HomeMy WebLinkAboutO-2009-3203 new (designated) school zone for portion of Mc Cabe Road
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REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
Agenda Date Requested: December 14.2009
Aoorooriation
Requested By: S. Gillett
Source of Funds: N/A
Department: Public Works
Account Number:
Report:
Resolution:
Ordinance:
xx
Amount Budgeted:
Exhibits: Ordinance
Amount Requested: N/ A
Exhibits: Traffic Engineering Study
Budgeted Item:
Exhibits
SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATION
With the construction of the new elementary school on McCabe Road, a new school zone is
needed. Attached is an excerpt from the Traffic Engineering Study performed by Traffic
Engineers, Inc. on behalf of the LPISD to establishing this new school zone (page 11). The
following page (Figure 5) is a map of the proposed zone. The attached ordinance amends The
Code of Ordinances, Section 70-97 (a) to add the following:
(30) Along McCabe Road from the east line of the right of way for State Highway 146 to the
Harris county Flood Control District drainage easement, a distance of approximately
1,328 feet, 0.25 miles
Signs will be placed at each end of the school zone, as recommended by the Study, after passage.
Approve ordinance establishing a new school zone for McCabe
11 ~o ~
Date
ORDINANCE NO. 2009 - ,,'3;2 D 3
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 70 "TRANSPORTATION",
ARTICLE III "OPERATION OF VEHICLES", DIVISION 2 "SPEED
LIMITS", BY AMENDING SECTION 70-97(a) "SCHOOL ZONES", OF
THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE FOR THE
PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING A DESIGNATED SCHOOL ZONE ON A
PORTION OF McCABE ROAD; PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; FINDING COMPLIANCE WITH
THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW; PROVIDING THAT ANY PERSON VIOLATING
THE TERMS OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE DEEMED GUILTY OF A
MISDEMEANOR AND UPON CONVICTION SHALL BE FINED IN A SUM
NOT TO EXCEED TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS; PROVIDING FOR THE
PUBLICATION OF THE CAPTION HEREOF; AND PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
NOW, THEREFOR BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF LA PORTE:
Section 1. The Code of Ordinances, City of La Porte, Harris County, Texas, Chapter
70, Article III, Division 2, Section 70-97 "School Zones", subparagraph "a", is hereby
amended by adding the following clause, to be included in proper numerical sequence,
to-wit:
"(30) Along McCabe Road from the east line of the right of way for State Highway 146 to
the Harris County Flood Control District drainage easement, a distance of
approximately 1,328 feet, 0.25 miles."
Section 2: All ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent with the terms of this
ordinance are hereby repealed; provided, however, that such repeal shall be only to the
extent of such inconsistency and in all other respects this ordinance shall be cumulative
of other ordinances regulating and governing the subject matter covered by this
ordinance.
Section 3: Should any section or part of this ordinance be held unconstitutional, illegal,
or invalid, or the application to any person or circumstance for any reasons thereof
ineffective or inapplicable, such unconstitutionality, illegality, invalidity, or
ineffectiveness of such section or part shall in no way affect, impair or invalidate the
remaining portions thereof; but as to such remaining portion or portions, the same shall
be and remain in full force and effect and to this end the provisions of this ordinance are
declared to be severable.
Section 4. Any person, as defined in Section 1.07 (27), Texas Penal Code, who shall
violate any provision of the ordinance, shall be deemed to have committed a Class C
misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine not to exceed TWO
HUNDRED DOLLARS ($200.00).
Section 5. The City Council officially finds, determines, recites and declares that a
sufficient written notice of the date, hour, place and subject of this meeting of the City
Council is posted at a place convenient to the public at the City Hall of the city for the
time required by law preceding this meeting, as required by Chapter 551, Tx. Gov't
Code; and that this meeting has been open to the public as required by law at all times
during which this ordinance and the subject matter thereof has been discussed, considered
and formally acted upon. The City Council further ratifies, approves and confirms such
written notice and the contents and posting thereof.
