Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road
Draft Final Report
Prepared for
Miami-Dade Transit
Prepared by
Larry Hagen, P.E., PTOE (PI) Pei-Sung Lin, Ph.D., P.E. (Co-PI) Sachin Rai, E.I.
Center for Urban Transportation Research University of South Florida, Tampa
December 20, 2005
“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
BACKGROUND
Miami-Dade Transit (MDT) is concerned about the noise and safety impacts of northbound Metro bus operations on SW 31st Road. The concern was originated from residents’ complaints regarding traffic noise generated by MDT buses along SW 31st Road, a narrow residential street, between the Vizcaya Metrorail Station and Coral Way. To resolve residents’ complaints, it has been requested that MDT investigate re-routing buses exiting Vizcaya Metrorail station, from SW 31st Road onto SW 32nd Road. In November 2004, a qualitative assessment report [1] for Coral Way at SW 32nd Road was conducted by Marlin Engineering. Based on the recommendation from Marlin Engineering, MDT has requested that the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida perform further analyses to evaluate bus operations with the conversion of SW 32 Road from a one-way to a two-way street, and provide necessary recommendations.
Evaluation of the impacts of moving northbound bus routes from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road to reduce the impact of bus noise on the adjacent residential area involves environmental, traffic operations, bus safety, and bus routing issues. The CUTR project team will rely on input from Miami-Dade Transit, field observations, data collection, development of potential options, traffic impact analyses, microscopic traffic simulation, noise analysis, and thorough evaluations of proposed options in order to develop recommendations that will address the noise concerns of the citizens and still provide the required transit services.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this analysis is to provide policy makers in MDT, Miami-Dade County Public Works, and the City of Miami with an objective assessment of the traffic operations and safety of the proposed northbound bus route on SW 32nd Road between the Vizcaya Metrorail Station and Coral Way. Several recommended options for resolving bus noise issues on SW 31st Road will be proposed. The advantages and disadvantages of each option will be discussed with its supporting information. This report will provide policy makers with practical options to minimize the bus noise issue on SW 31st Road and maintain safe bus operation in the study area.
The study mentioned above that was conducted by Marlin Engineering provided much of the data utilized in this study. That study also recommended that additional study be conducted in this area. The effort summarized in this report is that additional study.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Currently, three transit bus routes (Routes 12, 17, and 24) use SW 32nd Road to enter the Vizcaya Station from Coral Way (SR 972) and use SW 31st Road to exit the station back to Coral Way, as shown in Figure 1. The map for each bus route is attached in ______2 Center for Urban Transportation Research
“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road” Appendix A. Coral Way is an urban minor arterial that runs in an east-west direction, as shown in Figure 2. Both SW 32nd Road and SW 31st Road are urban local roads that run in a north-south direction. The typical cross-section on Coral Way consists of four lanes with raised median and a speed limit of 40 mph. SW 32nd Road crosses Coral Way with an offset configuration, with north and south legs that are more than 100 feet apart. The SW 32nd Road south leg is a one-way southbound road as shown in Figure 3, with two lanes and a parking lane on each side. The width of this one-way segment of SW 32nd Road is about 57 feet. The Vizcaya Metrorail Station, as shown in Figure 4, is located at the end of the segment. The SW 32nd Road north leg is a two-lane, two- way undivided road with parking on both sides of the road. There is an existing traffic signal at the Coral Way and SW 31st Road intersection, just east of SW 32nd Road. The SW 31st Road south leg is a two-lane, one way northbound road, as shown in Figure 5, with a width of only 22 feet. The SW 31st Road north leg is a two-lane, two-way road.
The traffic on Coral Way is generally heavy during peak hours. Heavy traffic heading eastbound and moderate traffic westbound was observed during AM peak hours. During the PM peak period, heavy traffic was observed westbound along Coral Way, and moderate traffic was observed in the eastbound direction. The traffic on both SW 31st Road and SW 32nd Road are light throughout the day due to residential areas. Left turns westbound from Coral Way entering the SW 32nd Road (south leg) experienced minimal delays during both AM and PM peak hours. However, the westbound through traffic experienced long delays during the PM peak hours and most vehicles were observed queuing and blocking SW 32nd Road (south and north legs) when stopping for a signalized intersection at the Coral Way and SW 12 Avenue intersection located further west.
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
Figure 1. Existing bus routes entering and exiting the Vizcaya Station
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
Eastbound Coral Way
Westbound Coral Way
Figure 2. Coral Way near the Vizcaya Metrorail Station
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
Southbound SW 32nd Road (one-way segment)
SW 32nd Road approaching the Vizcaya Metrorail Station
Figure 3. One-way southbound SW 32nd Road
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
Entrance to the Vizcaya Metrorail Station
Transit Bus stopped for passenger boarding at the Vizcaya Metrorail Station
Figure 4. Vizcaya Metrorail Station and transit bus
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
Northbound SW 31st Road (one-way segment)
Northbound SW 31st Road (one-way segment) with a transit bus
Figure 5. One-way northbound SW 31st Road
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
The field survey indicated the background noise level is around 62 to 66 dBA on both SW 31st and SW 32nd roads during the day time. This level is slightly higher than general residential areas due to short segments of both roads (less than 1000 feet) between Coral Way and the Vizcaya Metrorail Station. The noise level measured at the curb of the roads would reach to 84 to 88 dBA when buses pass the sound meter instrument without acceleration and deceleration. The maximum noise level measured in the field was from 96 to 100 dBA during bus acceleration and deceleration periods. The relationship between sound level and distance to a vehicle based on data collected in the field is shown in Figure 6. The sound level is gradually reduced with the distance to a sound source. As expected, the bus noise while traveling is higher than that while idling. The bus noise measured while it is traveling is about 10 to 12 dBA higher than that of passenger cars.
