City of Winslow PARA north-south transportation plan

              City of Winslow PARA
North-South Transportation Plan
Task Assignment MPD 23-10
Executive Summary
April 30, 2012
City of Winslow North-South Transportation Plan Executive Summary
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1
2.0 Current Conditions ........................................................................................................ 1
3.0 Future Conditions .......................................................................................................... 2
4.0 North–South Railroad Crossings ...................................................................................... 4
5.0 Recommended Road Improvements ................................................................................. 5
6.0 Recommended Non-Motorized Improvements ................................................................... 8
7.0 Funding, Policies, and Guidelines .................................................................................. 10
8.0 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 11
List of Figures
Figure E.1 2030 Traffic Conditions ....................................................................................... 3
Figure E.2 Recommended Road Improvement Needs .............................................................. 7
Figure E.3 Recommended Non-Motorized Trail System ............................................................ 9
List of Tables
Table E.1 Population and Employment Growth Projections ..................................................... 2
City of Winslow North-South Transportation Plan Executive Summary 1
1.0 Introduction
The City of Winslow (City) North–South Transportation Plan (Plan) is a multimodal plan, addressing
improvements to the vehicular road network within and around the City of Winslow in addition to
transit, bicycling, and pedestrian facilities. The need for new facilities is predicated on the growth that
is occurring within the City of Winslow, Navajo County, Coconino County, and the region as a whole.
While this growth has slowed considerably as a result of the economic downturn, the factors that led
to this growth remain in place and long-term it is expected that population and employment in the
City of Winslow will continue to grow.
This Plan was funded by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) Multimodal Planning
Division’s Planning Assistance for Rural Areas (PARA) program. The PARA program is funded through
the Federal Highway Administration’s State Planning and Research program to non-metropolitan
communities for the purpose of conducting transportation planning studies.
Preparation of the Plan involved extensive public outreach, including a stakeholder workshop and two
public meetings, along with regular meetings of a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC
included representatives from the City of Winslow, ADOT, Navajo County, Coconino County, Hopi
Tribe, Navajo Nation, and the Northern Arizona Council of Governments.
This is a summary of the recommendations presented in the Plan. For a more detailed discussion of
the Plan elements and planning process, please refer to the complete plan document.
2.0 Current Conditions
Key Issues
Several of the key issues that were considered during the development of the Plan are summarized here:
North–South Access
The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF) tracks are a barrier that limits interaction to the
planned industrial development areas around the Winslow-Lindbergh Regional Airport south of the
tracks and the residential and commercial areas to the north of the tracks. Existing access across the
BNSF tracks is limited to the SR 87 underpass and the West Winslow Industrial Spur overpass west of
town. Improved access across the BNSF tracks is needed to support planned growth and development
both around the airport and west of town.
Improved north-south access is also needed from the downtown to the commercial development area
along I-40. Berry Avenue, a two-lane road that provides a connection between North Park Drive and
Route 66 is the most frequently traveled north-south route. This route passes through an established
residential neighborhood and by Washington Elementary School, causing safety concerns among the
community.
Economic Development
Retention and expansion of existing businesses and the attraction of new businesses is a key priority for
the City of Winslow. East of the downtown has limited economic development opportunities because
of floodplain constraints. Because of this, the City has identified areas to the west of the City and
City of Winslow North-South Transportation Plan Executive Summary 2
south of I-40 as better suited for economic development. The City is seeking to diversity its economic
base south of the railroad tracks and has targeted this area for future employment and housing
growth.
Downtown continues to be a focus of redevelopment and revitalization efforts. Another focus of
economic development is the area north of I-40 along Mike’s Pike between Hipkoe Drive and North
Park Drive. Transportation improvements are vital to support both priorities.
3.0 Future Conditions
A medium growth scenario was used to prepare the forecasts of future traffic conditions using the
Navajo County Travel Demand Model. This medium growth scenario reflects population and
employment growth expected by the City to occur by 2030. It anticipates the addition of new prisons,
industrial and commercial growth, and residential growth.
