Title
Resolution Regarding Nixon Corridor Traffic Study
Body
Whereas, Northeast Ann Arbor Area residents have identified existing Nixon Road corridor traffic congestion and capacity issues and concerns;
Whereas, Residents have raised questions and expressed concerns about the impact of the proposed Woodbury Club and Nixon Farms traffic on existing and future Nixon Road corridor congestion, peak hour volumes and conditions, and on the adjacent neighborhood street system;
Whereas, The Nixon Farms North and South Traffic Impact Study (TIS) projects an additional 265 AM and 260 PM peak hour trips and the Woodbury Club Apartments TIS projects an additional 118 AM and 146 PM peak hour trips;
Whereas, The Nixon Farms North and South traffic study analysis projects that future turning movements at Nixon Road and Dhu Varren/Green Rd., Meade Court/Bluett Dr., Huron Parkway (roundabout) and Plymouth Road during both AM and PM peak hours will operate at an unacceptable Level of Service (LOS) E and F;
Whereas, LOS E and F, as defined in the Highway Capacity Manual and as summarized in the Intersection Improvement Study Report, are described as “congested situations and improvements are usually considered at these levels.”;
Whereas, Personal experiences and observations as well as traffic study data demonstrate there is a large volume of Nixon Road southbound traffic during the AM peak hour and a large volume of northbound traffic during the PM peak hour;
Whereas, The City’s Land Development Regulations call for plans to be in place for necessary streets or traffic improvements where developments will contribute traffic that will result in Levels of Service (LOS) D, E or F in order for the site plans to be approved;
Whereas, Some/all of the proposed developments (i.e., Nixon Farms North and South, Woodbury Club, NorthSky) will contribute to the Nixon/Dhu Varren/Green Road intersection improvement project, but no additional improvements are proposed and no funding has been identified for the Nixon Road corridor;
Whereas, The Nixon, Green and Dhu Varren Roads Intersection Improvement Study evaluated future intersection traffic impacts and alternative intersection configurations to improve the operational efficiency of the intersection;
Whereas, The Intersection Improvement Study Community Engagement Summary notes that public feedback included concerns regarding inadequate gaps along Nixon Road;
Whereas, Although the Nixon Road corridor was not part of the Intersection Improvement Study, the study found that modifications such as adding designated left turn lanes at, e.g., the Nixon Rd./Bluett Dr. intersection could be considered;
Whereas, The Intersection Improvement Study Community Engagement Summary states that, “The City is considering the broader impacts of the adjacent developments on Nixon Road outside the study area.”;
Whereas, The Nixon Farms North and South Traffic Impact Study identified Nixon corridor improvement considerations for:
• northbound and southbound center left turn lanes on Nixon Road at the Barclay Way, Haverhill Ct. and Dhu Varren/Green Road intersections
• a 4-way stop control at the Nixon Road and Meade Ct./Bluett Dr. intersection
• changing left turn signal timing and phasing at Nixon/Plymouth and Huron Parkway/Plymouth
• determination of the Prioritization Model Rank of the proposed Nixon Corridor Traffic study
Whereas, The Nixon Farms North and South Traffic Impact Study also stated that a review of MDOT guidelines, “show that center left turn lanes for northbound and southbound Nixon Road are needed. Also, the MDOT guidelines show that exclusive right turn lanes are needed for the eastbound and westbound approaches, as well as for the northbound approach on Nixon Road.”;
Whereas, Federal grant funds are project specific and existing grant dollars are obligated and cannot be reassigned to a study of the Nixon Road corridor;
Whereas, City staff have indicated that grant funding is a “timing issue” and that the next Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program grant application opportunity is the Fall of 2016 for 2018/2019 project eligible funds for authorized projects; and
Whereas, the Nixon Corridor Traffic Study (Project ID TR-OT-16-05) was added by the City Planning Commission to the 2018 Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) and no City funding source or grant funding have been identified or budgeted;
RESOLVED, That the $200,000 currently in the 2018 CIP for the Nixon Corridor Traffic Study be re-prioritized as a 2015/2016 study to analyze and recommend improvements for the corridor;
RESOLVED, That within 30 days, the City Administrator present to City Council a plan to conduct the Nixon Corridor Traffic Study as soon as possible, and the plan presented to Council should include:
• Specific scope of the study, deliverables and timeline
• Anticipated community engagement process
• Projected study cost and potential funding source(s)
• Determination of the Prioritization Model Rank of the proposed Nixon Corridor Traffic study; and
RESOLVED, That it is expected the study deliverables would, at a minimum, include a set of recommendations as well as identification of all of the potential road engineering and/or reconstruction improvements that could result in improved traffic flow in and around the corridor, and for each reengineering/reconstruction improvement:
• Traffic flow impacts (e.g., wait times, LOS, etc.)
• Constraints/enabling conditions (e.g., need right-of-way, MDOT approval)
• How soon the project could be launched and the length of time to complete
• Projected cost and potential funding source(s)
• Rationale for recommending/not recommending
Sponsored by: Council Members Lumm and Briere
As Amended by Ann Arbor City Council on September 8, 2015