Sound Level Vesus Distance
120
100
80
60 Background Noise
40 Idle (Bus) Travel (Bus) Sound Level (dBA) Sound Level 20 Travel (Car) 0 0 1020304050 Distance to a Vehicle (ft)
Figure 6. Relationship between sound level and distance to a vehicle
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
PONTENTIAL ISSUES OF CONVERSION FOR NORTHBOUND BUS ROUTES
The conversion of the SW 32nd Road from a one-way to a two-way road will allow buses to enter and exit the Vizcaya Station using SW 32nd Road to minimize the noise impact to the surrounding residential areas. The roadway surface of SW 32nd Road is much wider than that of SW 31st Road (57 feet vs. 22 feet). The number of houses on SW 32nd Road is about 44 percent of the number of houses along SW 1st Avenue and SW 31st Road (existing bus route). The conversion of northbound bus routes from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road can significantly reduce the impact of bus noise for residents on SW 31st Road; however, some potential issues should be considered before the decision of conversion is made. These potential issues include the following:
1. Will there be a signal warranted at the Coral Way and 32nd Road intersection to allow buses safely to make left turns? 2. What is the number of bus stops affected by northbound route conversion? 3. What is extra distance buses will travel based on northbound route conversion? 4. What are the safety and operational issues for northbound route conversion? 5. What will be the effect to the existing intersection level of services based on northbound route conversion?
SIGNAL WARRANT ANALYSIS
A signal warrant analysis is needed to examine whether the Coral Way and SW 32nd Road intersection will be warranted for a traffic signal after the conversion of northbound bus routes from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road. The warrant analysis also can verify whether the existing Coral Way and SW 31st Road signal still meets the signal warrants after the conversion of northbound bus routes.
According to the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), a traffic control signal should not be installed unless one or more signal warrants are met. A traffic control signal should not be installed unless an engineering study indicates that installing a traffic control signal will improve the overall safety and/or operation of the intersection. A traffic control signal should not be installed if it will seriously disrupt progressive traffic flow. MUTCD includes eight different traffic signal warrants.
To perform signal warrant analysis for both Coral Way/SW 31st Road and Coral Way/SW 32nd Road intersections after the conversion of SW 32nd Road from existing one-way to a two-way road, the traffic counts of 2003 conducted by Marlin Engineering were used in association with a growth factor and seasonal adjustment factor to estimate traffic volumes for 2005. The summary and details of the signal warrant analysis is shown in Table 1 and Appendix B, respectively. The Coral Way and SW 31st Road signal only meets the traffic signal Warrant 6: Coordinated Signal System. The Coral Way and SW 32nd Road intersection does not meet any traffic signal warrant. ______10 Center for Urban Transportation Research
“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
Table 1. Signal warrant analysis based on estimated 2005 traffic information after conversion of SW 32nd Road from existing one-way to a two-way road
Signal Warrant Coral Way @ SW 31st Road Coral Way at SW 32nd Road 1. Eight-Hour Vehicular Volume No No 2. Four-Hour Vehicular Volume No No 3. Peak Hour Volume No No 4. Pedestrian Volume No No 5. School Crossing No No 6. Coordinated Signal System Yes No 7. Crash Experience No No 8. Roadway Network No No Warranted for a traffic signal Yes No
SIGNAL SPACING REQUIREMENTS
The installation of a traffic signal should also meet signal spacing requirements. According to FDOT Rule 14-97 – State Highway System Access Management Classification System and Standards, the minimum requirements for controlled access facilities based on the access class in the State of Florida are shown in Table 2. Because Coral Way is a minor arterial with existing moderate to extensive development or subdivided properties, it is Access Class 7 with 0.25 mile (1320 feet) of minimum signal spacing requirement. Due to the close proximity of adjacent signals (less than 400 feet), the Coral Way and SW 32nd Road intersection does not meet signal spacing requirements for a traffic signal.
Table 2. Minimum Standards for Controlled Assess Facilities in Florida
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
POTENTIAL OPTIONS TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF BUS NOISE
The conversion of SW 32nd Road from a one-way to a two-way road can potentially minimize the bus noise impact on the SW 31st Road. On the other hand, the absence of a traffic signal at the Coral Way and SW 32nd Road intersection makes it difficult for buses to make left turns onto Coral Way from SW 32nd Road during peak hours. In addition to these two conditions, several other factors should be considered for the development of each potential option to reduce the impact of bus noise. These factors include the following:
1. The percentage of noise reduction on SW 31st Road 2. The impact to the residents on SW 32nd Road 3. Effects on existing bus schedules and bus stops 4. Bus safety from Vizcaya Station to westbound Coral Way 5. The impacts to existing traffic flow and intersection level of service on Coral Way 6. The required roadway and traffic signal improvements 7. Existing roadway and intersection layouts, signal timings (Appendix C), and turning radii (Appendix D)
Based on the consideration of all existing conditions and necessary factors, the project team proposes the following potential options, as shown in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11.
1. Do Nothing (base option)
2. A. Convert SW 32nd Road to a two-way road with appropriate pavement markings and median island modification for buses to turn to SW 32nd Road after leaving the Vizcaya Station. B. Reassign buses to use SW 32nd Road for right turns onto Coral Way. C. Maintain the usage of SW 31st Road for buses to make left turns onto Coral Way
3. A. Convert SW 32nd Road to a two-way road with appropriate pavement markings and median island modification for buses to turn to SW 32nd Road after leaving the Vizcaya Station. B. Reassign all buses to use SW 32nd Road to access Coral Way. C. Provide modification at the median opening on Coral Way at SW 32nd Road to allow buses to use it as a refuge to make two-stage northbound left turns. D. Coordinate Coral Way/SW 31st Road signal to Coral Way/SW 3rd Avenue signal to create gaps for buses.
