HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-04-09 Jon Wheeler
Charlene Way
From:Postmaster Mail <jon@jdwheelercpa.com>
Sent:Wednesday, April 9, 2025 8:15 AM
To:Clerks Comment
Cc:brickolive@aol.com
Subject:H-2024-0058 In-n-Out Burger at Tne Mile CUP
Attachments:Figure 2 Project Location & Study Intersection Map_20250408_0001.pdf; Figure 6
Project Trip Distribution.pdf
External Sender - Please use caution with links or attachments.
Dear Mayor Simison & Members of the Meridian City Council;
I believe the Ganddini Focused Traffic Analysis 19787 regarding the above referenced project is fundamentally and fatally
flawed. This conclusion is based on the following factors:
Limited Scope. The study is focused on two areas (see Scope of Analysis, page 1 of the study). The first area is the
intersection of Ten Mile Road at Lost Rapids Drive. The second area is two road segments focused on Ten Mile Road
north and south of Lost Rapids Drive.
The scope did not include the traffic at another chokepoint; the intersection of access roads running north-south from the
Costco parking lots to Lost Rapids Drive and east-west from Ten Mile Road to the East side of the forementioned north-
south access road. This T-shaped intersection is shown on Figure 2 Project Location & Study Intersection Map of the
study. This intersection is a vital part of the access to Costco and other businesses from the South and East. It has a stop
sign on the north and south segments but none on the east segment carrying the traffic coming to and from Ten Mile
Road.
This intersection provides critical access to Costco and several businesses in the development from the South and East. It
is already difficult to transit because the traffic coming off Ten Mile is moving at exit speed and the intersection is only
about 240 feet from the Ten Mile entrance. Accordingly, the intersection is already clogged several times a week with the
existing traffic even with most of the incoming traffic turning right towards the Cost parking lot.
The study states that 26% of the entry and exit traffic from In-n-Out will be using these access roads.(see Figure 6.
Project Trip Distribution). Considering the fact that the study estimates this will add about 66 cars all wanting to turn left
during the midday peak hour (251 trips*26%) without adding to the congestion at this intersection, I believe this to be a
fatal flaw to the study. I predict the addition of this traffic will result in severe backups in the short east-west segment
which will result in backflow onto Ten Mile at peaks and bring the traffic trying to reach Costco and the other businesses
along the way to a crawl.
Data Supports Weak Conclusions. The study states that the roadway segments currently operate at the lowest level of
service of E or better. It then concludes that the projected added traffic of 2,457 external trips with peak times of 251 per
hour can be added without degrading the service level at all, i.e. we will still be at Service Level E. In my opinion, these
data mask over a huge problem. These are averages. Averages can be deceptive because life usually happens to us in
the deviations and margins of data ranges from average. We just hit average once in a while. By definition, one half of our
experiences will be below average. For example, when you live in a flood plain, it is no comfort to know that the second
100 year flood in a single year shouldn’t be happening. But it is. It is the same in traffic. When you are in a traffic jam at an
intersection, it is no comfort to know that this is an anomaly, a deviation from the carefully calculated averages for that
intersection. Acceptance of this project with a minimal Projected Service Level of E leaves users with no margin to the
downside.
Lastly, the study also concludes that the impact on the storage length for the left turn off Ten Mile Road to Lost Rapids
Drive is acceptable because the data shows a maximum of 4.8 cars at peak hours will result. However, any resident living
1
along Lost Rapids Drive can tell you of numerous occasions of being in a line of 3 and 4 cars at that turn already. It is
difficult to imagine that adding traffic of this magnitude will result in no increase in the line at all.
In conclusion, I respectfully ask that you deny the requested CUP for this project.
Sincerely,
Jon Wheeler
6175 N. Vicenza Lane
Meridian, ID 83646
509-679-4635
Attachments: Figure 2 Project location & Study Intersection Map
Figure 6 Project Trip Distribution
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Project Location &Study Intersection Map
In-N-Out Burger(Ten Mile&Lost Rapids)
Focused Traffic Analysis
4 19787
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Figure 6
Project Trip Distribution
g31dii1 In-N-Out Burger(Ten Mile&Lost Rapids)
Focused Traffic Analysis
15 19787