Section 6. This Ordinance shall be effective fourteen (14) days after its passage and
approval. The City Secretary shall give notice of the passage of this ordinance by causing
the caption hereof to be published in the official newspaper of the City of La Porte once
within ten (10) days after the passage of this ordinance, in accordance with the provisions
of Chapter 52, Texas Local Government Code, and the City of La Porte Charter.
PASSED AND APPROVED this the /~day of December, 2009.
CITY ~ORTE
By: ~~~
( A')~;ST:
\JU U [wk M
City Secretary
AP~
?!It
City Attorney
r~
Traffic Impact Analysis
Bayshore Elementary School
Prepared for:
Prepared by:
TRAFFIC ENGINEERS, INC.
8323 Southwest Freeway, SUite 200
Houston, Texas 77074- I G09
PH: (713) 270-8145/ FAX: (713) 270-8/48
February 2009
Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................. ....... 1
Existing Conditions............................................................................................................. 2
Roadway Network ................................. ....................................... .......... .......... .............. 2
Critical Intersections ................. ..................................................... ........................... ...... 2
Future Conditions ................. ................. ....... ............. ........................................ ..... ............ 3
Trip Generation and Distribution.. ........................... .......... ......... ............................. ....... 5
On-Site Circulation ................................... ....................................................... ............... 7
Off-S ite Circulation. ..... ............................ ......... ............................ ...... .............. ............. 9
Capacity Analysis .... ............... ..... ................ .......... ..................................... .................... 9
Pedestrian Considerations.................... ......................................................................... I 1
Speed Zone....... ..... ......... ............................. ............. .......... ...... ................................ ..... II
Left-turn Lanes on McCabe Road........ ....................................................... .................. 13
Summary of Findings and Recommendations .................................................................. 15
List of Tables
Tab Ie 1 - Schoo I Characteristics......................................................................................... 5
Table 2 - Existing PM Pick-up School Data....................................................................... 6
Table 3 - Estimated Trip Generation .................................................................................. 6
Table 4 - Elementary School On-Site Storage .................................................................... 8
Table 5 - 2010 Peak Hour Levels-of-Service (LOS)/Delay.............................................. 10
List of Figures
Figure 1 - Location of Bayshore Elementary SchooL....................................................... 1
Figure 2 - Site Plan and Vehicle Stacking ..........................................................................4
Figure 3 - Projected AM Peak Hour Turning Movement Counts....................................... 9
Figure 4 - Projected PM Peak Hour Turning Movement Counts ..................................... 10
Figure 5 - Proposed School Speed Zone........................................................................... 12
Figure 6 - Definition of Traffic Volumes ......................................................................... 13
Figure 7 - Exhibit 9-75 (in Graphical Form) for Two-Lane Roadways at 40 MPH......... 14
Traffic Impact Analysis
Bayshore Elementary School
Introduction
La Porte ISO is planning to construct a new elementary school in La Porte, TX, northeast
of the intersection of State Highway 146 and McCabe Road, as illustrated in Figure 1.
The new elementary school will replace the existing Bayshore Elementary School, which
was damaged by Hurricane Ike in 2008. Construction of the new elementary school will
commence in 2009, and the school is planned to open in early 20 10. The purpose of this
report is to assess the impacts of the construction of the elementary school on traffic on
area roadways and intersections. It will also determine the adequacy of on-site storage for
bus stacking and parent-pick up.
Figure 1 - Location of Bayshore Elementary School
Key Map Page 158-U
Existing Conditions
Roadway Network
McCabe Road in the vicinity of the proposed school site is typically a two-lane,
undivided roadway with unimproved shoulders. The posted speed limit is 30 MPH.
Development along McCabe Road in the area consists of a trailer park east of the school
site. McCabe Road dead-ends at Broadway Street, approximately 0.75 miles east of the
school site.
SH 146 is the main highway through the City of La Porte, connecting the city with
communities to the south such as Seabrook and League City and to Houston via SH 225.