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
4. A. Convert SW 32nd Road to a two-way road with appropriate pavement markings and median island modification for buses to turn to SW 32nd Road after leaving the Vizcaya Station. B. Reassign all buses to use SW 32nd Road to access Coral Way. C. Construct a bus U-turn bay on the right for the eastbound approach at the Coral Way/SW 31st Road intersection. D. Provide an exclusive bus U-turn phase at the Coral Way/SW 31st Road signal. E. Reassign buses heading westbound on Coral Way to make northbound right turns first at the Coral Way/SW 32nd Road intersection, followed by U-turns at Coral Way/SW 32nd Road intersection.
5. A. Convert SW 32nd Road to a two-way road with appropriate pavement markings and median island modification for buses to turn to SW 32nd Road after leaving the Vizcaya Station. B. Reassign buses to use SW 32nd Road for right turns onto Coral Way. C. Maintain the usage of SW 31st Road for buses to make left turns onto Coral Way during the peak hours. D. Provide modification at the median opening on Coral Way at SW 32nd Road to allow buses to use it as a refuge to make two-stage northbound left turns. E. Reassign buses that turn left onto Coral Way to SW 32nd Road in off-peak periods.
Figure 7. Bus routing for Option 1 (Base Option)
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
Figure 8. Bus routing for Option 2
Figure 9. Bus routing for Option 3
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
Figure 10. Bus routing for Option 4
Figure 11. Bus routing for Option 5
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL OPTIONS
The bus routes for each potential option are somewhat different, which will result in a varying degree of impact to the existing traffic on Coral Way. Due to light traffic on both SW 31st Road and SW 32nd Road, none of the options are expected to cause any traffic congestion problem on either road. In this project, the examination of the impacts of potential options to the existing traffic was conducted by both analytical analysis and traffic simulation. The latest version of Synchro signal timing software was used to build the roadway network and perform intersection analysis for each potential option. The latest version of SimTraffic traffic simulation software was used to explore any possible traffic operational problem for each option through microscopic traffic simulation.
Data Collection
The project team properly estimated the 100 highest hourly turning movement counts for both AM and PM peak hours in 2005 at Coral Way/ SW 12th Avenue (signalized), Coral Way/SW 32nd Road (unsignalized) and Coral Way/SW 31st Road (signalized) intersections for traffic analysis based on turning movement counts conducted by Marlin Engineering in 2003. The projected counts in 2005 were then slightly modified for each potential option based on the transit bus information obtained from Miami-Dade Transit. Signal timing plans and intersection layouts for both Coral Way/ SW 12th Avenue and Coral Way/SW 31st Road intersections were obtained from Miami-Dade County Public Works. The aerial map of the study area was provided by the CUTR GIS team obtained from Miami-Dade County.
Intersection Analysis
The intersection analysis for each potential option was conducted using the Synchro software for both AM and PM peak hours. The results of the intersection analysis based on the average delay (seconds per vehicle) and its associated intersection level of service (LOS) during peak hours are shown in Table 3.
Table 3. Results of intersection analysis during peak hours
Delay and LOS AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour Potential Options 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Coral Way/SW 12th Ave 37.2 37.2 36.5 36.9 37.2 37.2 37.5 34.1 38.4 37.5 (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Coral Way/SW 32nd Rd 0.3 0.4 1.6 0.3 0.4 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) Coral Way/SW 31st Rd 3.8 3.7 5.1 4.3 3.7 8.0 8.0 9.8 8.4 8.0 (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) (A)
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
The analytical analysis from Synchro shows the intersection delays and their associated intersection levels of service (LOS) are similar among all options for both AM and PM peak hours. It indicates the proposed options (Options 2, 3, 4 and 5) will not significantly affect the existing traffic conditions when comparing the base option (Option 1).
Specifically, the result of Options 2 and 5 is very close to that of Option 1 due to light traffic on side streets. For Option 3, the average vehicle delay at the Coral Way and SW 32nd Road intersection is higher during both AM and PM peak hours due to longer delay for northbound left turns from SW 32nd Road. In addition, slight larger delays can be observed for the Coral Way and SW 31st Road intersection because longer green time is required for the side street to create gaps for buses to make northbound left turns at the Coral Way and SW 32nd Road intersection. As to Option 4, slightly longer average vehicle delay at the Coral Way and SW 31st Road intersection is shown in the analysis because an exclusive U-turn phase needs to be added at the intersection for buses to make U-turns. However, the average delay at the Coral Way and SW 12th Avenue intersection is slightly reduced due to better signal coordination.
Observation and analysis from microscopic traffic simulation
In order to ensure the delay for buses westbound on Coral Way from either SW 31st Road or SW 32nd Road in the analysis is close to the actual delay of buses in the field, SimTraffic microscopic traffic simulation was used. The simulated average delays of buses for all options during peak hours are shown in Table 4. The result indicates the average simulated delay of buses for either Option 2 or 5 is less than that of Option 1. For Option 3, much longer delay of 27.6 seconds (48%) more than Option 1 will be encountered for buses to make unprotected left turns at the Coral Way and SW 32nd Road intersection during PM peak hours because of fewer acceptable gaps due to heavy westbound traffic on the Coral Way. For Option 4, when compared with Option 1, less simulated delay is shown for AM peak hours and only additional 4.3 seconds (7.5%) of delay is shown during PM peak hours for buses to make eastbound U-turns to head westbound on Coral Way at the Coral Way and SW 31st Road intersection.