Table E.1. Population and Employment Growth Projections
Category 20061 20302
Population 10,200 27,600
Employment 5,348 14,537
Notes: 1) Navajo County Travel Demand Model; 2) City of Winslow Medium Growth Projections.
Future Transportation System Conditions
The 2030 Navajo County Travel Demand Model was used to prepare forecasts of future traffic
conditions for the City of Winslow. The County model was updated with the City of Winslow
population and employment projections to estimate travel demand for the study area. This update
included reviewing the forecasts for traffic entering and leaving the model area to ensure that they
reflected the projected growth in the Winslow area.
The City of Winslow roads are expected to operate at acceptable levels under 2030 daily traffic
conditions. The 2030 traffic forecasts show no capacity deficiencies on the City of Winslow road
system. The existing transportation system is adequate to accommodate the projected 2030
population and employment growth. Figure E.1 shows 2030 traffic volume estimates and level of
service (LOS) for the study roads.
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2,100
5,400 4,000
200
700
500
1,200
2,300
1,100
1,300
2,000
4,000
1,200
9,000
9,900
2,400
3,700 4,600
2,900
1,300
1,000
1,500
1,500
1,100
1,500
6,100
16,200
15,800
15,900
15,800
! Mikes Pike
Hillview Street
Fleming Street
Berry Avenue
Williamson Avenue
Cottonwood Avenue
Airport Access Road
Coopertown Road
Mercury Lane
BVD Road
West Winslow
Industrial Spur
Maple Street
BNSF Railroad
Cherry Avenue
Bales Avenue
Desmond Street
North Road
Oak Road
Sunset Road
Hipkoe Drive
North Park Drive
Transcon Lane
Figure E.1 | 2030 Traffic Conditions - Programmed Improvements
Source: HDR (2011)
3
2030 Average daily traffic estimate
City boundary
Railroad
LOS A
LOS B
LOS C
Level of Service (LOS)
Segment (daily)
XXX
Leupp Traffic Interchange
LEUPP INTERCHANGE - SEE INSET
Miles
0 0.25
N
0.5
Miles
0 0.5
N
0.25 1
CITY OF WINSLOW NORTH-SOUTH TRANSPORTATION STUDY
April 16, 2012 | HDR
City of Winslow North-South Transportation Plan Executive Summary 4
4.0 North–South Railroad Crossings
The BNSF railroad is a transportation corridor that creates a physical barrier for other transportation
facilities and thus restricts access – including emergency access – to portions of the study area. A
railroad grade separation provides a crossing of the railroad where the roadway crosses over or under
the railroad so that there is no conflict between the train and vehicles. A grade-separated crossing
provides a safety benefit and reduces delay compared to an at-grade crossing. The BNSF railroad
also requires that any new crossing of the tracks be a grade-separated crossing.
The City currently has only two grade-separated crossings of the railroad tracks, one downtown along
SR 87/Williamson Avenue and the other to the west of the City limits along West Winslow Industrial
Spur/BVD Road. Limited north-south crossings have hobbled economic development south of the
tracks and created bottleneck issues during emergencies.
To address these challenges, the Plan identifies five concepts to add new grade separated crossings
and improve existing access.
• Coopertown Bypass – West Winslow Industrial Spur
• Old Clear Creek Road – Transcon Lane Connection
• Williamson Avenue Underpass
• New West Winslow I-40 Traffic Interchange
• Leupp Traffic Interchange Improvements
Evaluation Criteria and Environmental Scan
A planning level evaluation was conducted of each concept using six general evaluation criteria. The
purpose of this planning level evaluation was to identify potential benefits, impacts, and constraints.
More detailed analysis of the criteria would be required during the scoping, concept development,
and design phase of a project. The criteria used in the evaluation were cost, emergency and truck
access, economic development, system performance, and community support.