North of the school site, SH 146 is composed of a full freeway cross section, but south of
the site it has no frontage roads and provides access to adjacent properties; the transition
to full freeway section begins at approximately McCabe Road, but the main lanes have
not yet been constructed from McCabe Road to just north of Wharton Weems Boulevard.
The posted speed limit on SH 146 in the vicinity of the study area is 60 MPH. No
developments directly access SH 146 near the school site.
Broadway Street, also known as Business SH 146, is an important north-south artery
through La Porte, Texas. In the vicinity of the study area, it is a two-lane roadway with an
unpaved shoulder on the west side and a paved sidewalk on the east side. The posted
speed limit is 40 MPH. Development along Broadway Street near McCabe Road is
predominantly single-family and multi-family residential.
Critical Intersections
The following intersections are included in the analysis of the impacts associated with the
construction of the proposed elementary school:
· McCabe Road at SH 146
· McCabe Road at Broadway Street
· McCabe Road at Proposed School Driveways (Future)
2
SH 146 frontage roads begin at the intersection of McCabe Road with SH 146, but the
main lanes and frontage road merge just north of the McCabe Road. At the intersection of
McCabe Road with the SH 146 main lanes, northbound SH 146 is free flow and consists
of a through lane and a through/right-turn lane. The westbound approach of McCabe
Road consists of a right-turn lane. Concrete barriers run down the center of SH 146, so
McCabe currently dead-ends into either side of SH 146. At the intersection of McCabe
Road with the SH 146 northbound frontage road, the eastbound approach of McCabe
Road consists of a shared left-turn/through lane, and the westbound approach of McCabe
Road consists of a shared through/right-turn lane.
The intersection of McCabe Road at Broadway Street is an unsignalized T-intersection.
The eastbound approach of McCabe Road provides a shared left-turn/through/right-turn
lane. The northbound approach of Broadway Street provides one shared left-turn/through
lane. The southbound approach of McCabe Road consists of a shared through/right-turn
lane.
Peak hour Turning Movement Counts (TMCs) were collected during the proposed arrival
and dismissal hours of the schools at the intersections of McCabe Road with SH 146 and
with Broadway Street. The TMCs are included in Appendix A.
Future Conditions
The replacement facility for Bayshore Elementary School will be constructed north of
McCabe Road, east of SH 146. Construction of the elementary school is planned to begin
in 2009 and be completed by spring 20 10. The proposed site plan for Bayshore
Elementary School is provided in Figure 2. Classroom hours at the new school will be
from 8:00 AM until 3:00 PM.
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Two driveways onto McCabe Road will serve as the main points of access for Bayshore
Elementary School. The western driveway will serve the staff parking lot and bus pick-
up/drop-off. The eastern driveway will serve the visitor parking lot as well as the parent
and special needs vans pick-up/drop-off loops.
The Reserve at Taylor Bayou is a proposed mixed-use development on the south side of
McCabe Road, opposite the proposed school site. It will consist of 418 apartments,
commercial land uses, and a nature preserve. This development will add some traffic to
roadways used by Bayshore Elementary traffic, especially during the morning peak hour.
However, its development schedule is unknown at this time.
Trip Generation and Distribution
La Porte ISD provided information for ultimate enrollment at Bayshore Elementary
School, which is summarized in Table 1.
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j Table 1 - School Characteristics j
Bayshore Elementary School I
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I Ultimate Enrollment ! 750
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i Staff ! 62 ,
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To determine the number of vehicles expected to drop-off/pick-up students at the
elementary school, dismissal data was collected from La Porte Elementary School in La
Porte, TX. It was assumed that the traffic generated by this school is a good
approximation for the traffic that will be generated by Bayshore Elementary School
because many students from the former Bayshore Elementary School now attend La
Porte Elementary School. The total number of parents picking-up students at La Porte
Elementary School during the afternoon, as well as the maximum queue length observed,
is provided in Table 2.