Table 4. Comparison of simulated delays of different options for buses to head to westbound Coral Way at intersections on the Coral Way during peak hours
Delay Time (seconds/vehicle) AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour Potential Options 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Northbound left turns at the Coral Way/SW 31st Rd Intersection 57.4 48.9 - - 48.9 58.4 57.3 - - 57.3 Eastbound U turns at the Coral Way/SW 31st Rd Intersection - - - 48.7 - - - - 62.7 - Northbound left turns at the Coral Way/SW 32nd Rd intersection - - 52.0 - - - - 85.0 - -
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
NOISE ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL OPTIONS
Noise analysis was conducted to determine the noise level for the existing conditions on SW 31st Road and SW 32nd Road, and expected noise levels for various proposed options. The number of houses affected by these noise levels is also reported in the analysis. FHWA recommended maximum noise level for hourly A-weighted sound levels are 52 dBA and 55 dBA for hourly Leq and L10, respectively, for interior of a residential building [2]. Leq is the equivalent steady-state sound level which in a stated period of time contains the same acoustic energy as a time varying sound level during the same period. L10 is the sound level that is exceeded 10 percent of the time for the period under consideration.
For the analysis the recommended noise levels were converted to exterior noise levels. A building noise reduction factor of 20dBA was considered for exterior of the building assuming windows (light frame) of the residences are closed. Therefore, 72 dBA and 75 dBA for hourly Leq and L10 respectively, were used as the recommended noise level for the exterior of the houses. Any one of the mentioned noise level should be met. The current operation affects all the houses on either side of both of the streets. The houses on SW 31st Road are closer by 17 feet than those on SW 32nd Road mainly due to the width of the roadway. The difference in the distance results in 3 dBA higher noise level on SW 31st Road for a similar noise source.
The first part of the analysis studies the number of houses affected by the bus operation, noise level at the exterior of the house from a passing bus (L0), and the hourly Leq for all traffic was calculated using noise prediction software Stamina 2.0. Peak traffic volumes during an hour were used for the analysis. The estimated hourly Leq were lower than the FHWA recommended Leq of 72 dBA, as shown in Table 5.
Table 5: Comparison of Leq for potential options with FHWA standards
Options 2 and Options 3, 4, and Potential Options Option 1 Option 5 (Peak Hours) Option 5 (Off peak hours) SW 31st SW 32nd SW 32nd SW 32nd SW 31st SW 32nd Roadway Road Road Road Road Road Road Number of buses/hr 14 14 8 20 0 28 # of houses affected 16 7 16 7 0 7 L0* 83 dBA 80 dBA 83 dBA 80 dBA - 80 dBA
Leq (hourly)** 64.8 dBA 64.1 dBA 63.9 dBA 64.6 dBA 62.3 dBA 65.3 dBA FHWA recommended 72 dBA 72 dBA 72 dBA 72 dBA 72 dBA 72 dBA Leq (hourly) Meets Standard Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
* Instantaneous Noise Level due to a bus ** Equivalent noise level estimated by Stamina 2.0
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
The second part of the analysis studies whether the noise level exceeds the FHWA recommended level of 75 dBA (hourly-L10) for more than 10 percent of time during an hour. The field observations provided information that only the noise from the bus on SW 31st Road and SW 32nd Road exceeds 75 dBA. The noise from the bus gradually increased as it approached the receiver and then decreased as it moved away from the receiver, after reaching the maximum level right in front of the receiver. Therefore, analysis was conducted to determine the duration for which the noise level on the outside of the house will remain above 75 dBA during an hour.
A receiver on SW 31st Road would hear a noise level lower than 75 dBA if it is 85 feet away from it. Similarly, for SW 32nd Road, if the bus is 80 feet away, then the noise level would be less than 75 dBA. The duration for which the noise level would be higher than 75 dBA could be determined by dividing the distance with the speed of the bus (25 mph) and multiplying it with the number of buses crossing the street in an hour during the PM peak hour. Table 6 summarizes the duration for which noise level would be higher than 75 dBA for various proposed options. The time duration the noise level was higher then 75 dBA was less than 360 seconds (10% of 3600 seconds) for all options as required by FHWA.
Table 6. Comparison of noise duration for potential options with FHWA standards
Noise Analysis SW 31st Road Meets SW 32nd Road Meets Duration % of time Standard Duration % of time Standard Option 1 66 secs 1.8 % Yes 62 secs 1.7% Yes Option 2 38 secs 1.1 % Yes 88 secs 2.4% Yes Option 5 (Peak hours) Option 3, 4 and 0 0.0 % Yes 124 secs 3.4 % Yes Option 5 (Off peak hours)
Formula used
To estimate noise level on the exterior of the house from the field data, following formula was used:
L0 at Point A – L0 at point B = 20 log (Distance of point B from source/Distance of point A from source)
where L0 is the instantaneous noise level in dBA.
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL OPTIONS
Each potential option to reduce the noise problem at the SW 31st Road has its benefit and required improvement. To evaluate potential options, specific measurements are addressed below. The comparison of proposed potential options is shown in Table 7.
1. Noise reduction on the SW 31st Road: measured as the percentage reduction of bus trips on SW 31st Road based on existing bus schedules. 2. Bus stops affected: measured as the number of bus stops affected. 3. Extra distance traveled: measured as the extra distance traveled by westbound buses from Vizcaya Station to the Coral Way and SW 32nd Road intersection. 4. Signal protection for bus heading west on the Coral Way: This measure is to evaluate the safety of the proposed bus routes to access westbound Coral Way. 5. LOS of Coral Way at SW 31st Road and SW 32nd Road intersections: to evaluate the effects of the proposed option on the existing traffic conditions. 6. Delay of buses to head west at intersections: based on detailed simulation. 7. Conversion of the SW 32nd Road from a one-way to a two-way road: indicates whether the conversion of SW 32nd Road is required. 8. Modification of the median opening on the Coral Way at the SW 32nd Road: indicates whether the modification of the median opening is required. 9. Construction an eastbound bus U-turn bay at the Coral Way/SW 31st Road intersection: indicates if the construction of bus U-turn bay is required.
