I- -66 Spot Improvement Design Study 66 Spot Improvement Design - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

I I-

• 66 Spot Improvement Design Study

66 Spot Improvement Design Study

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Agenda Agenda

• Overview
• Feasibility Study Results
• Spot Improvement Results
• Next Steps

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I I -

• 66 I nside the Beltway

66 I nside the Beltway

• July 2004 – Idea-66 Feasibility Study Initiated
• Governor Warner directed VDOT to work with FHWA to

conduct a study looking at four initial concepts for WB I-66.

• No build
• HOV/ HOT Concepts
• Transit Concepts
• Widening Concepts

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Governor Warner’s Letter Governor Warner’s Letter

“…develop a context-sensitive solution to the mobility and community problems.” “…open, inclusive process that involves citizens and businesses from Arlington and Fairfax, as well as

• ther interests and concerns from around the region.”

“…any improvements recommended as a result of this community-based planning process be located within the existing right-of-way and consider all realistic options.”

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Problem Statement Problem Statement

• Relieve Congestion On WB I-66
• Relieve Congestion on Parallel Roads
• Improve Activity Center Accessibility
• Maintain Economic Vitality
• Improve Emergency Evacuation
• Maintain Existing R/W

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Public Outreach Update Public Outreach Update

• Public Meetings

– 18 Interviews with Community Leaders – 11 Community Dialogues – 2 Public Workshops – 1 Open House

• Newsletters

– 42,000 Recipients – 2 Publications

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Additional Community I nvolvement Additional Community I nvolvement

• Web Site – www.IDEA66.com
• Toll Free INFO Line
• Question of the Week
• Various Comment

Forms

• Newspapers
• Advertisements
• Telephone Survey

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Recommendations Recommendations

• FHWA and VDOT recommended the following based on the

Public Outreach during the Feasibility Study

• Conduct Interim Improvements Study

– Commonwealth Transportation Board Approval July 2005 – Transportation Planning Board Approval January 2006

• Conduct Multimodal Environmental Study

– FHWA, DRPT and VDOT – Funding to be Identified – Commonwealth Transportation Board Approval Needed

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Spot I mprovements Spot I mprovements

Spot Improvement Description Comments

1 Lane Balancing – Fairfax Drive on-ramp to Sycamore Street

• ff-ramp

Became Improvements 1A and 1B 2 Lane Balancing – Sycamore St/Washington Blvd on-ramp to DAAR off-ramp Became Improvements 2A – 2C 3 Lane Balancing – Lee Hwy/Spout Run on-ramp to Glebe Road off-ramp Became Improvement 3 4 Lane Balancing – Scott Street on-ramp to Lee Highway

• n-ramp

Became Improvement 4 (Extension of Improvement 3) 5 Enforcement Areas/Safety Pull-off Areas Will Be Included in Design 6 Reconstruct Outside Shoulder Will Be Included in Design 7 Add lane to Sycamore St/Washington Blvd on-ramp Included in #2 Above 8 Signing Evaluation Study Signing Evaluated in Design 9 Traffic Management System (TMS) Evaluation Study On-going Study 10 Sight Distance Improvement Study Will Be Included in Design 11 Optimize Signalization for Parallel Roadways Study Updated Yearly by Arlington County 12 Evaluate Ramp Metering Study Will Be Included in Design

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Spot I mprovement Locations Spot I mprovement Locations

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Traffic Simulation Modeling Traffic Simulation Modeling

• Evaluated Data Collected in Phase I and Refined for Corridor

Model

– Windshield Surveys – Digital License Plate Surveys – Turning Movement Counts – Ramp Counts

• Future Growth Projected by MWCOG Data

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VI SSI M Model Development VI SSI M Model Development

• Developed VISSIM Model

– Detailed Corridor Operation Model that Simulates Travel Behavior – Allows for Detailed Analysis of Congestion, Delay and Other Measures in Corridor – Greatly Enhances Understanding of Spot Improvements – Data Can Be Used to Refine and Prioritize Spot Improvement

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Spot I mprovements Analyzed Spot I mprovements Analyzed

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Spot I mprovements Analyzed Spot I mprovements Analyzed

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Spot I mprovements Analyzed Spot I mprovements Analyzed

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Results Results

• All Spot Improvements Provide Mobility and Access Benefits

– Mainline Improvements All Increase Average Speeds in AM and PM – Mainline Improvements Reduce Speed Variability In Corridor – Mainline Improvements Reduce Travel Times in AM and PM – Mainline Improvements Do Not Increase Congestion on Parallel Routes and Intersections

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Results Results

• Improvement 1B Provides Highest Mobility Benefit of Mainline

Spot Improvements

• Improvements 2A-2C Provide Local Network Benefits to

Washington Boulevard, Sycamore and Route 29

– Improvement 2A is Easiest to Implement

• Improvement 3 Provides Mobility Benefits and Improved

Emergency Evacuation

• Improvement 4 Provides Mobility Benefits and Improved

Emergency Evacuation, however is difficult to construct due to proximity to National Park

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Recommendations Recommendations

• Spot Improvements to Proceed Into Preliminary Design

– 1B - Extend accel Lane Fairfax Dr to Sycamore St, – 2A - Extend Washington Blvd to Dulles Airport Access Highway and, – 3 - Extend Route 29 (Spout Run) to Glebe Rd.

• Additional Spot Improvements Within Limits of 1B, 2A and 3

– 5 – Enforcement Areas/ Safety Pull-Off Areas – 6 – Reconstruct Outside Shoulder – 8 – Signing Improvements – 9 – TMS Improvements – 10 – Sight Distance Improvements – 12 – Ramp Metering Upgrades

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I mplementation I ssues I mplementation I ssues

• Safety Enhanced By Spot Improvements

– Weaving and Merging Areas Lengthened – Speed Fluctuation Decreases – Improved LOS Reduces “stop and go” Crashes – Additional Storage Capacity For Incidents on Mainline – Travel Time Reductions for Emergency Responders

• Spot Improvements Do Not Preclude Future Long Term

Alternatives such as:

– Addition of Express Bus Lane, or – Addition of Future Rail Line, or – Addition of Future Managed Lane

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I mplementation I ssues I mplementation I ssues

• Spot Improvements do not Impact Dulles Rail
• ROW Has Been Verified Using As-Built Plans and

Improvements Can Occur within ROW

• Trails Will be Maintained
• Spot Improvements Improve Emergency Evacuation
• Spot Improvements Will Be Constructed with Full Width

Shoulders with the Exception of Two Locations (Westover and Ohio Drive) to Avoid Right of Way Impacts

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FUNDI NG FUNDI NG

• Spot 1 - Extend accel Lane from Fairfax Drive to Sycamore Street

– Preliminary Engineering - $3.6M – Fully Funded – Construction - $28M – Fully Funded

• Spot 2A - Extend accel lane from Washington Blvd to Dulles Airport

Access Highway and widen Washington Blvd on ramp to two lanes

– Preliminary Engineering - $3.4 M – Fully Funded – Construction - $26.5M – Partially Funded ($21M Unfunded)

• Spot 3 - Extend accel lane from Lee Highway (Spout Run) to Glebe Road

– Preliminary Engineering - $1.6M – Fully Funded – Construction - $12.5M - Unfunded

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Spot I mprovements Next Steps Spot I mprovements Next Steps

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Welcome to the Idea-66 Café