North Kings Highway (VA 241) Intersection Improvements Study

County of Fairfax, Virginia

Department of Transportation

Community Meeting

Mount Eagle Elementary School

December 3, 2014

North Kings Highway (VA 241)

Intersection Improvements Study



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Introduction

• Meeting Objectives

o Evaluate future vision for the area

o Decide on a pragmatic solution for the study area

o Provide a balance between citizen needs, the need to reduce congestion,

and improved pedestrian circulation and safety

o Improve traffic operations and throughput on North Kings Highway

o Enhance walkability

o Improve pedestrian and vehicular safety

o Reduce cut-through traffic on School Street


Public Involvement / Citizen Feedback

• Public involvement has been a vital element of the process

o The Penn Daw Special Study Task Force, representing local citizen and

business groups, helped identify community issues and evaluate changes to the

Comprehensive Plan in 2010-2012.

o Community issues included traffic congestion, the need for more walkable,

pedestrian-friendly features, safety, and cut-through traffic on School Street.

o Stakeholder meetings were held in early 2013 to discuss different transportation

design alternatives for the realignment of North Kings Highway, Poag Street,

Shields Avenue, and School Street during the rezoning process.

o A Community Meeting, held in May 2013, provided an opportunity for feedback

as alternative concepts were developed.

o A later Community Meeting, held in June 2014, supplemented with online

voting, further augmented the effort of narrowing re-alignment concepts for

North Kings Highway


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June 2014 Community Meeting• Four Alternative Options were presented for North Kings Highway

Intersection Improvements

o Option 8A – Dual Roundabouts

o Option 8B – Roundabout at Jamaica Drive

o Option 8C – No Roundabouts

o Option 8D – Roundabout at Poag Street

• Based on evaluation & citizen feedback, Options 8C and 8D were

recommended for further, detailed study

o Options 8C & 8D had the highest vote totals

o Options 8A & 8B raised concerns due to impacts to school (roundabout)



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Further, Detailed Study

• Analysis and evaluation taken to a higher level, since June 2014

o Micro-simulation traffic operational analysis

o Year 2030 operations assessment, in addition to Year 2020

o Closer look at intersections on Route 1 and how they interact

o Refined look at footprints of potential mitigation measures to minimize impacts



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Measures of Effectiveness

• Means to compare alternative options

o Estimated cost

o Right-of-way, parking and property impacts

o Walkability

o Safety

o Traffic operations

o System-wide delay (hours)

o Travel time on North Kings Highway (sec)

o Propensity to attract or detract cut-through trips on School Street


No-Build with Proffers


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No-Build Including Proffers


Option 8C


Option 8C

• Identifying Features

o Traffic signal at North Kings Highway/Poag Street

o Closure of median at School Street (Right-in, Right-Out)

o SB u-turn lane at Poag Street and NB u-turn lane at Jamaica Drive

o No roundabouts

• Changes Since June 2014

o Lesser bulb-outs for u-turn lanes

o Enhanced ped crossings more “general,” pending further study

o Slight refinement to “footprint”


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Option 8C (Cont’d)

• Pros

o Discourages cut-through traffic on School Street

o Results in additional pedestrian crossing at Poag Street

o Enhances pedestrian crossings at mid-block locations

o Incurs the lowest estimated cost ($4.75 million) & right-of-way impact

(0.33 acres)

o Reduces average system delay per vehicle in Year 2020

(8 sec AM, 53 sec PM)

o Reduces travel time the highest along North Kings Highway in Year 2020

(65 sec NB AM, 253 sec SB PM)


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Option 8C (Cont’d)

• Cons

o Increases travel time to/from School Street

o Incurs $4.75 million estimated cost

o Impacts 6 parcels and up to 0.33 acres of land

o Reduces parking on parcel 012

o Results in potentially significant property impacts

Office Depot (not likely a taking)


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Option 8D


Option 8D

• Identifying Features

o Roundabout at North Kings Highway/Poag Street

o Closure of median at School Street (Right-in, Right-Out)

o NB u-turn lane at Jamaica Drive

• Changes Since June 2014

o Reduced number of lanes on SW quad of roundabout from 2 lanes to 1

o Lesser bulb-outs for u-turn lanes

o Enhanced ped crossings more “general,” pending further study

o Slight refinement to “footprint”


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Option 8D (Cont’d)• Pros

o Discourages cut-through traffic on School Street

o Enhances pedestrian crossings at mid-block locations

o Provides safe, efficient traffic operations with roundabout

o Reduces average system delay per vehicle the highest in Year 2020

(21 sec AM, 64 sec PM)

o Reduces travel time along North Kings Highway in Year 2020

(57 sec NB AM, 219 sec SB PM)


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Option 8D (Cont’d)• Cons

o Requires second SB through lane on Kings Highway at and through

pinch point.

