinance. (Not enforceable) – Voluntary Compliance, some installation and maintenance cost. Creates the expectation from the public that we will enforce the signs. • Install Signs at Limited Locations entering the community with an ordinance. Enforcement issues related to how enforced and to what extent forces are delegated to the activity) (General limitation of trucks to Avenues and Boulevards without specific signage.) Some installation and maintenance costs. • Install Signs entering the community and at certain other roadways such as McCulloch Boulevard or other main avenues and boulevards that designate actual truck routes. (Enforcement issues and placement issues – which roadways qualify and how?) This would require a large Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 61 number of signs along the designated routes with an increase in the installation and maintenance costs for the additional signage. As the community continues to grow and increase in density, traffic volumes will continue to increase and the number of truck issues will continue to grow until build-out occurs. This issue could be revisited in the future, but at this point, due to the lack of a significant number of complaints and the issue of cost, compliance and enforcement, it is the SATS TAC recommendation that no action be taken on these issues at this time. Crosswalks The issue of crosswalks in the community was analyzed in conjunction with the Small Area Transportation Study (SATS) and presented to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The City receives requests for school crosswalks and requests from commercial property owners for mid-block crosswalks. For example, the latest request for a crosswalk was received for Paseo Del Sol and the City Parking Lot across from the London Bridge Shopping Center. The 2003 MUTCD allows for additional crosswalk treatments that were previously unavailable. These include the use of sharks teeth yield symbols that have been installed at the Golf Course Crosswalks and the use of in-street pedestrian flashers. Currently, there are 29 non-stop condition crosswalks at intersections located in school zones, at high pedestrian areas in downtown and at the London Bridge. There are 2 mid-block crosswalks located on Acoma Boulevard for the golf course. Lake Havasu City recognizes the need to provide reasonable and safe pedestrian crossing areas on roadways in the community. Historically, Lake Havasu City has utilized a rule of thumb that limited these non-stop conditions crossings to school zone crosswalks meeting the ADOT criteria, and existing crosswalks as listed above. The rule-of-thumb guidelines seemed to be effective as the current accident data indicates that there have been no mid-block or school crosswalk accidents involving pedestrians. However, there have been accidents involving vehicles that have stopped for pedestrians and golf carts being rear-ended by other Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 62 vehicles. This type of accident has occurred on both McCulloch Boulevard and Acoma Boulevard. Crosswalk Policy Federal, State and City studies indicate that marked crossings do not increase the safety for the pedestrian. It is generally accepted that a pedestrian crossing at an intersection where vehicles are required to stop presents a safer condition than at locations where vehicles are not required to stop. In addition, drivers expect pedestrian crossings at intersections as opposed to mid block locations. With this in mind, Lake Havasu City’s policy would be to install crosswalks at stop condition intersections that have sidewalks. The City would not install crosswalks at non-stop condition intersections or mid-block locations except in special cases such as School Zones meeting the ADOT criteria, designated bike path and multi-use path crossings, special locations of heavy activity, or pre-existing conditions. However, every effort will be made to have all crossings made at an intersection to avoid a mid block condition. In cases where a mid-block or non-stop condition crosswalk is installed due to heavy crossing use, consideration should be given to creating a Pedestrian Island refuge with special signage. If traffic lane configuration does not allow the use of the Pedestrian Island, alternative treatments such as curb bump outs should be considered. Lake Havasu City will conduct an Engineering Study to determine if a location should have a crosswalk if it is an existing use, or as a follow-up to the installation of a new crossing. The data collected will include a count of the pedestrians/bicyclists using the location. The ADOT Safe School Area Guidelines will be utilized as a basis for any recommendations. Periodically, studies of existing crossings will also be completed to review the crossings functions. Specific volume criteria will be developed for each crosswalk type. Approved Typical Treatments – • Normal Stop Condition Crosswalk Treatment – Standard Crosswalk Striping, No Signs. • Standard School Crosswalk Treatment – As per ADOT Manual, FYG Signs with in-street signage. 25 MPH Zone prior to 15 MPH School Zone. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 63 No Pedestrian Yield Lines or Signs (Sharkteeth) due to number of other signs. Normal crosswalk lines (yellow). As stated above, the City limits the use of mid block and non-stop condition crosswalks. In the event that a mid block or non-stop condition intersection is approved, the following treatments will be used. • Normal Crosswalk Treatment Non-Stop Condition – Pedestrian Ahead and Pedestrian Crosswalk Signs, Pedestrian Yield Lines, and Signs (Sharkteeth) and normal crosswalk lines (white). This treatment is restricted to low volume uses and is typical of crosswalks that were in use prior to July 1, 1994. Higher volume crosswalks may require the installation of a Pedestrian Refuge Island. • Mid-Block Crosswalk Treatment – London Bridge Area and Multi-Use Pathway Crossings require special treatment due to the large number of pedestrian users and the unexpected nature of these mid-block crossings. It is anticipated that there will be 5 multi-use pathway crossings (Lake Havasu Avenue – existing, Magnolia, Swanson, McCulloch, and Mesquite). Three (3) of the 4 locations have high traffic volumes. The Magnolia Drive crossing is on a low volume roadway. It is the SATS recommendation that for high volume roadway mid-block crossings, Lake Havasu City adopt a pedestrian refuge treatment or a curb extension treatment. These treatments will reduce the exposure of the pedestrian/bicyclist and provide a physical indicator to the traveling public that something out of the ordinary may occur. For low volume traffic roadways, the standard “Normal Crosswalk Treatment” for the mid-block crosswalk is recommended. For this purpose, high volume roadways would have an ADT of more than 5,000 vehicles. It is also recommended that we utilize the appropriate pedestrian refuge or curb extension treatment on the other crossings. If parking is allowed on the roadway, the curb extension provides the best treatment. If a continuous left-turn lane is provided, the pedestrian refuge island provides the best treatment. Other types of treatments that are not recommended would include the use of flags or flashers, overhead signs or raised speed humps or tables. • Downtown Crosswalk Treatment – Due to the fact that pedestrian and yield to pedestrian signs would be blocked from view by parked cars, and to the fact that the locations are at intersections and that pedestrians can be Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 64 expected in a downtown area, crosswalks will be marked only. Because the locations will not have the advanced signage typical of our “Normal Crosswalk Treatment”, the City will install the more visible “Zebra Striped” crosswalk markings that have been historically utilized in the downtown area. Mailbox Placement The issue of roadside mailboxes in the community was analyzed in conjunction with the Small Area Transportation Study (SATS) and presented to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). Increasing roadway safety is the primary reason for reviewing this issue. That is, the safety of both vehicles and pedestrians. The safety of vehicles is related to the fact that the mailbox is a fixed object close to the roadway. Accident data indicates that Lake Havasu City averages (6) six vehicle/mailbox accidents per month. Overall, accidents involving mailboxes represent 8.9% of the total accidents in the community. For pedestrians there is the issue of a clear pathway around the mailbox on a sidewalk. ADA standards require 36” of clear pathway along a sidewalk. Several mailbox installations in the community have reduced the existing sidewalk to less than the 36” clear pathway. The AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) Guide for Erecting Mailboxes on Highways suggests that highway agencies and local jurisdictions use the guidelines to develop their own regulations, installation policies, and standards. The primary question reviewed by the TAC was whether Lake Havasu City should develop standards for mailbox installations in our community to regulate construction and locations. This issue can be further broken down into two specific actions. • Should Lake Havasu City regulate the location of the support of the mailboxes in our community? (Related to recommended face of mailbox being 6” to 12” from face of curb and providing the 36” of clear pathway for an ADA route on a sidewalk) • Should Lake Havasu City regulate the construction of the support for the mailbox? (Related to the mailbox support as a fixed object near the roadway.) Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 65 Staff recommended that, as a minimum, installation of mailboxes should be regulated to ensure that the mailbox and its support are located no closer than 6” to 12” from the face of the curb and does not restrict the sidewalk clear pathway to anything less than 36”. For roadways without shoulders, the mailbox and support must be at least 8” to 12” from the edge of roadway. A review of 14 communities in Arizona indicated that only Parker requires a right of way permit for mailboxes and Tucson reviews an installation based on a complaint and enforces a standard detail with either a 2” steel post or 4”X4” wood post support. The SATS TAC recommends that at this time, the City continue its existing policy with regards to these issues and not provide any oversight for mailboxes in the public right of way. Staff did recommend that the city provide some oversight with regards to the ADA issue of blocking the pathway on the sidewalk. Staff also recommended that the issue be brought forward to point out the safety concern with regards to the number of accidents involving mailboxes. Bike Lane Considerations Lake Havasu City’s roadway sections are based on the existing right-of-way widths. The original roadway layout with boulevards, avenues, drives and cul-de-sacs has worked well in the past. The existing sections do not provide for bike lanes when configured with 4 lanes on drives and avenues and 5 lanes on boulevards. However as traffic volumes increase and vehicle types change, there may need to be adjustments made in the future. It is the SATS Committee and staff’s recommendation that Lake Havasu City continue the typical sections as originally developed with only minor modifications as needed. The creation of a wider paved section on higher volume roadways to accommodate bicycles or increased lane width does not appear to be cost effective at this time. It is suggested that any new developments use a modified section that will be created as an internal review by the Engineering Division. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 66 Another way to address bicycle and pedestrian mobility issues would be the use of sidewalks and less busy parallel roadways. This subject will be addressed as a part of a Pathway/Bikeway Study to be completed this year. Traffic Calming As a part of the Small Area Transportation Study Update process, the issue of Traffic Calming was analyzed. The purpose of traffic calming is to make modifications to existing streets which have the effect of reducing speed. Measures could include diverters, speed humps, roundabouts, closures, chicanes and chokers. Lake Havasu City recognizes the need to provide a method to reduce speeds and ensure compliance with the appropriate speed limits in the City. Historically, Lake Havasu City has done speed and volume studies in response to speed complaints received by the Public Works Department. The information is passed on to the Police Department for inclusion in their enforcement efforts. The Police Department also utilizes their speed radar trailer to assist in these activities. Methods to “encourage” drivers to reduce the speed at which they drive include increased enforcement and/or traffic calming. Increasing enforcement might include additional resources (Police Officers) or the adoption of mechanical means (Photo Radar). Currently, the Police Department uses a radar trailer to “inform” the driving public of the speed they are traveling. Expansion of this program would require the purchase of additional equipment. Traffic Calming would require the development of a comprehensive program to select the appropriate measures, determine locations and establish policies to implement. Some communities require “votes” from the neighborhood and financial participation from the adjacent property owners. It is not uncommon for communities to have dedicated funding for these efforts. The development of a Traffic Calming program would require significant staff and City Council effort to determine the appropriate program for Lake Havasu City. As the community continues to grow and increase in density, traffic volumes will continue to increase and it is likely that the number of speeding complaints will Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 67 increase. The choices to address the speed complaints include 1) continue with current practice, 2) modify the current practice to include formal guidelines and reporting procedures, 3) increase enforcement efforts, or 4) initiate a formalized and funded Traffic Calming program. The modified current practice would include a speed study if one had not been completed within the last two years and the collection of traffic volume and speed data would within four weeks. Also, a formal report documenting this information would be submitted to the Public Works Director and the Police Department. This information will also be provided to the complaining party, along with the recommended action. The increase in enforcement efforts would be defined by the following categories of speed study results: • Category 1 (85th Percentile Speed within +/- 5 mph of Speed Limit and excessive speed instances less than 5% (+15 MPH) or 3% (+25 MPH)). This would include adding the location to the list for Speed Radar Trailer placement with a low priority and using some officer enforcement if available. • Category 2 (85th Percentile Speed + 5 mph of Speed Limit and/or excessive speed greater than 5% (+15 MPH) or 3% (+25 MPH)). This would include adding the location to the list for Speed Radar Trailer placement with a high priority and using an officer for enforcement. • Category 3 (85th Percentile Speed + 10 mph of Speed Limit and/or excessive speed greater than 10% (+15 MPH) or 5% (+25 MPH)). This would include adding the location to the list for Speed Radar Trailer placement with a high priority and using an officer for enforcement as soon as possible. It would also include follow-up on the part of the Police Department with regards to a violations report. Due to the lack of a significant number of pedestrian/bicyclist accidents related to vehicular speeds, fairly good compliance with the posted speed limits, the proposed changes to several roadway speed limits to ensure better compliance, and the need for resources to be utilized in other areas, it is recommended that a formal Traffic Calming Program involving physical barriers or roadway modifications not be pursued at this time. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 68 It is recommended that a formal complaint/evaluation process be developed and that enforcement efforts be increased to include increasing the number of speed radar trailers, additional officers and an evaluation of the use of photo radar. Roundabouts Roundabouts are being considered as an intersection treatment in many communities across Arizona. The concept and potential applications in Lake Havasu City were presented to the TAC as part of this study. It is estimated that over the next 5 years, nearly 90 modern roundabouts will be constructed on major roadways in Arizona. Initial concerns regarding the use of roundabouts were the amount of right of way required and driver understanding. The Federal Roundabout Guidelines indicate that a roundabout circle of 100 feet or more is needed to provide adequate capacity for the typical traffic volumes in Lake Havasu City. Specific signing and markings would be needed to direct drivers on how to utilize any roundabouts with more than one lane. There are many examples of roundabouts that could be applied to Lake Havasu City. Public understanding and acceptance of roundabouts is growing. If this concept were to be implemented in Lake Havasu City, a public review and acceptance process should be implemented. Modern roundabouts are designed geometric intersections that can be designed to allow for trucks, trailers and oversized vehicles to traverse the intersection safely. Roundabouts should not be confused with old style traffic circles or rotaries. The concept of the modern roundabout is the design geometrics that allow for a maximum travel speed through the roundabout of less than 25 mph (usually 18 to 23 mph), an analysis of the actual turn movements and the construction of the applicable lanes. In addition, stop delay at a modern roundabout is significantly less than a typical traffic signal in most applications because traffic is flowing continuously. The capacity of the roundabout provides the increased capacity at the node (intersection) where it is needed. With a traffic signal, a design may provide additional lane capacity to make up for the lost time in the red phase. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 69 It is recommended that the use of roundabouts in Lake Havasu City be studied further and include public meetings to present the concept. Possible locations for the use of the modern roundabouts include minor intersections such as Briarcrest and Empress Drive, intersection of a major street with a minor street (Jamaica and McCulloch, Kiowa and North Palo Verde, Jamaica and Acoma) and major intersections (Daytona and Acoma, Smoketree and Acoma and Palo Verde and Acoma). In addition, the use of a modern roundabout could replace a multi-way stop at locations such as Rainbow and Acoma or Saratoga and Acoma. Another application of a roundabout might be at the intersection of McCulloch and Beachcomber Boulevards. An additional benefit of roundabouts may be the delay of re-striping or widening to five lanes on streets such as Acoma Boulevard. Traffic Signal Modifications Traffic signals provide a positive means to control traffic at intersections by alternating the assignment of traffic entering the intersection. Signals can have left turn phases that can be protected only (left turn on arrow only) or protected-permissive (left turn on arrow and green ball). Traffic signals can operate independently of others or can be coordinated with other signals to enhance traffic flow. The ‘right’ traffic signal timing and operation at each signalized intersection will result in the most effective transportation system. Various traffic signal improvements can be very effective at reducing congestion and travel time. These type improvements can be very cost effective at reducing congestion on roadways. Traffic signals do not need to be completely changed in order to realize significant improvements in traffic flow. Often, one small improvement, such as interconnecting several signals that were previously operating independently, can produce significant results. Studies have shown that this type of improvement has resulted in travel time reductions between 10% and 20 %. Signal re-timing efforts in California at 3,172 signals across the state resulted in a benefit-cost ratio of 58 to 1. This resulted in a 15% reduction in delay, 16% reduction in stops, and a 7.2% reduction in travel time throughout the system. The costs for this type of improvement are between $2000 and $3000 per intersection in hardware improvements and $5,000 to $15,000 per traffic signal for interconnect. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 70 In addition to signal coordination, signal timing and the left turn phasing can be adjusted to increase capacity. For example, protective-permissive left turn phasing with third car detection or permissive protection can increase the green time for through traffic, however, the impact on the left turn movements should be carefully evaluated on a case by case basis. ADOT is currently planning traffic signal coordination improvements for SR 95. The work will be done in phases, with the middle section (North Palo Verde to Smoketree) being the first phase. As traffic volumes and delay continue to increase, it is recommended that signalized intersections should be examined to determine if signal timing and/or phasing modifications would be appropriate. Roadway Drainage The issue of roadway drainage and w-section treatment was also discussed. The City’s w-section for a roadway cross-section treatment was developed to carry the largest amount of storm water possible while maintaining an area for traffic to drive during storm events. However, when a roadway is restriped to provide three lanes (two through lanes and a two-way center left turn lane), the through traffic lanes may be subject to flooding during a storm. Options to improve drainage include using a crown section, using a crown section with higher curbs (10”), or installing storm drains. A typical crown section would reduce the effective drainage area in the roadway and could cause flooding along the roadway shoulders. The increase in curb height (10” total height) on a typical crown section would not have the same drainage capacity as a standard w-section. In addition, this treatment would create additional safety and aesthetics concerns. The addition of storm drains would assist in the removal of on-street drainage. Concerns with storm drain construction include cost and utility conflicts. Given the limited number of rain days each year, this solution is not cost effective for the majority of the City’s roadways. However, it is recommended that the Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 71 Transportation Division examine the feasibility and cost/benefit of installing storm drains on major roadways when they are reconstructed in the future and consider the use of storm drains on new roadways. Pavement Design and Maintenance As a part of this study, the asphaltic concrete thickness for Lake Havasu City roadways was discussed. The existing pavement section standard is 2” of asphaltic concrete (AC) over 4” of aggregate base (AB). Maintenance for major roadways includes routine chip seal and slurry seal treatments. As both traffic volumes and vehicle loads increase on City streets, the pavement performance and maintenance needs should be reviewed. For example, based on current pavement conditions, a significant amount of pavement rehabilitation resources will need to be expended in rehabilitating major downtown roadways including Mesquite, Swanson and McCulloch, as well as portions of Acoma and Lake Havasu Avenue. It is recommended an evaluation of pavement section needs be conducted to determine appropriate actions and long term maintenance needs. It was the consensus of the TAC that the Transportation Division should develop a long-range roadway maintenance program for major roadways (over and above routine chip seal and slurry seal treatments) and that this cost be included in budget discussions. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 72 VI. RECOMMENDED PLAN The previous section presented an evaluation of alternatives that addressed one or more future transportation issue areas. This chapter identifies those projects that are recommended to be included in the transportation plan and a suggested priority for implementation. Also included is an assessment of the environmental justice considerations, functional classification, and an evaluation of the estimated plan cost and anticipated revenue. A. Recommended Plan The development of the recommended plan considers a number of qualitative and quantitative factors including level of service, right of way, existing land use, future land use, cost, and engineering difficulties. In some cases, more than one alternative may address the same issue or concern and they have been included in the recommended plan. However, in other instances, only one alternative that provides the most effective solution may be included. In addition, there are alternatives that are not included in the recommended plan because of cost, engineering difficulties, lack of community support, or other constraints. The plan is a tool for City and County staff and decision makers to use to guide the future transportation system of the area. It represents the best information currently available regarding planned growth, opportunities, and constraints. The recommended plan is shown in Figure 22. The plan includes a variety of improvements including widening, new roadways, re-striping, intersection improvements, and studies. These projects represent a future transportation system that will accommodate the City’s growth and provide for the mobility and accessibility of residents and visitors. It should also be noted that not all of the projects that were evaluated are included in the recommended plan. The following alternative is not included. • North-South Corridor – The recommended Parkway project will provide similar benefits and address many of the same issues. The projects are also summarized in Table 12. The table groups the projects by type and responsible jurisdiction. It should be noted that some of the re-striping Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 73 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 74 projects occur on streets that currently have on-street parking. Prior to implementing these projects, the City will need to evaluate the availability of off-street parking to accommodate the demand. Additionally, the projects listed as Mohave County or ADOT jurisdiction are part of the recommended plan, but do not imply any financial commitment to the project. TABLE 12 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO AGENCY WIDEN TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE London Bridge Rd City Limit (south of Chenoweth) SR 95 (north) Mohave County London Bridge Rd Industrial City Limit (south of Chenoweth) LHC Chenoweth London Bridge Rd SR 95 Mohave County Chenoweth SR95 New Parkway LHC Beachcomber Blvd McCulloch 2nd Bridge connection LHC Lake Havasu Ave Acoma West Kiowa LHC Lake Havasu Ave Kiowa North Palo Verde LHC Lake Havasu Ave North Palo Verde Avalon LHC Lake Havasu Ave Smoketree Jamaica LHC Lake Havasu Ave South Palo Verde Industrial LHC SR 95 McCulloch Blvd South Sara Park LHC New Parkway (2 to 4 lanes) SR 95 (south) SR 95 (north) LHC Victoria Farms Rd N/S Frontage Rd Parkway LHC Daytona Ave Cottonwood Dr Daytona Loop LHC Avalon Ave North Palo Verde Lake Havasu Ave LHC Chesapeake Blvd LHC Arizona Blvd LHC Highlander Ave LHC Sweetwater Ave LHC Maricopa Ave Oro Grande McCulloch LHC North Palo Verde London Bridge Rd SR 95 LHC Willow Ave LHC Rainbow Ave Acoma Acoma LHC Holley Ave LHC Bison Blvd Kiowa New Parkway LHC Mesquite/Swanson (2/1 lane unbalance) Lake Havasu Ave Acoma LHC Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 75 TABLE 12 (continued) SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO AGENCY RE-STRIPE TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE Jamaica Lake Havasu Ave Chemehuevi LHC North Palo Verde SR 95 Kiowa LHC North Palo Verde London Bridge Rd SR 95 LHC Kiowa SR 95 North Palo Verde LHC South Palo Verde SR 95 Kiowa LHC South Palo Verde (add medians at alleys SR 95 London Bridge Rd LHC Kiowa South Palo Verde Jamaica LHC Acoma West SR 95 Industrial LHC Acoma Industrial Mesquite LHC Acoma West (add medians at alleys) Kiowa SR 95 LHC Acoma South Daytona SR 95 LHC McCulloch El Dorado Cherry Tree LHC McCulloch Cherry Tree SR 95 LHC Industrial Blvd (add medians at alleys) London Bridge Rd SR 95 LHC Industrial Blvd SR 95 Acoma West LHC Havasupai Blvd Acoma West Kiowa LHC NEW ROADWAY OR ROADWAY EXTENSION Jamaica Lake Havasu Ave SR 95 LHC/ADOT Lake Havasu Ave Northern Terminus Chenoweth LHC East/West Connector SR 95 Parkway LHC Parkway-Initial two lanes SR 95 (south) SR 95 (north) LHC N/S Frontage Rd Victoria Farms Rd Air Industrial Rd LHC Price Dr City Limit SR 95 LHC Price Dr London Bridge Rd City Limit Mohave County Sweetwater Acoma South Mulberry LHC 2nd Bridge Island SR 95 LHC Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 76 TABLE 12 (continued) SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO AGENCY INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS London Bridge Rd & Price Dr Mohave County London Bridge Rd & SR 95 LHC SR 95/Mulberry/Lake Havasu Ave LHC SR 95/Maricopa/Acoma South LHC SR 95/Maricopa/Oro Grande LHC Daytona/Acoma LHC Smoketree/Acoma LHC Palo Verde/Acoma LHC Acoma West/Lake Havasu Ave LHC Kiowa/Lake Havasu Ave LHC McCulloch/Beachcomber LHC Mesquite/Riviera LHC Mesquite/Capri LHC Mesquite/Civic Center LHC Mesquite/Smoketree LHC Swanson/Riviera LHC Swanson/Capri LHC Swanson/Smoketree LHC Kiowa/Palo Verde LHC Jamaica & Acoma LHC Acoma & Industrial LHC Acoma & Swanson LHC Jamaica & McCulloch LHC SR 95 & Chenoweth LHC/ Mohave County STUDIES 2nd Bridge Island SR 95 LHC Extend Jamaica Lake Havasu Ave SR 95 LHC/ADOT Mesquite/Swanson Lake Havasu Ave Acoma LHC New Parkway DCR LHC/ADOT Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 77 TABLE 12 (continued) SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO AGENCY OTHER PROJECTS SR 95 multi-use path extension North Palo Verde Chenoweth LHC Multi-use path – Sara Park LHC Multi—use path – Powerline LHC Island multi-use path & SR 95 connection LHC Multi-use path expansion – opposite side on SR 95 LHC Parkway multi-use path or bike lanes LHC Residential street widening LHC Sidewalk expansion LHC North MCC Park Area roadway improvements LHC McCulloch Blvd: Smoketree to Acoma – intersection improvements LHC London Bridge crosswalk lighting LHC Several of the new roadways included in the recommended plan should be added to the Federal functional classification system for the City. Table 13 presents suggested classifications for the additions. As new roadways are constructed, the City and WACOG should review the functional classification and determine if modifications or additions are appropriate. TABLE 13 POSSIBLE FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION MODIFICATIONS ROADWAY FROM TO SUGGESTED FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION Chenoweth London Bridge Rd Parkway Urban Minor Arterial Lake Havasu Ave Acoma N Palo Verde Urban Minor Arterial Lake Havasu Ave N Palo Verde Chenoweth Urban Collector Parkway Entire length Urban Principal Other B. Title VI Review The USDOT Title VI Regulations state that in determining the site or location of facilities, selection cannot be made with the purpose or effect of excluding persons from, denying them the benefits of, or subjecting them to discrimination under any program to which this regulation applies. The first question is: are there minority Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 78 and/or low-income populations in Lake Havasu City? This was described in Chapter II and is shown by census tract in Figure 23. According to the regulations, in developing potential improvements, a project cannot be selected that will cause an adverse impact or disproportionately high impact on any one segment of the population regardless of gender, age, income, and/or race. Therefore, the next question is: are the environmental impacts of a project likely to impact one of the minority or low-income populations disproportionately? The Lake Havasu City Area Transportation Study is a long-range planning study prepared to address the transportation needs in the area for the next twenty years. The projects are proposed to improve the City’s transportation system and benefit the community as a whole. The roadway widenings, extensions, re-striping, and intersection improvements will not adversely impact or place disproportionately high impacts on minority or low-income populations. C. Implementation The basis for this transportation plan is the projected population and employment used in the travel forecasting model. The analysis contained in this study is based on a population projection of 103,804 people for the year 2030. The recommended plan is the street system that is needed to meet this population threshold. If the growth rate or pattern of growth in the study area changes, the priority of projects may change and the implementation should be reviewed. The implementation of the plan is divided into Group 1, 2, and 3 which represent short term, mid term, and long term elements respectively as shown in Figures 24-26. Tables 14 to 16 present a summary of the implementation plan along with an estimated construction cost in 2004 dollars. Some of the widening projects have been divided into multiple segments to provide manageable projects with respect to cost and construction. The major projects such as new routes or realignments of existing routes include a Design Concept Report (DCR) study in advance of the project design and construction. The DCR will define the location and design criteria for the new route or realignment. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 79 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 80 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 81 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 82 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 83 While these tables provides a recommended implementation, actual implementation of projects will depend on a number of factors including available funding, cost sharing, joint participation, and development contributions. TABLE 14 GROUP 1 PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO GROUP COST* WIDEN TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE London Bridge Rd South Palo Verde Industrial 1 $2,300 Lake Havasu Ave Acoma West Kiowa 1 $250 Lake Havasu Ave South Palo Verde Industrial 1 $500 WIDEN Daytona Ave Cottonwood Dr Daytona Loop 1 $500 North Palo Verde London Bridge Rd SR 95 1 $1,000 RE-STRIPE TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE Acoma West SR 95 Industrial 1 $1 Acoma Industrial Mesquite 1 $1.5 Acoma South Daytona SR 95 1 $1.5 INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS SR 95/Mulberry/Lake Havasu Ave 1 $250 Daytona/Acoma 1 $250 Smoketree/Acoma 1 $250 Kiowa/Lake Havasu Ave 1 $250 Palo Verde/Acoma 1 $250 Acoma West/Lake Havasu Ave 1 $250 STUDIES 2nd Bridge Island SR 95 1 $150 Mesquite/Swanson Lake Havasu Ave Smoketree 1 $150 New Parkway DCR 1 $350 OTHER PROJECTS Island multi-use path & SR 95 connection 1 $20 Multi-use path expansion – opposite side on SR 95 1 $100 Residential street widening ($1,000,000 per year) 1 $5,000 Sidewalk expansion ($75,000 per year) 1 $375 North MCC Park Area roadway improvements 1 $1,500 London Bridge crosswalk lighting 1 $50 GROUP 1 PROJECT COST $13,749 *cost in 2004 dollars in thousands Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 84 TABLE 15 GROUP 2 PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO GROUP COST* WIDEN TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE London Bridge Rd Industrial North Palo Verde 2 $3,450 Beachcomber Blvd McCulloch 2nd Bridge connection 2 $575 Lake Havasu Ave Kiowa North Palo Verde 2 $2,300 Lake Havasu Ave North Palo Verde Avalon 2 $1,150 Lake Havasu Ave Smoketree Jamaica 2 $3,450 WIDEN Avalon Ave North Palo Verde Lake Havasu Ave 2 $1,250 Sweetwater Ave 2 $2,000 Maricopa Ave 2 $1,000 Willow Ave 2 $1,000 Rainbow Ave 2 $2,000 RE-STRIPE TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE Jamaica Lake Havasu Ave Chemehuevi 2 $2 North Palo Verde SR 95 Kiowa 2 $3 North Palo Verde London Bridge Rd SR 95 2 $1 South Palo Verde SR 95 Kiowa 2 $4 South Palo Verde (add medians at alleys SR 95 London Bridge Rd 2 $100 Acoma West (add medians at alleys) Kiowa SR 95 2 $100 Kiowa SR 95 North Palo Verde 2 $3 McCulloch El Dorado Cherry Tree 2 $2 McCulloch Cherry Tree SR 95 2 $4 STUDIES Extend Jamaica Lake Havasu Ave SR 95 2 $250 NEW ROADWAY OR ROADWAY EXTENSION Jamaica Lake Havasu Ave SR 95 2 $500 Lake Havasu Ave Northern Terminus Parkway Connector 2 $1,150 East/West Connector SR 95 Parkway 2 $2,300 Parkway-Initial two lanes SR 95 (south) SR 95 (north) 2 $23,310 Sweetwater Acoma South Mulberry 2 $2,000 2nd Bridge Island SR 95 2 $14,000 *cost in 2004 dollars in thousands Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 85 TABLE 15 (continued) GROUP 2 PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO GROUP COST* INTERSECTION IMPROEMENTS SR 95/Maricopa/Acoma South 2 $250 SR 95/Maricopa/Oro Grande 2 $250 Mesquite/Riviera 2 $250 Mesquite/Capri 2 $250 Mesquite/Civic Center 2 $250 Mesquite/Smoketree 2 $250 Swanson/Riviera 2 $250 Swanson/Capri 2 $250 Swanson/Smoketree 2 $250 McCulloch/Beachcomber 2 $250 Kiowa/Palo Verde 2 $250 OTHER PROJECTS Multi-use path – Sara Park 2 $500 SR 95 multi-use path extension North Palo Verde Chenoweth 2 $750 GROUP 2 PROJECT COST $65,904 *cost in 2004 dollars in thousands Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 86 TABLE 16 GROUP 3 PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO GROUP COST* WIDEN TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE London Bridge Rd Chenoweth SR 95 (north) 3 $6,900 London Bridge Rd North Palo Verde Chenoweth 3 $5,750 Chenoweth London Bridge Rd SR 95 3 $1,730 Chenoweth SR95 New Parkway 3 $3,450 SR 95 McCulloch Blvd South Sara Park 3 $1,150 WIDEN New Parkway (2 to 4 lanes) SR 95 (south) SR 95 (north) 3 $23,310 Victoria Farms Rd N/S Frontage Rd Parkway 3 $1,000 Chesapeake Blvd 3 $1,000 Arizona Blvd 3 $750 Highlander Ave 3 $1,500 Holley Ave 3 $2,000 Bison Blvd Kiowa end 3 $500 RE-STRIPE TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE Kiowa South Palo Verde Jamaica 3 $3 Industrial Blvd London Bridge Rd Acoma West 3 $1.5 Havasupai Blvd Acoma West Kiowa 3 $2 NEW ROADWAY OR ROADWAY EXTENSION Lake Havasu Ave Parkway Connector Chenoweth 3 $1,500 N/S Frontage Rd Victoria Farms Rd Air Industrial Rd 3 $750 Price Dr City Limit SR 95 3 $500 Price Dr London Bridge Rd City Limit 3 $500 INTERSECTION IMPROEMENTS London Bridge Rd & Price Dr 3 $250 OTHER PROJECTS Multi—use path – Powerline 3 $250 Parkway multi-use path or bike lanes 3 $250 GROUP 3 PROJECT COST $53,047 *cost in 2004 dollars in thousands The total estimated plan cost is $132,700,000. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 87 D. Cost/Revenue This section summarizes the estimated cost of the recommended plan and documents the revenue based on current funding sources. Cost The cost of the recommended plan was listed by project group in the previous section. A summary of the group cost is presented in Table 17 below. TABLE 17 COST SUMMARY PRIORITY COST (in thousands) Group 1 $13,749 Group 2 $65,904 Group 3 $53,047 TOTAL $132,700 The costs presented here are based on an evaluation by the study team and represent a planning level estimate. This analysis is based on several assumptions that are intended to simplify the financial analysis. These costs should be reviewed annually as part of the City and County budgeting process and updated as needed. The costs shown are in 2004 dollars and not adjusted for inflation. Existing Revenue Sources The City currently uses several revenue sources as discussed below to fund transportation. These sources can be used for capital projects and also for operations and maintenance. Local Transportation Assistance Fund (LTAF) The Local Transportation Assistance Fund is generated by the state lottery. The amount distributed to cities and towns has been a constant $23 million over the last several years and is also expected to continue. This money is distributed on a population basis to incorporated cities. LTAF can be used for any transportation purpose including streets, traffic, transit, airports, and bicycles and can be used for Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 88 operations and maintenance or capital improvements. Lake Havasu City’s allocation from LTAF is approximately $241,000 per year. Highway User Revenue Fund (HURF) The Highway User Revenue Funds are primarily gasoline and vehicle license tax. They are available to the State, counties, cities, and towns. The state receives 50.5 percent of the HURF dollars to be used statewide, cities towns receive 27.5 percent, cities over 300,000 population receive an additional 3 percent, and counties receive 19 percent. The local distribution is based on population and gasoline sales. The HURF revenues have historically increased because of increased population in the state. HURF can be used for streets only, but can be used for operations and maintenance or capital improvements. Lake Havasu City’s allocation from HURF was $4.372 million in fiscal year 2004. Surface Transportation Program (STP) The Surface Transportation Program (STP) provides flexible funding that may be used by States and localities for projects on any Federal-aid highway including the National Highway System (NHS), bridge projects on any public road, transit capital projects, and public bus terminals and facilities. These funds are distributed by ADOT and WACOG. STP funds administered by WACOG may be available for City projects. Lake Havasu City, Kingman, Bullhead City, Quartzite, Colorado City, Parker, Mohave County, LaPaz County, and four Indian Tribes are eligible for the STP funds. The City can submit projects to be considered for funding on an annual basis. Developer Contributions It is common practice for the City to require developers to dedicate right-of-way for all streets adjacent to new development and to construct or improve all or a portion of adjacent streets. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 89 Cost/Revenue Comparison Currently, the City uses all of their HURF and LTAF funds for operations and maintenance of the existing transportation system. Therefore, no funds are available for capital projects, except for STP funds that the City may receive from WACOG and developer contributions. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study APPENDIX Parsons Brinckerhoff 90 APPENDIX Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study APPENDIX Parsons Brinckerhoff 91 INTERSECTION TRAFFIC CONTROL Existing Conditions and Planned Improvements INTERSECTION EXISTING CONDITION FUTURE IMPROVEMENT* SR 95 at South McCulloch Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Oro Grande Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at South Acoma Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Mulberry Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Smoketree Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Swanson Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Mesquite/London Bridge Road Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at South Palo Verde Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Industrial Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at West Acoma Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Kiowa Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at North Palo Verde Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Retail Centre Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Airport Centre Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Centre Loop Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at London Bridge Road Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Shopping Center (New) Not Existing Traffic Signal SR 95 at Jamaica Not Existing Traffic Signal SR 95 at Price Drive/Business Park Driveway/Not Existing Traffic Signal SR 95 at Chenoweth Drive 2 Way Stop Traffic Signal Lake Havasu Avenue at Industrial Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu Avenue at South Palo Verde Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu Avenue at Mesquite Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu Avenue at McCulloch Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu Avenue at Swanson Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu Avenue at Smoketree Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu Avenue at Mulberry Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu at Acoma Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Lake Havasu at Kiowa Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Lake Havasu at North Palo Verde Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal McCulloch Boulevard at Beachcomber 2 Way Stop Traffic Signal McCulloch Boulevard at Capri Traffic Signal Coordination McCulloch Boulevard at Riviera Traffic Signal Coordination McCulloch Boulevard at Smoketree Traffic Signal Coordination McCulloch Boulevard at Jamaica Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at Industrial/Havasupai Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at South Palo Verde Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at Smoketree Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at Mesquite Traffic Signal Coordination Acoma at McCulloch Traffic Signal Coordination Acoma at Swanson Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at Daytona Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at Jamaica Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study APPENDIX Parsons Brinckerhoff 92 INTERSECTION TRAFFIC CONTROL (cont’d) INTERSECTION EXISTING CONDITION FUTURE IMPROVEMENT* Mesquite at Smoketree Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Mesquite at Riviera Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Mesquite at Civic Center Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Mesquite at Capri Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Swanson at Mulberry Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Swanson at Smoketree Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Swanson at Riviera Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Swanson at Capri Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at Rainbow North 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Acoma at Saratoga 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop McCulloch at Chemehuevi 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop McCulloch at El Dorado 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Daytona at Mulberry 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop El Dorado at Bermuda 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Mesquite at Querio 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Palo Verde at Riviera Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Palo Verde at Kiowa (High School) Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Palo Verde at Kiowa Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Palo Verde at Avalon Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Palo Verde at London Bridge Road 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Kiowa at Avalon Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Kiowa at Jamaica Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Kiowa at Bermuda 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Kiowa at Smoketree 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Kiowa at Industrial Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal London Bridge Road at Industrial Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Saratoga at Chemehuevi Multi-Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Saratoga at Jamaica Multi-Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Cherry Tree at McCulloch 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Arizona at McCulloch Boulevard 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Chemehuevi at Jamaica 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop London Bridge Road at 2nd Bridge Connection Not Existing Traffic Signal Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study APPENDIX Parsons Brinckerhoff 93 INTERSECTION TRAFFIC CONTROL (cont’d) INTERSECTION EXISTING CONDITION FUTURE IMPROVEMENT* Kirk at Aviation (after 1994) Multi-Way Stop Not planned Cisco at Smoketree Multi-Way Stop Not planned Bluegrass at Moonshine Multi-Way Stop Not planned Yazoo at Ponchatrain Multi-Way Stop Not planned Sarasota at Monterey Multi-Way Stop Not planned Challenger at Highlander Multi-Way Stop Not planned Pony at Apache Multi-Way Stop Not planned Star at Thunderbolt Multi-Way Stop Not planned Avalon at Palisades 2 Way Stop** Not planned Bison at Colt 2 Way Stop** Not planned Bison at Duke 2 Way Stop** Not planned *Traffic signal installation to be considered based on warrant study **Multi-way stop removed since 1994
Object Description
TITLE | Lake Havasu City Small Area Transportation Study Update |
CREATOR | Parsons Brinckerhoff |
SUBJECT | Arizona--Department of Transportation; Highway Planning--Arizona; Roads--Arizona--Design and Construction |
Browse Topic |
Transportation |
DESCRIPTION | This title contains one or more publications |
Language | English |
Contributor | Arizona--Department of Transportation; Parsons Brinckerhoff |
Publisher | Arizona Department of Transportation |
Material Collection | State Documents |
Source Identifier | TRT 1.2:H 18 T 61 |
Location | o880145381 |
REPOSITORY | Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records--Law and Research Library |
Description
TITLE | Lake Havasu City small area transportation study update Final Report |
DESCRIPTION | 98 pages (PDF version). File size: 9226 KB |
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Text |
RIGHTS MANAGEMENT | Copyright to this resource is held by the creating agency and is provided here for educational purposes only. It may not be downloaded, reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission of the creating agency. Any attempt to circumvent the access controls placed on this file is a violation of United States and international copyright laws, and is subject to criminal prosecution. |
DATE ORIGINAL | 2005-03 |
Time Period |
2000s (2000-2009) |
ORIGINAL FORMAT | Born Digital |
Source Identifier | TRT 1.2:H 18 T 61 |
Location | o880145381 |
DIGITAL IDENTIFIER | Lake-Havasu-City-SATS-FINAL-2005.pdf |
DIGITAL FORMAT | PDF (Portable Document Format) |
REPOSITORY | Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records--Law and Research Library. |
File Size | 9446861 Bytes |
Full Text | Lake Havasu City Transportation Study March 2005 FINAL REPORT Prepared for TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS Dave Barber, WACOG Mark Clark, LHC Transportation Division Larry Didion, LHC Community Development Joe Fiumara, LHC Police Department Jim Keane, LHC Engineering Wendy Kemp, LHC Transportation Division Ken Paetz, ADOT Val Striyle, City Council Bob Whelan, Mayor James Zumph, ADOT Prepared by: Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Parsons Brinckerhoff i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I. INTRODUCTION 1 A. Background 1 B. Study Process 1 C. Study Area 2 D. Public Involvement 2 II. GOALS, POLICIES, & OBJECTIVES 4 III. EXISTING CONDITIONS 7 A. Land Use 7 B. Socioeconomic Data 8 C. Existing Street System 13 D. Existing Traffic 15 E. Operating Conditions 19 IV. FUTURE CONDITIONS 22 A. Growth Forecasts 22 B. Planned Street System 22 C. Travel Forecasting Model 26 D. Travel Forecasts 31 E. Operating Conditions 34 V. ALTERNATIVES AND ANALYSIS 37 A. Evaluation Measures 37 B. Description of Cross Sections 38 C. Potential Improvements 40 D. Special Topics 54 VI. RECOMMENDED PLAN 72 A. Recommended Plan 72 B. Title VI Review 77 C. Implementation 78 D. Cost/Revenue 87 APPENDIX 90 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Parsons Brinckerhoff ii LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1 Population Growth, 1990 to 2000 8 Table 2 Existing Population by TAZ 10 Table 3 Employment in Study Area 11 Table 4 2000 Racial Demographics 12 Table 5 Low Income and Disabled Population 12 Table 6 Existing Right of Way Widths 13 Table 7 Road Segment Daily Volumes for LOS D 20 Table 8 Build Out Population and Employment 23 Table 9 Screenline Comparisons 31 Table 10 Traffic Growth Across Screenlines 33 Table 11 Proposed Speed Limit Changes (preliminary) 57 Table 12 Summary of Recommended Projects 74 Table 13 Possible Functional Classification Modifications 77 Table 14 Group 1 Projects 83 Table 15 Group 2 Projects 84 Table 16 Group 3 Projects 86 Table 17 Cost Summary 87 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Parsons Brinckerhoff iii LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1 Study Area 3 Figure 2 TAZ Map 9 Figure 3 Existing Number of Lanes 14 Figure 4 Existing Speed Limits 16 Figure 5 Existing Functional Classification System 17 Figure 6 Existing ADT 18 Figure 7 Existing V/C Ratio 21 Figure 8 Travel Forecasting Process 27 Figure 9 Screenlines 30 Figure 10 2030 Traffic Forecasts 32 Figure 11 2030 Level of Service 35 Figure 12 Issue Areas 36 Figure 13 Mesquite/Swanson One Way: Lake Havasu Ave to Smoketree 42 Figure 14 Mesquite/Swanson One Way: Lake Havasu Ave to Acoma 43 Figure 15 Lake Havasu Extension & North Area Circulation 45 Figure 16 West Frontage Road 46 Figure 17 2nd Bridge Connection to London Bridge Road 48 Figure 18 2nd Bridge Connection to SR 95 49 Figure 19 North South Corridor 51 Figure 20 Parkway Volume 53 Figure 21 Proposed Speed Limits 58 Figure 22 Recommended Plan 73 Figure 23 Percentage of Low Income, Minority, and Elderly Populations 79 Figure 24 Group 1 Projects (2006-2010) 80 Figure 25 Group 2 Projects (2011-2015) 81 Figure 26 Group 3 Projects (2016-2025) 82 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Introduction Parsons Brinckerhoff 1 I. INTRODUCTION This Transportation Study has been undertaken because of the continued high rate of growth within Lake Havasu City and the surrounding unincorporated areas of Mohave County. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the demand on the arterial street system and to develop a roadway plan to accommodate that demand. This study builds upon the SATS reports developed in 1991 and 1997 which were also incorporated in the 1994 and 2002 Lake Havasu City General Plan and Plan Updates. A Background According to the 2000 census, Lake Havasu City, like many cities and towns in Arizona, has had significant growth. The population for the City increased from 24,363 in 1990 to 41,938 in 2000, a growth of 72 percent. The 2004 population estimate for the City was 52,205 people (Arizona Department of Economic Security, July 1, 2004). Mohave County had a 66 percent growth rate from 1990 to 2000. With this growth comes a need to provide additional infrastructure, which includes the transportation system. B. Study Process In order to complete the study, there are a number of work tasks that are performed. During the course of the project, products were prepared to document the results of certain work tasks. These products, submitted in draft form and subject to review and comment, form the basis of the final report. The products prepared during the course of the study include: • Transportation Goals, Policies, and Objectives • Summary of Existing Conditions • Summary of Future Conditions • Summary of Transportation Options • Summary of Public Meeting • Draft Final Report Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Introduction Parsons Brinckerhoff 2 This report is the Final Report and presents information on existing and future conditions, alternatives to accommodate future growth, the recommended street plan, and implementation. A Technical Advisory Committee made up of elected officials and staff from the City, Western Arizona Council of Governments (WACOG) and ADOT guided the study. The TAC provided input throughout the course of the study and reviewed deliverables. C. Study Area The study area includes the corporate limits of Lake Havasu City. In addition, a portion of Mohave County surrounding the City is also part of the study area. Generally, the study area extends from the airport on the north, to the Mohave Mountains on the east, to Sara Park on the south, and to the Lake on the west. The study area is shown in Figure 1. D. Public Involvement Public participation is an integral part of a transportation planning study. As part of the Lake Havasu City Transportation Study, input was obtained from the public and elected officials. Also, the Draft Report was presented to the City Council at a regularly scheduled meeting. A summary of the public involvement activities is described below. Public Meetings Two Public Open Houses were held to present information and to receive citizen comments on issues and concerns with the transportation system in Lake Havasu City. The meetings were held on May 19, 2004 and November 17, 2004. The meetings were staffed by City, ADOT and consultant personnel who were available to provide information, answer questions, and receive comments. Exhibits related to the Transportation Study were provided. Comment forms were made available for use in submitting written comments. The comments were summarized and presented to the Technical Advisory Committee for consideration. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Introduction Parsons Brinckerhoff 3 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Goals, Policies and Objectives Parsons Brinckerhoff 4 II. GOALS, POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES The Lake Havasu City General Plan 2002 includes three goals for the future transportation system throughout the City. The goals and policies were reviewed by the TAC as part of the Small Area Transportation Study process. The goals and associated policies are listed below (Lake Havasu City General Plan 2002, pages 56-58). Goal: Provide for the mobility of all segments of the population in an efficient, cost-effective, and safe multimodal transportation system. Policies: 1. Maximize circulation access to community activity centers such as the downtown area bounded by Mesquite, Swanson, Lake Havasu, and Acoma Avenues; the hospital and other emergency services; employment and retail centers along Highway 95 and at the airport; and recreational areas along the waterfront, Island, and parks. 2. Prioritize transportation improvements and aggressively pursue federal, state, local, and private funding sources for the development of the circulation system. 3. A balance of transportation modes should be attained and maintained to provide mobility for those who cannot or choose not to drive motor vehicles. Create a transit system, beyond the existing door-to-door service, that connects residential, commercial, employment, and activity/recreational areas to provide travel options. 4. Develop Standard Guidelines for Transportation-Related Projects that build upon the foundation provided in the Transportation/Circulation Element. 5. Ensure that multimodal services and facilities are connected to provide a “seamless” system. This requires that someone can walk or bicycle to catch a bus or that park-and-ride facilities are provided in close proximity to highways. 6. Transportation improvements must build upon the existing system to promote system efficiency and ensure connections. 7. When reviewing new projects, traffic impacts must be analyzed. New development must not degrade mobility as a Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Goals, Policies and Objectives Parsons Brinckerhoff 5 result of its development. If the development negatively impacts mobility, mitigation strategies must be addressed. 8. Embrace promising transportation and information technologies to promote system efficiencies such as coordinated signalization systems and other means of optimizing traffic flow. 9. Relieve traffic congestion associated with accidents by increasing coordination and communication between responding agencies. 10. Develop design guidelines to retrofit existing roadways to connect out to the parkway. 11. Minimize congestion by designing streets with adequate capacity for peak travel demands. 12. Minimize rights-of-way costs associated with transportation projects through early acquisition of properties for planned facilities. 13. Provide a transportation circulation system that fosters an aesthetically pleasing community image. 14. Maintain the integrity of residential neighborhoods by creating an appropriate and supportive circulation system. 15. Improve all arterial connector streets and future Highway 95 improvements to include boulevard-style green space for parkway amenities to add consistency and a higher quality image to the community from the traveler’s perspective. Goal: Develop a basic network of facilities to serve pedestrians and bicyclists. Policies: 1. Encourage land uses that foster pedestrian and bicycle travel. 2. Emphasize pedestrian and bicycle facilities within and between developments to encourage walking and bicycling as major modes of travel. Require pedestrian circulation plans to be submitted, along with vehicular circulation plans, as a part of the review process for new development proposals. 3. Encourage pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly areas on widened roadways. 4. Develop pedestrian and bicycle standards that provide American Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible surface and clearance for all pedestrian areas where possible. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Goals, Policies and Objectives Parsons Brinckerhoff 6 5. Utilize traffic-calming techniques in pedestrian areas to reduce vehicular speed limits and encourage a bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly environment. 6. Provide bicycle-friendly areas on all arterials throughout the Lake Havasu City planning area. 7. Encourage pedestrian and bicycle trips to all major employment, commercial, and activity centers by ensuring that adequate storage/security (bike racks) facilities are made available. 8. Implement the Pedestrian and Bike Path Plan (1998) that proposes a comprehensive system throughout the planning area. Goal: Improve the access to and around the Island and Shoreline. Policies: 1. Provide facilities to support the recreational development of the Island and Shoreline. 2. Encourage the development of the second bridge to the Island area to promote the Island’s development. 3. McCulloch Boulevard and Beachcomber Boulevard on the Island should be expanded to four lanes. 4. Develop bicycle access to the Island’s second bridge. 5. Continue to expand public access to the Island and Shoreline. 6. Create hiking/biking trails or paths along the Shoreline both on the Island and Mainland. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 7 III. EXISTING CONDITIONS Existing conditions provide the baseline for the study. It provides for a review of the current operating conditions as well as a basis for projecting future conditions. Several measures of existing conditions, which have been selected for documentation and analysis, include: • Land use • Socioeconomic data • Environmental justice considerations • Street system inventory • Traffic counts • Traffic analysis Each of these measures is presented in the following subsections of this chapter. A. LAND USE An understanding of the land use data is important for understanding travel characteristics in an area. Land use information is converted to population and employment data for use in the travel modeling. Land use classifications include: • residential • commercial • industrial • public In general, commercial areas are located along McCulloch Boulevard, Lake Havasu Avenue, State Route 95, and on the Island. Industrial development and other employment areas are at the Airport and along Industrial Boulevard, Kiowa Boulevard, and London Bridge Road. Residential areas exist throughout the study area. Public lands include parks, schools, and government facilities. Major traffic generators in the study area include Lake Havasu Municipal Airport, Havasu Regional Medical Center, Lake Havasu High School, Mohave Community Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 8 College, City Hall, downtown shopping area, Walmart shopping area, and the London Bridge area commercial developments. B. SOCIOECONOMIC DATA Growth rates can be an indication of future growth and therefore are important in developing traffic forecasts. Also, population and employment are direct inputs to the travel-forecasting model to determine the number of trips being made each day. Specifically, in the traffic model, population produces trips and employment attracts trips. Population data for Arizona, Mohave County and Lake Havasu City is presented in Table 1 for the years 1990 and 2000. As shown in the table, the highest growth rate from 1990 to 2000 was calculated for Lake Havasu City with an 84% increase. TABLE 1 POPULATION GROWTH, 1990 to 2000 1990 2000 2004 Percent Change (1990- 2000) Percent Change (2000- 2004) Arizona 3,665,339 5,130,632 5,832,150 40% 14% Mohave County 93,497 155,032 180,210 66% 16% Lake Havasu City 24,363 41,938 52,205 72% 25% To tabulate existing and future population and employment data, a system of traffic analysis zones have been established for the area. Traffic analysis zones (TAZs) are geographic subdivisions of the study area that are used in the database of the travel forecasting model. Similar land uses, physical barriers, or major transportation corridors define the zone boundaries. The study area has 121 TAZs that are shown in Figure 2. Two of the zones represent external zones at the edge of the study area on SR 95. Population for Lake Havasu City study area (including the surrounding unincorporated area) is presented for the year 2004 by TAZ in Table 2. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 9 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 10 TABLE 2 EXISTING POPULATION by TAZ TAZ EXISTING POPULATION TAZ EXISTING POPULATION TAZ EXISTING POPULATION TAZ EXISTING POPULATION 1 NA 32 148 63 340 94 1171 2 NA 33 544 64 50 95 646 3 1251 34 707 65 941 96 282 4 557 35 1193 66 50 97 291 5 724 36 614 67 0 98 221 6 928 37 288 68 336 99 421 7 273 38 1431 69 0 100 633 8 137 39 692 70 6 101 633 9 794 40 1489 71 2 102 1036 10 677 41 1182 72 225 103 1130 11 1494 42 872 73 102 104 1659 12 7 43 1984 74 4 105 1101 13 4 44 148 75 479 106 2 14 7 45 1444 76 93 107 0 15 358 46 364 77 728 108 0 16 191 47 4 78 197 109 4 17 2030 48 646 79 367 110 0 18 898 49 0 80 1659 111 0 19 509 50 0 81 1184 112 0 20 50 51 646 82 180 113 4 21 97 52 0 83 651 114 0 22 2 53 0 84 696 115 67 23 180 54 0 85 1329 116 0 24 0 55 0 86 1433 117 351 25 0 56 0 87 1123 118 2 26 206 57 0 88 251 119 609 27 256 58 340 89 494 120 2 28 7 59 6 90 1171 121 0 29 379 60 2 91 646 30 167 61 588 92 282 31 0 62 509 93 291 TOTAL 54,241 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 11 The employment data presented here is an estimate of the number of people employed within the study area. The information is based on employment data of major employers and previous studies. The number of employees in the study area is shown in Table 3. As shown in the table, employees in the area have increased by nearly 57% in the ten years between 1990 and 2000. Downtown is a major employment center. Other large employers include the City of Lake Havasu City, Mohave Community College, Sterilite, Utility companies, and Havasu Regional Medical Center. TABLE 3 EMPLOYMENT IN STUDY AREA Year Employees 1990 11,800 2000 18,500 Title VI Populations Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes assure that individuals are not subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability. In February 1994, President Clinton signed Executive Order 12898, “Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations.” The purpose of the order was to focus attention on the “environmental and human health conditions in minority communities and low-income communities with the goal of achieving environmental justice.” The Order does not supersede existing laws or regulations; rather, it requires consideration and inclusion of these targeted populations as mandated in previous legislation including: • Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 • National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) • Section 309 of the Clean Air Act • Freedom of Information Act The U.S. Department of Transportation issued its final order to implement the provisions of Executive Order 12898 on April 15, 1997. This final order requires that information be obtained concerning the race, color or national origin, and Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 12 income level of populations served or affected by proposed programs, policies, and activities. It further requires that steps be taken to avoid disproportionately high and adverse impacts on these populations. One of the first steps in assuring environmental justice is the identification of those populations specifically targeted by the Order – minority and low-income populations. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the racial composition of Lake Havasu City was predominantly white with about 12.9 percent minorities as shown in Table 4. TABLE 4 2000 RACIAL DEMOGRAPHICS (by percentage) AREA WHITE NOT HISPANIC AFRICAN AMERICAN NATIVE AMERICAN ASIAN OTHER HISPANIC OR LATINO Lake Havasu City 87.1% 0.5% 1.0% 1.0% 2.5% 7.9% The Executive Order also requires the consideration of persons older than 60 years of age. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, approximately 33 percent of the population in Lake Havasu City is 60 years or older. In addition, the Order mandates that impacts on low-income people must also be considered. There are nearly 4,000 people living below the poverty level according to the 2000 Census data. Socioeconomic data for the year 2000 for Lake Havasu City and Mohave County are listed in Table 5. TABLE 5 LOW INCOME AND DISABLED POPULATION LAKE HAVASU CITY MOHAVE COUNTY Females 50.8% 50.3% Males 49.2% 49.7% Persons with disability 25% 24% Persons over age 60 33% 27% Persons living below the poverty level 10% 14% SOURCE: US Bureau of the Census, Census 2000 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 13 An assessment of the impacts on the named populations from any of the proposed roadway improvements is presented in Chapter VI. C. Existing Street System The existing street system is described in detail in the following sections. The existing street system in Lake Havasu City is composed of a state highway, an arterial street system, and collector and local streets. The cross-sections of the existing roadways vary from five-lane paved with curb and gutter to a few two-lane unpaved streets in the unincorporated areas. The street system inventory for the roadways within the study area included: • Right of way • Pavement widths • Number of lanes The existing right of way widths for the roadways within the City are based on the type of roadway. The right of way widths, which were established as part of the original master plan for the City, are listed in Table 6. Also shown in the table are the curb-to-curb pavement widths by type of roadway. The existing number of lanes is shown in Figure 3. TABLE 6 EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY WIDTHS Roadway Type Right-of Way Pavement Width Boulevards 84 feet 54 feet Avenues 70 feet 44 feet Drives 60 feet 42 feet Cul-de-sacs 50 feet 36 feet There are some exceptions to these standards, including both Chenoweth and London Bridge Road which have right of ways or easements of 100’. Beachcomber and McCulloch, on the Island, have easements of 200’. The Parkway will have a right of way of 200’ or more. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 14 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 15 Speed Limits Lake Havasu City recognizes the need to have reasonable, enforceable and safe speed limits throughout the community. Historically, Lake Havasu City has utilized a rule of thumb that included a general 25 MPH speed limit for the majority of the streets in the City. The more traveled avenues and boulevards are signed at 35 MPH and portions of London Bridge Road are signed at 45 MPH. The existing speed limits are shown in Figure 4. Functional Classification The roles and standards for each type of roadway must be established in order to plan an efficient and effective system. In general, State Route 95 provides regional access to Lake Havasu City from other areas of the county and state. The role of the state highway and arterials is to carry through traffic and to provide for the mobility of the community. Whereas, the collector and local streets provide land access and carry local traffic to the neighborhoods and distribute traffic to the arterials. The existing federal functional classification system for Lake Havasu City area streets is shown in Figure 5. D. Existing Traffic Existing daily traffic volumes on the street system in the study area are shown in Figure 6. The data on City streets were obtained from counts conducted by the City in 2002 and 2003. The traffic volumes on SR95 were obtained from ADOT. The existing data on SR 95 were obtained prior to the completion of ADOT’s major widening and improvement project of SR 95 from South McCulloch Blvd to north of the airport. As shown in the figure, the highest daily traffic volumes are on State Route 95 specifically, the segment between Acoma Boulevard West and Kiowa Boulevard with 27,600 vehicles and the segment Industrial Boulevard and South Palo Verde with 22,600 vehicles. Other high volume locations include Acoma Boulevard south of McCulloch Boulevard with 17,000 vehicles, Lake Havasu Avenue south of Mesquite with 15,200 vehicles, and McCulloch Boulevard west of Riviera with 15,000 vehicles. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 16 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 17 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 18 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 19 E. Operating Conditions A review of existing traffic conditions included an analysis of road segment traffic operations. The results of the analysis are expressed in terms of level of service (LOS). Level of service (LOS) is the term used to describe the degree of traffic congestion. The various levels of service range from A to F with A being the best operating conditions and F being the worst operating conditions. LOS is generally defined as follows: • Level of Service A represents free flow. • Level of Service B is in the range of stable flow, but the presence of other users in the traffic stream begins to be noticeable. • Level of Service C is in the range of stable flow, but marks the beginning of the range of flow in which the operation of individual users becomes significantly affected by interactions with others in the traffic stream. • Level of Service D represents high-density but stable flow. Speed and freedom to maneuver are severely restricted, and the driver or pedestrian experiences a generally poor level of comfort and convenience. • Level of Service E represents operating conditions at or near the capacity level. All speeds are reduced to a low but relatively uniform value. • Level of Service F is used to define forced or breakdown flow. This condition exists wherever the amount of traffic approaching a point exceeds the amount which can traverse the point. The following section present the analysis of the traffic conditions along roadway segments (daily traffic). Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 20 Roadway Segments To examine the operating conditions of arterial street segments, the daily traffic volumes are compared to LOS D volumes for various types of roadway as shown in Table 7. If these standards are exceeded on a roadway, travel speeds are greatly reduced and the ability to pass is restricted. TABLE 7 ROADWAY SEGMENT DAILY VOLUMES FOR LOS D and CAPACITY (Vehicles per day) ROADWAY LANES DAILY VOLUME at LOS D DAILY VOLUME at capacity collector 2 through lanes 10,000 12,500 arterial 2 through & center left turn lane 12,000 15,000 arterial 4 through & center left turn lane 25,000 31,250 arterial 4 through & a median 27,500 34,375 State highway 4 lanes & a center left turn lane 32,000 40,000 Based on the existing street system, the current traffic volume forecasts were compared to the volumes listed in Table 6. Segments with volumes exceeding the standards are identified as deficiencies and are shown in Figure 7. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Existing Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 21 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 22 IV. FUTURE CONDITIONS The Lake Havasu City area population and employment has steadily increased over the last fourteen years. The impact of this growth on the transportation system needs to be quantified so that necessary improvements can be identified and programmed for implementation. The horizon year for this transportation study is 2030. A. Growth Forecasts The primary measure of growth used in this study was population and employment. The current population of the Lake Havasu City area is 52,205 and there are 23,305 people employed there. The population and employment in the study area is tabulated by traffic analysis zones (TAZs) for use in the travel forecasting model. Population and employment forecasts for the year 2030 are based on information presented in the Lake Havasu City General Plan as well as input from City staff. The estimated population for the horizon year is 103,804. The future employment was estimated using a similar employment to population ratio as exists today as well as input from City staff. The estimated future employment is 42,760 people. The General Plan was used to allocate the employment increase in the City. Overall, population growth is spread throughout the City with the north and northeast areas showing a high percentage increase. Employment increases are expected throughout the City with no one area of concentration. The projected population and employment by TAZ is shown in Table 8. B. Planned Street System In order to perform an analysis of future traffic operations, a future base street system must be established. The future base street system for this analysis assumes that the existing street system is maintained and there are no additions. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 23 TABLE 8 BUILD OUT POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT TAZ POPULATION Retail General Office Total 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 2517 75 50 75 200 4 1139 0 0 0 0 5 1262 25 25 25 75 6 1587 50 75 25 150 7 432 25 0 0 25 8 271 0 0 0 0 9 1626 25 25 0 50 10 1239 0 75 0 75 11 2462 25 25 25 75 12 23 300 250 200 750 13 21 50 50 0 100 14 19 450 200 100 750 15 1951 100 25 25 150 16 1151 50 150 75 275 17 6593 0 75 110 185 18 2039 25 50 25 100 19 1406 25 75 0 100 20 50 100 100 50 250 21 165 450 450 350 1250 22 5 625 250 125 1000 23 408 350 150 150 650 24 0 75 75 25 175 25 5 300 350 100 750 26 269 200 300 50 550 27 327 100 200 50 350 28 14 150 100 75 325 29 1499 1750 1750 300 3800 30 211 250 250 50 550 31 0 250 75 25 350 32 188 50 400 100 550 33 1086 350 500 300 1150 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 24 TABLE 8 (continued) BUILD OUT POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT TAZ POPULATION Retail General Office Total 34 1422 550 150 150 850 35 2044 25 25 25 75 36 1032 25 25 25 75 37 499 25 0 0 25 38 2348 25 25 50 100 39 1176 300 150 50 500 40 2336 300 100 25 425 41 2223 0 25 0 25 42 1455 100 25 25 150 43 3246 0 100 0 100 44 188 25 75 50 150 45 1986 25 50 75 150 46 557 75 100 75 250 47 5 75 150 50 275 48 930 100 125 75 300 49 0 100 50 50 200 50 0 500 100 100 700 51 930 600 100 75 775 52 0 200 75 50 325 53 7 450 125 125 700 54 0 125 25 50 200 55 0 500 0 50 550 56 0 150 150 300 600 57 0 150 50 100 300 58 513 325 175 75 575 59 12 300 75 50 425 60 2 350 600 175 1125 61 951 0 50 50 100 62 807 50 50 0 100 63 506 50 100 75 225 64 500 225 25 25 275 65 1596 25 25 0 50 66 500 200 25 0 225 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 25 TABLE 8 (continued) BUILD OUT POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT TAZ POPULATION Retail General Office Total 67 0 200 300 25 525 68 610 0 125 25 150 69 0 50 50 50 150 70 28 350 225 50 625 71 2 175 100 25 300 72 334 275 1700 200 2175 73 218 175 300 25 500 74 7 300 525 125 950 75 800 0 125 25 150 76 155 50 50 50 150 77 1176 0 25 0 25 78 290 0 0 0 0 79 856 275 275 175 725 80 3327 300 25 0 325 81 2322 375 300 150 825 82 408 175 100 25 300 83 1218 100 25 25 150 84 1582 0 100 0 100 85 2420 25 100 50 175 86 2703 0 25 25 50 87 2169 0 0 0 0 88 399 0 150 25 175 89 858 0 100 25 125 90 1898 50 75 25 150 91 1169 600 50 50 700 92 543 25 0 25 50 93 501 0 0 0 0 94 364 75 50 25 150 95 728 250 150 450 850 96 1046 25 25 25 75 97 986 0 50 0 50 98 1703 50 100 50 200 99 1782 25 0 0 25 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 26 TABLE 8 (continued) BUILD OUT POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT TAZ POPULATION Retail General Office Total 100 2745 0 0 0 0 101 1907 25 25 25 75 102 200 0 50 0 50 103 500 50 25 25 100 104 500 25 25 25 75 105 500 50 25 25 100 106 500 25 25 25 75 107 500 100 50 50 200 108 500 25 25 25 75 109 500 50 25 25 100 110 1350 25 25 25 75 111 500 75 75 50 200 112 250 75 50 75 200 113 476 200 225 225 650 114 9 0 700 100 800 115 766 0 50 50 100 116 250 50 0 0 50 117 250 50 200 100 350 118 13 2000 0 250 2250 119 500 0 25 0 25 120 500 175 225 100 500 121 250 50 75 25 150 TOTAL 103,804 19,150 16,175 7,435 42,760 C. Travel Forecasting Model The transportation modeling procedure involves a number of steps. A flow chart summary of the process is presented in Figure 8. To begin with, there are two distinct sets of tasks to be performed which provide the input to a third set. One set involves the compilation of land use data and trip generation rates for the study Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 27 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 28 area. This information is then used to calculate trip productions and attractions for each zone. The other set of concurrent tasks which need to be completed includes the identification of the street system to be included in the model and the development of the highway network to represent the street system. The network data includes the TAZs (traffic analysis zones), street segment lengths, speed, and capacity. Using the street segment lengths and speeds in the network, the minimum time paths between zones are determined. The productions and attractions for each zone and the minimum paths between zones are used as the inputs to the third set of tasks, the trip distribution and assignment process. Trip distribution is accomplished using a mathematical model. The most commonly used distribution model is the gravity model which assumes that the attraction of trips between zones is inversely proportional to the distance between zones. The result of the gravity model is a trip table which is a matrix of all trips distributed to/from each zone. These trips are then assigned to the street system, via the minimum paths (based on time) to produce traffic forecasts for the network. Model Calibration Before the transportation model can be used to forecast traffic volumes, the model's representation of existing traffic conditions must be validated. The first step was to convert the 1997 model from TRANPLAN to TP+ and to develop the existing land use data for each zone. Then, trip generation, distribution and assignment are performed using the modeling software. The result is a loaded highway network with computer-simulated volumes. The converted network was verified to make sure it properly represents the existing street system. Trip generation rates were also derived from published sources and previous models developed for cities and towns in Arizona. From these rates, the total number of trips generated in each internal zone was calculated to identify the relative trip intensity of each of the zones. The rates were adjusted for the Lake Havasu City area to account for the tourist and seasonal population. