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LARAMIE TRANSPORTATION STUDY IMPROVEMENT PLAN City of Laramie HDR Project Number: 51142 Prepared For: City of Laramie PO Box C Laramie, WY 82703 Prepared By: HDR Engineering, Inc. 19 Old Town Square, Suite 242 Fort Collins, CO 80524 December 11, 2007 ---PAGE BREAK--- Table of Contents Introduction 3 Study 3 Existing 5 Data Collection 5 Public Scoping Meeting 5 Traffic 5 Windshield Survey 5 Operations 7 Safety 9 Windshield Survey 10 12 16 Project Alternatives 16 Previously Considered Alternatives 16 Future-Year Analyses 18 Future-Year Traffic Projections 18 Future-Year Traffic Operations 18 Qualitative Analyses 20 Public 26 Public Scoping Meeting 26 Public Progress Meeting 26 City Council Meeting – Draft Plan 27 City Council Meeting – Final 28 Recommendations 29 Cost Estimates 29 List of Figures Figure I-1: Study Area 4 Figure II-1: Core Area Intersections 13 Figure II-2: Crash History 14 Figure II-3: Windshield Survey 15 Figure III-1: Project 17 Figure IV-1: Future-Year Daily Traffic Projections 22 Figure IV-2: Future-Year Traffic Operations 23 Figure IV-3: Historical Property Impacts 24 Figure IV-4: Evaluation Criteria Considerations 25 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Introduction The Laramie Transportation Study was initiated to recommend a preferred alignment for the replacement of the existing Clark Street viaduct. This viaduct, which spans the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) tracks and connects Laramie to West Laramie, is reaching the end of its design life. The physical constraints associated with Clark Street drove the City of Laramie (City) and the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) to launch an investigation into replacing the viaduct with a new structure in its existing location or along a new connection at Harney Street, located roughly one-third of a mile north of the existing roadway. As a result, the alternatives that were considered for this replacement include the existing Clark Street alignment, an alignment along Harney Street and both. The primary objective of this study is to provide the City and WYDOT with an unbiased evaluation of these alignment alternatives to assist the agencies in selecting a preferred alternative. The City procured and managed this study with only limited support from WYDOT. The City requested proposals from interested consultants and selected the HDR Engineering/Trihydro team to assist them with the execution of this project. For simplicity, the consortium of consultant and agency staff members will be referred to in this report as the “project team.” The Clark Street viaduct is a structure that is owned and maintained by WYDOT as it carries State Highway 230. This structure was built in 1963 and nearing the end of its design life. WYDOT has recently expressed concerns about the structural sufficiency of the bridge structure, characterizing it as structurally deficient and fracture critical. Collapse of the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis, recent to the date of this report, elevated the concerns about this bridge’s design life. The scope of this project included several opportunities for the project team to obtain input from and disseminate project progress information to the general public. These opportunities included two public meetings and two City Council meetings. The details of the public involvement plan will be discussed in the “Public Involvement” section of this report. Study Area The study area for this project is essentially defined by the Laramie city limits. A more detailed subset of the overall project area is referred to as the “core study area.” The overall study area and the core study area are shown on Figure I-1. The core study area was chosen as the area that will be directly affected by the replacement of the Clark Street viaduct. The core study area includes the central business district, a number of commercial and retail establishments in Laramie and West Laramie, and the University of Wyoming. Page 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Page 4 Figure I-1: Study Area ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Existing Conditions This section of the report discusses the findings of the existing conditions analyses. Much of this section was pulled from the “white paper” that was written following these analyses and presented to the public via the City’s website following the public scoping meeting. The white paper can be found in the appendix. Data Collection The first step of this project involved collecting data representative of existing conditions within the overall project area. This data collection effort included soliciting public input, gathering traffic data (such as traffic volumes, intersection characteristics and historical crash data) and conducting a windshield survey of the core and overall study areas. Public Scoping Meeting The public scoping meeting was held on Wednesday, November 1, 2006 to inform the community of the project and its intent and to gather the community’s input on the direction of the project. The meeting drew approximately 80 attendees and several comments were taken over the course of the meeting. In general, comments regarding this project were favorable and the overwhelming interest was in the schedule for building a new viaduct. Some public comments were received that included opinions on alignments. These comments were evenly divided between Clark Street and Harney Street. More information related to this meeting will be discussed in the “Public Involvement” section of this report. Traffic Data The City and WYDOT provided the traffic data that was required for this study. The data included existing traffic counts (including daily volumes and peak-hour turning movement volumes), signal timing information and recent crash records pertinent to the study area. HDR performed a field visit to obtain intersection and roadway characteristics, including lane configurations of those intersections within the study area, approach grades, on-street parking and posted speed limits. Windshield Survey HDR and the City performed the windshield survey on Thursday and Friday, December 7th and 8th, 2006. These dates were chosen so that the survey occurred while the University of Wyoming was in session, thus experiencing the typical higher demand traffic volumes that the City experiences. The windshield survey was conducted to observe the operations and traffic flow characteristics within the project area. The observation focused on operations along 3rd Street, between Clark Street and Grand Avenue; Snowy Range Road at Adams Street; Grand Avenue, between 3rd Street and 15th Street; and at the 15th Street and