04/14/1980 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ms. Miller stated that she would like to know for what time period these I cost estimates have been calculated. Irv Berman, Traffic Engineering, responded that the estimates were calculated with the assumption that the 4It improvements wuld be made this year. Ms. Miller asked what would happen if there were cost overruns. Mr. Berman responded that this would reduce the project or they would go back to the Federal or State agencies for additional funding. Ms. Schue stated that the council was supplied with traffic volume counts . that tended to show traffic had not increased on Hilyard. Mr. Hanks replied that as far as he can tell, the material is factual. Traffic counts prior to 1973 show total volume of around 20,000. What these counts show is that the intersection of 30th Avenue and Hilyard Street is a capacity problem. The volume counts on the side streets show an increase. With development in the south hills, the results will be increased traffic volume. All the counts were done prior to the left turn experiment. Mr. Delay asked whether an improvement in the intersection, if it is made, would become a traffic attractor. Mr. Hanks replied that the hope is that it would attract traffic that is now going through neighborhoods and that was the primary reason for the project. Mr. Delay asked how much traffic through the intersection would be increased. Mr. Hanks replied that the capacity would increase about 50 percent for through lanes. There would be a minor increase in the left turn lanes. Mr. Delay asked why the two lanes have to go down Hilyard Street so far. Mr. Hanks responded that is to meet the T-2000 Plan, a level of service D with 70 percent of signals at peak. Capacity divided by expected volumes determines how much time it would take for each movement. Then a geometric design is developed that would handle this. For traffic to leave the intersection, it must go somewhere. If two lanes are approaching the intersection, it is necessary to have two lanes on the other side of the street for traffic to flow smoothly through the intersection. It takes approximately 100 feet of space to accept traffic coming from the south part of the intersection. In order to weave two lanes of traffic together at 30 miles per hour, it takes approximately 300 feet. At that location, that would put the weave into the 29th Place intersection. So, the lane weave was begun immediately past that intersection. Mr. Delay asked whether, if the improvements serve as an attractor, more traffic will be dropped onto this intersection and down Hilyard Street to the 11th to 18th avenues section, which has parking on both sides and considerable pedestrian/bicycle activity. Mr. Hanks responded that there may be some attraction to Hilyard Street but they are hoping to handle more traffic on Amazon Parkway. There are future plans which may augment this further, but they will study the 19th Avenue and Amazon Parkway area to try to facilitate movement. One of these plans might be the 18th to 19th avenues couplet. e e 4/14/80--4