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 29 In addition to the trips generated by internal zones, the amount of traffic generated by the external zones needs to be estimated. External zones represent traffic entering and exiting the model area from outside the City’s planning area. Traffic from external zones is distributed as through traffic to another external zone or as internal trips to a TAZ. The traffic assignment was accomplished using a capacity restrained process. The capacity restrained assignment is an effort to replicate the actual traffic condition based on the capacity of the streets. If the volume on a road reaches capacity, the path times are re-calculated and the traffic is then re-assigned to the shortest time path. Calibration Factors The computer simulated volumes were compared to the existing traffic to determine how well the existing conditions were being simulated. A number of model parameters and factors can be adjusted to improve the simulation. This adjustment process is the calibration of the model. The factors which can be adjusted include the street segment speed and capacity, friction factors, and intrazonal trip times. The friction factors are used to define the effect that the distance between zones has on the relative attractiveness of trips between zones. The intrazonal trip times add time to the trip within a zone so that a certain percentage of trips must leave a zone to be satisfied. Initially, coarse adjustments were made to the model to shift traffic and replicate travel patterns. Before "fine tuning" the volumes, an additional check was made of the overall traffic in the area using screenlines. Screenlines Another means of analyzing traffic movement in an area is by examining volumes across screenlines. A screenline is an imaginary line across which all the traffic flows can be counted and summed. This technique provides a convenient means for examining major travel trends and removes the discrepancies that are inherent in model generated volumes on individual street segments. The screenlines used for this analysis are shown in Figure 9. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 30 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 31 In the calibration process, screenlines are used to verify the total amount of traffic on area streets. If the total simulated traffic volume across a screenline is lower (or higher) than the existing traffic volumes, then a percentage adjustment is made to the computer simulated volumes across the screenline. This percentage is then applied to adjust the individual forecasts. The comparison between existing and simulated volumes indicates that the model results are reasonable and that existing volumes are being replicated well. As shown in Table 9, the simulation volumes across all but one of the screenlines are within 10 percent of existing traffic counts. TABLE 9 SCREENLINE COMPARISONS Existing vs. Model SCREENLINE EXISTING DAILY VOLUMES MODEL DAILY VOLUMES MODEL/EXISTING 1 35,500 38,500 1.08 2 58,000 63,200 1.09 3 40,000 39,800 1.00 4 63,800 68,100 1.07 5 14,700 18,000 1.22 6 45,000 43,000 0.96 D. Travel Forecasts With the travel forecasting model properly calibrated, traffic forecasts can be developed. The model input for the future condition was based on the population and employment data and the planned street system previously described. In addition, traffic at the external zones was increased to account for growth outside the study area. The volumes at the externals were increased by 50% in accordance with the Arizona Department of Economic Security population growth forecasts for the State and Mohave County. The daily forecasts for the year 2030 are shown in Figure 10. The forecasts were derived from the model output and adjusted where appropriate. The Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 32 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 33 adjustments were made to account for known estimation errors in the model and remove discontinuities that are inevitable in model-generated numbers. As expected, the daily traffic volumes on the street system throughout the study are expected to increase between 2004 and 2030. It should be noted that the traffic forecasts are based on the assumption that the growth rate and development presented in the “Growth Forecasts” section occur by 2030. In 2030, the highest traffic forecasts are projected for segments of SR 95, Lake Havasu Avenue, and McCulloch Boulevard. Specifically, SR 95 between Acoma and Kiowa would carry 46,000 vehicles per day, Lake Havasu Avenue would carry 32,000 vehicles per day between Mesquite and Swanson, and the bridge onto the island would carry 42,000 vehicles per day. London Bridge Road also shows significant percentage increases from 4,000 vehicles per day to 15,000 vehicles per day. Screenlines can also be used to examine the location and amount of traffic growth in the area. Table 10 lists the existing traffic count and the 2030 forecasts for each screenline. To document overall traffic growth, the percent increase between existing and future is presented in the last column of the table. As shown in the table, the highest growth is projected across screenlines number 1 and number 5. TABLE 10 TRAFFIC GROWTH ACROSS SCREENLINES Existing vs. 2030 Model SCREENLINE EXISTING DAILY VOLUMES 2030 FORECAST VOLUMES % increase 1 35,500 75,000 211% 2 58,000 97,000 167% 3 40,000 75,000 188% 4 63,800 102,000 160% 5 14,700 31,000 211% 6 45,000 60,000 133% Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 34 E. Operating Conditions A review of future traffic conditions involved the analysis of projected road segment traffic operations. The results of the analysis are expressed in terms of level of service (LOS) as previously described in Chapter II. The following section present the analysis of the traffic conditions along roadway segments (daily traffic). Roadway Segments To examine the operating conditions of arterial street segments, the daily traffic volumes are compared to LOS D volumes for various types of roadway as previously shown in Table 7. If these standards are exceeded on a roadway, travel speeds are greatly reduced and the ability to pass is restricted. The 2030 forecasts were compared to the volumes for Level of Service D. Roadway segments that are projected to have LOS D or worse are shown in Figure 11. A review of the figure indicates that approximately 38 miles of roadways are expected to be at LOS D or worse by 2030. In addition to the level of service evaluation, a number of other mobility and circulation issues were identified for study. These are summarized in Figure 12. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 35 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 36 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 37 V. ALTERNATIVES AND ANALYSIS According to the City’s General Plan, at build out, Lake Havasu City will double in population and employment. With this growth, comes an increase in traffic volumes and a decrease in mobility and accessibility. The traffic forecasts and operating conditions were presented in the previous chapter. In addition, comments and concerns have been received from the public. This chapter presents potential improvements and additions to the street system to address the projected growth and transportation concerns. A. Evaluation Measures The evaluation measures are a list of factors that should be considered in the review of a potential improvement project. The measures are not all quantifiable; some are purely qualitative. The measures are included in the project descriptions to identify potential benefits, impacts, and constraints. More detailed analysis of the measures would be required during the concept development and design phase of a project. The criteria and their means of measurement are described below. Cost Construction cost estimates will be calculated for each potential improvement. The costs are planning level costs based on a unit cost for each project type. The cost is calculated in 2004 dollars and has not been adjusted for inflation. Costs are a major factor in establishing priorities for improvements and are used to compare to available revenue. Right of Way Impacts The need for new right of way for an improvement should be determined as early as possible in the project development process since the acquisition of right of way typically takes longer than the design and construction. This is a qualitative measure that identifies if additional right of way is needed for a project. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 38 Building Acquisitions This is a quantitative measure that documents the number of buildings expected to be acquired as part of the improvement. The number is a conservative estimate at the planning stage. Relief of Congestion Relief of congestion is a quantitative measure that compares the base condition level of service with the LOS after the improvement. This measure gives an indication of the overall impact of the improvement on the area transportation system. Traffic Service This is a measure of the projected traffic volumes that an improvement is expected to attract. The description of each improvement will include the daily traffic volume. Mobility and Accessibility This is a qualitative measure of the project’s ability to improve the circulation in an area and provide access for new developments. It will be measured in terms of improved travel time between activity centers. Engineering Challenges There can be unique conditions that must be overcome in order to develop a feasible project. These often require special design features in order to construct a project. Engineering challenges are identified in the project descriptions so that they can be used in the prioritization of projects. Engineering challenges could include drainage patterns, terrain, railroad crossings, and utilities. B. Description of Cross Sections The following section describes the features of the street cross sections that will be considered in the evaluation of the potential improvements. THREE LANE CROSS SECTION The three-lane cross section provides one travel lane in each direction with a center two way left turn lane. The cross section can include bike lanes, curb, Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 39 gutter, and sidewalk. If curb, gutter, and sidewalk are not provided, 8’ shoulders would be. At a major intersection, this cross section could be widened to provide one left turn lane, two through lanes, and one right turn lane on each approach, if warranted by the traffic volumes. The suggested right of way for this cross section is 80 feet. The estimated construction cost for one mile of this cross section would vary as described below. • With curb, gutter, and sidewalk, no bike lanes $1.6 million per mile • With curb, gutter, sidewalk, and bike lanes $1.8 million per mile • With shoulders $1.0 million per mile FIVE LANE CROSS SECTION The five-lane cross section provides two travel lanes in each direction with a center two way left turn lane. The cross section includes curb, gutter, and sidewalk and may or may not have bike lanes. If curb, gutter, and sidewalk are not provided, 8’ shoulders would be. At a major intersection, this cross section could be widened to provide two left turn lanes, two through lanes, and one right turn lane on each approach, if warranted by the traffic volumes. The suggested right of way for this cross section is 100 feet. The estimated construction cost for one mile of this cross section would vary as described below. • With curb, gutter, and sidewalk, no bike lanes $2.1 million per mile • With curb, gutter, sidewalk, and bike lanes $2.3 million per mile FOUR LANE DIVIDED CROSS SECTION The four-lane divided cross section provides two travel lanes in each direction with a 4’ inside shoulder and an 8’ outside shoulder. At a major intersection, this cross section could be widened to provide two left turn lanes, two through lanes, and one right turn lane on each approach, if warranted by the traffic volumes. The suggested right of way for this cross section is 200 feet. The estimated construction cost for one mile of this cross section would be $2.2 million per mile. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 40 C. Potential Improvements A number of potential improvements have been developed to accommodate future traffic, improve accessibility to all parts of the City, to improve mobility within and through the City, and to provide opportunity for development. Mesquite/Swanson One-Way Streets This option would convert both Mesquite and Swanson to one-way streets. Mesquite was evaluated as one-way in the westbound direction and Swanson in the eastbound direction. The direction of travel could be reversed if it is more conducive to local businesses and provides a more logical terminus. According to the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Traffic Engineering Handbook, the capacity of each street should be equal. Additionally, the one-way pair should be adjacent streets, although systems with two-way parallel streets in between operate satisfactorily. Given the proximity of Mesquite, McCulloch, and Swanson, and the familiarity of the users; the one-way operation should be understood. One-way streets, which are generally used to increase the capacity of the roadway network, may also improve safety. An intersection of a one-way street with a two-way street has significantly fewer conflict points than the intersection of two two-way streets. One way streets can also reduce vehicle/pedestrian conflicts. Advantages of one-way streets include: • Reduced intersection delay • Reduced travel time • Improved bus operations • Improved signal progression • Potential for on-street parking Disadvantages of one-way streets include: • Perception that business is negatively impacted • Transition from one-way to two-way Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 41 Mesquite and Swanson were coded into the traffic model as one-way streets to assess the traffic impact. Two variations were examined. One was to extend the one-way from Lake Havasu Avenue to Smoketree and one was to extend the one-way from Lake Havasu Avenue to Acoma. There is little difference in the traffic impacts of the two options. Mesquite and Swanson would each carry 7,000 to 8,000 vehicles per day in the future. The impact on adjacent streets is shown on Figures13 and 14 for the two options. The volume on McCulloch increases 1,000 to 5,000 vehicles per day compared to the future base. The volume on Lake Havasu Avenue increases 2,000 to 3,000 between Smoketree and South Palo Verde. The capacity of a three lane street with one lane in each direction plus a two way left turn lane is 13,900 vehicles per day. The level of service D service volume is 10,600 vehicles per day. The total level of service D volume of Mesquite and Swanson with the existing lane configuration is 21,200 vehicles per day. The capacity of a three lane one-way street is 18,800 vehicles per day. The level of service D service volume is 14,300 vehicles per day. The total level of service D volume of Mesquite and Swanson with the one-way lane configuration would be 28,600 vehicles per day. The cost to convert Mesquite and Swanson from two-way streets to one-way streets is $25,000. The cost includes removal of existing pavement markings, new pavement markings and new signs. There is no right of way required and traffic service is improved. Another option that was discussed was the restriping/reconstruction of both Mesquite and Swanson to provide two lanes in one direction, a center left turn lane and one lane in the other direction. Initial review indicates that this configuration would provide similar capacity to the one-way couplet option. Advantages include the additional capacity. Disadvantages include cost and the elimination of on-street parking. It is the TAC’s recommendation that this lane configuration is implemented in the near future and the one-way couplet option is studied for the long term. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 42 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 43 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 44 Lake Havasu Avenue Extension and North Area Circulation With this option, several new streets are added to the north area including extending Lake Havasu Avenue north 1.75 miles to Chenoweth and extending Chenoweth east about 1.75 miles. An unnamed north-south street would extend from North Palo Verde to Chenoweth, approximately 1.9 miles and an unnamed east-west street would extend from SR 95 east, then turn southeast and connect to Cherry Tree, a distance of six miles. It should be noted that this last street is also a portion of the Parkway which is discussed elsewhere. These new streets were coded into the traffic model to evaluate the impact of these additional streets. As can be seen in Figure 15, Chenoweth would carry 8,000 to 17,000 vehicles per day and the Lake Havasu Avenue extension would carry 8,000 to 10,000 vehicles per day. The traffic volume on SR 95 would be reduced 13,000 vehicles per day between North Palo Verde and Chenoweth. Other reductions from 1,000 to 4,000 would occur on North Palo Verde and Kiowa. The cost for the north area streets if they are all constructed as three lane streets is $19.4 million. New right of way is required, but it is expected that much of it will be dedicated as new development occurs. One to two residences may be impacted with the extension of Lake Havasu Avenue. Traffic congestion on the north end of SR 95 is greatly alleviated with this improvement. Mobility and accessibility is enhanced by providing new access to the airport. West Frontage Road The West Frontage Road alternative is a new roadway that connects Sweetwater at Acoma South to Mulberry following the SR 95 alignment. The primary purpose of this alternative is to provide access to potential development on the west side of SR 95 so that access does not have to be provided from SR 95. This alternative was coded into the travel forecasting model as a three lane roadway. The traffic impact of this alternative is shown in Figure 16. This portion of the West Frontage Road would divert about 3,000 vehicles per day from SR 95. The cost for the West Frontage Road with curb, gutter, and sidewalk would be $3.6 million. New right of way is required, but it is expected that much of it will be dedicated as new development occurs. No buildings will be impacted. The West Frontage Road will have little or no impact on traffic congestion, but will improve mobility by limiting access onto SR 95. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 45 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 46 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 47 2nd Bridge Terminus The City continues to study the location and features of the 2nd Bridge to the island. The 2nd Bridge is planned north of the existing London Bridge. As part of this study, two alternate termini for the bridge were examined. One option is to connect the crossing to London Bridge Road and one option is to connect the bridge to SR 95. These two options were coded into the travel forecasting model for comparison. The results are presented in Figures 17 and 18. When the crossing connects to SR 95, slightly more traffic (2,000 vehicles per day) uses the second crossing compared to the connection to London Bridge Road. When the second crossing connects to London Bridge Road, traffic increases 1,000 to 4,000 vehicles per day compared to no impact when to SR 95. North-South Corridor In this central area of the City, the streets are curvilinear. Many of the local roads in the street system are discontinuous and do not connect between arterials. Traffic cannot follow a direct path to its destination, thus creating circuitous trips. As the area continues to grow, traffic volumes within the center of the City will continue to increase as previously shown in the 2030 traffic forecasts. Acoma Boulevard provides an access route through the center of the City. However, it is curvilinear and its capacity is limited by existing residential development frontage with driveways directly onto the roadway. The proposed North-South Corridor would extend from SR 95 east of the Sara Park entrance to north of the Airport. The Corridor, which follows a northwesterly diagonal route, is approximately 17 miles long. Existing land uses along the southern half of the Corridor is primarily residential. The northern half is currently undeveloped. The General Plan indicates that future land uses would be residential, employment, and open space. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 48 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 49 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 50 The Corridor was input to the travel forecasting model to evaluate traffic demand and impacts. The Corridor forecasts are shown in Figure 19. The daily traffic on the North-South Corridor is expected to range from 14,000 to 35,000 vehicles. According to the model forecasts, the Corridor will reduce traffic volumes on several area streets including Lake Havasu Avenue, SR 95, South McCulloch, and London Bridge Road. Development of this corridor would require the elimination of 40 - 45 crossings or the incorporation of these crossing (and associated delays) in to the corridor. The proposed Corridor would have a limited number of access points as shown on the figure. This preliminary plan shows access points at South McCulloch (2), Chemehuevi, Kiowa, Palo Verde, and Chenoweth. Approximately 200 acres of right of way would have to be acquired including 110 houses. The construction cost of the Corridor is estimated to be $40 million. Parkway In the current street system, SR 95 is the only continuous route through the study area. The Parkway is a proposed north-south roadway that would function as a major arterial on the eastside of the study area. It would provide an alternative to SR 95 for traffic that is not destined to properties or developments on the west side of the City. The ultimate roadway width would have two through lanes in each direction with a two-way center left turn lane or a raised median. A raised median would provide a measure of access control beneficial to a major arterial. The proposed Parkway would extend from SR 95 near the Sara Park entrance north to SR 95 north of the Lake Havasu City Airport. The Parkway location has been initially identified as following a north-south route from SR 95 on the south end to approximately ten miles north. At this point it turns west and follows an east-west alignment for five miles. At a point, two miles east of SR 95 the roadway turns north on a diagonal route parallel to the runway connecting to SR 95 north of the Airport. The roadway would be approximately 21 miles in length. At the south end of the corridor, the land is a developing area with new residential subdivisions planned. As the Parkway turns to the west, the land is largely undeveloped. The Parkway would provide access to this area and allow for Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 51 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 52 additional developments. The General Plan indicates that future land uses would include employment, commercial developments and open space. Continuing to the north, it would serve as an additional access to the Airport and surrounding industrial development. The Parkway is proposed to be a limited access facility with access provided at several defined intersections. Local street access is being shown at Arizona Boulevard, Cherry Tree Boulevard, the MCC/BLM Park Area northwest of Bison, Chenoweth, and the Airport Industrial Park Roadway. Two new streets are also proposed as part of the corridor plan to provide indirect access to SR 95 to the Parkway. One roadway would continue from the east-west segment of the Parkway and intersect SR 95 north of the wash approximately one-half mile north of the SR 95/North Palo Verde intersection. The other new street would be an east-west roadway just south of the Airport property. To examine the traffic impacts of a Parkway, this roadway was added to the street system in the travel forecasting model. The results are shown in Figure 20. It is important to remember that future land uses are included in the model and are inherent in the results. The 2030 daily traffic volumes on the Parkway are projected to range from 12,000 vehicles near the south end to 22,000 vehicles per day along the middle of the route. The changes in traffic volumes on adjacent streets are also on the figure. A decrease in daily traffic volumes is expected to occur on SR 95, Lake Havasu Avenue, London Bridge Road, Palo Verde, Acoma Blvd and McCulloch Blvd South. The largest decrease in traffic is shown on SR 95 north of Kiowa with a decrease of 17,000 vehicles per day. Approximately 380 acres of right of way is needed. Land ownership in the area includes private land owners, BLM, and the State Land Department. No building acquisitions would be required for the Parkway construction. The estimated cost of construction is $47 million. Design considerations include drainage and environmental conditions. There are several watercourses that could cross the proposed Parkway alignment and would require pipes and box culverts to protect the roadway from the design year storm. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 53 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 54 Construction segments would have to be five to six miles to develop usable segments. The Parkway could be built initially as two lanes until the demand warrants four through lanes. The recommendation of the TAC is that the Parkway be developed as a limited access higher speed roadway. The intention of this recommendation is that this corridor would serve as a location for a long-range option for SR 95 with a width of six lanes. In this context, the minimum right-of-way necessary would be 200 feet plus any additional slope easements. In order to preserve the option for a state highway designation, the number of at-grade access points should be limited. Potential access points include SR 95, Arizona Boulevard, Cherry Tree Boulevard, the future northern park area, Chenoweth, and North of the Airport. At a maximum, intersections should be limited to one per two or more miles. This configuration would require developments to rely on frontage roads to provide direct access to their projects. D. Special Topics A number of special topics were addressed during the course of the study. The topics included issues and concerns that affect the overall efficiency and safety of the transportation system. The topics may be addressed by modifying or establishing a policy that guides future projects and developments. The topics include speed limits, jake break noise/truck routes, crosswalks, mailbox placement, and traffic calming. Speed Limits Speed limits in the community were analyzed in conjunction with the Small Area Transportation Study (SATS) and presented to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). Speed studies completed over the last 8 years indicate that the majority of drivers are exceeding the posted speed limits but are driving in a safe manner as evidenced by a review of the accident data. Detailed explanations of speed limit signage and effects are included as a separate handout from this report. It is proposed that the City’s historical policy (as described in the Existing Conditions chapter) be supplemented by a more uniform application of engineering Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 55 judgment and field studies that also recognizes that growth and changes have occurred in the community. By raising the speed limits on those roadways found to be appropriate, we will bring our community more in compliance with accepted engineering and traffic safety guidelines. These changes would be done under the authority designated to the City in ARS 28-703. 28-703. Alteration of speed limits by local authority. A. If a local authority determines on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the maximum speed permitted under this article is greater or less than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist on any part of a street or highway in its jurisdiction, the local authority may determine and declare a reasonable and safe maximum speed limit at the location and, based on the investigation, may: 1. Decrease the limit at intersections. 2. Increase the limit within any business or residence district to not more than sixty-five miles per hour. 3. Decrease the limit outside any business or residence district. 4. Increase or decrease the speed limit on streets adjacent to school grounds. B. A local authority shall determine by an engineering and traffic investigation the proper maximum speed for all arterial streets in its jurisdiction and shall declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit on the arterial streets in its jurisdiction that may be more or less than the maximum speed permitted under this article for a business or residence district. C. A local authority may decrease the limit to not less than fifteen miles per hour on an unpaved street or road within any district in its jurisdiction if the local authority determines that the limit is necessary to achieve or maintain national ambient air quality standards. D. An altered limit established as provided for in this section is effective at all times, or during hours of darkness, or at other times as may be determined if appropriate signs giving notice of the altered limit are erected on the street or highway. E. The alteration of maximum speed limits on state highways or extensions of state highways in a municipality by a local authority is not effective until the director approves the alteration. F. A local authority shall not make more than six alterations per mile along a street or highway pursuant to this section, except for reduced Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 56 limits at intersections. The difference between adjacent limits shall not be more than ten miles per hour except for school crossings. The SATS TAC recommends that the speed limits in Lake Havasu City be standardized to the largest extent possible by establishing a standard 35 MPH speed limit on all fully widened avenues and boulevards, subject to an engineering and traffic investigation. The preliminary data with regards to the 85th percentile speed on the majority of Lake Havasu City’s roadways indicates that this finding is consistent with standard engineering procedures and the driving characteristics of the traveling public in our community. When changes are proposed to a speed limit on a roadway, the following steps will be completed: • a comprehensive review of the roadway geometrics will be completed to ensure that sight distance at intersections is maintained. • a review of the accident data for the roadway will be completed. A current 85th percentile speed study will also be completed for that section of the roadway in which the speed limit is being changed. Proposed changes include the standardization of a short 25 MPH zone near schools, the creation of a 30 MPH zone in heavier business/parking areas, the extension of the 35 MPH zone onto completed avenues, boulevards and the appropriate drives (after an engineering and traffic study) and the use of the 45 MPH zone on some rural type roadways such as London Bridge Road. Avenues, Boulevards, or Drives will not normally be signed for 35 MPH unless the majority of the roadway is widened. The 30 MPH zone for use in business/parking areas will be limited to commercial areas that would normally be signed 35 MPH but due to a large amount of on street parking and pedestrian activity are being signed at the lower speed limit. If the 35 MPH zone is currently in place in a location and the accident data indicates no safety concerns exist, the speed limit will not be reduced to the lesser speed. 25 MPH Speed Limit Signs would normally be posted off of a higher speed zone roadway. 25 MPH Signs and School Signs would be placed on all roadways adjacent to a school. The 15 MPH School Zone Signs and crosswalks would only Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 57 be placed at locations that met the Arizona Department of Transportation School Zone warrants. It is suggested that a public notification process be developed to provide citizen input to the proposed Speed Limit changes. Preliminary data gathered indicates that the roadways listed in Table 11 are expected to meet the engineering and traffic studies criteria for speed limit changes. The recommended speed limits are also shown graphically in Figure 21. TABLE 11 PROPOSED SPEED LIMIT CHANGES (preliminary) ROADWAY LIMITS From To AVG. 85th % SPEED (mph) COMMENTS SUGGESTED 35 MPH ZONES* Avalon Avenue Havasupai No Palo Verde 34.0 Empress Drive Palo Verde Havasupai 37.0 Not an Avenue or Boulevard London Bridge Road Dover north of Sailing Hawks 39.3 Remove 25 MPH at Kirk and Replace with 25 MPH Advisory Mulberry Avenue Entire Length 35.5 Smoketree Avenue Entire Length 32.5 30 or 35 MPH Southwind Avenue Entire Length 36.8 Thunderbolt Avenue Entire Length 33.6 30 or 35 MPH Saratoga Avenue Acoma Saddleback 39.9 Change 25 MPH to 35 MPH at end of Saratoga SUGGESTED 30 MPH ZONES Acoma Kiowa Industrial 35.5 30 MPH Swanson Entire Length 32.3 30 MPH Mesquite Entire Length 32.1 30 MPH McCulloch Boulevard LH Ave Smoketree 30.3 30 MPH London Bridge Road SR 95 Countryshire 30.8 30 MPH *North Lake Havasu Avenue, North Avalon, Sweetwater to 35 MPH once widened. Jake Brake Noise/Truck Routes The issue of Engine Brake (Jake Brake) Signs and Ordinances or Truck Route Designations in the community were analyzed in conjunction with the Small Area Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 58 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 59 Transportation Study (SATS) and presented to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). City staff has received comments regarding trucks. The comments include concerns about truck noise and the number of trucks on City streets. For the most part, truck complaints (noise or traffic) do not represent a large percentage of the issues brought up by the public (1%). In addition, the issues and concerns are typically related to a nuisance issue as opposed to a safety issue. A review of accident data indicates that only a small percentage of accidents involve trucks. As an example, for the last three months of the year, there were 213 accidents with only 13 involving trucks. Of those 13, all the incidents occurred in one of three areas: the downtown, SR 95 Highway areas or in signed construction areas. None of the truck accidents would have been impacted by a truck route or engine brake ordinance. The issues associated with jake brake noise and truck traffic can be addressed in one of two ways: with signing or with a City ordinance. Although an attempt to address both issues can be made by installing signs, true compliance requires some level of enforcement on the part of the Police Department. The placement of signs that are not enforced reduces the effectiveness of all signs. In addition, signs cost approximately $100.00 per installation and have an ongoing maintenance cost. An Internet search shows that many communities have tried to address this issue with very comprehensive ordinances. A review of the documentation also shows that the issue is very controversial with regards to the trucking industry, safety, noise and enforcement. A survey of 14 Arizona communities indicated that only four have an Engine Brake Ordinance (Bullhead City, Flagstaff, Peoria and Phoenix). Ten of the communities have some truck restrictions, typically weight limits in residential areas, but only eight install signs. The communities surveyed include Bullhead City, Chandler, Flagstaff, Gilbert, Glendale, Kingman, Mesa, Parker, Peoria, Phoenix, Prescott, Scottsdale, Tempe and Tucson. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 60 If action is desired, there are several levels of activity that could be accomplished. They include the following: Engine Brake Ordinance Action Possibilities • Take No Action (Recommended by the TAC) • Install Signs at Limited Locations entering the community without the benefit of an ordinance. (Not enforceable) – Voluntary Compliance, some installation and maintenance cost. Creates the expectation from the public that we will enforce the signs. • Install Signs at Limited Locations entering the community and on SR 95 with an ordinance. (Enforcement issues related to how enforced and to what extent forces are delegated to the activity.) Some installation and maintenance costs. • Install Signs entering the community, on SR 95 and at certain other roadways such as McCulloch Boulevard or other main avenues and boulevards. (Enforcement issues and placement issues – which roadways qualify and how.) Enforcement, installation and maintenance costs. Truck Route Designation Action Possibilities • Take No Action (Recommended by the TAC) • Install Signs at Limited Locations entering the community without the benefit of an ordinance. (Not enforceable) – Voluntary Compliance, some installation and maintenance cost. Creates the expectation from the public that we will enforce the signs. • Install Signs at Limited Locations entering the community with an ordinance. Enforcement issues related to how enforced and to what extent forces are delegated to the activity) (General limitation of trucks to Avenues and Boulevards without specific signage.) Some installation and maintenance costs. • Install Signs entering the community and at certain other roadways such as McCulloch Boulevard or other main avenues and boulevards that designate actual truck routes. (Enforcement issues and placement issues – which roadways qualify and how?) This would require a large Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 61 number of signs along the designated routes with an increase in the installation and maintenance costs for the additional signage. As the community continues to grow and increase in density, traffic volumes will continue to increase and the number of truck issues will continue to grow until build-out occurs. This issue could be revisited in the future, but at this point, due to the lack of a significant number of complaints and the issue of cost, compliance and enforcement, it is the SATS TAC recommendation that no action be taken on these issues at this time. Crosswalks The issue of crosswalks in the community was analyzed in conjunction with the Small Area Transportation Study (SATS) and presented to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The City receives requests for school crosswalks and requests from commercial property owners for mid-block crosswalks. For example, the latest request for a crosswalk was received for Paseo Del Sol and the City Parking Lot across from the London Bridge Shopping Center. The 2003 MUTCD allows for additional crosswalk treatments that were previously unavailable. These include the use of sharks teeth yield symbols that have been installed at the Golf Course Crosswalks and the use of in-street pedestrian flashers. Currently, there are 29 non-stop condition crosswalks at intersections located in school zones, at high pedestrian areas in downtown and at the London Bridge. There are 2 mid-block crosswalks located on Acoma Boulevard for the golf course. Lake Havasu City recognizes the need to provide reasonable and safe pedestrian crossing areas on roadways in the community. Historically, Lake Havasu City has utilized a rule of thumb that limited these non-stop conditions crossings to school zone crosswalks meeting the ADOT criteria, and existing crosswalks as listed above. The rule-of-thumb guidelines seemed to be effective as the current accident data indicates that there have been no mid-block or school crosswalk accidents involving pedestrians. However, there have been accidents involving vehicles that have stopped for pedestrians and golf carts being rear-ended by other Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 62 vehicles. This type of accident has occurred on both McCulloch Boulevard and Acoma Boulevard. Crosswalk Policy Federal, State and City studies indicate that marked crossings do not increase the safety for the pedestrian. It is generally accepted that a pedestrian crossing at an intersection where vehicles are required to stop presents a safer condition than at locations where vehicles are not required to stop. In addition, drivers expect pedestrian crossings at intersections as opposed to mid block locations. With this in mind, Lake Havasu City’s policy would be to install crosswalks at stop condition intersections that have sidewalks. The City would not install crosswalks at non-stop condition intersections or mid-block locations except in special cases such as School Zones meeting the ADOT criteria, designated bike path and multi-use path crossings, special locations of heavy activity, or pre-existing conditions. However, every effort will be made to have all crossings made at an intersection to avoid a mid block condition. In cases where a mid-block or non-stop condition crosswalk is installed due to heavy crossing use, consideration should be given to creating a Pedestrian Island refuge with special signage. If traffic lane configuration does not allow the use of the Pedestrian Island, alternative treatments such as curb bump outs should be considered. Lake Havasu City will conduct an Engineering Study to determine if a location should have a crosswalk if it is an existing use, or as a follow-up to the installation of a new crossing. The data collected will include a count of the pedestrians/bicyclists using the location. The ADOT Safe School Area Guidelines will be utilized as a basis for any recommendations. Periodically, studies of existing crossings will also be completed to review the crossings functions. Specific volume criteria will be developed for each crosswalk type. Approved Typical Treatments – • Normal Stop Condition Crosswalk Treatment – Standard Crosswalk Striping, No Signs. • Standard School Crosswalk Treatment – As per ADOT Manual, FYG Signs with in-street signage. 25 MPH Zone prior to 15 MPH School Zone. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 63 No Pedestrian Yield Lines or Signs (Sharkteeth) due to number of other signs. Normal crosswalk lines (yellow). As stated above, the City limits the use of mid block and non-stop condition crosswalks. In the event that a mid block or non-stop condition intersection is approved, the following treatments will be used. • Normal Crosswalk Treatment Non-Stop Condition – Pedestrian Ahead and Pedestrian Crosswalk Signs, Pedestrian Yield Lines, and Signs (Sharkteeth) and normal crosswalk lines (white). This treatment is restricted to low volume uses and is typical of crosswalks that were in use prior to July 1, 1994. Higher volume crosswalks may require the installation of a Pedestrian Refuge Island. • Mid-Block Crosswalk Treatment – London Bridge Area and Multi-Use Pathway Crossings require special treatment due to the large number of pedestrian users and the unexpected nature of these mid-block crossings. It is anticipated that there will be 5 multi-use pathway crossings (Lake Havasu Avenue – existing, Magnolia, Swanson, McCulloch, and Mesquite). Three (3) of the 4 locations have high traffic volumes. The Magnolia Drive crossing is on a low volume roadway. It is the SATS recommendation that for high volume roadway mid-block crossings, Lake Havasu City adopt a pedestrian refuge treatment or a curb extension treatment. These treatments will reduce the exposure of the pedestrian/bicyclist and provide a physical indicator to the traveling public that something out of the ordinary may occur. For low volume traffic roadways, the standard “Normal Crosswalk Treatment” for the mid-block crosswalk is recommended. For this purpose, high volume roadways would have an ADT of more than 5,000 vehicles. It is also recommended that we utilize the appropriate pedestrian refuge or curb extension treatment on the other crossings. If parking is allowed on the roadway, the curb extension provides the best treatment. If a continuous left-turn lane is provided, the pedestrian refuge island provides the best treatment. Other types of treatments that are not recommended would include the use of flags or flashers, overhead signs or raised speed humps or tables. • Downtown Crosswalk Treatment – Due to the fact that pedestrian and yield to pedestrian signs would be blocked from view by parked cars, and to the fact that the locations are at intersections and that pedestrians can be Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 64 expected in a downtown area, crosswalks will be marked only. Because the locations will not have the advanced signage typical of our “Normal Crosswalk Treatment”, the City will install the more visible “Zebra Striped” crosswalk markings that have been historically utilized in the downtown area. Mailbox Placement The issue of roadside mailboxes in the community was analyzed in conjunction with the Small Area Transportation Study (SATS) and presented to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). Increasing roadway safety is the primary reason for reviewing this issue. That is, the safety of both vehicles and pedestrians. The safety of vehicles is related to the fact that the mailbox is a fixed object close to the roadway. Accident data indicates that Lake Havasu City averages (6) six vehicle/mailbox accidents per month. Overall, accidents involving mailboxes represent 8.9% of the total accidents in the community. For pedestrians there is the issue of a clear pathway around the mailbox on a sidewalk. ADA standards require 36” of clear pathway along a sidewalk. Several mailbox installations in the community have reduced the existing sidewalk to less than the 36” clear pathway. The AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) Guide for Erecting Mailboxes on Highways suggests that highway agencies and local jurisdictions use the guidelines to develop their own regulations, installation policies, and standards. The primary question reviewed by the TAC was whether Lake Havasu City should develop standards for mailbox installations in our community to regulate construction and locations. This issue can be further broken down into two specific actions. • Should Lake Havasu City regulate the location of the support of the mailboxes in our community? (Related to recommended face of mailbox being 6” to 12” from face of curb and providing the 36” of clear pathway for an ADA route on a sidewalk) • Should Lake Havasu City regulate the construction of the support for the mailbox? (Related to the mailbox support as a fixed object near the roadway.) Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 65 Staff recommended that, as a minimum, installation of mailboxes should be regulated to ensure that the mailbox and its support are located no closer than 6” to 12” from the face of the curb and does not restrict the sidewalk clear pathway to anything less than 36”. For roadways without shoulders, the mailbox and support must be at least 8” to 12” from the edge of roadway. A review of 14 communities in Arizona indicated that only Parker requires a right of way permit for mailboxes and Tucson reviews an installation based on a complaint and enforces a standard detail with either a 2” steel post or 4”X4” wood post support. The SATS TAC recommends that at this time, the City continue its existing policy with regards to these issues and not provide any oversight for mailboxes in the public right of way. Staff did recommend that the city provide some oversight with regards to the ADA issue of blocking the pathway on the sidewalk. Staff also recommended that the issue be brought forward to point out the safety concern with regards to the number of accidents involving mailboxes. Bike Lane Considerations Lake Havasu City’s roadway sections are based on the existing right-of-way widths. The original roadway layout with boulevards, avenues, drives and cul-de-sacs has worked well in the past. The existing sections do not provide for bike lanes when configured with 4 lanes on drives and avenues and 5 lanes on boulevards. However as traffic volumes increase and vehicle types change, there may need to be adjustments made in the future. It is the SATS Committee and staff’s recommendation that Lake Havasu City continue the typical sections as originally developed with only minor modifications as needed. The creation of a wider paved section on higher volume roadways to accommodate bicycles or increased lane width does not appear to be cost effective at this time. It is suggested that any new developments use a modified section that will be created as an internal review by the Engineering Division. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 66 Another way to address bicycle and pedestrian mobility issues would be the use of sidewalks and less busy parallel roadways. This subject will be addressed as a part of a Pathway/Bikeway Study to be completed this year. Traffic Calming As a part of the Small Area Transportation Study Update process, the issue of Traffic Calming was analyzed. The purpose of traffic calming is to make modifications to existing streets which have the effect of reducing speed. Measures could include diverters, speed humps, roundabouts, closures, chicanes and chokers. Lake Havasu City recognizes the need to provide a method to reduce speeds and ensure compliance with the appropriate speed limits in the City. Historically, Lake Havasu City has done speed and volume studies in response to speed complaints received by the Public Works Department. The information is passed on to the Police Department for inclusion in their enforcement efforts. The Police Department also utilizes their speed radar trailer to assist in these activities. Methods to “encourage” drivers to reduce the speed at which they drive include increased enforcement and/or traffic calming. Increasing enforcement might include additional resources (Police Officers) or the adoption of mechanical means (Photo Radar). Currently, the Police Department uses a radar trailer to “inform” the driving public of the speed they are traveling. Expansion of this program would require the purchase of additional equipment. Traffic Calming would require the development of a comprehensive program to select the appropriate measures, determine locations and establish policies to implement. Some communities require “votes” from the neighborhood and financial participation from the adjacent property owners. It is not uncommon for communities to have dedicated funding for these efforts. The development of a Traffic Calming program would require significant staff and City Council effort to determine the appropriate program for Lake Havasu City. As the community continues to grow and increase in density, traffic volumes will continue to increase and it is likely that the number of speeding complaints will Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 67 increase. The choices to address the speed complaints include 1) continue with current practice, 2) modify the current practice to include formal guidelines and reporting procedures, 3) increase enforcement efforts, or 4) initiate a formalized and funded Traffic Calming program. The modified current practice would include a speed study if one had not been completed within the last two years and the collection of traffic volume and speed data would within four weeks. Also, a formal report documenting this information would be submitted to the Public Works Director and the Police Department. This information will also be provided to the complaining party, along with the recommended action. The increase in enforcement efforts would be defined by the following categories of speed study results: • Category 1 (85th Percentile Speed within +/- 5 mph of Speed Limit and excessive speed instances less than 5% (+15 MPH) or 3% (+25 MPH)). This would include adding the location to the list for Speed Radar Trailer placement with a low priority and using some officer enforcement if available. • Category 2 (85th Percentile Speed + 5 mph of Speed Limit and/or excessive speed greater than 5% (+15 MPH) or 3% (+25 MPH)). This would include adding the location to the list for Speed Radar Trailer placement with a high priority and using an officer for enforcement. • Category 3 (85th Percentile Speed + 10 mph of Speed Limit and/or excessive speed greater than 10% (+15 MPH) or 5% (+25 MPH)). This would include adding the location to the list for Speed Radar Trailer placement with a high priority and using an officer for enforcement as soon as possible. It would also include follow-up on the part of the Police Department with regards to a violations report. Due to the lack of a significant number of pedestrian/bicyclist accidents related to vehicular speeds, fairly good compliance with the posted speed limits, the proposed changes to several roadway speed limits to ensure better compliance, and the need for resources to be utilized in other areas, it is recommended that a formal Traffic Calming Program involving physical barriers or roadway modifications not be pursued at this time. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 68 It is recommended that a formal complaint/evaluation process be developed and that enforcement efforts be increased to include increasing the number of speed radar trailers, additional officers and an evaluation of the use of photo radar. Roundabouts Roundabouts are being considered as an intersection treatment in many communities across Arizona. The concept and potential applications in Lake Havasu City were presented to the TAC as part of this study. It is estimated that over the next 5 years, nearly 90 modern roundabouts will be constructed on major roadways in Arizona. Initial concerns regarding the use of roundabouts were the amount of right of way required and driver understanding. The Federal Roundabout Guidelines indicate that a roundabout circle of 100 feet or more is needed to provide adequate capacity for the typical traffic volumes in Lake Havasu City. Specific signing and markings would be needed to direct drivers on how to utilize any roundabouts with more than one lane. There are many examples of roundabouts that could be applied to Lake Havasu City. Public understanding and acceptance of roundabouts is growing. If this concept were to be implemented in Lake Havasu City, a public review and acceptance process should be implemented. Modern roundabouts are designed geometric intersections that can be designed to allow for trucks, trailers and oversized vehicles to traverse the intersection safely. Roundabouts should not be confused with old style traffic circles or rotaries. The concept of the modern roundabout is the design geometrics that allow for a maximum travel speed through the roundabout of less than 25 mph (usually 18 to 23 mph), an analysis of the actual turn movements and the construction of the applicable lanes. In addition, stop delay at a modern roundabout is significantly less than a typical traffic signal in most applications because traffic is flowing continuously. The capacity of the roundabout provides the increased capacity at the node (intersection) where it is needed. With a traffic signal, a design may provide additional lane capacity to make up for the lost time in the red phase. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 69 It is recommended that the use of roundabouts in Lake Havasu City be studied further and include public meetings to present the concept. Possible locations for the use of the modern roundabouts include minor intersections such as Briarcrest and Empress Drive, intersection of a major street with a minor street (Jamaica and McCulloch, Kiowa and North Palo Verde, Jamaica and Acoma) and major intersections (Daytona and Acoma, Smoketree and Acoma and Palo Verde and Acoma). In addition, the use of a modern roundabout could replace a multi-way stop at locations such as Rainbow and Acoma or Saratoga and Acoma. Another application of a roundabout might be at the intersection of McCulloch and Beachcomber Boulevards. An additional benefit of roundabouts may be the delay of re-striping or widening to five lanes on streets such as Acoma Boulevard. Traffic Signal Modifications Traffic signals provide a positive means to control traffic at intersections by alternating the assignment of traffic entering the intersection. Signals can have left turn phases that can be protected only (left turn on arrow only) or protected-permissive (left turn on arrow and green ball). Traffic signals can operate independently of others or can be coordinated with other signals to enhance traffic flow. The ‘right’ traffic signal timing and operation at each signalized intersection will result in the most effective transportation system. Various traffic signal improvements can be very effective at reducing congestion and travel time. These type improvements can be very cost effective at reducing congestion on roadways. Traffic signals do not need to be completely changed in order to realize significant improvements in traffic flow. Often, one small improvement, such as interconnecting several signals that were previously operating independently, can produce significant results. Studies have shown that this type of improvement has resulted in travel time reductions between 10% and 20 %. Signal re-timing efforts in California at 3,172 signals across the state resulted in a benefit-cost ratio of 58 to 1. This resulted in a 15% reduction in delay, 16% reduction in stops, and a 7.2% reduction in travel time throughout the system. The costs for this type of improvement are between $2000 and $3000 per intersection in hardware improvements and $5,000 to $15,000 per traffic signal for interconnect. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 70 In addition to signal coordination, signal timing and the left turn phasing can be adjusted to increase capacity. For example, protective-permissive left turn phasing with third car detection or permissive protection can increase the green time for through traffic, however, the impact on the left turn movements should be carefully evaluated on a case by case basis. ADOT is currently planning traffic signal coordination improvements for SR 95. The work will be done in phases, with the middle section (North Palo Verde to Smoketree) being the first phase. As traffic volumes and delay continue to increase, it is recommended that signalized intersections should be examined to determine if signal timing and/or phasing modifications would be appropriate. Roadway Drainage The issue of roadway drainage and w-section treatment was also discussed. The City’s w-section for a roadway cross-section treatment was developed to carry the largest amount of storm water possible while maintaining an area for traffic to drive during storm events. However, when a roadway is restriped to provide three lanes (two through lanes and a two-way center left turn lane), the through traffic lanes may be subject to flooding during a storm. Options to improve drainage include using a crown section, using a crown section with higher curbs (10”), or installing storm drains. A typical crown section would reduce the effective drainage area in the roadway and could cause flooding along the roadway shoulders. The increase in curb height (10” total height) on a typical crown section would not have the same drainage capacity as a standard w-section. In addition, this treatment would create additional safety and aesthetics concerns. The addition of storm drains would assist in the removal of on-street drainage. Concerns with storm drain construction include cost and utility conflicts. Given the limited number of rain days each year, this solution is not cost effective for the majority of the City’s roadways. However, it is recommended that the Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Future Conditions Parsons Brinckerhoff 71 Transportation Division examine the feasibility and cost/benefit of installing storm drains on major roadways when they are reconstructed in the future and consider the use of storm drains on new roadways. Pavement Design and Maintenance As a part of this study, the asphaltic concrete thickness for Lake Havasu City roadways was discussed. The existing pavement section standard is 2” of asphaltic concrete (AC) over 4” of aggregate base (AB). Maintenance for major roadways includes routine chip seal and slurry seal treatments. As both traffic volumes and vehicle loads increase on City streets, the pavement performance and maintenance needs should be reviewed. For example, based on current pavement conditions, a significant amount of pavement rehabilitation resources will need to be expended in rehabilitating major downtown roadways including Mesquite, Swanson and McCulloch, as well as portions of Acoma and Lake Havasu Avenue. It is recommended an evaluation of pavement section needs be conducted to determine appropriate actions and long term maintenance needs. It was the consensus of the TAC that the Transportation Division should develop a long-range roadway maintenance program for major roadways (over and above routine chip seal and slurry seal treatments) and that this cost be included in budget discussions. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 72 VI. RECOMMENDED PLAN The previous section presented an evaluation of alternatives that addressed one or more future transportation issue areas. This chapter identifies those projects that are recommended to be included in the transportation plan and a suggested priority for implementation. Also included is an assessment of the environmental justice considerations, functional classification, and an evaluation of the estimated plan cost and anticipated revenue. A. Recommended Plan The development of the recommended plan considers a number of qualitative and quantitative factors including level of service, right of way, existing land use, future land use, cost, and engineering difficulties. In some cases, more than one alternative may address the same issue or concern and they have been included in the recommended plan. However, in other instances, only one alternative that provides the most effective solution may be included. In addition, there are alternatives that are not included in the recommended plan because of cost, engineering difficulties, lack of community support, or other constraints. The plan is a tool for City and County staff and decision makers to use to guide the future transportation system of the area. It represents the best information currently available regarding planned growth, opportunities, and constraints. The recommended plan is shown in Figure 22. The plan includes a variety of improvements including widening, new roadways, re-striping, intersection improvements, and studies. These projects represent a future transportation system that will accommodate the City’s growth and provide for the mobility and accessibility of residents and visitors. It should also be noted that not all of the projects that were evaluated are included in the recommended plan. The following alternative is not included. • North-South Corridor – The recommended Parkway project will provide similar benefits and address many of the same issues. The projects are also summarized in Table 12. The table groups the projects by type and responsible jurisdiction. It should be noted that some of the re-striping Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 73 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 74 projects occur on streets that currently have on-street parking. Prior to implementing these projects, the City will need to evaluate the availability of off-street parking to accommodate the demand. Additionally, the projects listed as Mohave County or ADOT jurisdiction are part of the recommended plan, but do not imply any financial commitment to the project. TABLE 12 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO AGENCY WIDEN TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE London Bridge Rd City Limit (south of Chenoweth) SR 95 (north) Mohave County London Bridge Rd Industrial City Limit (south of Chenoweth) LHC Chenoweth London Bridge Rd SR 95 Mohave County Chenoweth SR95 New Parkway LHC Beachcomber Blvd McCulloch 2nd Bridge connection LHC Lake Havasu Ave Acoma West Kiowa LHC Lake Havasu Ave Kiowa North Palo Verde LHC Lake Havasu Ave North Palo Verde Avalon LHC Lake Havasu Ave Smoketree Jamaica LHC Lake Havasu Ave South Palo Verde Industrial LHC SR 95 McCulloch Blvd South Sara Park LHC New Parkway (2 to 4 lanes) SR 95 (south) SR 95 (north) LHC Victoria Farms Rd N/S Frontage Rd Parkway LHC Daytona Ave Cottonwood Dr Daytona Loop LHC Avalon Ave North Palo Verde Lake Havasu Ave LHC Chesapeake Blvd LHC Arizona Blvd LHC Highlander Ave LHC Sweetwater Ave LHC Maricopa Ave Oro Grande McCulloch LHC North Palo Verde London Bridge Rd SR 95 LHC Willow Ave LHC Rainbow Ave Acoma Acoma LHC Holley Ave LHC Bison Blvd Kiowa New Parkway