Item 9A
City of Southlake, Texas
M E M O R A N D U M
April 11, 2007
TO:
Shana Yelverton, City Manager
FROM:
Ken Baker, AICP, Planning and Development Services Director
SUBJECT:
Approve an Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Townscape Inc., in the
amount of $41,500 to Perform U-Turning and Signal Timing Traffic Studies on FM 1709.
Action Requested:
City Council approval to amend the professional services agreement with Townscape
Inc. in the amount of $41,500 to perform u-turning and signal timing traffic studies on
FM 1709 to understand and quantify the effect on traffic movement once the FM 1709
median project is complete.
Background
Information:
The City anticipates that the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) will be
constructing raised medians along FM 1709 in Southlake as early as 2009. This is part
of a larger median project that will begin at Highway 377 in Keller and extend west to
Nolan Drive in Southlake. TXDOT has indicated that median openings will be
provided at major signalized intersection and that any mid-block openings must meet
the department’s standards in terms of distance or separation requirements. As a result,
the city has been working with the Townscape Inc. and their sub-contractor Kimley
Horn to develop a median plan as part of the Urban Design Study. The main purpose
of the median plan is to determine mid-block opening locations that meet TXDOT
spacing standards but provide the greatest benefit to Southlake residents and
businesses.
If raised medians are installed on FM 1709, traffic patterns will change and may impact the
operation of the existing signals. Specifically, some of the traffic that now turns left out of
many of the driveways will instead be required to turn right and make a u-turns once the
medians are installed. Similarly, once the medians are installed, east bound FM 1709
traffic that now turns left into many of the driveways will instead have to make a U-turn
and then turn right. The City Council has expressed the desire for a quantification of the
imposed demand for U-turn maneuvers and its effect on the operation of specific
intersections from Davis Boulevard (FM 1938) / Randol Mill Ave. to Nolan Drive. Also,
TXDOT has indicated that they may consider installing three (3) new signals at proposed
full mid-block openings. These locations would be at Watermere Drive/W.Jellico Circle,
Meadowlark Lane/Player’s Circle (Myers Meadow), and in 900 block of East Southlake
Blvd. (opening to serve the future development of properties north and south -- Mendez,
Prade, Rucker, etc.). The fee to perform these services is $41,500. The proposed scope
provided by Kimley Horn is detailed below.
Task 1: Data Collection $7,500
PM peak hour manual counts of all of the turning movements into and out of up to 65
unsignalized driveways will be performed.
For school-related traffic, the most critical segment is between Southridge Lakes Parkway
and Peytonville Avenue. For this segment, we will count all five (5) of the driveways for
two (2) hours – the morning and afternoon peak hours of Carroll High School traffic.
Shana Yelverton, City Manager
December 20, 2006
Page 2
Task 2: Add Three (3) Signalized Intersections $5,000
Three (3) new signalized intersections will be analyzed at Watermere Drive (future),
Meadowlark Lane and the existing drive at 900 E. Southlake Blvd that will potentially
serve future development to the north and south of Southlake Blvd. ITE trip generation
rates will be used to forecast the amount of traffic generated by the future development
between Byron Nelson Parkway and Carroll Avenue.
Task 3: Traffic Reassignment $8,000
Using the turning movement count data, we will then manually reassign the movements
that will have to use a different route because of the proposed medians.
Deliverable: Graphics will be presented with existing turning movement counts,
reassignment percentages and volumes, and future turning movement volumes.
Task 4: Synchro Analysis $10,000
Using these assignments, we will then adjust the previously collected turning movement
volumes for the signalized intersections and use the Synchro™ model to perform new
capacity and operational analyses of the signalized intersections from Davis Boulevard
(FM 1938) / Randol Mill Ave. to Nolan Drive.
Deliverable: Graphics and tables will be presented comparing the existing intersection
level of service and the future intersection level of service.
Task 5: Technical Memorandum $6,000
The data collection, analysis and results will be summarized in a tech memo format to
supplement the revised preliminary schematic median design.
Deliverable: Twelve (12) copies of the tech memo will be submitted.
Task 6: Meetings $5,000
This scope includes up to three (3) meetings with the City Staff and up to two (2)
presentations to the City Council.
Financial
Consideration:
If approved, funds from the Strategic Initiative Fund allocated to the Urban Design
Study and Implementation would be utilized.
Legal Review:
The existing contract with Townscape Inc. for the Urban Design Study has been
reviewed by the City Attorney and remains unchanged. This action presented simply
expands the scope of services to be provided by Townscape Inc.
Staff
Recommendation:
Approve the amendment of the professional services agreement with Townscape, Inc
to allow the consultant to perform the traffic studies as outlined.