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ACHD Commentsf ~~~~~3 "'~ CHD ~iorwrwL~ecl~o ~rc~ September 28, 2007 To: City of Meridian, Planning Department 660 E. Watertower Lane, Suite 202 Meridian, Idaho 83642 Subject: CenterCal Development MAZ-07-012 n/e/c and n/w/c of Eagle Road/Fairview Avenue Intersection John S. Franden, President Rebecca W. Arnold, Vice President Sherry R. Huber, Commissioner Dave Bivens, Commissioner Carol A. McKee, Commissioner RECEIVED OCT 0 1 2007 City Of Meridian City Clerk Office The Ada County Highway District has received the annexation and zoning application for the proposed CenterCal Development project located at both the northeast and northwest corners of the intersection of State Highway 55 (Eagle Road) and Fairview Avenue. The District has been working with the applicant's traffic engineer to identify an appropriate scope for the necessary traffic impact study. The District has not yet received the required traffic impact study for this development. It is the District's understanding that the scheduled Meridian Planning and Zoning meeting may move forward prior to the Highway District receiving and commenting on the traffic study. Therefore, staff is submitting these preliminary comments based on the conceptual site plan for the City's consideration of the annexation and zoning application. Additional comments and recommendations will be submitted once the District has received the traffic impact study. Also, some of the submitted comments may be altered depending on the findings and recommendations of the traffic impact study. Existing Conditions The State Highway 55/Fairview Avenue intersection is the busiest intersection within the state of Idaho. The District recently reviewed the Pinebridge Subdivision located further south of this site, and the projected traffic volumes and level of service are identified below. Roadway Functional Traffic Count Level of Projected level of Speed Classification Service* Service at Pinebridge Limit Build-Out (2015) (Does not include traffic from CenterCal project Fairview Principal Arterial 37,198 east of "E" "C" 40 MPH Locust Grove in (assumes 7-lanes at build- Ma 2006 out Pine Minor Arterial 2,376 west of Better than Better than "C'` Eagle Road in "C" March 2006 SH 55 Principal Arterial 51,580 south of "F" (See "F" 50 MPH (Eagle Road) Fairview in Note below) October 2006 "`Acceptable level of service for a five lane principal arterial roadway (Fairview) is "E" (37,000 ADT). *Acceptable level of service for a five lane minor arterial roadway (Locust Grove and Pine assuming completed improvements) is "D" (33,000 ADT). *Acceptable level of service for seven lane principal arterial roadway (Eagle Road north of Pine) is "E" (50,000 ADT). Note: This is based on the COMPASS Planning Thresholds. The District recognizes that the existing and projected level of service at the Eagle/Fairview intersection is above an acceptable planning level capacity. Previously this intersection was identified as a future urban interchange. In the last update to the long-range transportation plan prepared by COMPASS, this urban interchange improvement was removed from the plan. Eagle Road is a state highway, and the Idaho Transportation Department has limited plans for improvements to this corridor (i.e. center islands for access control). There are no planned capacity improvements for this corridor. The applicant is pursuing options to utilize the STARS funding mechanism to add an additional thru lane in each direction of travel to Eagle Road from River Valley (approximately'/z mile north of Fairview Avenue) to Interstate 84. The District is supportive of this effort as the transportation impacts of this development are significant to the regional transportation system. In addition, the District would encourage the applicant to review intersection design alternatives with ACHD, ITD, and COMPASS in light of the current High Volume Intersection Study currently being conducted by ITD. This study, currently in draft phase, identifies intersection alternatives for those intersections that carry the highest volumes of traffic. The study is scheduled to be complete in December 2007. If the study recommends alternatives to the traditional intersection at Eagle Road and Fairview Avenue, the District recommends that the applicant pursue funding of this improvement in conjunction with the other proposed STARS road improvements to Eagle Road. Comments on Projected Traffic and Site Design PROJECTED TRAFFIC While the traffic impact study is not yet complete, the applicant's traffic engineer has provided an estimated trip generation for the entire project based on the applicant's conceptual plan. At full build-out, the project could generate approximately 37,000 vehicle trips daily. This estimate could change if the type or intensity of the proposed land uses are altered. NORTHEAST CORNER Fairview Avenue Access: The applicant has proposed three driveway accesses to Fairview Avenue between Eagle Road and Records Drive. The applicant has proposed extending Records Drive through the site to the north property line, as a collector roadway. The applicant has proposed one driveway access on Fairview