Ivinson Street intersection. Of those traffic flow characteristics that were observed, queuing at critical intersections and the interaction between pedestrian flows and vehicular traffic were most notable. Page 5 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Queuing: The most significant traffic flow characteristic that was noted during the windshield survey was queuing at critical intersections throughout the study area. These intersections included 3rd Street and Clark Street, 3rd Street and Grand Avenue, and Snowy Range Road and Adams Street. Queuing at 3rd Street and Clark Street was most pronounced along the eastbound approach of Clark Street to 3rd Street during the PM peak hour. Observations during the study showed that this queuing extends to the top of the viaduct, although anecdotal information suggests that this queuing often extends close to Cedar Street, which is located more than ¼-mile west of 3rd Street. This intersection also experiences significant queuing along the northbound approach of 3rd Street to Clark Street. This queuing has been known to extend several blocks to the south during both peak hours, although queuing during the survey extended only past Fremont Street (one block south of Clark Street). Less notable queuing in the PM peak hour occurred along the other two approaches. Queuing occurs as a direct result of one or more traffic movements operating above capacity. In the case of the 3rd Street and Clark Street intersection, the most notable movements that operate above capacity include the eastbound right-turn movement and the northbound left-turn movement. Recent traffic signal timing modifications have included the installation of left-turn phasing for the eastbound and northbound approaches. While this may have alleviated some of the queuing associated with these two approaches, the addition of these two phases resulted in the reduction in available capacity to the other two approaches. This reduction in capacity of the other two approaches has caused the queuing that was noted during the windshield survey. Queuing at the 3rd Street and Grand Avenue intersection was less pronounced than that of 3rd Street and Clark Street, but was still significant. The greatest queuing occurred along the southbound approach of 3rd Street to Grand Avenue during the AM peak hour. This queue extended to Ivinson Street (one block to the north of Grand Avenue), although anecdotal evidence suggests that this queue will often extend at least one more block to the north and can also occur during the PM peak hour. Some queuing also occurred along the westbound approach as a result of the high westbound right-turn movement, but queues did not reach even one block. The signal timing at 3rd Street and Grand Avenue includes only two phases (one for all north-south movements and one for all east-west movements) and, as such, does not include a left-turn phase for the southbound approach. It is quite possible that the queuing for the southbound approach could be worse if the eastbound right-turn traffic, from Clark Street to 3rd Street, had more capacity; the restricted capacity of 3rd Street and Clark Street could actually be benefiting the operations at 3rd Street and Grand Avenue. Incidentally, between the time that this study was performed and the time that this report was written, a left-turn phase was added for the southbound 3rd Street approach to Grand Avenue. Queuing at the Snowy Range Road and Adams Street intersection was very significant, particularly for the northbound and westbound approaches. WyoTech, a technical college, is located south and west of this intersection and generates a majority of the traffic that uses this intersection. After classes, high volumes of traffic travel north along Adams Street from WyoTech, destined for Laramie; the Page 6 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct reverse is true before classes. The result is an over-taxation of the available capacity of this two-way, stop-controlled intersection. The greatest queue is often the northbound right-turn queue along Adams Street at Snowy Range Road. The queuing for the westbound left-turn from Snowy Range Road onto Adams Street is generally less, though it poses a greater hazard than the northbound right-turn queue. Observations during the windshield survey confirmed the of these two queues. As noted above, it is the westbound left-turn queue that poses the greater safety hazard. This is due to the minimal spacing between this intersection and the eastbound/southbound ramp terminal of the I-80 interchange; this intersection spacing is not more than 150 feet. As a result, the queue from Adams Street often extends into the ramp intersection, thus compromising the operations of the interchange. Vehicle/Pedestrian Conflicts: The most notable vehicle/pedestrian conflicts occurred at the 15th Street and Ivinson Street intersection. There is also a fair amount of pedestrian traffic crossing Grand Avenue adjacent to the University of Wyoming (from 9th Street to 22nd Street). Little pedestrian activity was noted along 3rd Street and Grand Avenue, within the downtown area, but that could be due to the fact that the windshield survey was conducted in December, rather than during warmer months of the year. The intersection of 15th Street and Ivinson Street is signalized and includes an all- pedestrian phase, whereby vehicular traffic along both streets must yield to pedestrian traffic crossing diagonally through the intersection. Although no crashes were witnessed during the survey, anecdotal information suggests that conflicts often occur between these two modes of travel at this intersection. Operations Analysis To gain an understanding of the existing traffic patterns and intersection operations in the study area, an analysis was conducted for the following intersections: Core Study Area Intersections 1. Harney St/McCue St (future intersection) 2. Snowy Range Rd/McCue St (future intersection) 3. U.S. 287 (3rd St)/Harney St 4. 3rd St/Clark St 5. 