Draft MemorandumSRF No. 0169371

To: Paul Oehme, PE Public Works Director/City Engineer City of Chanhassen

From: Matt Pacyna, PE, Senior Associate Tom Sachi, EIT, Engineer

Date: September 12, 2016 Subject: 7801 Audubon Road Traffic and Parking Study

Introduction

SRF has completed a traffic and parking study for the proposed Paisley Park Museum at 7801 Audubon Road in the City of Chanhassen (see Figure 1: Project Location). The main objectives of this study are to review existing operations within the study area, evaluate traffic and parking impacts of the proposed development, and recommend any necessary improvements to accommodate the proposed development. A review of the proposed access, circulation, and overall site operations was also completed. The following information provides the assumptions, analysis, and recommendations offered for consideration.

Existing Conditions

The existing conditions were reviewed to establish a baseline in order to identify any future impacts associated with the proposed development. The evaluation of existing conditions includes intersection turning movement counts, field observations, and an intersection capacity analysis.

Data Collection

Intersection turning movement counts were collected at the following locations between Thursday, August 25 and Sunday, August 28, 2016.

Audubon Road and MN Highway 5

Audubon Road and Coulter Boulevard

Audubon Road and Park Road

These periods were selected as they include the weekday a.m. and p.m. peak hours, as well as the Saturday midday peak period. Supplemental traffic counts were collected along Audubon Road on Saturday, September 3, 2016 to understand impacts associated with the adjacent AutoMotorPlex facility, which holds a Saturday event between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. once a month. Annual average daily traffic (ADT) volumes within the study area, as well as historical MN Highway 5 turning movement counts from 2013 were provided by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).

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Paul Oehme, City of Chanhassen September 12, 2016 7801 Audubon Road Traffic and Parking Study A summary of the traffic volumes collected are illustrated in Chart 1. Review of the data collected indicates that traffic volumes along MN Highway 5 generally peak during the weekday a.m. (7:45 to 8:45) and p.m. (4:30 to 5:30) time periods. Traffic volumes along Audubon Road also generally peak during the same time periods, albeit at much lower levels. On Saturday, traffic volumes along MN Highway 5 peak during the midday (11:45 to 12:45), while volumes along Audubon Road remain relatively steady throughout the day. It should be noted that there is a noticeable traffic volume peak along Audubon Road that coincides with a Saturday AutoMotorPlex event.

Chart 1 Existing Traffic Volume Profiles

Observations were completed to identify roadway characteristics (i.e. roadway geometry, posted speed limits, and traffic controls) within the study area. MN Highway 5 is a four-lane divided roadway with left- and right-turn lanes at Audubon Road. The posted speed limit along MN Highway 5 is 55 miles per hour (mph). Audubon Road, Coulter Boulevard, and Park Road are two-lane undivided roadways. The posted speed limit along Audubon Road is 45 mph while the remaining study roadways are posted at 30 mph. The Audubon Road/MN Highway 5 intersection is signalized. All other study intersections are unsignalized with side-street stop control. Mcglynn Road and the existing Paisley Park access locations were not reviewed as part of the existing conditions due to limited activity. Existing study area geometrics, traffic controls, and traffic volumes are shown in Figure 2.

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Paul Oehme, City of Chanhassen September 12, 2016 7801 Audubon Road Traffic and Parking Study Intersection Capacity Analysis

An existing intersection capacity analysis was completed for the weekday p.m. and Saturday midday peak hours to establish a baseline condition to which future traffic operations can be compared. The weekday a.m. peak hour was not reviewed since the proposed development is expected to have minimal impact during that time. Saturday event conditions at the AutoMotorPlex were not reviewed given the limited impact. Intersections were analyzed using Synchro/SimTraffic (Version 9).

Capacity analysis results identify a Level of Service (LOS), which indicates the quality of traffic flow through an intersection. Intersections are given a ranking from LOS A through LOS F. The LOS results are based on average delay per vehicle, which correspond to the delay threshold values shown in Table 1. LOS A indicates the best traffic operation, with vehicles experiencing minimal delays. LOS F indicates an intersection where demand exceeds capacity, or a breakdown of traffic flow. Overall intersection LOS A through LOS D is generally considered acceptable in the Twin Cities.

