Planning for Transportation Improvements

Lee Engineering was the team leader in the development of a Phase 1A study for the US 550 corridor from Paseo del Volcan to NM 313 for the NMDOT. The project team also included Bohannan Huston Inc, Terracon, Cobb Findley, and Marron & Associates. In addition to managing the project, Lee Engineering was responsible for leading the public involvement process. Lee also conducted all traffic engineering analyses which includes but is not limited to the following: LOS/capacity analysis, queue storage assessment, access management analysis, comprehensive safety analysis, a recommended corridor signal timing plan, signal warrant analysis, and ITS assessments. Additionally, Lee was responsible for recommending and analyzing several proposed design alternatives. Lee will be the primary author of the Traffic Operations and Safety Report as well as the final Phase 1A Report.

Using Lee Engineering’s operations analysis including signal coordination and access management skills, the NMDOT project team is developing alternatives for sustainability and operability in this regionally significant corridor.

The New Mexico DOT was in the process of updating their yellow, red, and pedestrian signal clearance policy and tasked Lee Engineering with reviewing their current policy, researching other DOT policies, and recommending a new policy, if needed. Lee reviewed the current document and made necessary edits for clarity and compliance with the latest traffic engineering standards such as the 2009 Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Lee Engineering also reviewed current policies by other regional DOT’s applying the parts of the policy that would fit the state of New Mexico. Lee created a dilemma zone protection policy, which NMDOT did not currently have in place. The new recommended policy was presented to NMDOT at a review meeting where feedback from NMDOT was ascertained. NMDOT comments were then incorporated into the policy document and submitted to the NMDOT for ratification.

The Business Interstate 20 (BI-20) access and safety management study was performed at the request of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Odessa District as part of an on-call traffic engineering services contract. The purpose of the study was to identify operational and safety concerns on approximately 15 miles of BI-20 between 8th Street in Odessa and Midkiff Road in Midland, and to recommend short-term and long-term improvements to the corridor.

Short-term improvements were defined as those that could be implemented within 24 months, while long-term improvements are those that can be implemented after 24 months. The ten-month study was designed to include a large amount of local involvement by using a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and holding three public forums. The TAC was comprised of two TxDOT Odessa District representatives along with representatives of both the City of Midland and the City of Odessa.

Lee prepared the traffic analysis and design report for this contract, which proposed a reconfiguration of the Creek Turnpike and Elm Street Interchange in Jenks, OK. The existing geometry is a modified diamond configuration with partial two-way frontage roads. Maneuverability at the interchange is confusing to drivers since there are three closely spaced intersections which provide access to one-way and two-way frontage roads. The proposed conceptual configuration will eliminate one of the three intersections near the interchange, convert the frontage roads to one-way, and provide a Texas turnaround for eastbound traffic. Traffic engineering services included conceptual alternative review and analysis, intersection capacity/operational analysis, Synchro/SimTraffic modeling, weaving analysis using HCS2010 for the turnpike entrance and exit ramps, and data collection.

This project is funded through the City of Oklahoma City MAPS3 Trails program. The city has continued to develop trails throughout the urban center for pedestrian and bicycle use. The I-44 West Trail is a nine-mile trail that extends from Lake Hefner on the north side of Oklahoma City to the Oklahoma River downtown. Traffic engineering services for this contract included alternative alignment analysis and review, field reconnaissance, development of design criteria, prioritization of preferred pedestrian crossings, and report writing. Lee staff participated in a public meeting held to gather opinions and recommendations from local residents on the alignment of the trail.

Lee Engineering is working with the MAG Transportation Safety Committee and Transportation Safety Steering Group (TSSG) to carry out a comprehensive update of the 2005 MAG STSP. A primary objective of the TSSG is to provide a broad view of transportation safety from the standpoints of a wide variety of user groups. The TSSG includes representatives of 14 individual and agency stakeholders that will guide the regional vision, goals, objectives, strategies, countermeasures, and performance measures for transportation safety. The STSP will also identify strategies for addressing new areas of transportation safety. The development of the STSP has been closely coordinated with the development of the state’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan Update by ADOT. The recommendations included in the STSP will be incorporated in the next MAG Regional Transportation Plan.

Lee Engineering was selected by the City of Avondale to update of their previous 2006 Transportation Plan. The Lee Engineering effort included addressing the various transportation topics such as existing area roadway characteristics, crash trends, transit plan development, incorporation of a previously prepared ITS strategic plan, and an updated travel demand model of the City’s planning area using the TransCAD software. The modifications to the previous TransCAD model reflect new/changed roadway network elements that have arisen in the years since the last transportation plan. Also, land use representations were revised to reflect actual land development, including a new specific area plan for a portion of the city. Existing traffic counts were used to calibrate the model prior to projecting future conditions. Future travel demand was assessed by considering the city’s new general land use plan (for 2030) and any planned and/or needed roadway extensions and connections.

Lee Engineering prepared a Five-Year Pavement Maintenance Plan for the City of Belton totaling $6.2 million for approximately 112 centerline miles of arterial, collector, and local streets. Lee developed the methodology for a roadway pavement condition inventory, conducted the condition inventory on 1,113 street segments, compiled inventory data, and performed calculation of Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for each street segment. The range of maintenance applications necessary to provide both preventative and corrective roadway maintenance was developed including the associated costs and an annual, five-year program for maintenance activities. Lee incorporated inventory condition and maintenance recommendation data into the city’s GIS system and provided a final report and maintenance plan for implementation by city.