A high-level environmental scan was completed for the study area. The environmental scan was
developed to identify and describe environmentally sensitive areas that might constitute fatal flaws for
potential north-south railroad crossing alternatives. The scan included an analysis of cultural
resources, floodplains, biotic communities, and sites with active leaking underground storage tanks.
Recommended Railroad Crossing Priorities
The Plan prioritizes the five north–south railroad crossings as follows:
Highest Priorities
The Coopertown Bypass and the Williamson Avenue Underpass are recommended in the Plan as the
City of Winslow’s highest priorities. The Coopertown Bypass would improve truck access and safety by
removing trucks and other heavy vehicles from the Coopertown neighborhood.
Widening of the Williamson Avenue Underpass is the City’s preferred solution for improving north-south
access across the railroad. BNSF is open to the underpass improvement provided that its design
requirements for a shoofly track to detour the mainline during construction are met.
City of Winslow North-South Transportation Plan Executive Summary 5
Secondary Priorities
Secondary priorities include the Williamson Avenue Underpass, New West Winslow I-40 Traffic
Interchange, and the Leupp Traffic Interchange improvements. A new overpass connecting Transcon
Lane to Old Clear Creek Road or SR 99 would be a more cost effective solution for meeting the City’s
goals of improving north-south access compared to the Williamson Avenue Underpass. It would create
additional redundancy in Winslow’s transportation system by providing a third point of access and a
direct connection to I-40 at an existing traffic interchange. It would improve emergency access and
overall system performance.
Additional access to I-40 west of Winslow would support the City’s long term economic development
goals west of the airport. A potential new traffic interchange and railroad crossing two miles west of the
existing Hipkoe traffic interchange would provide direct access to this growth area. As growth occurs
over the long term, a new railroad crossing at the Leupp TI may also be warranted to accommodate
increased travel demand.
5.0 Recommended Road Improvements
Improvements have been identified in the Plan that maintain and enhance multimodal mobility and
safety. These recommended improvements are primarily based on input and suggestions from the
City, stakeholders, and existing plans.
Near-Term Priorities
Near-term priorities are identified in the City of Winslow five-year capital improvement plan and the
ADOT five-year work program. Funding had been identified for these improvements and construction
is planned. The Coopertown Bypass is considered a high priority and is recommended to be
implemented in the near-term. Near-term priority studies include a Transcon Lane Truck Access Study,
Route 66 Corridor/Access Study, East End Railroad Crossing Study, and a Hipkoe Drive Traffic
Interchange Traffic Operations Study. A new 2-lane road to connect Transcon Lane and Oak Road is
also recommended in the near-term and is included in the City’s capital improvement program.
Mid-Term Priorities
Mid-term priorities will be added to the City of Winslow’s five-year capital improvement program
during the next cycle of updates. Mid-term priorities for the City include the Bales Avenue connection,
realignment of Airport Road, and safety and operational improvements on key collector roads
including Williamson Avenue, North Park Drive, Berry Drive, and Hillview Street. In partnership with
the City, it is recommended that ADOT implements improvements to the Transcon Lane Traffic
Interchange and the Hipkoe Traffic Interchange.
Long-Term Priorities
Long-term priorities are planned improvements that have not yet been identified for funding, but are
next on the priority list. Long-term priorities identified include implementing the recommendations of
the East End Railroad Crossing Design Concept Study. This may be a grade-separated railroad
crossing at Transcon Lane or a widening of the existing Williamson Avenue underpass. The City
should partner with ADOT and land developers to establish new access from I-40 west of Winslow.
City of Winslow North-South Transportation Plan Executive Summary 6
Also, as traffic between Winslow and Payson grows, ADOT should evaluate the need for additional
passing lanes and shoulder improvements to maintain safe and efficient operations on SR 87.
Figure E.2, Road Improvement Needs, shows the recommended roadway improvements, along with
north-south railroad crossings. The Plan includes costs for these improvements. The construction of
these improvements depends on future population and employment growth, funding, and
environmental and engineering studies.