Table 1 Level of Service Criteria for Signalized and Unsignalized Intersections

LOS Designation Signalized Intersection Average Delay/Vehicle (seconds)

Unsignalized Intersection Average Delay/Vehicle (seconds)

A

B - -

C - -

D - -

E - -

F

For side-street stop controlled intersections, special emphasis is given to providing an estimate for the level of service of the side-street approach. Traffic operations at an unsignalized intersection with side-street stop control can be described in two ways. First, consideration is given to the overall intersection level of service. This takes into account the total number of vehicles entering the intersection and the capability of the intersection to support these volumes. Second, it is important to consider the delay on the minor approach. Since the mainline does not have to stop, the majority of delay is attributed to the side-street approaches. It is typical of intersections with higher mainline traffic volumes to experience high levels of delay (i.e. poor levels of service) on the side-street approaches, but an acceptable overall intersection level of service during peak hour conditions.

Results of the existing intersection capacity analysis shown in Table 2 indicate that the study intersections currently operate at an acceptable overall LOS B or better during the weekday p.m. and Saturday midday peak hours with the existing geometric layout and traffic controls. Side-street delays along Audubon Road are relatively minimal. However, northbound queues along Audubon Road extend beyond the existing Paisley Park North Access approximately 50 percent of the weekday p.m. peak hour (~185 feet). The 95th percentile westbound left-turning queues along MN Highway 5 during the weekday p.m. peak hour extend approximately 160 feet.

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Paul Oehme, City of Chanhassen September 12, 2016 7801 Audubon Road Traffic and Parking Study Table 2 Existing Intersection Capacity Analysis

Intersection Weekday P.M.

Peak Hour Saturday Midday

Peak Hour LOS Delay LOS Delay

B sec. B sec. Audubon Road and Coulter Boulevard A/B 2 sec. A/B sec. Audubon Road and Park Road A/B sec. A/A 9 sec.

Indicates an unsignalized intersection with side-street stop control, where the overall LOS is shown followed by the worst approach LOS. The delay shown represents the worst side-street approach delay.

Proposed Development

The proposed development is expected to convert Paisley Park Studios into a Museum. Opening is currently planned for October 2016. Based on discussion with project stakeholders, the following information with respect to the Museum operation was assumed:

Hours of Operation: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Days of Operation: Everyday (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) Maximum Guests per Tour: 65 people (50 General Admission; 15 VIP) Tour Start Times: Every 10 minutes Tour Duration: General Admission - 70 minutes; VIP - 100 minutes Employees: Up to 60 but no more than 20 on-site at any given time (except special events) Existing Parking Spaces: ~ 165 spaces (105 North; 42 South; 18 Garage)

The two existing Paisley Park access locations along Audubon Road are expected to remain. The Paisley Park South Access, located across from Mcglynn Road and approximately 500 south of MN Highway 5, would serve as the employee entrance. The Paisley Park North Access, located approximately 125 feet south of MN Highway 5, would serve as the guest entrance. The guest entrance would be staffed at all times to manage/control access to the site.

Existing + Museum Conditions

To identify potential impacts associated with the proposed museum, traffic forecasts were developed for year of opening conditions. Since the museum is planning to open in October 2016, existing conditions with the addition of the proposed museum were reviewed. Therefore, the following sections provide details on the estimated trip generation and intersection capacity analysis.

Trip Generation To account for traffic impacts associated with the proposed development, a trip generation estimate for the weekday p.m. and Saturday midday peak hours as well as on a weekday daily basis was developed. Given the unique land use, data provided by project staff was utilized. For purposes of this study, a worst-case approach was assumed in which full capacity tours (65 guests) at the museum would occur starting every 10 minutes throughout the peak periods of the adjacent roadway.

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Paul Oehme, City of Chanhassen September 12, 2016 7801 Audubon Road Traffic and Parking Study The average vehicle occupancy was assumed to be 2.5 guests per vehicle. All employees were assumed to arrive and/or depart outside of the peak tour timeframes. No shuttle service/transit reductions were included as part of the analysis, although it is reasonable to assume approximately 10 to 15 percent of guests may arrive via transit.

Results of the trip generation estimate indicates the proposed development is expected to generate up to approximately 312 peak hour trips during a sold out condition. If each tour was sold out for the entire day, the site could generate up to 4,000 daily trips. Although it may be not be likely that tours are completely sold out throughout the day, it is reasonable to assume that tours may be sold out during the peak periods. Therefore, the analysis focused on the peak hours of the adjacent roadways assuming sold out tour conditions during the peak periods.

Table 3 Trip Generation Estimate

Sold Out Event Condition Size Weekday P.M.

Peak Hour Trips Saturday Midday Peak Hour Trips Daily

Trips In Out In Out

Paisley Park Museum

-Minute Tour Start

Based on data provided by project staff. Represents the maximum amount of trips expected to be generated (assumes sold-out t .

