Public Comment...
RECEIVED
JUL - 3 2001
CITY OF MERIDIAN
Meridian City Council
33 East Idaho Street
Meridian, ID 83642
4650 North Linder Rd.
Meridian, ID 83642
884-8045 (Home)
373-0425 (Work)
June 3, 2001
RE: Traffic Concerns related to Proposed Bridgetower Crossing Subdivision
Dear Councilmen:
We understand that the Meridian City Council will be hearing three items related
to the proposed Bridgetower Crossing Subdivision: 1) request for annexation and
zoning of 371.42 acres in proposed R-4 and C-6 zones, 2) request for Preliminary
Plat Approval of 336 building lots and 58 other lots on 175.91 acres in proposed
r-4 and C-6 zones north of Ustick Rd. and East of Ten Mile Rd., and 3) Request
for Conditional Use Permit of 692 single-family lots, 59 town homes, 17 office
lots, and 10 commercial lots on 370.55 acres in proposed R-4 and C-G zones. We
also understand that the item I will be heard during the June 2001 City Council
meeting.
We are worried about the effects that the proposed subdivision will have on the
existing road network, on which traffic is already heavy at times. We obtained
copies of the Bridgetower Crossing Traffic Study as well as the draft overall traffic
study of the six square miles in which major development is occurring in Meridian.
On the basis of these public records, we prepared a letter to the Meridian Planning
and Zoning Commission documenting our concerns. Below is an excerpt from
that letter regarding our traffic -related concerns. It is our hope that the Meridian
City Council will consider these concerns as you hear and contemplate the three
requests related to the Bridgetower Subdivision.
TRAFFIC CONCERNS
The Bridgetower Traffic Study assumes area traffic growth not associated
with the Bridgetower Crossing Subdivision to be 3-4 percent per year. This
is inconsistent with other written records from Meridian City and the Ada
County Highway District (ACHD), that indicate this area is a high growth
area. Therefore, we request that the Bridgetower traffic study be revised to
include growth rates consistent with those used by Meridian City and the
ACHD in their planning documents.
2. The Bridgetower Traffic Study includes traffic surveys that were conducted
December 21, 22, and 26, 2000. We question whether traffic surveys
conducted so near the Christmas holidays are representative of standard
traffic volumes. In particular, we are concerned that the Eagle High School
may not have been in session when the surveys were conducted. We
believe that high school traffic constitutes a significant percentage of daily
traffic using the existing road network, particularly during the morning rush
period. While the study's conclusion about the current Level of Service
(LOS) for the studied intersections may not change, a revised traffic study
representative of traffic volumes during normal use may indicate mitigative
measures are required earlier in the life of this project. Accordingly, we
request new traffic surveys be conducted during periods of normal use and
the traffic plans revised as necessary.
3. Based on the Bridgetower and ACHD Studies, the intersections at the
corners of the square are operating at LOS "C" or better during the peak
evening rush. ACHD has indicated that, barring unique circumstances as
found with a shopping center, the evening rush hour is the benchmark used
to establish intersection LOS. We suggest that Eagle High School traffic
constitute a special circumstance. On March 21 and 22, we observed as
many as 22 southbound vehicles lined up at the Linder Road/McMillan
Road intersection shortly after Eagle HS let out. The intersection had not
cleared before the next group of southbound cars (controlled by the light at
Linder Road/Chinden Boulevard) arrived, suggesting the LOS at this time
was less than "C." Therefore, we request that the Bridgetower traffic study
be required to predict the morning peak LOS for those intersections
impacted by both commuter and high school traffic before the conditional
use permit is granted.
4. The Bridgetower Traffic Study does not mention the impact the
subdivision will have on surrounding intersections. For example, the Linder
Road/Chinden Boulevard intersection currently operates at less than LOS C
during the morning peak when Eagle High School is in session. The traffic
study indicates that up to 200 extra vehicles per hour will use this
intersection. The Bridgetower Subdivision Traffic Study should discuss the
impacts of the proposed subdivision on the Linder/Chinden intersection
and other nearby intersections.
S. We request the Zoning Commission require access to the elementary school
be, at least in part, from McMillan Road. As mentioned above, we believe
the impact of the subdivision and school on the morning rush period has
not been fully evaluated. We are concerned that the Linder
Road/Subdivision intersection will not provide an adequate level of service,
especially since current plans call for the Linder Road speed limit to remain
at 50 miles per hour. The City of Meridian and residents currently living
adjacent to the proposed subdivisions (Note the March 14, 2001 ACHD
comments did not address the "future plan" associated with the conditional
use permit), have expressed a desire for an access road to the
subdivision/elementary school be provided from McMillan Road to
facilitate traffic flow.
6. The Draft ACHD study anticipates mid -mile or third mile intersections to
help carry the traffic loads. The reasons provided by the developer for not
constructing access to McMillan Road from the subdivision are inconsistent
with the ACHD study and are without merit. Cut through traffic results
from overloaded arterials and an easy to use alternate route. A north -south
connection through the subdivision could be designed to discourage cut
through traffic. The Northview example would not be applicable if the
roads through the subdivision were not laid in a straight line. If there were
an offset in the roads (and associated intersection controls), cut through
traffic would be slowed and therefore discouraged. The current subdivision
traffic design places a hardship on the existing residents of Linder, Ustick
and Ten -Mile Roads. An additional subdivision access point on McMillan
Road is needed.
7. We request that the Bridgetower Subdivision Traffic Study be revised,
finalized and certified by a traffic engineer as required by Idaho Code 54-
1215.3.
If you have any questions regarding these comments, please contact us at 884-
8045 (H) or 373-0425 (Brian's work #). We thank the City Council for their
time.
Sincerely,
l
Brian L. Eng ish Margaretha M. English