- What is the purpose of traffic access and impact studies?
Traffic access and impact studies are intended to determine
need for any improvements to the adjacent and nearby road
system to maintain a satisfactory level of service, safety, and
the appropriate access provisions for a proposed development.
- List at least three criteria which might be used to determine if a
traffic access and impact analysis is required.
Possible criteria include:
- When the development will generate more than a certain threshold of peak hour trips.
- When the development will generate more than a certain threshold of daily trips.
- When a more than a certain threshold of acreage is being rezoned.
- When the development contains more than a certain threshold of some appropriate
independent variable.
- When the development will occur in a sensitive area.
- When financial assessments are required and the extend
of impact must be determined.
- List the time periods you would consider to be possible critical time
periods for the following sites. Justify your answers.
In general, the critical time period for a development will be
the period during which the adjacent transportation system will
experience the highest directional traffic demands. Thus, the
peak periods of project-related travel and the adjacent street
system should be considered. In general, the street system
weekday peak periods (7-9am and 4-6pm) should be considered for
all sites. In addition individual site peaks are:
- Residential Condominium:
exiting peak (7-9am) and entering peak (4-6pm)
- Office Park:
entering peak (7-9am) and exiting peak (4-6pm)
- Supermarket:
lunch peak (11:30-12:30pm) and evening peak (4-7pm)
- Retail Shopping Center (closing at 10pm):
entering peak (6:30-7:30) and exiting peak (9:15-9:45).
- Tennis/Raquet club:
weekday evenings (6-7pm) and weekend mornings (9-11am).