o Increases travel time to/from School Street

o Includes right-in, right-out access for the Grande at Huntington on

Shields Avenue

o Incurs $6.35 million estimated cost

o Impacts 6 parcels and up to 0.48 acres impacted

o Reduces parking on parcels 002 and 012

o Results in potentially significant property impacts

Office Depot (not likely a taking)

Zipps Dry Cleaners (potentially a taking and additional cost)


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2020 Summary / Comparison

Factor / Option2020

No-Build

2020

No-Build with

Proffers

2020

Alt 8C(No Roundabouts)

2020

Alt 8D(Poag St

Roundabout)

Cost (1) None Developer $4.75M $6.35M (4)

ROW Impact None Proffered Low (2)(3) Moderate (2)(3)

System-wide Average Delay

Savings Per Vehicle

Vs. No-Build w Proffers

Peak Hour (seconds)

AM - - -8 -21

PM - - -53 -64

North Kings Highway Travel

Time Savings


Peak Hour, Direction (seconds)

AM

NB- - -65 -57

PM

SB- - -253 -219

Pedestrian Safety, Walkability Low Moderate High Moderate

Vehicular Safety Low Low Moderate High


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(1) Assumes VDOT Planning Level Cost Estimates Plus ROW & Business Impacts ($50/SF + $50,000/Parking Space)(2) Potentially significant impact to Parcel 002 (Zipps Dry Cleaners) (3) Potentially significant impact to Parcel 012 (Office Depot)(4) Does not factor potential total property takes.


2030 Summary / Comparison

Factor / Option2030

No-Build

2030

No-Build with

Proffers

2030

Alt 8C(No Roundabouts)

2030

Alt 8D(Poag St

Roundabout)

Cost (1) None Developer $4.75M $6.35M (4)

ROW Impact None Proffered Low (2)(3) Moderate (2)(3)

System-wide Average Delay

Savings Per Vehicle


Peak Hour (seconds)

AM - - +72 -26

PM - - -100 -105

North Kings Highway Travel

Time Savings Per Vehicle


Peak Hour, Direction (seconds)

AM

NB- - -98 -90

PM

SB- - -311 -272

Pedestrian Safety, Walkability Low Moderate High Moderate

Vehicular Safety Low Low Moderate High


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(1) Assumes VDOT Planning Level Cost Estimates Plus ROW & Business Impacts ($50/SF + $50,000/Parking Space)(2) Potentially significant impact to Parcel 002 (Zipps Dry Cleaners)(3) Potentially significant impact to Parcel 012 (Office Depot)(4) Does not factor potential total property takes



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Existing Vs No-Build Queuing



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Option 8C –Queuing



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Option 8D –Queuing


Conclusion – Performance Based

• Option 8C is expected to improve traffic operation along North Kings

Highway at most of the intersections in the Study Area

o LOS - Intersections operating at LOS C or better

o Travel Time Savings - Best travel time savings on North Kings Highway; Savings

increase by 53% in 2020 and by 55% in 2030

o System Delay - Overall Improvement in System Delay from Proffered Conditions

o Queuing - Expected to reduce queuing along NB US 1 and SB Kings Highway in AM

and PM peak hours, respectively

o Community Impact - Least impacts to the surrounding area with lower cost, less right-

of-way impact, fewer parking impacts, no structural/property impacts (takings), and no

impact to existing lanes or on-street parking

o Most Enhanced Pedestrian Safety, Walkability

o Improved Vehicular Safety

o Reduced Cut-Through Traffic on School Street


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Conclusion – Performance Based (Cont’d)• Option 8D is also expected to improve traffic operation along North Kings

Highway, but with some deficiencies

o LOS - Intersection of Poag @ North Kings Highway to operate at LOS F in PM peak

o Travel Time Savings - Travel time savings on North Kings Highway lesser than option

8C; Savings increase by 45% in 2020 and by 46% in 2030

o System Delay - Overall Improvement in System Delay from Option 8C

o Queuing - Not generally expected to exhibit queuing levels as good as option 8C

o Community Impact - Higher impacts to the surrounding area than Option 8C with

higher cost, more right-of-way impact, more impact on parking, the potential need to

take the Zipps Dry Cleaners building, the need for two SB through lanes on Kings

Highway approaching the pinch point intersection and up to 1000’ feet south.


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Recommendation• Fairfax County DOT Staff

Recommendation

*Option 8C*

o Safer traffic operations

o Reduction in delay

o Significant improvement in

travel time

o Minimal impact on

neighboring properties

o Cost effective

o Safer pedestrian crossings

o Improved walkability

o Improved new look to area

o Signage/way-finding


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Option 8C


Questions?

Arpita Chatterjee & Thomas Burke

Fairfax County Department of Transportation

4050 Legato Road, Suite 400

Fairfax, VA 22033

(703) 877-5600

[email protected]

[email protected]


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North Kings Highway (VA 241) Intersection Improvements Study

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