Washington City Transportation Master Plan September 2014
Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ...... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND ...... 1 1.2 STUDY NEED ...... 2 1.3 STUDY PURPOSE ...... 2 1.4 STUDY AREA...... 3 1.5 STUDY PROCESS ...... 6 2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS ...... 7 2.1 LAND USE ...... 7 2.2 SOCIO-ECONOMIC ...... 7 2.3 FUNCTIONAL STREET CLASSIFICATION ...... 12 2.4 BRIDGES ...... 12 2.5 TRAFFIC COUNTS ...... 18 2.6 TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS ...... 19 2.7 WASHINGTON CITY BIKE LANE PLAN………………………...... 20 2.8 TRAFFIC SIGNAL MASTER PLAN ...... 21 3.0 FUTURE CONDITIONS ...... 23 3.1 LAND USE AND GROWTH ...... 23 3.1.1 Population and Employment Forecasts ...... 23 3.1.2 Future Land Use...... 23 3.2 TRANSPORTATION MODEL ...... 24 3.2.1 Modeling Procedure ...... 24 3.2.2 Traffic Analysis Zones ...... 24 3.3 ROADWAY NETWORK AND TRAFFIC FORECASTS...... 24 3.3.1 Roadway Network...... 25 3.3.2 Traffic Forecasts ...... 25 4.0 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ...... 26 4.1 RECOMMENDED SHORT-TERM (0-5 YEAR) TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ...... 28 4.2 RECOMMENDED LONG RANGE (6–20 YEAR) TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ...... 29 5.0 TRANSPORTATION GUIDELINES AND POLICIES ...... 34 5.1 SAFE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM ...... 34 5.2 FACILITIES MAINTENANCE ...... 36 5.3 STREET DESIGN ...... 37 5.3.1 Street Cross-Section Standards ...... 37 5.3.2 Roadway Network Design ...... 37 5.3.3 Improvement Requirements ...... 39 5.3.4 Connected Street System or Grid System ...... 39 5.3.5 Street Lighting Requirements ...... 40 5.3.6 Technical Design Requirements ...... 40 5.4 ACCESS MANAGEMENT ...... 40 5.5 TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY GUIDELINES ...... 40 5.5.1 When Required ...... 40 5.5.2 Initial Work Activity...... 41 5.5.3 Qualifications for Preparing Traffic Impact Study Documents ...... 42 5.5.4 Analysis Approach and Methods ...... 42 5.5.5 Report Format ...... 46 5.6 MULTI-MODAL APPROACH ...... 49 5.7 PRESERVE QUALITY OF LIFE ...... 49 5.8 SUPPORT GENERAL PLAN ...... 49
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Washington City Transportation Master Plan September 2014
6.0 IMPACT FEES ...... 50
7.0 TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR PRESERVATION ...... 51 7.1 INTRODUCTION ...... 51 7.2 DEFINITIONS ...... 51 7.3 CORRIDOR PRESERVATION TECHNIQUES ...... 51 7.3.1 Acquisition ...... 51 7.3.2 Exercise of Police Powers ...... 53 7.3.3 Voluntary Agreements and Government Inducements ...... 55 ESTIMATES FOR SHORT-YEAR IMPROVEMENT PLAN ...... 57
ESTIMATES FOR LONG-RANGE IMPROVEMENT PLAN ...... 58
LIST OF APPENDICIES ...... 59
List of Figures Figure 1.1 Study Area Location ...... 4 Figure 1.2 Study Area ...... 5 Figure 2.1 Population ...... 9 Figure 2.2 Annual Population Growth 1970-2011 ...... 11 Figure 2.3 Employment Sectors ...... 11 Figure 2.4 Washington City Road Masterplan ...... 14 Figure 2.5 Bridges ...... 15 Figure 2.6 Telegraph Street Crash Rate, West of 300 West ...... 19 Figure 2.7 Washington City Bike Lane Plan ...... 20 Figure 2.8 Traffic Signal Master Plan…………………………………………………………… …22 Figure 3.1 Transportation Improvement Projects ...... 27
List of Tables Table 2.1 Population……………………………………………………………………………………8 Table 2.2 Bridges ...... 17 Table 2.3 Average Daily Traffic ...... 18 Table 2.4 Traffic Accident Statistics 2009-2011 ...... 19 Table 3.1 Population and Employment ...... 23 Table 5.1 Guidelines for Installing Sidewalks ...... 36 Table 5.2 Street Cross-Section Configurations ...... 38
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Washington City Transportation Master Plan September 2014
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background Washington City is a quiet but rapidly growing community located in southwestern Utah just north of the Arizona border. The city is the second largest in Washington County and abuts St. George to the west, which is the largest city in the county. Las Vegas, which is 120 miles away, is the nearest large urban area, while Salt Lake City is located 300 miles to the north of Washington City.