5
Table 2 - Existing PM Pick-up School Data
Bayshore Elementary School
Total Total Parent Max
Enrollment Vehicles Queue
658 68 43
( existing)
78 49
(proposed)
Additionally, Table 2 provides estimates for the total number of vehicles and maxim urn
queues expected at the proposed Bayshore Elementary School during the afternoon
dismissal hour. These numbers were calculated by scaling the number of vehicles and
maximum queues from the enrollment at La Porte Elementary to the expected ultimate
enrollment at Bayshore Elementary. Using these numbers, Bayshore Elementary is
expected to generate 78 total vehicles for student pickup and a maximum queue of 49
vehicles.
Table 3 shows the expected total number of vehicles that will enter and exit the school
during weekday mornings and afternoons in 2010, the first year the school is expected to
be open. The peak hours of analysis were 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM in the morning and 2:30
PM - 3:30 PM in the afternoon. Ninety percent of the school staff members are expected
to enter the school during the morning peak hour and leave the school during the
afternoon peak hour.
Table 3 - Estimated Trip Generation
Bayshore Elementary School
AM AM PM Enter PM Exit
Enter Exit
Buses 8 8 8 8
Daycare vans 4 4 4 4
Parent Drop-off & Pick-up 78 78 78 78
Staff S6 0 0 S6
School Estimate Total 146 90 90 146
6
The distribution of teacher and staff trips is expected to differ from that of student-related
trips because parents and buses must respect the attendance boundary whereas staff may
live anywhere. As indicated in Figure 1, the expected distribution of parent trips is three
percent to/from the neighborhoods directly north of the school site, two percent to/from
the trailer park directly east of the school site, five percent to/from the neighborhoods
directly south of the school site, 15 percent to/from the north along Broadway Street, and
75 percent to/from the south along Broadway Street. The expected distribution of teacher
trips is 45 percent to/from the north along SH 146,35 percent to/from the south along SH
146, 15 percent to/from the north along Broadway Street, and five percent to/from the
south along Broadway Street.
On-Site Circulation
Storage capacity was evaluated for vehicles and buses at the proposed Bayshore
Elementary School. Storage capacity is illustrated in Figure 2, and summarized below:
· Student drop-off/pick-up capacity: approximately 45 vehicles single-stacked
along the school's parent vehicle loop
· Bus loading/unloading storage capacity: 10 buses in a single line along the bus
circle drive
· Daycare van loading/unloading storage capacity: 12 vans in a single line along the
daycare van circle drive
· Staff Parking Lot: 103 spaces (including 2 handicapped parking spaces)
· Visitor Parking: 68 spaces (including 6 handicapped parking spaces)
All "exit" trips in the morning and the "enter" trips in the afternoon are expected to be
made by parents, buses, and daycare vans. Ideally, every school should have adequate on-
site storage space to accommodate these vehicles. Storage space is evaluated in terms of
the afternoon entering trips because the queue of vehicles is typically greater during the
afternoon peak hour than in the morning. This is because the arrival and departure times
of parents dropping children off are dispersed with little wait time or accumulation of
7
vehicles in the morning, whereas in the afternoon the arrival of parents is concentrated
directly after dismissal.
The total number of vehicles picking up students at La Porte Elementary School was 68
vehicles; scaling this number from the enrollment at La Porte Elementary (658 students)
to the enrollment at Bayshore Elementary (750 students) results in an estimate of 78 total
vehicles picking up students at the new elementary, as shown in Table 2. The queue
length was approximately 43 vehicles at La Porte Elementary; scaling this to the
enrollment at the proposed elementary results in an estimated maximum queue of 49
vehicles. On-site stacking is provided by a driveway off McCabe Road that loops along
the main visitor parking lot and runs along the south side of the school building. This
loop provides stacking space for 45 vehicles. A westbound right-turn lane on McCabe
Road could also provide storage for up to approximately six to seven more vehicles.
Additionally, the two visitor parking lots provide parking for 68 vehicles. The stacking
driveway and visitor parking lot together provide on-site storage for 108 vehicles, which
is adequate for the predicted maximum queue of 49 vehicles. The staff parking lot on the
west side of the school building will provide 103 parking spaces, which will adequately
accommodate the predicted 62 staff members. The on-site storage analysis for the
proposed elementary school is provided in Table 4.
