WORKSHOP ITEM - Dan Schluender, City Engineer
Title
INTERSECTION CONTROL EVALUATION REPORTS
Background
Staff has received multiple complaints about traffic control at the following intersections, Ulysses Street and Paul Parkway/121st Avenue, Ulysses Street and 117th Avenue, 99th Avenue and Polk Street, and Radisson Road and 116th Avenue. The first three intersections were discussed at the April 2, 2019 Traffic Commission meeting and the Commission recommended that Intersection Control Studies be prepared for the three intersections. Please note, the Radisson Road and 116th Avenue intersection was not discussed at the Traffic Commission, as Radisson Road is a county road and outside the scope of the commission.
The Intersection Control Reports were presented to the Traffic Commission at their meeting on February 4, 2020. Here is a brief summary of the reports presented to the Commission:
Ulysses Street and Paul Parkway/121st Avenue - The intersection of Ulysses Street and Paul Parkway/121st Avenue has seen several large changes over the past few years including an overpass at TH65, a newly constructed park-n-ride, and several new businesses on either end of Ulysses Street. Several vacant parcels still exist along the corridor that will develop in the future and traffic counts will continue to increase. The intersection is nearing its capacity with the existing traffic control.
The intersection control study evaluated multiple intersection control alternatives including the existing all-way stop, signalization, and a roundabout. Based on the current and future traffic projections, the recommendation of the study was to construct a traffic signal utilizing the existing lane configurations on all approach legs of the intersection. The Traffic Commission recommended that this intersection be modified to change the traffic control to a signalized intersection and include it in the city’s 5 year CIP, based on the Intersection Control Study. The commission also recommended that the southbound leg of the intersection include improvements to correct the existing lane drop when the project moves to design.
Ulysses Street and 117th Avenue - The intersection of Ulysses Street and 117th Avenue has seen several large changes over the past few years including a Walmart, Lowes, Kwik Trip, and several new businesses on either end of Ulysses Street. Currently there is an apartment complex and a new town home development under construction in the southwest corner of this intersection. Several vacant parcels still exist along the corridor that will develop in the future and traffic counts will continue to increase. The intersection is nearing its capacity with the existing traffic control.
The intersection control study evaluated multiple intersection control alternatives including the existing all-way stop, signalization, and single and multi-lane roundabouts. Based on the current and future traffic projections, the recommendation of the study was to construct a multi-lane roundabout. The project would start with striping the roundabout as a single lane roundabout until the traffic increases to the amount that a dual lane roundabout, dual lanes in the northbound and southbound approaches only, is warranted. The Traffic Commission recommended that this intersection be modified to change the traffic control to a single lane roundabout that can be modified with striping to a dual lane roundabout and include it in the city’s 5-year CIP, based on the Intersection Control Study.
99th Avenue and Polk Street - This intersection had an intersection evaluation completed in 2009. The results of that study were that the intersection was approaching the traffic numbers that warrant a signal and that the intersection be reevaluated in the future. At the April 2 meeting, the traffic commission recommended that an updated Intersection Control Evaluation study of traffic control be prepared.
The intersection control study evaluated multiple intersection control alternatives including the existing all-way stop, signalization, and a roundabout. Based on the current and future traffic projections, the recommendation of the study was to construct a traffic signal utilizing a modified lane configurations on all approach legs of the intersection. The Traffic Commission recommended that this intersection be modified to change the traffic control to a signalized intersection and include it in the city’s 5 year CIP, based on the Intersection Control Study. The commission also recommended that the lane geometry of the west leg of 99th Avenue be reviewed to have a right turn lane incorporated when the project moved to design.
116th Avenue and Radisson Road - The intersection control study evaluated multiple intersection control alternatives including the existing two-way stop, full median closure on Radisson Road, ¾ access on Radisson Road for both north and south bound traffic, and signalization. While signalization meets warrants for the current traffic utilizing the intersection, it does not meet the county’s access management for signal spacing. Based on the current traffic, the recommendation of the study was to either construct a full median closure on Radisson Road or limit it to a ¾-access intersection. Both options force traffic to use other intersections or the internal street network to access Radisson Road.
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the city council include the Traffic Commission recommendations for intersection control improvements to the intersections of Ulysses Street and Paul Parkway/121st Avenue, Ulysses Street and 117th Avenue, 99th Avenue and Polk Street based on results of the Intersection Control Study to the city’s 5 year CIP.
Staff also recommends that the city council include the ¾ access intersection improvements at 116th Avenue and Radisson Road to the 5-year CIP based on the results of the Intersection Control Study.
5 - year CIP for Intersection Control Improvements
2021 - Ulysses Street and 117th Avenue Intersection Improvements.
2022 - Radisson Road and 116th Avenue Intersection Improvements.
2023 - Ulysses Street and Paul Parkway/121st Avenue Intersection Improvements.
2024 - Polk Street and 99th Avenue Intersection Improvements.