Trips generated by the proposed development were routed throughout the study area based on the directional distribution shown in Figure 3. The distribution was developed based on a combination of data provided by project staff, existing travel patterns, and engineering judgment. The resultant year 2016 build peak hour conditions, including sold-out conditions, are shown in Figure 4.

Year 2016 Build Intersection Capacity Analysis

To determine if the existing roadway network can accommodate the year 2016 build conditions, a detailed intersection capacity analysis was completed. Results of the year 2016 intersection capacity analysis shown in Table 4 indicate that the study intersections are expected to operate at an acceptable overall LOS D or better during the weekday p.m. and Saturday midday peak hours with the existing geometric layout and traffic controls. However, as westbound left-turn vehicles from MN Highway 5 access Audubon Road and eventually the Paisley Park North Access, the lack of a left-turn lane along southbound Audubon Road results in queues extending to MN Highway 5 during the weekday p.m. peak hour. These types of queues create a safety issue, as well as a reduction in the overall efficiency of the MN Highway 5/Audubon Road intersection operations.

Signal timing improvements alone would not address the operational and queuing issues associated with the proximity of the Paisley Park North Access. Therefore, relocating the Paisley Park North Access to a minimum of 100 feet south of its current location should be considered (Option 1). However, the best operations would occur if the Paisley Park South Access was the primary entrance/exit and the Paisley Park North Access was closed or converted to partial access (Option 2).

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Paul Oehme, City of Chanhassen September 12, 2016 7801 Audubon Road Traffic and Parking Study Table 4 Year 2016 Build Intersection Capacity Analysis

Intersection Weekday P.M.

Peak Hour Saturday Midday

Peak Hour

LOS Delay LOS Delay

D 46 sec. B sec.

Audubon Road and Paisley Park North Access A/B A/B 2 sec.

Audubon Road and Paisley Park South Access A/B 2 sec. A/B

Audubon Road and Coulter Boulevard A/B 3 sec. A/B

Audubon Road and Park Road A/B A/B sec.

Indicates an unsignalized intersection with side-street stop control, where the overall LOS is shown followed by the worst approach LOS. The delay shown represents the worst side-street approach delay.

To determine how the study intersection would be expected to operate if the Paisley Park North Access were closed (Option 2), another year 2016 build intersection capacity analysis was completed. This analysis assumed the traffic signal timing at the Audubon Road/MN Highway 5 intersection would be optimized, as well as restriping the segment of Audubon Road south of MN Highway 5 to include dedicated left-turn lanes at the Paisley Park South Access.

Results of the year 2016 intersection capacity analysis shown in Table 5 indicate that the study intersections are expected to operate at an acceptable overall LOS C or better during the weekday p.m. and Saturday midday peak hours with the Paisley Park North Access closure, restriping along Audubon Road, and optimized signal timing. All queuing will be maintained within the existing turn lanes.

Table 5 Year 2016 Build Intersection Capacity Analysis (Paisley Park North Access Closed)

Intersection Weekday P.M.

Peak Hour Saturday Midday

Peak Hour

LOS Delay LOS Delay

Audubon C 22 sec. B sec.

Audubon Road and Paisley Park North Access --- --- --- ---

Audubon Road and Paisley Park South Access A/B A/B

Audubon Road and Coulter Boulevard A/B sec. A/B sec.

Audubon Road and Park Road A/B A/B

Indicates an unsignalized intersection with side-street stop control, where the overall LOS is shown followed by the worst approach LOS. The delay shown represents the worst side-street approach delay.

Given the anticipated museum opening in early October 2016, there may not be sufficient time to relocate/modify the Paisley Park North Access to ensure safe and efficient operations within the area. Therefore alternative access to the site, particularly off-site shuttle service for guests, should be considered until access to the site can be modified accordingly. Further discussion regarding access and site improvements is provided later in this document.

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Paul Oehme, City of Chanhassen September 12, 2016 7801 Audubon Road Traffic and Parking Study Parking Review

Based on a review of the current site layout, it is estimated that there is a total of approximately 165 parking spaces on site. Of these spaces, approximately 105 are located in the north parking lot, 42 are located in the south parking lot, and the remaining 18 spaces are in the underground garage. With the assumptions used as part of the trip generation estimates (i.e. 65 guests per 10-minute tour, 2.5 guests per vehicle, 70-minute tour length, and 20 staff on site), the peak on-site parking demand is estimated to be approximately 230 spaces. This accounts for guests arriving/departing at least 10 minutes before/after their respective tours.

