VDOT s Arterial Preservation Efforts VASITE Annual Meeting June 29, 2017

Transcription

1 VDOT s Arterial Preservation Efforts 2017 VASITE Annual Meeting June 29, 2017

2 Goal/Purpose Goal The goals of the Arterial Preservation efforts are: To reduce traffic congestion and impacts to the level of service of highways, leading to reduced fuel consumption and air pollution; To enhance public safety by decreasing traffic crash rates; To support economic development in the Commonwealth by promoting the efficient movement of people and goods; To reduce the need for new highways and road widening by improving the performance of the existing systems of state highways; and To preserve public investment in new highways by maximizing their performance. Solutions Apply lessons from other states Strengthen policies/procedures Proactive planning Inventory, track & report 2

3 Slow Erosion of Safety and Capacity Arterials have become main streets for local growth Direct access at site level to Virginia s arterial routes Traffic signal proliferation Viable transportation system essential to state, regional, and local economies Difficult to plan and manage access at the site level must have corridor approach 3

4 Mixed Retail New Middle School Office Park Gas Station Medical Center Apartments With site-level management we often plan to the minimum allowed rather than optimizing capacity and safety

5 Preserve ROW for Interchange Upgrade Optimize signal spacing and reduce full movement access Mixed Retail Gas Station C Office Park C C C C New Middle School Reserve for storm water management Medical Center Apartments Corridor level management allows you to see the big picture and develop an overall strategy to guide development.

6 Why this matters Buying back the capacity lost over time Funding limitations Protect the taxpayer investments Road user costs delay and safety Treat the transportation system as a finite resource 6

7 Access Performance How can we achieve reasonable balance? High High Access System Performance Low Low 7

8 Poor Access Management Applying Access Management Principles Good Access Management 8

9 Applying National Lessons Learned Divergent Diamond RCUT Jug Handle Continuous Flow Intersection Quadrant Roadway Intersection 9

10 Signal Phase Impacts on Mobility Eight-Phased Signal Two-Phased Signal

11 Urban Application - US 281 in San Antonio, TX 53% decrease in travel time Loons to facilitate U-turns 11

12 Rural Application - US 17 in Leland, NC 55% decrease in Fatal and Injury crashes Superstreets can be implemented without signals 12

13 Proposed Arterial Preservation Strategy for Virginia Establish the network Establish Plan Strengthen Policies Monitor and Report 13

14 Strategy - Establish the Network Weblink to draft map: 43eb 14

15 Draft Arterial Preservation Network Inventory access points on State Arterial Network Mobility Preservation Segments Focus on preserving mobility Minimizing delays for through traffic whenever access changes are proposed Mobility Enhancement Segments Urbanized areas where there may be opportunities to improve flow without major widening Reduce signal phases Alternative intersections Consider multiple modes of travel Seeking adoption of Arterial Preservation Network by CTB this Fall (VTrans) 15

16 Strategy Establish a Plan Inventory access points & signals on the state network Establish baseline and facilitate reporting Develop Arterial Management Plans for key arterial routes Partner with localities and business community Expand Statewide 16

17 Arterial Preservation Ongoing Efforts Inventory access points on State Arterial Network Working with UVA Center for Risk Management of Engineering Systems on inventorying and categorizing every access point on the Arterial Preservation Network Partnering with Traffic Engineering Division on referencing the new statewide signal inventory Provides catalog of signalized intersections Contains detailed signal information Evaluating systems to keep inventory updated 17

18 Arterial Management Plans Goals for Arterial Management Plan Studies Develop plans that are adopted by localities Arterial Management Plans supersede design standards in Road Design Manual Optimize access spacing beyond minimum access management standards Identify potential crossovers to (i) close or (ii) make directional, with no thru movements Reduce signalization Develop policies to reduce new signalization Consider alternatives to signalization (e.g. unsignalized RCUT) Consider alternative intersection treatments to reduce signal phases when signalization is required Develop methodology for removal of existing signals that are no longer warranted 18

19 Arterial Management Plans Developed jointly by VDOT and localities. Efforts to-date: Route Goochland (complete) Route 3 - Spotsylvania (complete) Route 3 - Orange County* Route 301/207 - Fredericksburg* Route Salem* Route 29 - Lynchburg* Route Salem/Lynchburg* Route 58 - Hampton Roads* *Underway For more information corridor.asp 19

20 Strategy - Strengthen Policies Policy Review VDOT has initiated a review of current policies and procedures for design and/or permit approval as they relate to traffic signals and access points: VDOT design spacing standards Exception / Waiver process Traffic signal warrants Roles and Responsibilities (approvals) Alternative intersection design policy and guidance Policy on conducting planning studies Promote existing policies IIM-LD-235 (Context Sensitive Solutions) IIM-LD-255 (Common Sense Engineering) 20

21 VDOT Policy Changes July 2017 Updates Road Design Manual Updates Require the consideration for alternative intersections (including roundabouts) Expanded design guidance on alternative intersections State L&D Engineer approval required for new median crossovers on Arterial Preservation Network IIM-TED-387: Requirements for Signal Justification Reports Higher bar than signal being warranted according to warrants Evaluate options outside of signalization prior to recommending a signal Restricted movements Unsignalized alternative intersections State Traffic Engineer Approval for new signals on Arterial Preservation Network 21

22 VDOT Policy Changes July 2017 Updates IIM-TMPD-2.0: Process for Conducting Planning Studies on the Arterial Preservation Network Guidelines for conducting studies on the Arterial Preservation Network Applies to a variety of studies including Arterial Management Plans Office of Land Use Revisions to, LU-200 (Review of rezoning proposals), LU-500 (Review of site plans and subdivision plats) and LU-501 (Access Management Spacing Exceptions/Waiver) Required consideration of IIM-TED-387 and revisions to the VDOT Road Design Manual 22

23 Arterial Preservation Ongoing Efforts Partnering with Alternative Intersection Advocacy Committee Purpose: To establish a systematic approach for the consideration of alternative intersections/interchanges so that the best configuration is considered for each location to take into account congestion and/or safety issues. Conducted national Best Practices research Developing education materials and training Developing information to assist with public outreach Developing the VDOT Junction Screening Tool (VJuST) Tool will evaluate multiple intersection configurations quickly Inventorying constructed alternative intersections Continuous Flow Intersection 23

24 Alternative Intersection Designs 24

25 VDOT Junction Screening Tool (VJuST) 25

26 Strategy - Monitor and Report Reporting to Board Policy Review and Changes Progress on implementation of Arterial Management Plans Statistics, by corridor and District, for total access points and signals change from previous year change in system performance 26

27 Questions 27