Table 4 - Elementary School On-Site Storage
Bayshore Elementary School
Type of Vehicle On-Site Stacking Needed On-Site Stacking Provided
AM Peak
AM peak hour should need
minimal stacking
8 buses
4 daycare vans
62 vehicles
Parent (max 78 vehicles)
Buses (max 8 buses)
Daycare vans (max 4)
Staff
PM Peak
Parent (max 78 vehicles)
49 vehicles
Buses (max 8 buses)
Daycare vans (max 4)
8 buses
4 daycare vans
8
Visitor parking - 68 spaces
On-site stacking - 45 vehicles
Full-size bus loop - 10 buses
Daycare van loop - 12 vans
Staff parking - 106 spaces
Visitor parking - 68 spaces
On-site stacking - 45 vehicles
Full-size bus loop - 10 buses
Daycare van loop - 12 vans
Off-Site Circulation
The on-site stacking provided for parents and buses is expected to be adequate at
Bayshore Elementary School based on the analysis of traffic operations at La Porte
Elementary School. All vehicles queued to pick-up students should be accommodated on-
site, and no school-generated traffic is expected to queue onto McCabe Road.
Capacity Analysis
To obtain projected year 20 I 0 peak hour turning movement counts, existing traffic was
increased by three percent to reflect area development between 2009 and 2010 and then
combined with the distributed trip generation of Bayshore Elementary School. The site-
generated peak hour trips were distributed to the following intersections, as shown In
Figure 3 (AM) and Figure 4 (PM):
· McCabe Road at SH 146
· McCabe Road at Broadway Street
· McCabe Road at Proposed School Driveways
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Figure 3 - Projected AM Peak
Hour Turning Movement Counts
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Turning Movement Counts
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At the intersections of McCabe Road with both school driveways, it was assumed that the
westbound approaches would consist of a shared through/right-turn lane, the eastbound
approaches would consist of a shared left-turn/through lane, and the southbound
approaches would consist of a shared left-turn/right-tum lane. The southbound
approaches of both driveways were assumed to be stop controlled. A summary of the
capacity analysis appears in Table 5; complete Synchro reports are contained in
Appendix B.
r<<-~--<T';~201(i P;ak Hour Levels-of-Service-(LOS)mel'ay-<---l
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Results from Table 6 indicate that all approaches at the critical intersections are expected
to operate at an acceptable LOS of C - which exceeds the minimum acceptable LOS D _
for all time periods in 20 I 0, except for the eastbound approach of McCabe Road at
Broadway Street. That approach is expected to operate at LOS E during the PM peak
hour, with approximately 35 seconds of delay per vehicle.
Pedestrian Considerations
Observations at La Porte Elementary indicated that many of the students at that school
walked or biked, presumably because of that school's proximity to residential
neighborhoods. Although the new site for Bayshore Elementary will probably not be as
convenient for walking and biking, most of the school's students will be transferring from
the previous Bayshore Elementary site, which was located in the middle of a residential
neighborhood and probably attracted many walkers/bikers. Some of those students that
previously walked or biked likely will continue to do so, and accommodations should be
made to grant them safe and efficient travel to and from school. A sidewalk should be
constructed along the north side of McCabe Road for at least the extent of the school
property and preferably to Broadway Street, which already has an ample sidewalk that
serves many of the neighborhoods zoned to Bayshore Elementary.
Speed Zone
School speed limit zones should be established on McCabe Road following Texas
MUTCD guidelines. Figure 5 shows the recommended placement of signs along the
roadways. The speed limit on McCabe Road should be reduced from 30 MPH to 20 MPH
during the speed zone hours. In the morning, the zone should be in effect from 7:15 AM
(45 minutes before the start of classes) until 8:00 (the start of school classes). In the
afternoon, the zone should be in effect from 3:00 PM (school dismissal) until 3:30 PM
(30 minutes after dismissal).
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