BVES ACHD Comments to TIS Response 04072020
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: April 7, 2020
TO: Mindy Wallace
Ada County Highway District
FROM: Chhang Ream
CR Engineering, Inc.
PROJECT: Blue Valley Elementary School
Meridian, Idaho
SUBJECT: Response to ACHD Review Comments on Traffic Impact Study
This memorandum summarizes our responses to ACHD’s review comments for the Blue Valley Elementary
School Traffic Impact Study dated March 20, 2020.
1. There are two proposed access points on Spanish Fork Way. Direct lot access on Spanish Fork Way is
currently prohibited, however ACHD has received an application to modify the plat note to allow access
onto Spanish Fork Way. The south access (right-out only) does not meet driveway separation
requirements because it is located 200-feet north of the roundabout. Staff does not recommend
approving a driveway that close to the roundabout. The north driveway is proposed to be located 200-
feet north of the proposed south access. It does not meet driveway separation requirements because of
its proximity to the south driveway, but it would meet requirements if only the north access were
approved.
The need for these driveways is not discussed or justified in the traffic impact study. The north driveway
is proposed as the access point for school buses and staff only. Separating parent traffic from bus traffic
at schools is beneficial and staff recommends that this driveway be considered for approval. The traffic
impact study should provide justification for this driveway onto the collector roadway.
The south driveway is proposed as a right-out only for the parent parking lot. All driveways are
anticipated to operate acceptably and there is no justification for a third access point for the parent
parking lot. Staff does not recommend approval of this driveway unless the applicant can provide
justification for the proposed access
The site plan has been revised to exclude the right-out only driveway on Spanish Fork Way. Only one
driveway is proposed on Spanish Fork Way located approximately 400 feet north of the roundabout
and 360 feet south of Spanish Sun Way, which meets minimum spacing requirements. This driveway
will provide access for school buses and staff only. We agree with ACHD Staff that the driveway is
beneficial and should be approved.
181 East 50th Street
Garden City, ID 83714
(208) 841-4996
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2. Staff is concerned about the proposed site plan. The circulation plan shows that both driveways onto
American Fork Drive are proposed as full access, and parents are expected to enter the site via the east
driveway, travel west through the pick-up/drop-off area, and exit via the west driveway and the Spanish
Fork Way driveway. There is limited queuing space and the plan requires parents to park in the parking
spaces to pick up children. The school entrance is located on the east side of the pick-up/drop-off area.
This circulation plan will lead to queuing problems in the morning and in the afternoon. Parents will
stop at the school entrance to drop off or pick up their children and most of the available queuing space
will not be used. Staff strongly recommends that the school district consider reversing the loop and
having vehicles travel clockwise through a one-way loop. The west access should be used as an enter
only driveway and the east access should be used as an exit only driveway to encourage parents to drive
to the end of the pick-up/drop-off area before stopping.
The TIS states that the pick-up/drop-off plan depends on parents parking in the parking lot while
waiting to pick up their children. This is potentially dangerous. The site plan must include a clear and
safe route for students to access the parking lot.
The design team and school district have decided to revise the site plan to exclude the right-out only
on Spanish Fork Way. The proposed driveways on American Fork Drive and parent pick-up/drop-off
circulation loop remain unchanged.
Reversing the circulation loop and having vehicles enter at the west access, travel clockwise, and exit
at the east access is potentially more dangerous than a counterclockwise circulation loop. With a
clockwise circulation, children are exiting/entering vehicles from the passenger side next to traffic flow
and having to walk in front of vehicles, which is potentially dangerous. The proposed counterclockwise
circulation loop is safer as children are enter/exit the vehicle curbside without conflictions with other
vehicles.
School staff will be stationed at the parent pick-up/drop-off area during school peak hours to monitor
and direct traffic to ensure vehicles are moving and not stopping at the first available slots. This is
typical practice at elementary schools.
Most parents who choose to park in the parking lot and drop off or pick up their children will walk with
their children to/from the designated area.
The revised site plan shows sidewalks and marked crosswalks from the school building through the
parking lot to south of American Fork Drive. Crossing guards are recommended to be stationed at each
drive aisle to assist schoolchildren crossing the parking lot during school peak hours.
3. The site plan should be reconsidered, and the driveway and roundabout analysis should be revised to
reflect the plan. The Synchro worksheets show that the American Fork Drive driveways were analyzed
with a single exit lane, but the preliminary site plan shows a through/right-turn lane and a left-turn lane
at both driveways. The analysis should be revised to reflect the plan.
The design team and school district revised the site plan to take out the right-out only driveway but not
reversing the circulation loop as staff recommended above. Therefore, the site traffic patterns do not
change significantly beyond adjusting the exiting traffic with the removal of the south access on Spanish
Fork Way. The proposed driveways on American Fork Drive were reevaluated to reflect the revised
site plan and with the correct lanes. Both driveways are expected to continue to meet minimum
operational thresholds.
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4. Staff recommends that the Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon and school zone flashers on Linder Road be
installed with this elementary school.
Noted.
5. Staff recommends that school be required to install school zone flashers on both Spanish Fork Way and
American Fork Drive.
Noted.
6. There is little consideration of student walk routes in the study. The traffic impact study should clearly
identity anticipated student walk routes and address any pedestrian improvements needed to
accommodate the walk routes and at the Spanish Fork Way/American Fork Drive roundabout
Anticipated student walk routes are added in Figure 4.6 in the TIS. Pedestrian improvements are
described in Section 5.0 – IC-67 School Site Checklist of the TIS and shown in Figure 4.6.
7. The traffic impact study recommends that crosswalks be striped across American Fork Drive at both
proposed access points. Staff recommend that an RRFB also be installed for pedestrians crossing
American Fork Drive at Woodhouse Avenue
Noted. Agreed.
8. The traffic impact study recommends that a crossing guard be stationed in the parking lot to help
children safely cross the drive aisle. Staff agrees with this recommendation. The study also states that
a crossing guard should be stationed at the American Fork Drive and Linder Road crosswalks and at
the American Fork Drive and Spanish Fork Way roundabout. A crossing guard should also be assigned
to help children cross American Fork Drive. The school district must ensure that a crossing guard be
stationed at the American Fork Drive and Linder Road crosswalk (future PHB) for both the middle
school and elementary school start and end times. Staff agrees that a crossing guard should be stationed
at the roundabout, but a single crossing guard cannot assist children to cross the entire roundabout. A
route plan for the roundabout and any necessary improvements should be included in the traffic impact
study.
Recommended crossing guard stations are summarized in Figure 4.6. Additional crossing guards may
be needed as determined by the actual pedestrian routes once the school is under full operation.
.