Table 7. Comparison of potential options to reduce noise problems
No Measures Option Option Option Option Option 1 2 3 4 5 1 Noise reduction on the SW 31st Road 0% 42% 100% 100% 86% 2 Number of bus stops affected 0 0 1* 0 1* 3 Avg. Extra distance traveled for bus to head west 0% 0% -55%** -6%** -41%** 4 Signal protection for bus heading west Yes Yes No Yes Yes**** (Peak hours) 5 LOS at the Coral Way/SW 12th Avenue and (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Coral Way/SW 31st Road intersections (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) 6 Delay of buses to head westbound Coral Way 58.4 57.3 85.0 62.7 57.3 from Vizcaya Station at intersections (sec/veh)*** 7 Conversion of the SW 32nd Road from a one- No Yes Yes Yes Yes way to a two-way road 8 Modification of the median opening on the Coral No No Yes No Yes Way at the SW 32nd Road 9 Construction an eastbound bus U-turn bay at the No No No Yes No Coral Way/SW 31st Road intersection
* One common bus stop is affected for Routes 12, 17 and 24 on the Coral Way just west of SW 31st Road ** The minus % indicates shorter distance required to travel from Vizcaya Station to the Coral Way and SW 32nd Road intersection *** The simulated delays used for the comparison are based on the traffic during typical PM peak hours to represent the worst scenario of a typical day **** Westbound buses on Coral Way are protected by a traffic signal after leaving the Vizcaya Station during peak hours ______20 Center for Urban Transportation Research
“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
DISCUSSIONS OF PROPOSED OPTIONS
In this project, Option 1 (Do nothing) is used as the benchmark for the comparison with proposed options. There are four proposed options, including Options 2, 3, 4 and 5. The advantage and disadvantages of each proposed option are discussed as follows.
Option 2 is the simplest option among the proposed options. It requires the conversion only of the segment of SW 32nd Road between the Vizcaya Station and the Coral Way from existing one-way to two-way road. Because the buses heading eastbound Coral Way after leaving the Vizcaya Station can use SW 32nd Road instead of SW 31st Road to access Coral Way, 42 percent of existing trips on SW 31st Road can be reduced. In other words, 42 percent of existing bus noise on SW 31st Road can be eliminated. The bus heading westbound on Coral Way after leaving the Vizcaya Station can continue to use SW 31st Road to access Coral Way with signal protection to make northbound left turns. The primary disadvantage of this option is that it cannot completely eliminate the existing bus noise on SW 31st Road.
Option 3 will assign all buses to use SW 32nd Road to access Coral Way after leaving the Vizcaya Station; therefore, it can totally eliminate the existing impact of bus noise on SW 31st Road. To ensure Option 3 will work properly, besides the conversion of the existing segment of SW 32nd Road from one-way to two-way, slight modification of the median opening on the Coral Way at SW 32nd Road is required. In addition, the signal timing at the Coral Way and SW 31st Road intersection needs to be coordinated with that at the Coral Way and SW 12th Avenue intersection during peak hours. Longer green time (e.g., longer minimum green time) also is needed for the side street at the Coral Way and SW 31st Road intersection to create more acceptable gaps for buses to make northbound left turns from SW 32nd Road to westbound Coral Way. These left turns are not protected by a traffic signal. Longer bus delay also is expected for these left turns during PM peak hours.
Option 4 is similar to Option 3. However, instead of making northbound left turns at the Coral Way and SW 32nd Road intersection, the bus will make northbound right turns first onto Coral Way and then make eastbound U-turns at the Coral Way and SW 31st Road intersection to head westbound. Therefore, the construction of an exclusive bus U-turn bay is required. This U-turn bay needs to be located on the outside of the eastbound approach on Coral Way to achieve the required radii for buses to make safe U-turns [3]. An exclusive bus U-turn phase needs to be added to the signal operation, which provides buses a protected U-turn at the intersection. A “No Turn on Red” blank-out sign is suggested for the southbound approach of SW 31st Road to avoid the possible conflict of U-turn buses and right-turn traffic. Signal coordination also is needed to maintain traffic progression. No major difference was observed in waiting time for Option 4 at the traffic signal when comparing to that of the base option. Option 4 can completely eliminate the impact of bus noise on SW 31st Road, and also allows buses to head westbound on Coral Way with signal protection after leaving the Vizcaya Station. ______21 Center for Urban Transportation Research
“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
This option will involve geometric modifications to the intersection, signalization modifications, and possibly right-of-way acquisition.
Option 5 is a combination of Option 2 and Option 3. For Option 5, during both AM and PM peak hours, the bus heading westbound on Coral Way after leaving the Vizcaya Station will use SW 31st Road to access Coral Way with signal protection to make northbound left turns just as in Option 2. During off-peak hours, more acceptable gaps exist on Coral Way for buses to make northbound left turns from SW 32nd Road, so all buses after leaving the Vizcaya Station will use SW 32nd Road to access Coral Way as in Option 3. Option 5 can significantly reduce the impact of bus noise on SW 31st Road up to 86 percent but no major roadway improvement is required at the Coral Way and SW 31st Road intersection.
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Evaluation of the conversion for northbound bus route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road in Miami to reduce the impact of bus noise to residential area involves environmental, traffic operation, bus safety, and bus routing issues. Based on the input from Miami Dade Transit, field observation, data collection, development of potential options, traffic impact analysis, microscopic traffic simulation, noise analysis, and thorough evaluations of proposed options to reduce bus noise on the SW 31st Road, the CUTR project team provides the following findings and recommendations.