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2
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5
11
10
19
18
23
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9
4
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6 12
7
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1
16
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Mikes Pike
Hillview Street
Fleming Street
Berry Avenue
Williamson Avenue
Cottonwood Avenue
Airport Access Road
Coopertown Road
Mercury Lane
BVD Road
West Winslow
Industrial Spur
Maple Street
BNSF Railroad
Cherry Avenue
Bales Avenue
Desmond Street
North Road
Oak Road
Sunset Road
Hipkoe Drive
North Park Drive
Transcon Lane
Figure E.2 | Road Improvement Needs
Source: City of Winslow (2007), HDR (2011)
7
New corridor
Planned roadway improvements
Traffic interchange with railroad crossing
East End Railroad Crossing Study
Route 66 Corridor Study/Access Study
Hipkoe Drive Traffic Interchange Traffic Operations Study
Transcon Lane Truck Access Study
City boundary
Railroad
Leupp Traffic Interchange
LEUPP INTERCHANGE - SEE INSET
22
23
21
Miles
0 0.25
N
0.5
Miles
0 0.5
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0.25 1
Improvement Description
(cont below right)
ID
123456
789
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Coopertown Bypass-West Winslow Industrial Spur
Transcon Lane-Oak Road connection
East End Railroad Crossing Study
Route 66 Corridor Study/Access Study
Transcon Lane Truck Access Study
Hipkoe Drive Traffic Interchange (TI) Traffic
Operations Study
Bales Avenue connection
Airport Road realignment
North Park Drive/Berry Avenue improvements
Williamson Avenue (SR 87) underpass
Hillview Street from North Park Drive to
Williamson Avenue
Improvements at Hipkoe Drive and I-40
Route 66 access management
Transon Lane improvements
Transon Lane overpass
Williamson Avenue (SR 87) underpass
Improvement Description
(cont from left)
ID
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
SR 87 Winslow to Payson
New TI west of Winslow
Coopertown connection to new
West Winslow TI
South Winslow connection
Leupp TI railroad overpass
Leupp TI to Winslow access road
Leupp TI to southern Winslow
23
West Winslow TI
improvement
fronatage road
alignment
Leupp TI Winslow southern alignment
CITY OF WINSLOW NORTH-SOUTH TRANSPORTATION STUDY
April 16, 2012 | HDR
City of Winslow North-South Transportation Plan Executive Summary 8
6.0 Recommended Non-Motorized Improvements
Walking, bicycling, and transit are an important part of the Winslow transportation system. The 2008
ADOT Arizona Rural Transit Needs Study shows that Winslow has a significant population that could
benefit from a multimodal transportation system.
Public Transit
There is a growing unmet demand for transit services within the City of Winslow. The Plan
recommends a transit service to meet this growing need such as a demand responsive service that
operates a limited number of subscription services like scheduled daily or weekly trips to and from a
community/senior center or to a local destination such as a supermarket or Walmart.
The Plan also recommends that the City of Winslow participates in, and implements the
recommendations of, a regional transit feasibility study that examines the potential for connections
between Winslow and Holbrook and Winslow and Flagstaff. The opening of the new Navajo Nation
Casino at Twin Arrows in 2013 would create a new activity center that might improve the feasibility of
new regional service.
Non-Motorized Trail System
Several near-term sidewalk improvements have been identified in the City’s capital improvement
program. In addition to maintaining its existing sidewalks, the Plan recommends the City implement the
proposed trails and paths identified in Figure E.3.
Near-Term Priorities
Near-term priorities include sidewalk improvements on existing neighborhoods. The proposed historic
and heritage destination trail identified in the City of Winslow General Plan for Coopertown Road
should be implemented together with the Coopertown Bypass project. The City should begin planning
studies for a new west end pedestrian bridge across the BNSF tracks to improve pedestrian mobility
between the Hopi Tribe residential area on the West Winslow Industrial Spur and activity centers, such as
the Indian Health Care Center, in central Winslow.