The Virgin River is a significant feature in the area, flowing generally from east to west through the geographic center of the city. Washington City is also bisected by Interstate 15, which runs from northeast to southwest through the northern part of the city. This creates two notable barriers within the city’s own boundaries. Most of the city’s population is situated between the interstate and the river. Several large and small bluffs in the area also act as barriers within the city as well as between Washington City and other communities nearby.
The temperate, climate of the area and nearby attractions including national parks, national monuments and state parks has induced many short and long-term visitors to the city. The city has a large retirement population base, tourism activities, recreational activities, and agricultural activities. The large retirement and tourist influence in the area affects the type of travel behavior and patterns that occur. The increasing population of the area is encroaching upon agricultural lands, which are primarily located in the southern half of the city. As the population increases, more agricultural land is being converted to residential uses, as typified by the transition of agricultural lands in the Washington Fields area. However, residential uses are developing in all parts of the city where larger tracts of vacant land are not restricted by topography or environmental issues. In addition, as the residential population increases, retail and other services are also developing in Washington City.
Washington City’s Transportation Guidelines and Policies are defined on page 29 of the Washington City General Plan, and are as follows: Goal 9. Provide a transportation system that balances traffic needs and those of creating a livable, attractive community. Objective 1: Move people and goods safely and efficiently to, from, and through Washington City, while minimizing negative impacts on adjacent land uses. Objective 2: Maintain a pedestrian-friendly setting for residential neighborhoods, downtown shopping, and business districts. Objective 3: Anticipate future bus route needs in the planning and design of streets and developments. Objective 4: Preserve rights-of-way to accommodate future traffic needs. Objective 5: Reduce high speeds and traffic levels through neighborhoods. Objective 6: Encourage alternative (non-auto) modes of transportation. Objective 7: Provide walking and bike paths/lanes in an interconnected system that links major destinations.
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Washington City Transportation Master Plan September 2014
The specifics of each transportation objective are outlined and discussed in this Transportation Master Plan.
1.2 Study Need When a community such as Washington City experiences rapid growth it exposes various issues and concerns that relate to the transportation system. Washington City’s transportation concerns are varied and include issues regarding:
• Internal circulation; • Regional access; • I-15 and Virgin River crossings; • Population growth of the area; and • Constraints of the existing roadway network.
Internal circulation issues included the adequacy of existing roadways, the lack of a completed network, and single-point access to residential areas. Regional access issues include the limited number or roadways that connect Washington City with I-15 and with the other communities in the county.
Both I-15 and the Virgin River form physical barriers that limit crossing locations. The limited number of crossings focuses trips to a single location. This often creates congestion and diminishes the ability of the roadway system to function as a network.
Washington City has experienced rapid population growth from 1980 to 2012 compared to the state of Utah as a whole. This fast growth rate is expected to continue into the near future based on state-generated projections and discussions with the local government officials and business people. It is anticipated that this increase in population will be comprised of new employment opportunities in the area and the increased number of retirees moving into the area.
Constraints of the existing roadway network and predicted growth place a burden on Washington City, Washington County, and the State of Utah to maintain an adequate transportation system.
The Washington City Transportation Master Plan was initiated to address many of the issues that have been previously discussed and serve as a comprehensive transportation study for the city. This study is an impact fee eligible study.
1.3 Study Purpose The primary objective of this study is to establish a solid transportation plan to guide future developments and roadway expenditures. The transportation plan includes three major components:
• Transportation guidelines and policies • A five-year short-range action plan • A twenty-year long-range transportation plan
The transportation guidelines and policies will aid city staff and officials in making informed and consistent decisions regarding transportation policies. Five-year improvements focus on
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Washington City Transportation Master Plan September 2014 specific projects to improve deficiencies in the existing transportation system. The twenty-year plan will identify those projects that require significant advance planning and funding to implement and are needed to accommodate the future traffic demand within the study area.
1.4 Study Area The study area includes Washington City and land immediately adjacent to it which lies in St. George and Washington County. A general location map is shown in Figure 1.1. A more detailed map of the study area and city corporate limits is shown in Figure 1.2.
Major roadways within the roadway network include I-15, Telegraph Road, SR-9, Green Springs Drive, and 300 East. I-15 is a major traffic artery, which links Washington City to Salt Lake City to the north and Las Vegas and Southern California to the south. I-15 also diagonally bisects the city segregating the more developed areas of the city from the lesser-developed areas to the north. Telegraph Road bisects the city running east and west from Green Springs Road to SR-9. SR-9 is the eastern boundary and serves as the principle roadway to eastern Washington County. 300 East/Washington Fields Road serve as the primary north/south arterial. The remaining roadways within the study area are comprised of city streets and county roads.
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Washington City Transportation Master Plan September 2014
Figure 1.1 Study Area Location
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Washington City Transportation Master Plan September 2014
Figure 1.2 Study Area