LHC Mesquite/Swanson (2/1 lane unbalance) Lake Havasu Ave Acoma LHC Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 75 TABLE 12 (continued) SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO AGENCY RE-STRIPE TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE Jamaica Lake Havasu Ave Chemehuevi LHC North Palo Verde SR 95 Kiowa LHC North Palo Verde London Bridge Rd SR 95 LHC Kiowa SR 95 North Palo Verde LHC South Palo Verde SR 95 Kiowa LHC South Palo Verde (add medians at alleys SR 95 London Bridge Rd LHC Kiowa South Palo Verde Jamaica LHC Acoma West SR 95 Industrial LHC Acoma Industrial Mesquite LHC Acoma West (add medians at alleys) Kiowa SR 95 LHC Acoma South Daytona SR 95 LHC McCulloch El Dorado Cherry Tree LHC McCulloch Cherry Tree SR 95 LHC Industrial Blvd (add medians at alleys) London Bridge Rd SR 95 LHC Industrial Blvd SR 95 Acoma West LHC Havasupai Blvd Acoma West Kiowa LHC NEW ROADWAY OR ROADWAY EXTENSION Jamaica Lake Havasu Ave SR 95 LHC/ADOT Lake Havasu Ave Northern Terminus Chenoweth LHC East/West Connector SR 95 Parkway LHC Parkway-Initial two lanes SR 95 (south) SR 95 (north) LHC N/S Frontage Rd Victoria Farms Rd Air Industrial Rd LHC Price Dr City Limit SR 95 LHC Price Dr London Bridge Rd City Limit Mohave County Sweetwater Acoma South Mulberry LHC 2nd Bridge Island SR 95 LHC Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 76 TABLE 12 (continued) SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO AGENCY INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS London Bridge Rd & Price Dr Mohave County London Bridge Rd & SR 95 LHC SR 95/Mulberry/Lake Havasu Ave LHC SR 95/Maricopa/Acoma South LHC SR 95/Maricopa/Oro Grande LHC Daytona/Acoma LHC Smoketree/Acoma LHC Palo Verde/Acoma LHC Acoma West/Lake Havasu Ave LHC Kiowa/Lake Havasu Ave LHC McCulloch/Beachcomber LHC Mesquite/Riviera LHC Mesquite/Capri LHC Mesquite/Civic Center LHC Mesquite/Smoketree LHC Swanson/Riviera LHC Swanson/Capri LHC Swanson/Smoketree LHC Kiowa/Palo Verde LHC Jamaica & Acoma LHC Acoma & Industrial LHC Acoma & Swanson LHC Jamaica & McCulloch LHC SR 95 & Chenoweth LHC/ Mohave County STUDIES 2nd Bridge Island SR 95 LHC Extend Jamaica Lake Havasu Ave SR 95 LHC/ADOT Mesquite/Swanson Lake Havasu Ave Acoma LHC New Parkway DCR LHC/ADOT Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 77 TABLE 12 (continued) SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO AGENCY OTHER PROJECTS SR 95 multi-use path extension North Palo Verde Chenoweth LHC Multi-use path – Sara Park LHC Multi—use path – Powerline LHC Island multi-use path & SR 95 connection LHC Multi-use path expansion – opposite side on SR 95 LHC Parkway multi-use path or bike lanes LHC Residential street widening LHC Sidewalk expansion LHC North MCC Park Area roadway improvements LHC McCulloch Blvd: Smoketree to Acoma – intersection improvements LHC London Bridge crosswalk lighting LHC Several of the new roadways included in the recommended plan should be added to the Federal functional classification system for the City. Table 13 presents suggested classifications for the additions. As new roadways are constructed, the City and WACOG should review the functional classification and determine if modifications or additions are appropriate. TABLE 13 POSSIBLE FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION MODIFICATIONS ROADWAY FROM TO SUGGESTED FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION Chenoweth London Bridge Rd Parkway Urban Minor Arterial Lake Havasu Ave Acoma N Palo Verde Urban Minor Arterial Lake Havasu Ave N Palo Verde Chenoweth Urban Collector Parkway Entire length Urban Principal Other B. Title VI Review The USDOT Title VI Regulations state that in determining the site or location of facilities, selection cannot be made with the purpose or effect of excluding persons from, denying them the benefits of, or subjecting them to discrimination under any program to which this regulation applies. The first question is: are there minority Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 78 and/or low-income populations in Lake Havasu City? This was described in Chapter II and is shown by census tract in Figure 23. According to the regulations, in developing potential improvements, a project cannot be selected that will cause an adverse impact or disproportionately high impact on any one segment of the population regardless of gender, age, income, and/or race. Therefore, the next question is: are the environmental impacts of a project likely to impact one of the minority or low-income populations disproportionately? The Lake Havasu City Area Transportation Study is a long-range planning study prepared to address the transportation needs in the area for the next twenty years. The projects are proposed to improve the City’s transportation system and benefit the community as a whole. The roadway widenings, extensions, re-striping, and intersection improvements will not adversely impact or place disproportionately high impacts on minority or low-income populations. C. Implementation The basis for this transportation plan is the projected population and employment used in the travel forecasting model. The analysis contained in this study is based on a population projection of 103,804 people for the year 2030. The recommended plan is the street system that is needed to meet this population threshold. If the growth rate or pattern of growth in the study area changes, the priority of projects may change and the implementation should be reviewed. The implementation of the plan is divided into Group 1, 2, and 3 which represent short term, mid term, and long term elements respectively as shown in Figures 24-26. Tables 14 to 16 present a summary of the implementation plan along with an estimated construction cost in 2004 dollars. Some of the widening projects have been divided into multiple segments to provide manageable projects with respect to cost and construction. The major projects such as new routes or realignments of existing routes include a Design Concept Report (DCR) study in advance of the project design and construction. The DCR will define the location and design criteria for the new route or realignment. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 79 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 80 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 81 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 82 Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 83 While these tables provides a recommended implementation, actual implementation of projects will depend on a number of factors including available funding, cost sharing, joint participation, and development contributions. TABLE 14 GROUP 1 PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO GROUP COST* WIDEN TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE London Bridge Rd South Palo Verde Industrial 1 $2,300 Lake Havasu Ave Acoma West Kiowa 1 $250 Lake Havasu Ave South Palo Verde Industrial 1 $500 WIDEN Daytona Ave Cottonwood Dr Daytona Loop 1 $500 North Palo Verde London Bridge Rd SR 95 1 $1,000 RE-STRIPE TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE Acoma West SR 95 Industrial 1 $1 Acoma Industrial Mesquite 1 $1.5 Acoma South Daytona SR 95 1 $1.5 INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS SR 95/Mulberry/Lake Havasu Ave 1 $250 Daytona/Acoma 1 $250 Smoketree/Acoma 1 $250 Kiowa/Lake Havasu Ave 1 $250 Palo Verde/Acoma 1 $250 Acoma West/Lake Havasu Ave 1 $250 STUDIES 2nd Bridge Island SR 95 1 $150 Mesquite/Swanson Lake Havasu Ave Smoketree 1 $150 New Parkway DCR 1 $350 OTHER PROJECTS Island multi-use path & SR 95 connection 1 $20 Multi-use path expansion – opposite side on SR 95 1 $100 Residential street widening ($1,000,000 per year) 1 $5,000 Sidewalk expansion ($75,000 per year) 1 $375 North MCC Park Area roadway improvements 1 $1,500 London Bridge crosswalk lighting 1 $50 GROUP 1 PROJECT COST $13,749 *cost in 2004 dollars in thousands Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 84 TABLE 15 GROUP 2 PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO GROUP COST* WIDEN TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE London Bridge Rd Industrial North Palo Verde 2 $3,450 Beachcomber Blvd McCulloch 2nd Bridge connection 2 $575 Lake Havasu Ave Kiowa North Palo Verde 2 $2,300 Lake Havasu Ave North Palo Verde Avalon 2 $1,150 Lake Havasu Ave Smoketree Jamaica 2 $3,450 WIDEN Avalon Ave North Palo Verde Lake Havasu Ave 2 $1,250 Sweetwater Ave 2 $2,000 Maricopa Ave 2 $1,000 Willow Ave 2 $1,000 Rainbow Ave 2 $2,000 RE-STRIPE TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE Jamaica Lake Havasu Ave Chemehuevi 2 $2 North Palo Verde SR 95 Kiowa 2 $3 North Palo Verde London Bridge Rd SR 95 2 $1 South Palo Verde SR 95 Kiowa 2 $4 South Palo Verde (add medians at alleys SR 95 London Bridge Rd 2 $100 Acoma West (add medians at alleys) Kiowa SR 95 2 $100 Kiowa SR 95 North Palo Verde 2 $3 McCulloch El Dorado Cherry Tree 2 $2 McCulloch Cherry Tree SR 95 2 $4 STUDIES Extend Jamaica Lake Havasu Ave SR 95 2 $250 NEW ROADWAY OR ROADWAY EXTENSION Jamaica Lake Havasu Ave SR 95 2 $500 Lake Havasu Ave Northern Terminus Parkway Connector 2 $1,150 East/West Connector SR 95 Parkway 2 $2,300 Parkway-Initial two lanes SR 95 (south) SR 95 (north) 2 $23,310 Sweetwater Acoma South Mulberry 2 $2,000 2nd Bridge Island SR 95 2 $14,000 *cost in 2004 dollars in thousands Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 85 TABLE 15 (continued) GROUP 2 PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO GROUP COST* INTERSECTION IMPROEMENTS SR 95/Maricopa/Acoma South 2 $250 SR 95/Maricopa/Oro Grande 2 $250 Mesquite/Riviera 2 $250 Mesquite/Capri 2 $250 Mesquite/Civic Center 2 $250 Mesquite/Smoketree 2 $250 Swanson/Riviera 2 $250 Swanson/Capri 2 $250 Swanson/Smoketree 2 $250 McCulloch/Beachcomber 2 $250 Kiowa/Palo Verde 2 $250 OTHER PROJECTS Multi-use path – Sara Park 2 $500 SR 95 multi-use path extension North Palo Verde Chenoweth 2 $750 GROUP 2 PROJECT COST $65,904 *cost in 2004 dollars in thousands Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 86 TABLE 16 GROUP 3 PROJECTS LOCATION FROM TO GROUP COST* WIDEN TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE London Bridge Rd Chenoweth SR 95 (north) 3 $6,900 London Bridge Rd North Palo Verde Chenoweth 3 $5,750 Chenoweth London Bridge Rd SR 95 3 $1,730 Chenoweth SR95 New Parkway 3 $3,450 SR 95 McCulloch Blvd South Sara Park 3 $1,150 WIDEN New Parkway (2 to 4 lanes) SR 95 (south) SR 95 (north) 3 $23,310 Victoria Farms Rd N/S Frontage Rd Parkway 3 $1,000 Chesapeake Blvd 3 $1,000 Arizona Blvd 3 $750 Highlander Ave 3 $1,500 Holley Ave 3 $2,000 Bison Blvd Kiowa end 3 $500 RE-STRIPE TO FOUR THROUGH LANES WITH A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE Kiowa South Palo Verde Jamaica 3 $3 Industrial Blvd London Bridge Rd Acoma West 3 $1.5 Havasupai Blvd Acoma West Kiowa 3 $2 NEW ROADWAY OR ROADWAY EXTENSION Lake Havasu Ave Parkway Connector Chenoweth 3 $1,500 N/S Frontage Rd Victoria Farms Rd Air Industrial Rd 3 $750 Price Dr City Limit SR 95 3 $500 Price Dr London Bridge Rd City Limit 3 $500 INTERSECTION IMPROEMENTS London Bridge Rd & Price Dr 3 $250 OTHER PROJECTS Multi—use path – Powerline 3 $250 Parkway multi-use path or bike lanes 3 $250 GROUP 3 PROJECT COST $53,047 *cost in 2004 dollars in thousands The total estimated plan cost is $132,700,000. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 87 D. Cost/Revenue This section summarizes the estimated cost of the recommended plan and documents the revenue based on current funding sources. Cost The cost of the recommended plan was listed by project group in the previous section. A summary of the group cost is presented in Table 17 below. TABLE 17 COST SUMMARY PRIORITY COST (in thousands) Group 1 $13,749 Group 2 $65,904 Group 3 $53,047 TOTAL $132,700 The costs presented here are based on an evaluation by the study team and represent a planning level estimate. This analysis is based on several assumptions that are intended to simplify the financial analysis. These costs should be reviewed annually as part of the City and County budgeting process and updated as needed. The costs shown are in 2004 dollars and not adjusted for inflation. Existing Revenue Sources The City currently uses several revenue sources as discussed below to fund transportation. These sources can be used for capital projects and also for operations and maintenance. Local Transportation Assistance Fund (LTAF) The Local Transportation Assistance Fund is generated by the state lottery. The amount distributed to cities and towns has been a constant $23 million over the last several years and is also expected to continue. This money is distributed on a population basis to incorporated cities. LTAF can be used for any transportation purpose including streets, traffic, transit, airports, and bicycles and can be used for Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 88 operations and maintenance or capital improvements. Lake Havasu City’s allocation from LTAF is approximately $241,000 per year. Highway User Revenue Fund (HURF) The Highway User Revenue Funds are primarily gasoline and vehicle license tax. They are available to the State, counties, cities, and towns. The state receives 50.5 percent of the HURF dollars to be used statewide, cities towns receive 27.5 percent, cities over 300,000 population receive an additional 3 percent, and counties receive 19 percent. The local distribution is based on population and gasoline sales. The HURF revenues have historically increased because of increased population in the state. HURF can be used for streets only, but can be used for operations and maintenance or capital improvements. Lake Havasu City’s allocation from HURF was $4.372 million in fiscal year 2004. Surface Transportation Program (STP) The Surface Transportation Program (STP) provides flexible funding that may be used by States and localities for projects on any Federal-aid highway including the National Highway System (NHS), bridge projects on any public road, transit capital projects, and public bus terminals and facilities. These funds are distributed by ADOT and WACOG. STP funds administered by WACOG may be available for City projects. Lake Havasu City, Kingman, Bullhead City, Quartzite, Colorado City, Parker, Mohave County, LaPaz County, and four Indian Tribes are eligible for the STP funds. The City can submit projects to be considered for funding on an annual basis. Developer Contributions It is common practice for the City to require developers to dedicate right-of-way for all streets adjacent to new development and to construct or improve all or a portion of adjacent streets. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study Recommended Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff 89 Cost/Revenue Comparison Currently, the City uses all of their HURF and LTAF funds for operations and maintenance of the existing transportation system. Therefore, no funds are available for capital projects, except for STP funds that the City may receive from WACOG and developer contributions. Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study APPENDIX Parsons Brinckerhoff 90 APPENDIX Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study APPENDIX Parsons Brinckerhoff 91 INTERSECTION TRAFFIC CONTROL Existing Conditions and Planned Improvements INTERSECTION EXISTING CONDITION FUTURE IMPROVEMENT* SR 95 at South McCulloch Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Oro Grande Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at South Acoma Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Mulberry Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Smoketree Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Swanson Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Mesquite/London Bridge Road Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at South Palo Verde Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Industrial Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at West Acoma Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Kiowa Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at North Palo Verde Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Retail Centre Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Airport Centre Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Centre Loop Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at London Bridge Road Traffic Signal Coordination SR 95 at Shopping Center (New) Not Existing Traffic Signal SR 95 at Jamaica Not Existing Traffic Signal SR 95 at Price Drive/Business Park Driveway/Not Existing Traffic Signal SR 95 at Chenoweth Drive 2 Way Stop Traffic Signal Lake Havasu Avenue at Industrial Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu Avenue at South Palo Verde Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu Avenue at Mesquite Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu Avenue at McCulloch Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu Avenue at Swanson Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu Avenue at Smoketree Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu Avenue at Mulberry Traffic Signal Coordination Lake Havasu at Acoma Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Lake Havasu at Kiowa Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Lake Havasu at North Palo Verde Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal McCulloch Boulevard at Beachcomber 2 Way Stop Traffic Signal McCulloch Boulevard at Capri Traffic Signal Coordination McCulloch Boulevard at Riviera Traffic Signal Coordination McCulloch Boulevard at Smoketree Traffic Signal Coordination McCulloch Boulevard at Jamaica Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at Industrial/Havasupai Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at South Palo Verde Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at Smoketree Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at Mesquite Traffic Signal Coordination Acoma at McCulloch Traffic Signal Coordination Acoma at Swanson Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at Daytona Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at Jamaica Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study APPENDIX Parsons Brinckerhoff 92 INTERSECTION TRAFFIC CONTROL (cont’d) INTERSECTION EXISTING CONDITION FUTURE IMPROVEMENT* Mesquite at Smoketree Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Mesquite at Riviera Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Mesquite at Civic Center Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Mesquite at Capri Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Swanson at Mulberry Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Swanson at Smoketree Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Swanson at Riviera Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Swanson at Capri Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Acoma at Rainbow North 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Acoma at Saratoga 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop McCulloch at Chemehuevi 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop McCulloch at El Dorado 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Daytona at Mulberry 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop El Dorado at Bermuda 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Mesquite at Querio 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Palo Verde at Riviera Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Palo Verde at Kiowa (High School) Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Palo Verde at Kiowa Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Palo Verde at Avalon Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Palo Verde at London Bridge Road 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Kiowa at Avalon Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Kiowa at Jamaica Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Kiowa at Bermuda 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Kiowa at Smoketree 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Kiowa at Industrial Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal London Bridge Road at Industrial Multi-Way Stop Traffic Signal Saratoga at Chemehuevi Multi-Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Saratoga at Jamaica Multi-Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Cherry Tree at McCulloch 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Arizona at McCulloch Boulevard 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop Chemehuevi at Jamaica 2 Way Stop Multi-Way Stop London Bridge Road at 2nd Bridge Connection Not Existing Traffic Signal Final Report Lake Havasu City Transportation Study APPENDIX Parsons Brinckerhoff 93 INTERSECTION TRAFFIC CONTROL (cont’d) INTERSECTION EXISTING CONDITION FUTURE IMPROVEMENT* Kirk at Aviation (after 1994) Multi-Way Stop Not planned Cisco at Smoketree Multi-Way Stop Not planned Bluegrass at Moonshine Multi-Way Stop Not planned Yazoo at Ponchatrain Multi-Way Stop Not planned Sarasota at Monterey Multi-Way Stop Not planned Challenger at Highlander Multi-Way Stop Not planned Pony at Apache Multi-Way Stop Not planned Star at Thunderbolt Multi-Way Stop Not planned Avalon at Palisades 2 Way Stop** Not planned Bison at Colt 2 Way Stop** Not planned Bison at Duke 2 Way Stop** Not planned *Traffic signal installation to be considered based on warrant study **Multi-way stop removed since 1994 |