July 16, 2013

WINDSOR PARKWAY – ROSWELL ROAD INTERSECTION RE-ALIGNMENT

RECOMMENDATION

sandyspringsga.gov

Background

November 6, 2012

Assistant City Manager Bryant Poole conducted brief individual discussions with affected District Council members related to the City proposed response to the DRI

Suggestions presented regarding recommendations staff needed to present to GRTA.

January 30, 2013

GRTA issues the Notice of Decision for the DRI 2290 (JLB property)

Mid-February, 2013

Small Group Council Briefings

Presented to affected District Council members regarding alignment options March 5, 2013

Executive Session

Council reviewed proposed options and potential property acquisition Consensus of Council to further refine plans for the auction site alignment

Proposed options were authorized for release to the public

2

sandyspringsga.gov

Background (continued)

March 28, 2013 Community Briefing at City Hall, hosted by Public Works Director Garrin Coleman, regarding potential roadway alignments Associations/Neighborhoods Represented: Hedden Townhomes Windsor Park Place: Windsor Place

May 10, 2013 Community Meeting regarding potential roadway alignments held at North Fulton Annex, facilitated by Trisha Thompson Fox on behalf of Council of Neighborhoods. City and GDOT representatives were present to answer questions Associations/Neighborhoods Represented: Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods High Point Civic Association North Buckhead Civic Association Buckhead Neighborhood Planning Unit B

3

• Hedden Townhomes • Meadowbrook Neighborhood • Franklin Road Townhomes • Windsor Park Place

• High Point Civic Association • Brooks Cowles: Community Funeral Service

sandyspringsga.gov

Background (continued)

May 20, 2013 Discussion facilitated by Chastain Park Civic Association with Assistant City Manager Bryant Poole and Public Works CIP Unit Manager Marty Martin Council member McEnerny in attendance June 18, 2013 City Council, Work Session - Full Presentation of Windsor Park alignment options Council requested more detail on funding options Council heard public comment as part of general public comment period Presentation posted on the City’s website June 19

4

sandyspringsga.gov

Background (continued) July 2, 2013 Community Meeting, hosted by Public Works Director Garrin Coleman, held at City Hall Presentation with alignment options discussed Associations/Neighborhoods Represented: Hedden Townhomes High Point Civic Association Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods July 12, 2013 Council Member Monthly Zoning Briefing Council provided updates on the identified options for Windsor Parkway and staff’s

recommended alignment Presentation provided to Council posted on the City’s website as part of the information packet

for the July 16 Council meeting

July 16, 2013 City Council Public Presentation & Public Input

5

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Relocation Overview

Project Background Intersection Improvement Project has been identified in the following publicly vetted

documents: Roswell Road Corridor LCI (2008) Transportation Master Plan (2008) 2027 Comprehensive Plan (2007)

Zoning application triggered reviews by: • Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) as a development of regional

impact (DRI): January 30, 2013: Notice of Decision (NOD) issued Based on report, if JLB project is approved, the City must construct offsite

transportation improvements or risk losing state and/or federal funding associated with transportation projects as noted in the NOD

Attachment C section • Input into DRI NOD solicited from regional and local entities such as:

• Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) • Georgia Department of Transportation • City of Atlanta

Initial DRI comments recommended Hedden St. as full signalized intersection-- significant staff concerns on negative impact to neighborhoods

6

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Relocation Overview

Staff Actions Engaged with GDOT and GRTA to register concerns and seek a more

neighborhood-friendly alternative Acquired services of transportation engineering consultant, Michael Baker

Corp., to study alternative alignments for Windsor Parkway/Roswell Road intersection

Acquired services of real estate consultants to prepare cost studies of potential business and property acquisition of properties involved

Communicated study efforts to neighborhoods and adjacent property owners to seek input

Neighborhood and affected property owner meetings June 18, 2013 Council presentation

7

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Relocation Overview

Accident Summary High Accident Intersection

103 reported accidents from January 2009 to May 2013 47 of these are head on, angle, or opposite side swipe

8

27

21

22

21

12

0 10 20 30

Number ofCrashes

Comparison of Years 2009-Present

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

39

41

16

1 1 4 1

Summary of Crashes by Type

Rear End

Angle

Side Swipe Same

Side Swipe Opposite

Head On

Pedestrian

Single Vehicle

sandyspringsga.gov

Intersection Overview Operational Summary

Intersections are rated on the “Level of Service” scale with grades ranging from A to F. Grade “A” represents free-flow condition and “F” represents grid-lock

Summary of the Average Intersection Levels of Service for Existing and Future Conditions Peak Hour

Existing Future(2027) Intersection Improvement AM PM AM PM Roswell Rd. @ Windsor Pkwy Realigned Windsor Parkway D D C C Roswell Rd. @ W. Wieuca WB left turn lane A A A B W. Wieuca @ Driveway 3 EB left turn lane A A A A Source: * Foresite Group and City of Sandy Springs

