Loading...
Item 7BExecutive Summary Recommended Alignment Village Center Dr. is proposed to be extended south and east to Nolen Dr. This report addresses the related The recommended alignment of this thoroughfare is outlined in the City of Southlake's Mobility and Master issues, alignment, and operational analysis for this proposed thoroughfare. The primary purpose of the Village Thoroughfare Plan (Resolution 05-027, adopted on July 19, 2005 and amended on May 15, 2007). The entirety Center Dr. extension is to provide improved and safer circulation for the Carroll Independent School District of the Village Center Dr. extension is shown on the MTP as a two-lane undivided collector with a 60 foot right-of- (CISD) property and the undeveloped parcels in the vicinity. way. A description of the alignment is as follows: from the intersection of Village Center Drive and Southlake Blvd. (FM 1 709) south, then east around Gateway Church, continue east on the south side of the Greenway and There are three major issues associated with the construction of this roadway: Quicksall properties, create a signalized intersection with Kimball Avenue, then continue east to "T" into Nolen 1 . CISD currently has an issue with vehicles stacking on Kimball Ave. who are waiting to drop off school Drive. The figure below shows the recommended alignment of this thoroughfare. children in the morning peak. 2. Vehicles exiting the CISD property have to cross a busy arterial street with limited sight distance. 3. The development of the undeveloped parcels in the vicinity will generate more traffic congestion at the intersection of FM 1 709 and Kimball Ave. The forecasted change in level of service (LOS) at this intersection is from LOS C to LOS D. The Village Center Dr. extension will provide a solution or alleviation of the aforementioned issues in the following manner: 1 . The majority of the vehicles dropping off kids in the morning are coming from the west. The Village Center Dr. extension will allow these vehicles an alternate route leading directly to the school property and avoiding Kimball Ave. altogether. The location of the driveway from Village Center Dr. to the school may also shift west to provide more room for stacking on Village Center Dr. 2. A signal should be constructed at the intersection of Village Center Dr. and Kimball Ave. allowing vehicles to make a safe exiting maneuver from the CISD property. Vehicles will also have a safe alternate route of turning left onto the Village Center Dr. extension from the CISD property and continue on to FM 1709. 3. The extension of Village Center Dr. will bring the forecasted level of service at FM 1 709 and Kimball Ave. back to its current operating condition of LOS C. February 2008 Alignment Alternatives Two pairs of alignment alternatives were developed and are shown in Figure 11. The first pair of alignment alternatives is located on the Gateway Church and Greenway properties. The northern alignment ( ) is ideal in a redevelopment scenario of the Church because it would allow building frontage on both sides of Vil age Center Dr. However, this alignment was discarded because it would cut off the southwest corner of the Greenway property. The southern alignment (® ) is the preferred alignment as it aligns with the Greenway site design, creates a continuous thoroughfare alignment, and is not dependent on the potential redevelopment of the Gateway Church property. Table 2: Pros and Cons of 1"Alianment Alternative Pros Cons • would allow building frontage on both sides with • makes SW corner of Greenway property redevelopment of Gateway Church undevelopable 1 North • further from Woodland Heights • benefit is dependent on redevelopment of Gateway Church • utilizes existing pavement • traffic moves through parking field • preserves developable land on Greenway property • creates only one side of building frontage with redevelopment of Gateway Church • • benefit not dependent on redevelopment of Gateway • closer to Woodland Heights church • traffic is separated from parking field The second pair of alignment alternatives is dependent on whether Village Center Dr. will utilize the existing CISD driveway built to thoroughfare standards. The northern alignment (•) would run parallel to the CISD roadway causing the closure of the existing roadway and a shift of the median opening on Kimball to the north. This is the preferred alignment because it will move the thoroughfare over 100 feet away from the northern edge of the school building, from its current position of 45 feet shown in Figure 10. The southern alignment ((D) could be tied into the existing pavement and intersection with Kimball Ave. without altering the nature pavilion on CISD property. A further benefit of Alignment 2S is that it will cut the property to the east of Kimball in half, creating two equally developable halves, as opposed to disproportionate portions. However, due to this alignment's proximity to the school building, it is not the preferred alternative. February 2008 Figure 10: Proximity of school to existing driveway Table 3: Pros and Cons of 2"d Alignment Alternative 