Influence of Schools on Roadway Improvement Projects (Sometimes Schools Rule)

Influence of Schools on
Roadway Improvement Projects
(Sometimes Schools Rule)

sain associates, inc.
Consulting Engineers /Surveyors

July 26, 2007

Outline
• SR-160 Blount County, AL
• Influence of Schools
– Due diligence
– Data collection
– Analysis
– Recommendations
• Short-term improvements
• Long-term improvements
• Where are we now with SR-160?
• SUMMARY

sain associates, inc. Influence of Schools on
Consulting Engineers /Surveyors 2 July 26, 2007

SR-160 Blount County, AL
• Existing 2-lane east-west facility
• Principal access to I-65 from Hayden
• ADT Count (November 2006) ≈ 11,500
• Peak Hour Factor ≈ 15%
• Directional Distribution of Traffic
– AM Peak ≈ 70% WB
– PM Peak ≈ 70% EB

• ALDOT project to widen SR-160 west of
Hayden is under design


SR-160 Blount County, AL


Influence of Schools
“Do your homework - early”

• Due diligence
• Data collection
• Analysis
• Recommendations
– Short-term improvements
– Long-term improvements


Due Diligence


Due Diligence
• Identify school(s) located within or adjacent to
proposed project limits
• Investigate influence of school peak traffic on the
current transportation facility
• Outline a plan (scope) to study the school(s)
• Contact agency/school officials


SR-160 Due Diligence
3 schools located
within ½ mile

2 of those schools have
direct access to SR-160

Hayden High School

Hayden Middle School 4th school
Hayden Elementary School opening
2007-2008 ½ mile
to east



Hayden Junior High School
(opens 2007-2008)
Hayden High School

Hayden Middle School
il e
m

Hayden Elementary School
½
≈





ft
50
≈1
Bent Tree Drive



Hayden High School

At
A
wo
wo
od
od
Ro
Ro
Post

ad
a
Office

Deans
D an s F
Ferry
er y
Road
R ad


4th Street
ad
et

ro
re

ail
St

XR
in
Ma

CS

ive
Dr
d
oa
il r
Ra

(opens 2007-2008)



With all four of these schools
located within a one-mile area of
SR-160…

TRAFFIC CONGESTION!

AM School Peak PM School Peak


Recommendation:

• Conduct study of SR-160
traffic operations and school
campus traffic patterns

• Develop short-term and
long-term improvement
recommendations for ALDOT
and/or schools


Data Collection


Data Collection
• Roadway network inventory
• Meet with officials
• Traffic counts
• Historical traffic data
• Historical crash data
• Campus observations


SR-160 Data Collection
• Roadway network inventory
– Adjacent roads and their characteristics

• Meet with officials
– ALDOT
• Met with District and Division
– Historical data
– Blount County Schools
• Met with Superintendent, Principals
– School traffic flow plans (parents, buses)
– Bell schedules
– Manual traffic control
– Existing/projected enrollment

• Traffic counts
– ADT
– School peak hour turning
movements at school driveways
and intersections

• Historical traffic data
– ALDOT Transportation Planning

• Historical crash data
– ALDOT Third Division (CARE)


• Campus observations

– Parent drop-off/pick-up
– Bus drop-off/pick-up
– Driveway intersections
– Manual traffic control
– Problem areas (unsafe,
inefficient, excessive
queues, traffic conflicts,
etc.)


Existing Traffic Flow
Hayden High School BUS FLOW SEPARATE NORTH
Buses FROM VEHICLE FLOW

iv e
e Dr
re
n tT
Be

d
Roa
o od
Atw
SRO ad SRO
Ro
ry
er
sF
an
De



SRO stops both
directions of SR-160
to let buses out

Back of school looking EB Exit drive onto SR-160 looking NB



School staff stops parent pick-up/
drop-off for buses to cross to

West side of school looking SB West side of school looking NB


Hayden High School

SRO stops both directions
of SR-160 to let Hayden
High School traffic out

Intersection of SR-160 and Atwood Road looking NB Intersection of SR-160 and Atwood Road looking WB


2007-2008 Traffic Flow
Buses

4th Street
SRO

ad
et

ro
re

ail
St

XR
in
Ma

CS

ive
Dr
d
oa
il r
Ra


Hayden Junior High School site

Drive in front of school looking EB


Analysis


Analysis
• General goals for school traffic

– Safe
– Efficient
– Separate school traffic from
through traffic as quickly as
possible
– Separate parent pick-up/drop-off
and bus pick-up/drop-off


SR-160 Analysis
• Evaluation of alternatives

– Do nothing
– Retain SR-160 access plan,
modify campus operations
– Modify SR-160 access plan,
retain campus operations
– Modify SR-160 access plan
and campus operations


SR-160 Analysis
• Conclusions

– Parent pick-up/drop-off and bus pick-up/drop-off operations
are separate (retain)

– Use adjacent roadway network for storage of Hayden
Elementary School and Hayden Middle School queues (will
better separate school traffic from through traffic)

– Hayden Junior High School traffic operations will need to be
monitored once school opens


Recommendations


Recommendations
• Use evaluation of alternatives and conclusions to
develop improvement recommendations

• Classify improvement recommendations as short-term
or long-term

• Label improvement recommendations as agency-
improvement or school-improvement


SR-160 Recommendations
Short-term Improvement Recommendations
(Immediate)

• ALDOT to create a state-funded project to add turn lanes and
increase radius at intersection of SR-160 @ Bent Tree Drive

• School to relocate traffic flow into Hayden Elementary School and
Hayden Middle School to intersection of SR-160 @ Bent Tree Drive

• School to widen drive between Hayden Elementary School and
Hayden Middle School in sharp curve

• ALDOT and School to monitor Hayden Junior High School traffic

Proposed Traffic Flow
Hayden High School NORTH
START TWO-LANE
Buses
ONE-WAY
(WITH GUIDE SIGNAGE)

iv e
e Dr WIDEN ROAD
re IN CURVE
n tT
Be

d
Roa
o od
Atw
SRO ad SRO
Ro
ry
er
TURN LANES, sF
INCREASE RADIUS an
De


Long-term Improvement Recommendations
(Include in SR-160 widening project)

• ALDOT to retain turn lanes and large radius at intersection of
SR-160 @ Bent Tree Drive and other existing turn lanes in design of
SR-160 widening project

• ALDOT to require five-lane cross section in vicinity of schools

• School to retain traffic flow recommended in short-term
improvements (via intersection of SR-160 @ Bent Tree Drive)

• ALDOT and/or School to make any necessary adjustments to
SR-160 widening design or Hayden Junior High School traffic
operations based on findings of monitoring


Where are we now with SR-160?
• Study recommendations approved

• ALDOT moving forward with state-funded project to
add turn lanes and increase radius at intersection of
SR-160 @ Bent Tree Drive

• School has committed to adjusting traffic flow patterns
and widening roadway between Hayden Elementary
School and Hayden Middle School in sharp curve

• SR-160 widening project currently under design


SUMMARY


SUMMARY
• Influence of schools – “Do your homework – early”
– Due Diligence
– Data Collection
– Analysis
– Recommendations

• General goals for school traffic
– Safe
– Efficient
– Separate school traffic from through traffic as quickly as possible
– Separate parent pick-up/drop-off and bus pick-up/drop-off

• Improvement Recommendations
– Short-term - Agency-improvement
– Long-term - School-improvement


QUESTIONS?


Influence of Schools on Roadway Improvement Projects (Sometimes Schools Rule)

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