CCP 04-14-2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e Mr. Todd Mohagen Mr. Tom Jacobson -6- March 7, 2003 this study segment of County Road E, with 12 of those occurring at the County Road EIPine Tree Drive intersection. For evaluation and comparison purposes the accident rates are calculated using the equations in the 1992 edition of the (ITE) Traffic Engineering Handbook. Different rates are used for intersections and for roadway sections. The intersection rate is measured in accidents per million vehicles entering the intersection aunually (MEV), and the section rate is measured in accidents per million vehicle-miles of travel (MVM). Using the average aunual daily traffic volumes for the three year survey period, the intersection rate for the County Road ElPine Tree Drive intersection is 0.6 accidentslMEV, and the section rate for the investigated section is 3.7 accidentslMVM. The Minnesota Department of Transportation conducted a study of the entire state and developed crash data for both intersections and mid-block sections. Average accident rate information was complied for the study years 1999 to 2001 and recorded for several categories of roadway in eight sections of the state. Statewide averages are also provided for each category. The average intersection accident rate for a high volume, low speed signalized intersection in the Twin Cities metro area is 0.8 accidentslMEV, and the statewide average is 0.9 accidentslMEV. The average section accident rate for a five- lane road in the Twin Cities metro area is 5.7 accidentslMVM, and the statewide rate is 5.0 accidentsIMVM. The preceding accident statistics indicate that County Road E is functioning at a higher level of safety than comparable roadways in the Twin Cities area. The accident rate at the County Road ElPine Tree Drive intersection of 0.6 accidentslMEV is 25% more safe than the 0.8 accidentslMEV average rate in the Twin Cities area. The accident rate for County Road E between the east ramp intersection at Highway 51 and Lexington Avenue of3.7 accidentslMVM is 35 percent more safe than the 5.7 accidentslMVM average rate in the Twin Cities area. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS As mentioned at the beginning of this report, the proposed exit-only driveway is needed for two principal reasons: a) Provide convenient service for drive-through customers-in a mauner similar to the service provided for drive through customers of the Wells-Fargo Bank to the east. b) Provide a higher level of safety by the bank's front door, by reducing vehicle/pedestrian conflicts in this area. To address whether this driveway would be feasible from a traffic perspective, we feel consideration has been given to potential effects ofthe driveway on traffic capacities, queuing on County Road E, and safety on County Road E. Two key results of the capacity analysis are: a) the bank will not cause any significant increase in traffic delays at the County Road ElPine Tree Drive intersection and b) a new exit only driveway for the bank onto County Road E will acconunodate the projected p.m. peak hour volumes at