University Avenue Complete Streets Corridor Revitalization Project
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University Avenue Complete Streets Corridor Revitalization Project The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Table of Contents A. Project Description . 1 Users . 1 Transportation Challenges . 2 Proposed Statement of Work. .. 3 History of the Project . 4 University District . 5 University District Partnership . 6 University District Neighborhood Association . .. 7 University District Development Corporation . 7 UALR Participation . 7 Coordination with Other Planning Efforts . 7 Four Corners Redevelopment Plan. 8 University Village - studioMAIN . 8 STIP. .. 8 Campus Planning Team. .9 Ladders of Opportunity. 9 B. Project Location . 9 C. Project Parties . .10 D. Grant Funds and Sources and Uses of Project Funds . 12 E. Selection Criteria . 13 i. Primary Selection Criteria a. State of Good Repair . 14 b. Economic Competitiveness . 14 c. Quality of Life . 17 Walkability . 18 Access . .. 19 i Health Benefits of Walkability . 20 Other Benefits of Walkability . 20 Improved Transportation Choices . 21 d. Environmental Sustainability . 22 e. Safety . 22 Pedestrian / Bicycle Safety . 22 Vehicular Safety . .25 Transit Safety . 25 ii. Secondary Selection Criteria a. Partnership . .. .. 26 b. Innovation . .. .27 F. Results of Benefit Cost Analysis . 27 G. Project Readiness . 28 Technical Feasibility . .. 28 Financial Feasibility . 28 Project Schedule. 29 Required Approvals . .. 29 Assessment of Project Risks and Mitigation Strategies. .. 30 H. Federal Wage Rate Certification . 30 I. Appendices . 30 Appendix A University District by Census Tracts Appendix B Detailed Project Costs Appendix C Map of Other Redevelopment Efforts Near University District Appendix D Map of Project Area Appendix E Metroplan Board Resolution 15-02 Appendix F University District Partners Appendix G Technical Details of the Benefit-Cost Analysis Appendix G-1 Notes to Benefit-Cost Analysis ii List of Figures Figure 1 University District . .6 Figure 2 University Village Apartments . 6 Figure 3 University District Neighborhood Association Map . , . .7 Figure 4 Mixed Use Option . 8 Figure 5 Map of Project Area . 10 Figure 6 Road Condition South Campus Entrance . 14 Figure 7 Existing Conditions on University Avenue . .18 Figure 8 20-Minute Walkshed . 18 Figure 9 University Avenue Today . 19 Figure 10 University Avenue As Proposed . 19 Figure 11 Prevalence of Self-Reported Obesity Among U.S. Adults . 20 Figure 12 University Avenue Safety Conditions . 23 Figure 13 Pedestrian-Bicycle Crashes Near University District . .24 Figure 14 Bus Stop Along University Avenue . .26 Figure 15 Poor Transit Conditions For People With Disabilities . .26 List of Tables Table 1 University District Economic Distress Identifiers . 15 Table 2 Results of Benefit Cost Analysis . 28 Table 3 Undiscounted Benefits by Type . 28 iii A. Project Description The University Avenue Complete Streets Corridor Revitalization Project (Project) will enhance safety, multi-modality, quality of life, and economic revitalization of an under-performing urban corridor, providing a ladder of opportunity by fostering vitality and better connections for area residents to job and educational opportunities, while preserving vehicular traffic flows on this critical arterial. To achieve these goals, the Project will improve four intersections (one of which is a major intersection of a state highway and city arterial street), reduce travel lanes on University Avenue from 5 to 4, add a landscaped median, sidewalks, raised pedestrian crossings, bicycle lanes and improve bus safety and accommodations. Additionally, geometric changes will be made along the east and west approaches at Asher Avenue to improve intersection operation and pedestrian safety. Low Impact Development practices will be used where feasible in the design of the streetscape. This transformative project is Phase 1 of a longer-term vision to revitalize all four corners of the University Avenue and Colonel Glenn Avenue / Asher Avenue intersection (the Four Corners) and the University Avenue corridor north of Four Corners to 28th Street. In Phase 1, TIGER funds will be used to change University Avenue from an auto-centric, unattractive roadway dominated by aging strip centers on the west, into a pedestrian-friendly vibrant urban environment that promotes the safety, health and well-being, equity and opportunity, and economic vitality of the area. The Project length corresponds roughly to the western border of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) on the east side of University Avenue. In addition to better connecting the university and mostly low-to-middle income, residential communities to the east with commercial and employment opportunities, the roadway improvements proposed for this stretch of University Avenue will vastly improve safety along University Avenue and stimulate new mixed-use development. The Project will also improve access to the one medical facility in the area (St. Vincent Family Clinic). Users Users of the Project include the 35,000 motorists that travel this portion of University Avenue on a daily basis, plus what is hoped will be a growing number of pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users. Among the users are the 13,000 students, staff and faculty members of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, neighborhood residents, riders of Rock Region Metro who get on or off the buses in this area, and visitors to the Mexican Consulate. The corridor currently does not effectively serve any of these users. Congestion and peak travel delays are the problems for vehicular traffic and safety is a concern for all users. Rear-end collisions and sideswipes are frequent due to congestion. Bicycle traffic is non-existent due to the heavy vehicular traffic and no connections with other safe bicycle facilities. Pedestrian traffic is extremely dangerous due to the design speed of the road which encourages rates of speed much higher (45+ mph) than posted (25 mph), a wide cross-section with right-turn bypass lanes in some places, and a long stretch of road without a protected mid-block crossing. Those individuals in wheelchairs who need to access the bus stop in this location must hop the curb to get to the stop, and amenities for bus riders consist of occasional benches only. University Avenue is a challenging travel environment for all. 1 “What we’ve got is a speedway that was built in 1957 and has had relatively little done to it since then. It’s in a state of disrepair. University Avenue is unsafe. It’s an eyesore, and it depresses economic activity in the area.” - UALR Chancellor Joel Anderson Transportation Challenges A major challenge of the Project is the sheer volume of traffic at the intersection of University Avenue and Asher / Colonel Glenn Avenues. Traffic along University Avenue is in excess of 35,000 vehicles per day. The annual average daily traffic on the segment of Colonel Glenn immediately west of University Avenue is approximately 36,000. For many years, the traffic signal at this location has had the longest cycle in the state. Although these thoroughfares no longer carry a significant amount of intercity traffic as was once the case, all three legs are critical to intracity transportation in this part of Little Rock, so that solutions to improve safety on University Avenue must be weighed to balance pedestrian with vehicular flow. Initial studies by the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute indicated that a system of roundabouts might be a solution for the University Avenue corridor. However, the three-lane roundabout suggested for the University/Asher/Colonel Glenn intersection by the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute is untested in Arkansas, so UALR commissioned a Corridor Study by Jacobs Engineering to use a different modeling software (VISSIM) to see how the roundabouts fared.1 The system of roundabouts, including the three-lane roundabout, did not perform well in VISSIM models, but a single point urban interchange (SPUI) at University/Asher/Colonel Glenn did. However, the SPUI was rejected by stakeholders because of the cost and the continued barrier it would put between north and south University Avenue at this location, defeating the longer term plan to connect the Four Corners into a viable multi- modal commercial center. In the end, to combat the safety problems, encourage multi-modality, and preserve vehicular flow,.