9 2 South Pros Cons • simpler geometry (straight line) • requires additional right-of-way from Quicksall • increased distance from edge of school building • creates potential development challenges east of Kimball • decreased southbound stopping distance, but still within allowable limits • requires no additional right-of-way from Quicksall • added reverse curve • land east of Kimball is more easily developable • thoroughfare passes close (45') to edge of school building • increased southbound stopping distance Both 2N and 2S alignments should provide a raised crosswalk as a traffic calming device for the safety of pedestrians (especially school children) crossing the road. Both alignments would also allow for a connection from the access easement on the Greenway and Quicksall properties to the drive in the rear of the CISD property. Assuming that this western connection is made, the eastern drive should be closed to allow for more stacking of vehicles on Village Center Dr. In summary, alignments ® and 0 were chosen as the preferred alignments. A final preferred alignment is shown is Figure 12. SOUTHLAKE VILLAGE CENTER DRIVE EXTENSION STUDY g� Figure 11: Alignment Alternatives February 2008 7 Figure 12: Preferred Alignment February 2008 February 2008 Conclusion The primary purpose of the Village Center Dr. extension is to provide improved and safer circulation for the CISD property and the undeveloped parcels in the vicinity. A positive side effect of the improved circulation is that it will alleviate some of the further congestion anticipated at the intersection of Kimball Ave. and Southlake Blvd. The development of the undeveloped parcels will deteriorate the operation of the Kimball Ave. signal to a forecasted level of service (LOS) D. The extension of Village Center Dr. will alleviate the congestion caused by this development and return this signal's level of service back to LOS C. Vehicles exiting the CISD property and desiring to go north on Kimball Ave. must make a difficult left turn across a busy arterial with limited sight distance. Signalizing the intersection of Village Center Drive will provide a protected movement for the CISD traffic leaving the property. The Village Center Dr. extension will also provide a safe alternative route of using the signal at Village Center Dr. and Southlake Blvd. Due to the low -speed nature of the extension between Southlake Blvd. and Kimball Ave., it is not anticipated that the extension will be used as a cut -through alternative to these roadways. It is also not anticipated the much of the traffic generated by the development to the north will utilize the segment of the extension adjacent to the CISD property. Therefore, the segment of the extension adjacent to the CISD property should not see a significant increase in traffic. Based on the traffic analysis and improved safety associated with the proposed extension of Village Center Dr. to Nolen Dr., it is recommended that alignments ® and • be constructed, as explained in the Alignment Alternatives section with the following considerations': ■ Design as a local slow movement roadway with a speed limit not to exceed 25 mph ■ Approximately 35 foot roadway with the possibility of parallel parking on one or both sides along portions of the roadway or an approximately 27 foot — 30 foot roadway without parallel parking ■ "Urban" cross-section which includes curb gutters, street and sidewalks ■ Traffic calming measures shall be implemented along the portion of the roadway on or adjacent to the residential and CISD properties. ■ Stop signs will be installed at the following locations: 1) the two-way intersection located at the southwest corner of the Gateway Church property; and 2) the four-way intersection located at the corner of the Greenway/Quicksall/CISD properties. ■ The access point for the north/south portion of the roadway along the Greenway/Quicksall property line should be aligned with the hooded left shown in the Urban Design and Median Plan for Southlake Blvd., as shown in Figure 12. This access point shall be designed with two lanes. There will be one southbound lane and one right - out lane. ■ The easternmost drive on the Buchanan Addition property is to be closed at the time the roadway along the Greenway/Quicksall property line connects to Southlake Blvd. Development in this general area should access this north/south roadway versus accessing directly from Southlake Blvd. when possible. February 2008 ■ Pedestrian crossing near the school should be provided, as shown in Figure 12. ■ The northern boundary of the CISD property should be fenced to minimize vehicle/pedestrian conflict. ■ Construct Option C shown in Figure 12 and described in the Connection to Woodland Heights Neighborhood section. ■ Any office/retail uses constructed in the southern portion of the Gateway Church property should front onto Village Center Dr. with parking in the rear when possible. 1. Modified from "General Alignment of S. Village Center Drive" in Appendix B— Street Specific Recommendations of the Mobibu and Mister Thoroughfare Plan the South Side Area Plan of the Southlake 2025 Plan