TO:     BELLEVUE CITY COUNCIL

 

FROM:         FRANZ LOEWENHERZ, SENIOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNER

 

SUBJECT:    EASTSIDE CONCURRENCY STUDY STATUS REPORT

 

DATE:           SEPTEMBER 20, 2002

 

 

On January 30, 2002 the City of Bellevue contracted with the Washington State Transportation Center (TRAC) to provide consulting services on the Eastside Concurrency Study.  The Eastside Concurrency Study is funded by the State of Washington and managed by the City of Bellevue in cooperation with the neighboring cities of Kirkland, Redmond and Issaquah. It is examining methodologies for calculating transportation concurrency that might be useful to the participating jurisdictions. 

 

This sub-regional study is considering alternative methods that might address traffic diverted from congested freeways, regional trips associated with neighboring jurisdictions, and the effect of alternative modes of transportation, none of which are addressed by the current methods employed by the four cities.  The study will also investigate needed changes in state and local laws to improve the effectiveness of dealing with transportation concurrency issues.  By November 1, 2003, a report of the findings will be made to the transportation committees of the Washington State Legislature. 

 

Attached is a status report for the Eastside Concurrency Study, including information about the project schedule and findings to date.  As noted in the documentation, the Executive Steering Committee (ESC), comprised of the Directors of Planning and Transportation or Public Works for each of the participating jurisdictions, is meeting on October 24, 2002.  The ESC provides guidance to the Technical Advisory Committee and the consultant team, offers direction on key issues, and will assist with shepherding project recommendations or ongoing analyses through their respective city policy-making and public outreach processes.

 

Additional council feedback will be provided in November 2002 following the upcoming Executive Steering Committee meeting.  In the meantime, for more information about the Eastside Concurrency Study, log onto http://depts.washington.edu/trac/concurrency/.  Should you wish to discuss this project, please do not hesitate to contact me at 452-4077.

 

 

EASTSIDE TRANSPORTATION CONCURRENCY STUDY UPDATE
September 20, 2002

 

Project Budget/Schedule - The project is within budget and ahead of schedule (with the exception of one task) as reflected in the following table:

 

Stakeholder Involvement                                           On Schedule

Executive Steering Committee Meetings             Ongoing

Technical Advisory Committee Meetings            Ongoing

Coordination with Puget Sound Regional Council - Ongoing

Stakeholder Involvement Plan                            Completed

Existing & Future LOS Conditions                           Behind Schedule (ends10/20/02)

Report on Current Practices                               Draft Complete

Prepare Technical Memo                                   Draft Complete

Analyze Existing LOS Conditions                       Completed

Identify Future Needs                                        Dependent on New Process (8/02)

Prepare Technical Memorandum                        Draft Underway  (9/02)

Issue Identification                                                     Ahead of schedule

Issues Identification                                           90% Complete (11/02)

Prepare Technical Memorandum                        90% Complete (12/02)

Literature Review                                             95% Complete (1/03)

Prepare Technical Memorandum                        85% Complete (1/03)

Alternative Concurrency Practices                     60% Complete (1/03)

Prepare Technical Memorandum                        50% Complete (2/03)

Alternatives Screening & Evaluation                        Ahead of schedule

Measures of Effectiveness                                 25% Complete (1/03)

Evaluate Alternatives                                         25% Complete (3/03)

Select Alternatives and Case Studies                  Not Started (3/03)

Case Study Application                                      Not Started (5/03)

Prepare Technical Memorandum                        Not Started (6/03)

Implementation Plan                                                  Not Started

Identification of Supporting Roles                       (9/03)

Prepare Memorandum                                       (8/03)

Legislative Strategy                                           (11/03)

Executive Summary                                           (11/03)

 

 

Project Findings - This summary describes study findings about how the cities of Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, and Redmond currently determine transportation concurrency and how they apply the results of those computations. 

 

·        There are more similarities than differences in how the four cities determine concurrency.

·         Each city tends to view the objectives of concurrency differently and thus use approaches that address their specific objectives.

·         Only roadway volume/capacity ratios are used to determine concurrency; there is no mechanism to substitute investments in transit capacity or non-motorized facilities.

·         Current forecasting models do not account for travel demand management actions accurately or consistently.

·         The concurrency determination examines only local traffic impacts within the individual city. The effects of generated trips outside the city are generally not considered.

 

Comparison of Eastside Jurisdiction Concurrency Approaches

 

City

Citywide Approach

Model Used

Project Specific Approach

LOS Standard is Based On

Roadway Facility Type Used

Methodology

Time Period Used

Redmond

Four-step model

BKR

ITE Trip Generation + Current Conditions + CIP

 

Roadway

v/c

 

Intersection

Circ. 212

1 hour

Kirkland

Four-step model

BKR

ITE Trip Generation + Current Conditions + CIP

 

Roadway

v/c

 

Intersection

Cir. 212

1 hour

Issaquah

Four-step model

T-Model

ITE Trip Generation + Current Conditions + CIP

 

Roadway

v/c

 

Mid-block screenlines

(segments)

1 hour

Bellevue

Four-step model

BKR

ITE Trip Generation + Current Conditions + CIP

 

Roadway

v/c

 

Intersection

HCM 209

2 hour

 

City

Zonal V/C Standards Used?

Zonal V/C Ratios Accepted

Specific Facility Exemptions Allowed?

V/C Intersection Exceptions Allowed?

Multi-Modal?

Other

 

Redmond

Yes

0.85 – 0.95

Yes

Yes

Partly

Sum v

Sum c

not average of individual v/c

 

Kirkland

Yes

0.98 – 1.116

Yes

Yes

Partly

No intersection can exceed a v/c of 1.4

 

 

Issaquah

Yes

0.85 – 3.18
(only segment specific)

Yes

Yes

Partly

Additional check for intersections exceeding baseline by more than 0.3

 

 

Bellevue

Yes

0.80 – 0.95

Yes

Yes

Partly

No. of intersections allowed to exceed standard changes from zone to zone

 

 

Project Schedule - The Executive Steering Committee, comprised of the Directors of Planning and Transportation or Public Works for each of the jurisdictions, is meeting on October 24th to provide input on potential approaches to the concurrency related problems identified in the scope of work.  Additional council feedback will be provided following this upcoming meeting.