3rd St/Grand Avenue 6. Harney St/9th St 7. Clark St/9th St 8. Grand Ave/9th St 9. Clark St/Cedar St Overall (or Planning-Area) Intersections 1. Snowy Range Rd/Pierce St 2. Curtis St/Pierce St 3. I-80 SB off-ramp/Snowy Range Rd 4. I-80 NB off-ramp/Snowy Range Rd 5. I-80 SB off-ramp/Curtis St 6. I-80 NB off-ramp/Curtis St 7. U.S. 287/Curtis St Page 7 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct 8. Reynolds St/15th St 9. Harney St/15th St 10. Grand Ave/15th St 11. Reynolds St/30th St 12. Harney St/30th St 13. Grand Ave/30th St The intersections identified are considered the critical intersections within the core and the overall study areas. These intersections are shown on the map in Figure II-1. Traffic operations were evaluated for this project using software. This software evaluated signalized and unsignalized intersections in conformance with the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) procedures, as is industry standard. To perform the analysis, a network was developed matching the field data and conditions observed. Development of the network was performed by coding into the network the existing geometrics (number and type of approach lanes), traffic control conditions (timing and phasing for signalized intersections) and traffic volumes for each study intersection. The results of the operations analysis were obtained from the HCM output report. Level of Service The capacity of an intersection is measured by how well it operates and is expressed in terms of levels of service (LOS). LOS is a qualitative measure of intersection functionality that is based on average delay experienced by all or some movements at an intersection. Levels of service range from LOS A to LOS F, where LOS A describes a free-flow condition with little to no delay, while LOS F describes an unstable breakdown flow with very high levels of delay. Different scales are used for measuring the delay at signalized versus unsignalized intersections and both are based on the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM). Signalized intersections are given an LOS grade based on overall functionality of the intersection, whereas unsignalized intersections are graded based on the movement that suffers the most delay, otherwise known as the critical movement (i.e. a left-turning movement from a minor street onto a major street). The levels of service resulting from the operations analysis of the core study area are shown in Table II-1. Table II-1 – Existing Levels of Service Intersection AM Delay (sec.) PM Delay (sec.) 3rd Street & Harney Street B 14.6 B 17.2 9th Street & Harney Street A 9.9 B 11.5 Clark Street & Cedar Street B 12.5 A 9.8 3rd Street & Clark Street B 19.8 D 44.0 9th Street & Clark Street* B 12.6 (EB/RL) C 16.3 (EB/RL) 3rd Street & Grand Avenue A 8.4 B 11.9 9th Street & Grand Avenue B 14.6 B 19.7 *Unsignalized intersection; delay is based on the eastbound approach, which is controlled by a STOP sign. As can be seen in the table, during the morning peak hour, all intersections are operating at LOS B or better. During the evening peak hour, most of the core area Page 8 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct intersections were found to be operating at LOS C or better, with the exception of the 3rd Street/Clark Street intersection. The 3rd Street/Clark Street intersection operates at LOS D in the PM peak hour due to oversaturated conditions and resulting high levels of delay experienced by the eastbound approach. More than half of the eastbound vehicles on the viaduct are attempting to use a shared through/left-turn lane, which results in excessive queuing and the inability of all vehicles to be serviced in one cycle of the signal. The minimum acceptable level of service for the city of Laramie is LOS C, therefore, it was determined that the 3rd Street/Clark Street intersection functions at an unacceptable level of service during the evening peak hour. All other intersections in the core study area are functioning at acceptable levels of service. Safety Analysis Crash data, provided by WYDOT, were reviewed to determine which intersections or roadway segments may have safety concerns that need to be addressed. The crash data associated with the core area roads and intersections were the focus of the existing conditions analysis. The most recent records obtained were those that occurred between January 2003 and July 2006. A summary of findings is illustrated on Figure II-2. The crash data provided by WYDOT can be found in the appendix. It should be noted that there was no data provided for any roadway segment or intersection along Clark Street, east of 3rd Street. In addition, crash records provided for the 9th Street corridor did not include sufficient information to determine along which roadway segment each crash occurred. Therefore, the locations of “non-intersection related” crashes could not be accurately identified and, thus, were not included in the tally. Segment Evaluation Crash rates are a critical component of evaluating safety at an intersection and along a roadway. It is common to calculate the crash rate for a given intersection or roadway segment and compare that rate to a citywide or statewide average. This study performed this comparison analysis for each roadway within the core study area, comparing calculated rates with that of the average crash rates for an urban principal arterial or minor arterial as provided by WYDOT. For Wyoming, the statewide crash rates, based on corresponding functional classification of roadways, is between 3.08 and 3.71. Crash rates are calculated using the number of crashes, daily traffic volumes and, for roadway link calculations, length of the roadway. This formula was used for the roadways within the study area and the resultant crash rates are summarized in Table II-2. Each of the links presented in this table was found to have a crash rate that is above the average statewide crash rate, with the exception of the stretch of Clark Street between Cedar Street and 3rd Street (the only core area roadway not included in this table is Clark Street, from 3rd Street to 9th Street). The crash records indicate that nearly one-quarter of reported crashes resulted in injury, and the rest involved property damage only (there were no fatalities). Page 9 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Table II-2 – Crash Rate Summary Roadway Links 2003 2004 2005 2006 3rd Street Grand Ave to Clark St 8.21 15.59 12.71 4.49 Clark St to Harney St 5.87 8.40 10.32 8.72 9th Street Grand Ave to Clark St 7.16 15.45 6.85 4.60 Clark St to Harney St 7.85 9.83 15.97 3.57 Harney Street 3rd St to 9th St 5.97 8.21 8.06 3.90 Clark Street Cedar St to 3rd St 3.07 3.50 1.96 2.48 Grand Avenue 3rd St to 9th St 9.58 12.24 7.37 7.00 NOTE: blue highlight denotes rates that exceed statewide averages Intersection Evaluation In addition to these roadway links, crashes were summarized for each intersection within the core area, including the seven existing intersections listed on Page 7. Crash rates were calculated for these intersections, all of which are signalized, but those rates were not compared to statewide averages because WYDOT does not maintain average crash rates for intersections. The calculated crash rates for all seven intersections over the four study years showed that only two intersections experienced a crash rate below 2.00. Although WYDOT does not maintain an average crash rate for signalized intersections, it is