1. The field data indicated the bus noise is significantly higher than the background noise along SW 31st Road in the study area especially during bus acceleration and deceleration periods.
2. Due to a much wider roadway and much fewer residences located along SW 32nd Road than on SW 31st Road, the conversion of the segment of SW 32nd Road between the Coral Way and the Vizcaya Station from the existing one- way to a two-way road will provide the opportunity for different potential options to reduce the noise problem along SW 31st Road.
3. Four proposed potential options (Options 2, 3, 4, and 5) to reduce noise impact along SW 31st Road will not have significant impact to existing traffic conditions on Coral Way when compared to the existing operation (Option 1). These four options all require the conversion of the segment of the SW 32nd Road from existing one-way to two-way road.
4. For all proposed options, the noise levels on the SW 31st and SW 32nd Roads meet the FHWA noise regulation and standards for residential area based on the noise analysis presented in this report.
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
5. The signal warrant analysis indicates no signal will be warranted for the Coral Way and SW 32nd Road intersection based on projected 2005 traffic volumes and historic crash data for all proposed options. In addition, the intersection does not meet the signal spacing requirement for the Minimum Standards for Controlled Assess Facilities in Florida.
6. Option 2 is the simplest option among three proposed options. It reassigns the buses heading eastbound on Coral Way after leaving the Vizcaya Station to SW 32nd Road, and buses heading westbound on Coral Way will continue to use SW 31st Road to make northbound left turns to Coral Way at the signal. This option can reduce 42 percent of existing noise along SW 31st Road.
7. Option 3 can totally eliminate the impact of existing noise along SW 31st Road by reassigning all buses to use SW 32nd Road to access Coral Way. However, buses heading westbound on Coral Way need to make northbound left turns without signal protection. Longer delay for buses to make northbound left turns is expected during PM peak hours. One common bus stop for Routes 12, 17 and 24 will be affected for this option. The traffic signal at the Coral Way and SW 31st Road intersection is required to coordinate with the signal at Coral Way and SW 12th Avenue at least during peak hours to provide more acceptable gaps for buses to make northbound left turns from the SW 32nd Road.
8. Option 4 can also totally eliminate the impact of existing noise along SW 31st Road by reassigning all buses to use SW 32nd Road to access Coral Way. The bus heading westbound on Coral Way will make northbound right turns first from SW 32nd Road to the Coral Way, and then make a protected U-turns at the Coral Way and SW 31st Road signal. This signal needs to be coordinated with the signal at the Coral Way and SW 12th Avenue intersection. An exclusive U- turn bay on the eastbound outside packet will be required. The waiting time for buses to make U-turns in Option 4 is similar to that of existing northbound left turns in Option 1. For Option 4, please refer to a project report on “Analysis of Traffic Operations at Collins Avenue (SR A1A) and 193rd Street” prepared by CUTR for further information on the proposed bus U-turns.
9. Option 5 can significantly reduce the impact of bus noise along the SW 31st Road by 86 percent, and provide signal protection for the bus heading westbound on Coral Way after leaving the Vizcaya Station during both AM and PM peak hours. There is no major roadway or associated signal timing improvements at the Coral Way and SW 31st Road intersection required. It is a cost-effective option that offers substantial benefit.
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“Evaluation of the Conversion for Northbound Bus Route from SW 31st Road to SW 32nd Road”
10. To completely eliminate the bus noise problem along SW 31st Road and provide signal protection for buses to turn to westbound Coral Way, Option 4 is recommended. Option 2 is recommended as a short-term solution if funding for the construction of bus U-turn bay is not immediately available. Option 3 is recommended if the complete elimination of the impact of bus noise along SW 31st Road is desired and the funding for the construction of bus U-turn bay is not available. Option 5 is recommended if Option 4 is not financially feasible.
11. After the conversion of the segment of SW 32nd Road from one-way to two- way operation, it is recommended that buses travel close to the center lane or the inside lane (if the road is marked as a four-lane road) on the SW 32nd Road to minimize the potential impact of bus noise to the residents currently living along SW 32nd Road.
12. Modification of the channelization island in front of the Vizcaya Station is required to support the conversion of the segment of SW 32nd Road from one- way to two-way operation, so buses can smoothly turn to northbound SW 32nd Road after leaving the Vizcaya Station.
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Appendix A
Maps of Transit Bus Routes
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Transit Bus Route 12
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Transit Bus Route 17
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Transit Bus Route 24
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Appendix B
Detailed Signal Warrant Analysis
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Signal Warrant Analysis
A traffic signal warrant analysis based on MUTCD requirements was conducted for the Coral Way/SW 32 Road intersection and Coral Way/SW 31 Road intersection for the estimated volume for year 2005. The volumes for year 2005 were estimated from the ADT counts for year 2003, provided by Marlin Engineering, seasonal factor (FDOT traffic data) and yearly growth rate (FDOT traffic data).
AADT for year 2005 = ADT of 2003* growth rate adjustment*seasonal factor
The traffic counts provided by Marlin Engineering were taken for a continuous 72 hour period in the year 2003. The last 24-hour duration showed a decrease of more than 25 percent in traffic volumes than the other two 24-hour durations on the NB and WB approach of the SW 31st Road intersection. Therefore, an average of only first two 24- hour period was taken into account to estimate the ADT. Further, the traffic counts were taken in the month of October. The MUTCD requires that the volumes for a warrant analysis should represent volumes on a typical day. A seasonal factor of 0.96 multiplied to the ADT to obtain the volumes for a typical day. An annual growth rate of 1 percent was assumed to conduct the warrant analysis for the year 2005.
For peak hour warrant analysis, the estimated turning movement counts at both studied intersections are required. The estimated turning volumes for northbound approach at the Coral Way and SW 31st Road intersection in 2005 were estimated from the manual counts in 2003 provided by Marlin Engineering for the peak periods and bus volumes for different proposed options.