Avenue between Records Avenue and Venture Street. The applicant has proposed connecting to Venture Street. Staff Comment: District staff is not supportive of the proposed driveway on Fairview Avenue located closest to the intersection of Eagle Road. The proposed driveways between Eagle Road and Records Avenue may be restricted to right-in/right-out. River Valley Extension: The applicant is proposing to build River Valley along the north property line to create a signalized intersection with Eagle Road at approximately the'h mile between Fairview Avenue and Ustick Road. The applicant is proposing a slight shift (approximately 30-feet) to the south for this roadway alignment. Staff Comment: This roadway was identified as a future collector roadway, and the District would require the construction of this roadway with the development application. If the roadway is proposed to be shifted south, the applicant will be required to provide access to River Valley to the properties to the north. In addition, the proposed shift to the south will impact the existing River Valley on the west side of State Highway 55. Records Avenue: The applicant is proposing to extend Records Avenue as a collector roadway through the site to the north property line. Staff Comment: This roadway was identified as a future collector roadway, and the District would require the construction of this roadway with the development application. This roadway is planned to be extended to Allys Way (which is currently under construction for the first'/o mile south of Ustick Road) and constructed as development occurs north of this site. The connection to Allys Way is critical to the vehicular circulation within this area. This roadway will provide a parallel and alternative route to Eagle Road. The applicant does not control the property that will enable the connection of Allys Way to Records Avenue, but the connection should be a requirement of this development. ACHD, the City of Meridian, and the developer should work with adjacent property owners to achieve the necessary right-of-way dedication. Greenwood Drive and Meadow Wood Drive: The applicant has not proposed any improvements or connections to these existing residential streets. Staff Comment: The applicant will be required to provide cul-de-sac turnarounds for these roadways or construct a local street connection within the unopened right-of-way between these streets. The District is not supportive of tying these rural residential streets into the proposed commercial development. The District is supportive of providing the existing residences access to the proposed park. NORTHWEST CORNER Fairview Avenue Access: The applicant has proposed two driveway accesses to Fairview Avenue between Eagle Road and the site's west property line. Staff Comment: If no access is gained to Hickory Avenue, one of the proposed driveways to Fairview Avenue should be full access. The full access driveway should be located as far from the Fairview/Eagle intersection as is possible. The second driveway should be restricted to right- in/right only. Hickory Avenue: The site has no frontage on .Hickory Avenue, a collector street with a signalized intersection with Fairview Avenue. The District believes that a connection to Hickory Avenue could provide necessary circulation and access to Fairview Avenue. The District encourages the applicant to discuss these possibilities with the adjacent land owner (a church). River Valley: The applicant has proposed extending River Valley only partially into the site. Staff Comment: The applicant has not adequately addressed the continuation of River Valley into the western quadrant of this development. This area of the development will require some redesign by the applicant. ACCESS TO EAGLE ROAD The applicant has proposed right-in/right-out driveways on both the east and west sides of Eagle Road located approximately 1/8 mile north of Fairview Avenue. The applicant has proposed 3/ driveways on both the east and west sides of Eagle Road located approximately 1/4 mile north of Fairview Avenue. The applicant is proposing right-in/right-out driveways on both the east and the west side of Eagle Road 1/8 mile south of the proposed'/2 mile signal at River Valley. The applicant is proposing a signalized intersection with Eagle Road at the'/z mile location (River Valley Street). Staff Comment: District staff is not supportive of any of the proposed 1l8 mile right-inlright-out driveways. The District recognizes that ultimately the decision for the access points on Eagle Road will be made by the City of Meridian and ITD. However, the District pursued the designation and the requirement for the'/2 mile collector streets (River Valley and Allys Way/Records Avenue) in order to provide alternatives for access, rather than granting additional access points to the State Highway system. These comments are preliminary in nature, and the District anticipates submitting a more complete analysis after the applicant has provided the necessary traffic impact study. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 208-387-6171. Sincerely, Lori Den Hartog Planning Review Supervisor Right-of-Way & Development Services CC: Project file