Presenter/Contact
Presenter
Garry Ford, P.E., City Engineer
Contact Info
(830) 221-4020 - gford@btexas.org
Subject Header
SUBJECT:
Title
Discuss and consider approval of a resolution for the determination of right-of-way, alignment and access of the Major Collector in the City of New Braunfels Regional Transportation Plan located between S. Solms Road, Morningside Drive, the extension of W. County Line Road and Green Valley Road.
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BACKGROUND / RATIONALE:
Staff reviewed the right-of-way, alignment and access requirements on the Major Collector located between S. Solms Road, Morningside Drive, the extension of W. County Line Road and Green Valley Road. The review is associated with the S. Solms Road/Morningside Drive capital improvement project and the Morningside Trails Subdivision Master Plan.
The City of New Braunfels Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) approved by City Council on March 12, 2012, includes a major collector extending south from S. Solms Road from Morningside Drive to Green Valley Road. The RTP provides a long term vision of the major street network necessary to meet future travel needs. A major collector is a roadway that provides a high degree of access and is intended to move traffic between local and arterials streets and other collectors. Major collectors include up to four lanes and have a right-of-way width of up to 90 feet.
The Major Collector segment is approximately 6,800 feet between Morningside Drive and Green Valley Road. The segment includes an intersection with the extension of W. County Line Road which is designated as a minor arterial. The proposed thoroughfare segment runs perpendicular to IH 35 and provides cross access with Engel Road, Ron Road, the Rueckle Road extension and FM 1044. The proposed segment is located in a rural area and on two residential properties. The future construction of the thoroughfare will impact the existing residential properties and require the city to purchase right-of-way.
The intersection of S. Solms Road and Morningside Drive, including future thoroughfare connectivity and local access, were evaluated as part of the capital improvement project. The preferred and planned intersection includes a roundabout intersection that provides: the removal of a 90 degree turn to a standard curve based on design speed; traffic calming near school, park and residential neighborhoods; access for the adjacent church and existing homes; minimized right-of-way needs; and, feasible thoroughfare connectivity through open property. The street design for the project includes two travel lanes in each direction, a center turn lane, bike lanes and sidewalks.
The Morningside Trails Subdivision was developed to accommodate the major collector in addition to the extension of W. County Line Road. The subdivision was designed to not allow driveway access for one and two-family residential homes on the collector. It is generally standard practice and proper transportation planning to not front residential homes on collector streets as they are intended to “collect” traffic from local streets to arterials and other collectors at higher traffic volumes and speeds. The Platting Code currently allows homes to front and backing maneuvers onto collector streets; however, this practice oftentimes presents traffic safety problems, high traffic volumes and speeding issues for residents living on the collector.
The standard right-of-way established for major collectors is 90 feet. This allows for a four-lane urban divided roadway with sidewalks. The proposed right-of-way for this segment is a three-lane section with bike lanes and sidewalks. The proposed street section is in context with the proposed residential neighborhood and closely matches the street section on Morningside Drive and S. Solms Road. Furthermore, the section aligns and matches the new roundabout intersection. The proposed section includes 10’ travel lanes in order to design for slower speeds in a residential area.
The proposed three-lane section can typically serve up to 15,000 daily vehicles at an acceptable level of service depending on intersection operations. The Morningside Trails Subdivision is planned with 444 single family residential units and 15,000 square foot of retail. Based on the traffic impact analysis prepared by the developer, the anticipated daily trips are 4,846. Therefore, a collector segment is required by the demands of the development in addition to inclusion on the thoroughfare plan. The collector segment would also provide capacity for an additional 10,000 daily trips with future development of the surrounding area and the connection to W. County Line Road as long as there is no driveway access to residential units. The thoroughfare roadway that is planned to carry regional trips is the Rueckle Road parkway extension.
Based on Morningside Drive/S. Solms Road capital project, future land use, constraints, traffic activity and context of the residential area, the recommended right-of-way is 60 feet; the alignment of the major collector is adjusted to the proposed roundabout intersection and approximately 400 feet east; and driveway access shall not be allowed to the collector.
ADDRESSES A NEED/ISSUE IN A CITY PLAN OR COUNCIL PRIORITY:
2006 Comprehensive Plan: Objective 22J: The City should implement the adopted Thoroughfare Plan to develop a balanced roadway network that includes arterial streets and collector streets. As further development occurs, ensure that provision and adequate arterial, collector and local streets that serve to provide traffic access and circulation and are functionally integrated with the existing arterial and collector street system.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A
Recommendation
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
On October 4, 2017, the Planning Commission made a recommendation of approval regarding the right-of-way determination. (9-0-0)
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
For the Major Collector located between S. Solms Road, Morningside Drive, the extension of W. County Line Road and Green Valley Road, staff recommends establishing a right-of-way width of 60 feet; alignment be adjusted approximately 400 feet east to the proposed intersection with Morningside Drive and S. Solms Road associated with the 2013 Bond roadway project; and, that driveway access for one and two-family residential units or require backing maneuvers shall not be allowed.