reasonable to compare these rates with those in the City of Fort Collins. Laramie and Fort Collins are college towns with a vibrant downtown atmosphere close to their college campuses, so similarities were drawn. The City of Fort Collins average crash rate for signalized intersections in 2005 was 1.148, with roughly 15 percent of all signalized intersections experiencing a crash rate in excess of 2.00. Assuming this to be a viable comparison, one could conclude that the City of Laramie’s intersection crash rates exceed comparable averages. Crash Type Evaluation A majority of the crashes that occurred were either rear-end or right-angle crashes. These crashes are typical intersection-related crashes. Intersections, however, include more than street/street crossings. Intersections also include driveway accesses and other curb cuts that are located between street/street intersections. The relatively high number of business accesses and the peak hour congestion experienced along 3rd Street and Grand Avenue could explain the high crash rates noted above. The same could be said for Harney Street, which contains frequent business and residential access from 3rd Street to 9th Street. Windshield Survey The findings of the windshield survey include support for the operations analysis results and some observations regarding the results of the safety analysis. A summary of these findings can be found on Figure II-3. Page 10 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Many observations were made that lend support to the results of the operations analysis: ¾ 3rd Street/Clark Street i. Queuing along eastbound Clark Street at 3rd Street can extend to the top of the bridge (and beyond) and result in traffic having to wait through several cycles to pass through the intersection ii. The lack of a left-turn lane along both 3rd Street approaches to Clark Street often results in significant queues; northbound queues result from heavy left-turn volumes, while southbound queues result from the limited green time iii. The westbound approach can experience significant queuing in the PM peak hour due to the high volumes on the eastbound approach consuming much of the east-west green time ¾ The intersection of 3rd Street/Grand Avenue can experience queuing in the PM peak hour, with significant volumes traveling from Clark Street and southbound 3rd onto eastbound Grand; it is worth noting that, between the time that this study was performed and the time that this report was written, a left-turn phase was added for the southbound 3rd Street approach to Grand Avenue ¾ Outside of the core area, the Snowy Range Road/Adams Street intersection can experience significant queuing during both peak hours: i. Students heading to WyoTech for classes can cause the westbound left-turn lane to queue into and beyond the I-80 southbound ramp intersection; this leaves little capacity for northbound left turns at this two-way, stop-controlled intersection ii. Students leaving WyoTech after class can cause significant queues on northbound Adams Street, blocking access to businesses on both sides of Adams ¾ Although operations were not recorded in the table, the 15th Street/Ivinson Street intersection functions well; the use of the all-pedestrian phase is well understood and honored by vehicular and pedestrian traffic The windshield survey also revealed some items of interest in relation to the safety analysis: ¾ Virtually every intersection in the study areas contains small intersection return radii, resulting in slower turning movements; this could contribute to the recorded right-turn crashes and some of the rear end crashes ¾ The limited presence of left-turn phases at signals and the permitted mid- block left turns could contribute to the recorded left-turn crashes ¾ The westbound queuing conditions noted above at the Snowy Range Road/Adams Street intersection could cause significant safety concerns, given that queues extend from one intersection into and through another These observations lend support to the results of the operations and safety analyses described in this section. Page 11 ---PAGE BREAK--- L C aramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 lark Street Viaduct Page 12 Conclusions The citizens of Laramie are not only interested in this project, but they are very supportive of seeing a new viaduct built. This was evidenced by attendance at the public meeting held in November 2006, as well as the number of written and verbal comments that have been received regarding this project. Public support for constructing a new viaduct at Harney Street versus maintaining the alignment along Clark Street is nearly equal. A review of existing conditions for the core area shows that, in general, all study intersections are operating at acceptable levels of service for the AM and PM peak hours, with the exception being the 3rd Street/Clark Street intersection, which was found to operate at an unacceptable LOS D in the PM peak hour. This is due to excessive queuing and delays experienced for the eastbound approach volumes, which was also observed during the windshield survey. Crash data supplied by WYDOT shows that the number of crashes recorded along core area roadway links in the last three and a half years has resulted in crash rates that are higher than the statewide average on almost every roadway within the core area. Although none of the crashes included fatalities, it is certainly of concern that the crash rates exceed the comparable statewide average rates. The greatest number of reported crashes was found to have occurred along 3rd Street, between Clark Street and Grand Avenue. ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Page 13 Figure II-1: Core Area Intersections ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Page 14 Figure II-2: Crash History ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Page 15 Figure II-3: Windshield Survey ---PAGE BREAK--- L C aramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 lark Street Viaduct Page 16 Alternatives This section of the report illustrates the alternatives that were analyzed in this project. There is also a brief narrative on other alternatives that have been considered over the years that the replacement of the Clark Street viaduct has been considered. Project Alternatives As mentioned previously, three alternatives were considered for the replacement of the Clark Street viaduct. These alternatives included a new structure along the Harney Street alignment, a replacement structure along Clark Street and both. These alternatives are displayed graphically in Figure III-1. Harney Street Alignment: The alignment of this alternative extended from Snowy Range Road to 3rd Street, as shown in Figure III-1. The