With the estimated peak parking demand (230 spaces) and the existing parking supply (165 spaces), there is expected to be a 65 space parking deficit. Given the anticipated museum opening in early October 2016, there may not be sufficient time to relocate/modify/add parking. Therefore alternative access to the site (i.e. shuttle service) or a reduction in overall tour guests (i.e. a maximum of 45 guests per tour) should be considered until adequate parking can be provided.

Other Considerations

In addition to the traffic and parking issues identified, the following other items are offered for consideration. An illustration of the potential access and parking modification options are shown in Figures 5 and 6.

1) Given the traffic, access, and parking challenges identified as well as the expected opening in October 2016, shuttle operations should be incorporated until adequate access and parking is provided. Potential shuttle routing is provided in Figure 7.

2) Provide adequate on-site staffing and vehicle storage to ensure queues from entering guests do not extend into Audubon Road. If adequate storage is not provided, a traffic control officer may be needed at the Audubon Road/Main Entrance. Furthermore, the addition of a northbound right-turn lane should be considered to reduce the potential for queuing issues on Audubon Road.

3) Consider the addition of pedestrian facilities (i.e. a sidewalk or trail), particularly along the east side of the site to reduce potential conflicts.

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00169371September 2016

Example Interim Bus Routing

City of Chanhassen

Figure 77801 Audubon Road Traffic and Parking Study

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Paul Oehme, City of Chanhassen September 12, 2016 7801 Audubon Road Traffic and Parking Study Summary and Conclusions

The following study conclusions and recommendations are offered for consideration:

1) The study intersections currently operate at an acceptable overall LOS B or better during the weekday p.m. and Saturday midday peak hours. Side-street delays along Audubon Road are relatively minimal. Northbound queues along Audubon Road extend beyond the existing Paisley Park North Access approximately 50 percent of the weekday p.m. peak hour (~185 feet).

2) The proposed development is expected to generate up to approximately 312 peak hour trips during a sold out condition. If each tour was sold out for the entire day, the site could generate up to 4,000 daily trips.

3) Results of the year 2016 build intersection capacity analysis indicate that the study intersections are expected to operate at an acceptable overall LOS D or better during the weekday p.m. and Saturday midday peak hours. However, as westbound left-turn vehicles from MN Highway 5 access Audubon Road and eventually the Paisley Park North Access, the lack of a left-turn lane along southbound Audubon Road results in queues extending to MN Highway 5 during the weekday p.m. peak hour. These types of queues create a safety issue, as well as a reduction in the overall efficiency of the MN Highway 5/Audubon Road intersection operations.

4) Signal timing improvements alone would not address the operational and queuing issues associated with the proximity of the Paisley Park North Access. Therefore, relocating the Paisley Park North Access to a minimum of 100 feet south of its current location should be considered (Option 1). However, the best operations would occur if the Paisley Park South Access was the primary entrance/exit and the Paisley Park North Access was closed or converted to partial access (Option 2).

5) The study intersections are expected to operate at an acceptable overall LOS C or better during the weekday p.m. and Saturday midday peak hours with the Paisley Park North Access closure (Option 2), restriping along Audubon Road, and optimized signal timing. All queuing will be maintained within the existing turn lanes.

6) Given the anticipated museum opening in early October 2016, there may not be sufficient time to relocate/modify the Paisley Park North Access to ensure safe and efficient operations within the area. Therefore alternative access to the site, particularly off-site shuttle service for guests, should be considered until access to the site can be modified accordingly.

7) The current site layout can accommodate a total of approximately 165 parking spaces on site (105 north lot, 42 south lot, 18 garage). The peak on-site parking demand is estimated to be approximately 230 spaces, which results in a 65 space parking deficit.

a. Given the anticipated museum opening in early October 2016, there may not be sufficient time to relocate/modify parking. Therefore alternative access to the site (i.e. shuttle service) or a reduction in overall tour guests (i.e. a maximum of 45 guests per tour) should be considered until adequate parking can be provided.

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Paul Oehme, City of Chanhassen September 12, 2016 7801 Audubon Road Traffic and Parking Study 8) Other considerations include:

a. Development of a shuttle routing plan.

b. Provide adequate on-site staffing and vehicle storage to ensure queues from entering guests do not extend into Audubon Road. If adequate storage is not provided, a traffic control officer may be needed at the Audubon Road/Main Entrance and/or the addition of a northbound right-turn lane should be considered.

c. Consider the addition of pedestrian facilities (i.e. a sidewalk or trail), particularly along the east side of the site to reduce potential conflicts.

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