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Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Alternative Transportation Study

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Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Alternative Transportation Study Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Alternative Transportation Study Prepared by Volpe National Transportation Systems Center 55 Broadway, Cambridge MA 02142 www.volpe.dot.gov April 2010 Table of Contents 1 Introduction ................................................................................. 1 Purpose and Need ................................................................................... 1 Background ............................................................................................. 3 Scope of ATPPL Application ................................................................................................. 3 Program Input ........................................................................................................................ 3 Approach .................................................................................................. 6 Project Overview and Methodology ....................................................................................... 6 Data Resources ....................................................................................................................... 7 2 Existing Conditions .................................................................... 8 Project Co-Applicants ............................................................................. 8 Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (CNWR) ................................................................ 9 Assateague Island National Seashore ................................................................................. 13 Town of Chincoteague ......................................................................................................... 15 Accomack County ................................................................................................................. 18 Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission ................................................... 19 Stakeholders .......................................................................................... 19 Town of Chincoteague - Pony Express ................................................................................ 19 NASA .................................................................................................................................... 21 Virginia Department of Transportation and Other State Agencies .................................... 21 STAR Transit ........................................................................................................................ 22 Chincoteague Natural History Association ......................................................................... 23 Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce and Other Business Associations .......................... 23 Current Transportation Conditions ..................................................... 24 Automobile Traffic and Circulation .................................................................................... 24 Transportation Safety ........................................................................................................... 29 Parking ................................................................................................................................. 30 Transit ................................................................................................................................... 36 Bicycle and Pedestrian Activity ............................................................................................ 41 Alternative Vehicles .............................................................................................................. 47 Marine transportation .......................................................................................................... 48 Intelligent Transportation Systems and Emergency Response ....... 53 Existing CNWR/ASIS ITS and Emergency Resources ....................................................... 53 Town Emergency Services ................................................................................................... 54 Hurricane and Storm Activity .............................................................................................. 54 Evacuation ............................................................................................................................ 55 Use of ITS during Hurricanes Bill and Danny, 2009 ......................................................... 56 3 Related Plans and Analyses .................................................... 59 CNWR/ASIS ............................................................................................ 59 Impact of Climate Change on Infrastructure ...................................................................... 59 Pedestrian/Bicycle Trail Extension (ATPPL Implementation Grant) ............................... 61 Intelligent Information Traffic Systems (ATPPL Implementation Grant) ........................ 62 FWS Intelligent Transportation Systems Demonstration Project ...................................... 62 Town of Chincoteague .......................................................................... 63 Comprehensive Plan (2009) ................................................................................................. 63 Bicycle Plan (2009) .............................................................................................................. 63 Main Street Enhancement Project (2008) ........................................................................... 64 2020 Transportation Plan (2002) ......................................................................................... 65 Future Traffic Projections and Analyses ............................................................................ 65 Route 175 Causeway Bridge ................................................................................................ 66 Accomack County ................................................................................. 71 Route 13 / Wallops Island Access Management Study (2002) ............................................ 71 Eastern Shore of Virginia Bicycle Plan (2004) ................................................................... 72 Accomack County Comprehensive Plan .............................................................................. 72 2035 Rural Long-Range Transportation Plan .................................................................... 73 4 Outreach and Public Input ....................................................... 74 Public Involvement Strategy ................................................................ 74 Public Meetings ..................................................................................... 74 October 2008 Public Meetings ............................................................................................. 74 January 2009 Public Meeting .............................................................................................. 75 Pony Swim, July 2009 .......................................................................................................... 76 ASIS General Management Plan Outreach ......................................... 77 Written Comments ................................................................................ 77 Public Response Summary .................................................................. 78 Observations ......................................................................................................................... 78 Concerns and Issues ............................................................................................................. 78 Solutions and Ideas .............................................................................................................. 79 Previous Surveys .................................................................................. 81 Chincoteague Visitor Transportation Needs Assessment Survey (1998) ........................... 81 Chincoteague Comprehensive Plan (2006) ......................................................................... 81 Assateague Island National Seashore Visitor Survey (2007) ............................................. 82 5 Peer Comparison and Best Practices ..................................... 83 Criteria and framework for assessment .............................................. 83 Identification and selection .................................................................. 83 Best Practice Summary ........................................................................ 83 Gulf Islands National Seashore/Fort Pickens - Florida ..................................................... 84 Cape Hatteras National Seashore – North Carolina .......................................................... 85 Ocracoke Island – North Carolina ...................................................................................... 86 Cape Cod National Seashore – Cape Cod, Massachusetts ................................................. 86 Folly Beach - South Carolina .............................................................................................. 88 Sanibel Island/Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge – Sanibel, Florida ....................... 88 Okemo Mountain Resort – Ludlow, Vermont ..................................................................... 90 Solutions for CNWR .............................................................................. 90 6 Transportation Alternatives ..................................................... 92
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