specifics of this alignment were not significant to evaluating the traffic impacts in accordance with the scope of this project, so those details were left for the evaluation during the environmental study and the preliminary design. Given the shortage of specifics related to the alignment, one should not interpret the figure as an illustration of potential right-of- way requirements for this alternative. Clark Street Alignment: The alignment of this alternative included the existing alignment of Clark Street, as shown in the figure. The alternative that considered both alignments assumed that the Harney Street alignment would connect to Snowy Range Road. In addition to the alternatives for replacing the viaduct, this study considered the potential to convert the US 287 alignment from a two-way street along 3rd Street to one-way couplets along 3rd Street (southbound) and 4th Street (northbound). Previously Considered Alternatives The City and WYDOT have investigated the replacement of the Clark Street viaduct for many years. Through this time, more than a dozen alignment alternatives have been considered, ranging from Harney Street on the north to Russell Street on the south. The most recent study effort of this kind occurred in 2004 when WYDOT developed the “Major Street and Highway System Report, 2004.” This report details the five alternatives that it considered, including: ¾ Lewis and Clark two-way viaducts ¾ Lewis and Clark one-way viaducts ¾ Harney Street viaduct ¾ Grand Avenue viaduct ¾ Sheridan Avenue viaduct Similar to predecessor studies, this report details capacity analyses results for each alternative and the pros and cons of each. One-way couplet alternatives sought to ease traffic congestion, increase capacity and reduce construction impacts, while two-way viaduct alternatives sought to minimize structure costs while providing necessary roadway capacity. ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Page 17 Figure III-1: Project Alternatives ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Future-Year Analyses This section of the report details the future-year technical analysis of each alternative. The elements of this analysis include several quantitative analyses, such as roadway capacity and intersection operations, and such qualitative analyses as safety, historical property impacts, business access, regional connectivity and constructability. Future-Year Traffic Projections The basis for future-year traffic operations was future-year traffic volume projections taken from WYDOT’s travel demand model. City staff worked with WYDOT travel demand modelers to ensure that the model included an appropriate roadway network and an accurate socio-economic data set for the city. This effort included the City’s review of both elements of the model and recommendations for modifications to match current City planning. WYDOT was then provided the alternatives to be analyzed and they ran the model accordingly. The results of each model run were provided to the consultant team. Future-year daily traffic projections can be found in Figure IV-1. Future-Year Traffic Operations An analysis of future-year operations was performed for the intersections within the study area. Future-year traffic volumes were estimated for all three alternatives using existing turning movement volumes, where applicable, and future-year roadway link volumes taken from the model output. These volumes were analyzed in the same manner as the existing volumes and the results were provided to the general public at the May 23, 2007 public meeting. A comparison of traffic operations at six intersections was performed and the results are summarized on Figure IV-2. These six intersections included three intersections along 3rd Street at Grand Avenue, Clark Street, and Harney Street; and three intersections along 9th Street at Grand Avenue, Clark Street and Harney Street. These intersections were chosen because the change in operations, as compared between the alternatives, would be the most pronounced at these locations. For the Clark Street alternative, the analysis showed that three of the six intersections would operate at LOS D or worse. These intersections include 3rd Street and Clark Street, 3rd Street and Grand Avenue, and 9th Street and Clark Street. Each leg of the 3rd Street and Clark Street intersection would suffer undue delay and failing levels of service. This can be attributed to insufficient capacity along 3rd Street, primarily related to the lack of left-turn storage for the northbound movement. The result is an over-dedication of green time to the northbound approach, resulting in insufficient capacity for the remainder of the intersection. The intersection of 3rd Street and Grand Avenue has similar failings, although less pronounced. The lack of a southbound left-turn lane causes deficiencies in the system, resulting in lower levels of service. The intersection of 9th Street and Clark Street would suffer a failing level of service. Traffic volumes could be great enough, however, to signalize this intersection or convert this to a roundabout, either of which could result in acceptable levels of service. Page 18 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct By comparison, only the 9th Street and Clark Street intersection would function poorly for the Harney Street alternative. As noted above, volumes would likely warrant a signal or roundabout to be installed here, which would result in acceptable levels of service. Future-year traffic operations would be improved in the one-way couplet alternatives as compared to leaving US 287 solely on 3rd Street. This is due to the fact that moving northbound traffic from 3rd Street to 4th Street would leave enough capacity at the 3rd Street intersections to accommodate the projected traffic. In the Clark Street alternative, the 3rd Street and Clark Street intersection would operate at LOS D, which is below the minimum acceptable level of service, but this would still represent a much better condition as compared to the Clark Street alternative with two-way traffic on 3rd Street. Overall, traffic operations were improved for the Harney Street alternative as compared to the Clark Street alternative. This can be primarily attributed to two factors, including diverted traffic and intersection geometrics: ¾ Diverted traffic – In the Harney Street alternative, approximately 3,000 fewer vehicles would use the viaduct to travel between Laramie and West Laramie, as compared to the Clark Street alternative. The model shows that these trips would be better served using Interstate 80 between the Snowy Range Road and US 287 interchanges rather than using Harney Street. ¾ Intersection geometrics – In the Harney Street alternative, the