For the Coral Way and SW 32nd Road intersection, after the conversion of the SW 32nd Road from the existing one-way to a two-way road, a northbound approach can be used by motorists to access the Coral Way. The turning volumes for northbound SW 32nd Road at the intersection for Options 2, 3 and 4 during AM and PM peak hours also were estimated based on the 2003 traffic data and bus volumes for different potential options.
The warrant analysis was conducted for the existing conditions on both intersections as well as for all four proposed options for rerouting the bus. All the options were analyzed for eight traffic signal warrants addressed in the MUTCD. The following table summarizes the warrant analysis for all the options. The Coral Way and SW 31st Road intersection meets Warrant 3 - peak hour volume and Warrant 6 - coordinated signal system for the Base Option (Option 1), and only Warrant 6 for Options 2, 3, and 4 due to reduction of bus traffic on northbound approach of the SW 32nd Road. The traffic signal at the Coral Way and SW 31st Road intersection should be coordinated with the signal at the Coral Way and SW 12th Avenue intersection to meet the only signal warrant. As to the Coral Way and SW 32nd Road intersection, no any single warrant is met. ______30 Center for Urban Transportation Research
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Summary of Signal Warrant Analysis for all Potential Options
Coral Way and SW 31st Road Coral Way and SW 32nd Road Warrant Analysis Option Option Option Option Option Option Option Option 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Warrant 1 Eight-hour No No No No No No No No vehicular volume Warrant 2 Four-hour No No No No No No No No vehicular volume Warrant 3 Peak hour Yes No* No No No No No No vehicular volume Warrant 4 No No No No No No No No Pedestrian volume Warrant 5 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA School crossing Warrant 6 Coordinated signal Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No system Warrant 7 No No No No No No No No Crash Experience Warrant 8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA Roadway Network Traffic Signal Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No Warranted
* Presence of 6 more vehicles during the peak hour on the NB approach will satisfy the warrant
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Approach Count Summary Average Daily Traffic (10/7/2003) NB Buses NB Buses Time Period CORAL WAY CORAL WAY SW 31 RD SW 32 RD Turning Turning East Bound West Bound North Bound South Bound Left Right 0:00 0:15 37.5 32 3.5 0.5 1 0 0:15 0:30 27 33 6 0 1 1 0:30 0:45 19 19.5 2 0 0 0 0:45 1:00 17 13 2.5 0.5 1 0 1:00 1:15 15 10 0 0 0 1 1:15 1:30 10 12 2 0 0 0 1:30 1:45 8 11.5 1 1.5 0 0 1:45 2:00 5 13.5 0 0 1 0 2:00 2:15 7 9.5 1 0 0 1 2:15 2:30 2 6 2 0 0 0 2:30 2:45 7 6 0.5 0 0 0 2:45 3:00 4 7 2 0 1 0 3:00 3:15 3 3.5 1 0 0 1 3:15 3:30 4.5 6.5 3.5 2 0 0 3:30 3:45 1 5 2.5 0 0 0 3:45 4:00 3.5 3 3 0 1 0 4:00 4:15 3 3.5 1.5 0 0 1 4:15 4:30 3.5 5.5 3 0 0 0 4:30 4:45 3.5 2.5 1 0 1 0 4:45 5:00 9.5 7.5 4.5 0 0 0 5:00 5:15 11.5 14.5 2 0 1 1 5:15 5:30 15 9.5 4.5 1.5 0 1 5:30 5:45 21.5 23.5 9.5 0 2 0 5:45 6:00 26 19 6.5 1.5 1 3 6:00 6:15 36 34 15.5 1 1 1 6:15 6:30 56.5 41.5 11.5 0.5 3 2 6:30 6:45 103 66.5 18.5 5.5 2 1 6:45 7:00 132 83.5 13.5 0.5 2 2 7:00 7:15 161 80.5 17.5 3 2 1 7:15 7:30 214.5 95.5 17 7 2 2 7:30 7:45 290.5 136.5 24 5 2 1 7:45 8:00 319 128.5 26.5 7.5 2 2 8:00 8:15 356.5 129.5 20.5 7.5 0 1 8:15 8:30 375.5 171 22 11.5 3 2 8:30 8:45 408 166 21.5 9 1 1 8:45 9:00 368 169.5 21.5 12.5 3 2 9:00 9:15 290.5 152 20.5 11.5 2 1 9:15 9:30 250 153.5 18.5 10 2 2 9:30 9:45 216 150 16 8 2 1 9:45 10:00 212 169 20.5 12.5 2 2 10:00 10:15 188.5 150 17 11 2 1 10:15 10:30 176 170 18.5 7.5 2 2 10:30 10:45 177.5 157 26 8 3 1 10:45 11:00 158.5 115 19 11 1 1 11:00 11:15 159 116 19.5 7 3 2 11:15 11:30 163.5 131.5 13 11 1 1 11:30 11:45 184.5 148.5 15 14 3 2 11:45 12:00 197 170 14.5 11 1 1