Mid-Term Priorities
In the mid-term, the City should implement the west end pedestrian bridge across the BNSF. The
proposed historic and heritage destination trail to the airport identified in the City of Winslow General
Plan should be implemented together with the relocation of Airport Road.
Long-Term Priorities
Over the long-term, the City should complete the implementation of the trails and paths shown in
Figure E.3. The east end railroad crossing improvements will provide new pedestrian access across the
BNSF tracks.
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Future pedestrian
crossing, Priority 2
Future pedestrian
crossing, Priority 1
Miles
0 0.5
N
0.25 1
Mikes Pike
Hillview Street
Fleming Street
Berry Avenue
Williamson Avenue
Cottonwood Avenue
Airport Access Road
Coopertown Road
Mercury Lane
BVD Road
West Winslow
Industrial Spur
Maple Street
BNSF Railroad
Cherry Avenue
Bales Avenue
Desmond Street
North Road
Oak Road
Sunset Road
Hipkoe Drive
North Park Drive
Transcon Lane
Figure E.3 | City of Winslow Trails and Paths System
Source: ALRIS (2009), HDR (2011)
9
All weather surfaced trail: “Roadside” multiuse
Equestrian (hiking and mountain bike all terrain) trails
Historic and heritage destinations trails - existing
Historic and heritage destinations trails - proposed
Levee based trail
Trail of the Ancient Ones
Trail of the Ancient Ones (alternate)
Local service and links trails
Paved trails - all uses/users
Street or sidewalk based trail section
Proposed trail connections
City boundary Railroad
CITY OF WINSLOW NORTH-SOUTH TRANSPORTATION STUDY
April 16, 2012 | HDR
City of Winslow North-South Transportation Plan Executive Summary 10
7.0 Funding, Policies, and Guidelines
The Plan includes policies and guidelines needed to help implement the recommendations of this
transportation plan, along with potential funding mechanisms.
Typical Road Cross Sections
Recommended road cross sections for the
City were developed based on local
conditions and preferences, emergency
vehicle access requirements, cross section
standards for other Arizona cities, and
other sources. The Plan identifies typical
road cross sections that include sidewalks
and multi-use trails to support the
recommended path and trail system.
Access Management
Access management is the systematic
control, location, spacing, design, and
operation of driveways and street
connections, medians, median openings,
turn lanes, traffic signals, and
interchanges. The purpose is to provide
(or improve upon the existing) access to
land development while at the same time
preserving the constant flow of traffic on
surrounding roads, keeping crucial
factors such as speed, safety and
capacity needs in mind.
The City of Winslow does not have
access management plans or policies in
place. An access management plan for
Route 66 within the City limits was
recommended in the 2010 Navajo County Central Regional Transportation Study. The Plan outlines
the purposes of access management and recommends the City consider developing a comprehensive
access management plan.
Transportation Funding
In the current fiscal environment, the funding of significant transportation projects is complex and, in
most cases, requires multiple sources. In addition, transportation funding is dynamic and there is a
need to continuously monitor the existing sources and new sources that may become available as
state and federal legislation changes. Innovation has become the mainstay of successful
transportation funding. The Plan has identified and summarized a number of existing and potential
revenue sources for the City to consider in continuing to address its transportation needs.
The above image shows typical street sections for Minor streets,
Collector streets, and Arterial streets.
City of Winslow North-South Transportation Plan Executive Summary 11
8.0 Conclusion
The need for new facilities is predicated on the growth that is occurring within the City of Winslow, the
surrounding area, and the region as a whole. The factors that make the City of Winslow a desirable
place to live remain in place, and long-term it is expected that population and employment in the City
of Winslow and the region will continue to grow. By taking the recommendations as outlined in the
Plan, the City of Winslow will be prepared to meet the multimodal transportation demands of the next
generation.