viaduct connection to US 287/3rd Street would occur at an intersection with more capacity as compared to Clark Street, primarily due to the presence of left turn lanes on 3rd Street at Harney Street. In summary, traffic operations would be improved for the Harney Street alternative, as compared to the Clark Street alternative, due to less traffic and increased intersection capacity. The analysis showed that many other intersections in town would function at LOS E or LOS F during peak hours, but this would be the case for both alternatives. These intersections would include several along Curtis Street, Reynolds Street, Snowy Range Road and Grand Avenue. Improvement to these intersections falls outside of the purview of this project, but the City should monitor operations as development occurs and traffic volumes increase at/near these intersections to determine if and when improvements should be made. Future-Year Roadway Capacity: As discussed above, the travel demand model projected future-year, daily traffic volumes for each roadway within the city’s roadway network. These projections included 21,000 vehicles over the viaduct for the Clark Street alternative and 18,000 vehicles for the Harney Street alternative. Additionally, traffic volumes along Harney Street, with the viaduct at Harney Street, would incrementally decrease from 18,000 to 8,000 while traveling east to 30th Street. The traffic volumes across either viaduct alternative indicate a need for four lanes over the new bridge, regardless of alignment. However, for the Harney Street alternative, the future-year volumes along Harney Street, east of 3rd Street, suggest that widening from the existing two-lane section to a four-lane section may Page 19 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct not be necessary. The future-year operations analysis confirms that the Harney Street alternative would function acceptably with just two lanes along East Harney Street. However, given the regional nature of this connection and the chance for increased east-west travel in this area, it would be wise for the City to plan for four lanes along Harney Street, east of 3rd Street, at some point in the future. Qualitative Analyses Several criteria were evaluated on a qualitative basis, including safety, historic building impacts, business access, regional connectivity and constructability. Safety: The safety analysis revealed that every roadway link within the study area experienced above-average crash rates during the study years of 2003 through 2006. The majority of crashes were either rear-end crashes or right-angle crashes, with many right-angle crashes involving left turns. Rear-end and right-angle crashes are common in urban areas with high congestion. Due to the resultant slight reduction in traffic along the viaduct, relocating the viaduct to Harney Street could have a positive effect on crash occurrence along 3rd Street and Grand Avenue. However, the increased traffic along Harney Street, east of 3rd Street, could increase crash occurrence along Harney Street. A detailed evaluation of safety conditions should be performed with the analysis and design phase of a new viaduct at Harney Street. Historic Building Impacts: The State Historic Preservation Office of WYDOT provided a preliminary analysis of the potential impacts of both alternatives to known historic buildings or buildings that could be eligible for registry. The envelope of each alternative would likely impact several buildings, none of which are on the historic registry. The buildings that would be impacted by the Clark Street alternative are old enough to be considered for the registry, but it is likely that only half a dozen or so of these buildings would meet other criteria for eligibility. For the Harney Street alternative, several buildings are old enough to be considered for the registry, but it is unlikely that any of these structures would meet other criteria for eligibility. As such, the Harney Street alignment would impact fewer buildings that could be considered historic than the Clark Street alignment. A summary of historic building impacts can be found on Figure IV-3. Business Access: A review of impacts to business access focused on how well each alternative would service existing business centers. The Clark Street alternative maintains the status quo, connecting West Laramie with 3rd Street on the north side of downtown and within four blocks of Grand Avenue, which is the primary retail corridor and access to the University of Wyoming. The Harney Street alternative would relocate West Laramie traffic one-quarter mile to the north, increasing the distance to be traveled to downtown and Grand Avenue. As such, the Clark Street could be considered to provide closer access to downtown and Grand Avenue. Regional Connectivity: Regional connectivity speaks to the effectiveness of each alternative as it relates to how well traffic can travel from one part of town to the other. The Clark Street alternative offers little in the way of regional connectivity, Page 20 ---PAGE BREAK--- L C aramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 lark Street Viaduct Page 21 primarily due to the proximity of the University and the fact that Clark Street dead ends at the campus. Effectively, Clark Street ends at 3rd Street, as more than 90 percent of traffic that travels along Clark Street on the viaduct does not use Clark Street east of 3rd Street. Conversely, Harney Street extends east of 3rd Street to 30th Street and beyond, providing an east-west connection of regional significance. As such, the Harney Street alignment would offer greater benefits from a regional connectivity perspective. Constructability: The primary factor related to constructability is the handling of vehicular traffic during construction. Train traffic could be impacted differently for each alternative, but likely not to the degree that vehicular traffic would be impacted. The Clark Street alternative would require an extensive traffic control plan because this alignment would be along the existing alignment. The new structure would have to be constructed under traffic or Clark Street would have to be closed during construction. The Harney Street alternative could be constructed without impact to traffic because the alignment doesn’t exist. As such, the Harney Street alternative would offer significantly reduced construction impacts to vehicular traffic as compared to the Clark Street alternative. A summary of these evaluation criteria is provided in Figure IV-4. ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Page 22 Figure IV-1: Future-Year Daily Traffic Projections ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Figure IV-2: Future-Year Traffic Operations Page 23 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Figure IV-3: Historical Property Impacts Page 24 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Page 25 Figure IV-4: Evaluation Criteria Considerations ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Public Involvement This project followed a deliberate public involvement plan that was geared towards maximizing public input at critical stages throughout the project. This section of the report details this public involvement plan and the outcome of each meeting. Public Scoping Meeting The first step in this project was the public scoping meeting. The intent of this meeting was to inform the public that this project was being undertaken and to get input from the public on project direction as it relates to critical issues related to each alternative. The public scoping meeting was held on November 1, 2006 at the Albany County Public Library on Grand Avenue. The meeting was very well attended, with a recorded attendance of 80 members of the public. The format of the meeting was an open house where attendees could peruse the boards, ask questions of the project team members, offer ideas and suggestions related to project direction, and formally submit comments via provided questionnaires/comment sheets. Comments could be submitted to the project team at the meeting or via mail or fax for a period of two weeks following the meeting. A total of 50 comments were received. All comments that were recorded or received at the meeting or via mail or fax were compiled into a public comment summary memorandum, which can be found in the appendix of this report. This memorandum details that there were many comments in favor of and opposed to both alternatives. Some of the primary issues included: ¾ Residential impacts related to the Harney alternative ¾ Construction impacts ¾ Congestion ¾ Safety ¾ Costs ¾ Business impacts It is important to note that the project team did not perform any level of analysis prior to the public scoping meeting. It was critical that this project be presented to the public prior to any work having been performed to ensure that the project team did not establish any bias towards either alternative prior to receiving public input. Public Progress Meeting Following significant progress on the technical analysis of each alternative, the project team met with the public to present this data and to obtain feedback on these findings. This meeting was held on May 23, 2007 at the Albany County Public Library. Attendance was again very positive with nearly 100 recorded attendees, including Planning Commission members and members of the City Council. The format of the meeting included a formal presentation roughly midway through the meeting and an open house format where attendees could peruse the boards and meet with project team members. Page 26 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct In kind with the first meeting, comments could be submitted to the project team at the meeting, via mail or via fax for a period of two weeks following the meeting. A total of 30 comments were received. All comments that were recorded or received at the meeting, via mail or via fax were compiled into a public comment summary memorandum, which can be found in the appendix of this report. Comments received at the progress meeting seemed to indicate greater support for the Harney Street alternative than for the Clark Street alternative. Some of the primary reasons given for this support included: ¾ Better connectivity between eastern and western parts of town ¾ Better solution for existing traffic flow issues ¾ Less congestion ¾ Fewer buildings impacted by structure ¾ Less invasive construction of new bridge The project team was very deliberate in its effort to not draw any conclusions towards a preferred alternative prior to this progress meeting. The technical data generally favored the Harney Street alternative, but the project team expressed that decisions of this magnitude are not made purely on technical data; public input is critical in selecting a preferred alternative. The combination of technical data and public input being generally in favor of the Harney Street alternative provided sufficient support for the Harney Street alternative to be carried forward. However, there was notable support for maintaining the Clark Street alignment as a local connector between downtown and a section of the historic part of Laramie known as the Westside Neighborhood. Elimination of the Clark Street viaduct would effectively bisect historic Laramie between Westside and downtown and a local connection was seen as favorable. It should also be noted that this study included a review of the potential to convert US 287 from its two-way configuration along 3rd Street to a one-way couplet along 3rd and 4th Streets. The opinions that were offered were mostly negative, citing the concern of relocating northbound traffic one more block away from downtown businesses. WYDOT has also expressed concern with the idea of taking on more lane miles of maintenance. One positive comment about this proposal focused on the expansion of downtown as a result of this conversion and the improvement that this conversion would have on the comfort of pedestrian traffic crossing 3rd Street. Today, 3rd Street is seen as a “pedestrian mobility barrier” for getting pedestrians from one side of the street to the other. Given the concerns about pushing northbound traffic one block further from downtown and the concerns that were raised by WYDOT, the one-way US 287 couplet alternative was not recommended. City Council Meeting – Draft Plan The project team met with the City Council on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 to present the material that was presented to the public at the progress meeting on May 23rd and to present the project team’s recommendation. It was intended that this information would help the Council decide whether or not to support the project team’s recommendation. Page 27 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct The project team presented the same PowerPoint presentation that was shown to the public on the 23rd. This included a recap of the existing conditions analyses, a review of the public comments received at the public scoping meeting, a description of the future-year analyses that were performed, an evaluation of the alternatives analysis, and a summary of public input from the public meeting on the 23rd. The project team also made known its recommendation of Harney Street as the preferred alternative. Following the presentation, the Council asked questions of the project team and took input from members of the public who were in attendance. Members of the