9

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Operational Illustration

Existing Condition LOS D Future Condition LOS C

10

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Overview Operational Summary – Existing Condition

Level of Service for the Windsor Parkway Approach is LOS E & F (overall intersection rating is LOS D):

• Skew Angle - Windsor Pkwy intersects Roswell Rd at a 57º angle (90º is ideal) • Split-Phase - As a result of the skew angle, the signal cannot allow the east and west

movements to occur at the same time for safety reasons and green time is reduced • Turn Lanes - Windsor Parkway is a 2 lane approach with a left thru and a right turn lane

Separation and Queuing are not Desirable: • Signal separation between the Roswell Road with Windsor Pkwy and W. Wieuca Rd is 700’

(GDOT criteria currently requires 1,000’ minimum) • Substandard separation creates vehicle stacking and weaving movements that degrade

operations The vehicle queue northbound on Roswell Road often blocks the intersection with

Meadowbrook Road and spills back through West Wieuca and often Wieuca Roads Traffic Volumes:

• Existing volume of left turns from westbound Windsor Pkwy to southbound Roswell Road are at the threshold volume to warrant a dual left turn lane

• Traffic volumes on Roswell Road are heavy and demand the majority of signal green time creating longer delays on Windsor Pkwy

11

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Overview Operational Summary – Future Condition

Level of Service (LOS) C Projected: • Skew Angle: Corrected to a 90º • Split-Phase: Signal can run without split phase allowing improved operation (frees up an

estimated 25 seconds of green time per cycle) • Turn Lanes: Windsor Pkwy configured with 2 left turn lanes in all current options under

consideration Separation and Queuing are more Desirable:

• Future options result in additional stacking and queuing length on Roswell Rd. of approximately 300’ between West Wieuca and new Windsor Parkway re-alignment. This meets City and GDOT criteria requiring 1,000’ minimum spacing between traffic signals

Traffic Volumes: • The new design does not reduce traffic volumes; however, it provides additional turn lanes

and improved signal operation to improve the level of service at the intersection

12

sandyspringsga.gov

Related Actions West Wieuca Turn Lane (City of Atlanta)

Level of Service (LOS) A for the “Existing” and “Future” Conditions

13

DRI

VE #

3

NOR

TH

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Relocation Option #1A (Auction site)

14

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Relocation Option #1A

Pros: • Greatest level of service provides for dual left turns, dedicated

through and right turn lanes • Provides a 50’ buffer from Windsor Parkway to the townhomes • Increases queuing length

Cons: • Impact to the buffer/backyards of adjacent townhomes • Largest footprint (five lanes) and largest number of parcels

impacted • Second highest projected construction cost • Greatest impact on auction site

15

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Relocation Option #1B (Auction site)

16

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Relocation Option #1B

Pros: • Reduces total lanes at intersection to four • Provides a 50’ buffer from Windsor Parkway to the

townhomes • Reduces impact to auction site • Lowest project construction cost

Cons: • Impact to the buffer/backyards of adjacent townhomes • Reduced level of service of overall intersection due to

lack of dedicated right turn lane onto Roswell Road

17

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Relocation Option #2 (Restaurant site)

18

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Relocation Option #2

Pros: • This option will not impact the auction site • Projected construction cost similar to Option #1B • Least amount of impact to homes on Hedden Street

Cons: • Highest total construction cost • Displaces active restaurant • Least amount of queuing length along Roswell Road • Reduced level of service of overall intersection due to

lack of dedicated right turn lane onto Roswell Road

19

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Relocation Cost Estimating Methodology

Construction Cost Estimates – Prepared by Michael Baker Corp. using GDOT Mean Item Summary construction cost database. 10% contingency applied due to concept stage of design

Property Valuations – Prepared by Carr, Lawson, Cantrell and Associates Real Estate using Sales Comparison Approach for parcels under consideration

Business Impact – Market range formula provided by HDH Advisors to assess business enterprise value

20

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Relocation Options Planning Level Cost Comparison

Option #1A (Auction site) - $4.4M Option #1B (Auction site) - $3.7M Option #2 (Restaurant site) - $5.7M

21

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Relocation Funding Options

Impact Fees (CIE) $1,424,028 Development Authority Bond Financing* $2,000,000 Capital Contingency $500,000 T-0019 Roswell Streetscape $2,300,000 (reallocation) T-0034 Morgan Falls Road $1,500,000 (reallocation) *Subject to availability

22

sandyspringsga.gov

Windsor Parkway Intersection Relocation Conclusion

Staff recommends that Council endorse the selection of Option 1-B due to the following:

Safety Enhancement Traffic Operation Improvements Cost effectiveness to the City

23

sandyspringsga.gov

QUESTIONS