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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