Council discussed the presentation and their thoughts on the project. Many of the Councilors were in support of the project team’s recommendation, while others expressed eagerness to simply make a decision and move on, regardless of their level of support for the recommendation. In general, the Council seemed to be in favor of accepting the project team’s recommendation. City Council Meeting – Final Recommendation The project team met with the City Council on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 to present the final recommendation and to request City Council’s endorsement of the recommendation. Many members of the public attended the meeting, including a consortium of Harney Street residents who adamantly opposed the Harney Street alignment. After requesting additional input from the project team, the Council approved a motion to move forward with a new structure at Harney Street, with the condition that the City and WYDOT agree on the disposition of the Clark Street viaduct. Page 28 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Recommendations The project team developed a preferred alternative recommendation based on the technical data and public input gathered throughout the project process. The primary goal of the Laramie Transportation Study was for the consultant team to work with City staff to analyze three alternatives for the replacement of the Clark Street viaduct and recommend a preferred alternative. Given the results of the analyses performed and the comments received from the public, it was recommended that the City Council allow WYDOT to construct a new bridge along the Harney Street alignment. In addition, there was significant public support for the rehabilitation or replacement of the Clark Street bridge to serve as a local connection between the Westside Neighborhood and downtown Laramie. In response to this sentiment, it was also recommended that City Council explore funding opportunities to rehabilitate or replace the Clark Street bridge to serve vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Cost Estimates This section of the report documents the consultant team’s conceptual-level cost estimates for two alternatives for the construction of the preferred alternative. Introduction Through discussions with the public, City staff and the City Council, two alignment alternatives were considered for connecting Harney Street to the west of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, including: ¾ Alternative One: a connection to Snowy Range Road through the existing Laramie River bridge; and, ¾ Alternative Two: a connection to McCue Street and State Highway 130 along the abandoned bed of the east-west WyoColo Railroad line (Madison Street corridor). Cost estimates were developed from conceptual alignment sketches and do not include consideration of environmental impacts, right-of-way and land acquisition needs, or other impacts. Estimates were based on “big ticket items” and unit costs associated with each. Unit costs were taken from WYDOT’s weighted bid tabulations and inflated 6 percent over a four-year period, assuming construction in 2011. Other costs were included as a percentage of the total construction cost estimate. These include preliminary and construction engineering fees at 10 percent each and a contingency of 15 percent. The development of cost estimates for this project does not include a cost estimate for the rehabilitation or replacement of the Clark Street viaduct for use as a local connector. That estimate, should the City Council agree to pursue the concept, should be developed through a separate effort. Assumptions The “big ticket items” referenced above as part of conceptual-level cost estimates for the two alternatives include the roadway elements and the bridge elements. Page 29 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Roadway: The roadway elements were separated into four segments to highlight the costs for each, with the first segment being common to both alternatives. The roadway segments are listed below: ¾ Segment A: Harney Street from 3rd Street intersection to the old WyoColo railbed (common to both alternatives) ¾ Segment B: Old WyoColo railbed to Snowy Range Road through the existing Laramie River bridge ¾ Segment C: Old WyoColo railbed to McCue Street ¾ Segment D: McCue Street to Wyoming State Highway 130 Alternative One includes segments A and B. Alternative Two includes segments A, C and D. The City’s standard typical section detail drawing for an arterial street and a collector street were utilized to quantify expensive construction items such as hot plant mix, crushed base, subbase, curb and gutter and sidewalks. The arterial section was used for roadway segments A, B and C. A collector street section was used for roadway segment D, mainly to provide a roadway width that will fit under the existing Interstate 80 viaduct. Bridge: The bridge elements included a new structure over the UPRR tracks at Harney Street at a bridge length of 1,300 feet. For Alternative One, the estimate included costs for the widening of the existing bridge over the Laramie River. For Alternative Two, the estimate included costs for a new structure over the Laramie River. All bridge estimates were determined on a cost per square foot basis, using relevant recent experience. For all the structures, a four-lane section with an overall bridge deck width of 75 feet was assumed. Cost Estimate Summary Based on the assumptions described above, conceptual-level cost estimates were developed for both alternatives: Alternative One: Harney Street with connection to Snowy Range Road, through the existing Laramie River Bridge ¾ Segment A (common to both alternatives): $12.4 M o Roadway: $3.6 M o Structure over UPRR: $8.5 M o Clark Street Viaduct Demolition: $0.3 M ¾ Segment B: $1.37 M o Roadway: $0.9 M o Widened Structure over Laramie River: $0.47 M ¾ Engineering, Inflation, & Contingencies: $9.6 M Total: $23.4 M Page 30 ---PAGE BREAK--- Laramie Transportation Study December 11, 2007 Clark Street Viaduct Alternative Two: Harney Street with connection to McCue Street and State Highway 130 along the abandoned bed of the east-west WyoColo Railroad line (Madison Street corridor) ¾ Segment A (common to both alternatives): $12.4 M o Roadway: $3.6 M o Structure over UPRR: $8.5 M o Clark Street Viaduct Demolition: $0.3 M ¾ Segment C: $2.85 M o Roadway: $2.0 M o New Structure over Laramie River: $0.85 M ¾ Segment D: $3.4 M ¾ Engineering, Inflation, & Contingencies: $13.0 M Total: $31.6 M Selection of a preferred design alternative and refinement of the associated cost estimate should occur during the environmental assessment and preliminary design phase. 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