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Approach Count Summary (Continued) Average Daily Traffic (10/8/2003) NB Buses NB Buses Time Period CORAL WAY CORAL WAY SW 31 RD SW 32 RD Turning Turning East Bound West Bound North Bound South Bound Left Right 12:00 12:15 172 204 21 5 3 2 12:15 12:30 182 208.5 14 17.5 1 1 12:30 12:45 203.5 196.5 17.5 8.5 3 2 12:45 13:00 185.5 210 20 14 1 1 13:00 13:15 189 190 15.5 13.5 3 2 13:15 13:30 210 170.5 20.5 10 1 1 13:30 13:45 198 185.5 18 13 3 2 13:45 14:00 210.5 152.5 16 6 1 1 14:00 14:15 195 171 18 18 3 2 14:15 14:30 175.5 167 13 8 1 1 14:30 14:45 191.5 192 20.5 8.5 3 2 14:45 15:00 195.5 215.5 13 11.5 1 1 15:00 15:15 177.5 190 22.5 12 1 2 15:15 15:30 210.5 226 20.5 14 3 1 15:30 15:45 180.5 244.5 33 10.5 1 2 15:45 16:00 174.5 278.5 22 9.5 3 1 16:00 16:15 167 264 25.5 9 2 2 16:15 16:30 175.5 263.5 29.5 7 2 2 16:30 16:45 155.5 285.5 23.5 7.5 2 1 16:45 17:00 198.5 326 32.5 9 2 2 17:00 17:15 193.5 396 41 16.5 2 1 17:15 17:30 199.5 428.5 45 10.5 2 2 17:30 17:45 196 443.5 40.5 13.5 2 1 17:45 18:00 215.5 378 34.5 17.5 2 0 18:00 18:15 203 349.5 38.5 8.5 2 2 18:15 18:30 231 330.5 38 6 2 1 18:30 18:45 238.5 298.5 43 9.5 2 1 18:45 19:00 199 288 29.5 6.5 1 1 19:00 19:15 196 220 12 5 2 1 19:15 19:30 196.5 211.5 20 4.5 0 0 19:30 19:45 168.5 186 20.5 5.5 3 2 19:45 20:00 163.5 135 11 17.5 0 0 20:00 20:15 133.5 131.5 9 1.5 1 1 20:15 20:30 123 112 9.5 12 0 0 20:30 20:45 130 76 15.5 1.5 3 2 20:45 21:00 119 71 11.5 1 0 0 21:00 21:15 134 76 9 3 1 1 21:15 21:30 108.5 62.5 6.5 3 0 0 21:30 21:45 86.5 61 15 3.5 2 2 21:45 22:00 92 59.5 3 2 1 0 22:00 22:15 112 52 8 3 1 0 22:15 22:30 90.5 52 4 1.5 0 2 22:30 22:45 76 39.5 3.5 2 2 0 22:45 23:00 66.5 35 3 1.5 1 1 23:00 23:15 58.5 40 1 3.5 0 0 23:15 23:30 56.5 34.5 5.5 0 1 1 23:30 23:45 49.5 37 6 0 1 0 23:45 0:00 36 25.5 3 2 1 1 Total 13077.5 12332.5 1415 574.5 133 99
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Appendix C
Signal Timing Plans
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Signal Timing for Coral Way and SW 12 Avenue Intersection
2262 CORAL WAY & SW 12 AVE TIMING FOR DAY # 2 (SECTION 151) TIME PT OFF CW F Y R EW F G Y R NSG Y R S Y M CYC MIN: 8 18 8 1 12 0 18 10 9 18 4 4 4 8 2 4 5 14 4 4 7 80NITE 5/9 30 19 10 9 18 4 4 4 8 2 4 5 14 4 4 7 80LATE NIT 530 17 10 9 18 4 4 4 8 2 4 5 14 4 4 7 80NITE 6/9 600 4 66 8 18 4 4 4 8 15 4 5 12 4 4 90OFF PEAK 700 6 67 8 18 4 4 4 8 45 4 5 12 4 4 120AM PEAK 815 12 67 8 18 4 4 4 8 45 4 5 12 4 4 120AM PEAK 930 5 66 8 18 4 4 4 8 15 4 5 12 4 4 90OFF PEAK 1300 8 82 13 18 4 4 4 8 10 4 5 12 4 4 90AFT 0/4 1600 7 27 33 18 4 4 4 8 15 4 5 17 4 4 120PM PEAK 1830 5 66 8 18 4 4 4 8 15 4 5 12 4 4 90OFF PEAK 2300 18 10 9 18 4 4 4 8 2 4 5 14 4 4 7 80NITE 5/9
st Signal Timing for Coral Way and SW 31 Road Intersection
4678 CORAL WAY & SW 31 RD TIMING FOR DAY # 2 (SECTION 151) TIME PT OFF ACG G Y DG Y R BW F G Y R S Y M CYC MIN: 45 10 16 1 0 18 0 48 1 4 11 4 1 7 16 1 4 1 6 98NITE 5/9 30 19 0 48 1 4 11 4 1 7 16 1 4 1 6 98LATE NIT 530 17 0 48 1 4 11 4 1 7 16 1 4 1 6 98NITE 6/9 600 4 25 54 1 4 11 4 1 7 2 1 4 1 90OFF PEAK 700 6 0 81 1 4 14 4 1 7 2 1 4 1 120AM PEAK 815 12 0 81 1 4 14 4 1 7 2 1 4 1 120AM PEAK 930 5 25 54 1 4 11 4 1 7 2 1 4 1 90OFF PEAK 1300 8 46 51 1 4 14 4 1 7 2 1 4 1 90AFT 0/4 1600 7 103 81 1 4 14 4 1 7 2 1 4 1 120PM PEAK 1830 5 25 54 1 4 11 4 1 7 2 1 4 1 90OFF PEAK 2300 18 0 48 1 4 11 4 1 7 16 1 4 1 6 98NITE 5/9
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Appendix D
Bus Dimensions and Turning Radii
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Bus Dimensions and Turning Radius
Flxible Metro Length 40’ 9.4” Width 102” Height 133” (including roof a/c)
Turning Radius (outside body corner) 43.9’
Ikarus Articulated Bus Length 59’ 11” Width 102” Height 127.2” (including roof a/c)
Turning Radius (outside body corner) 43.4’
NABI Standard Floor Length 40’ 6.6” Width 102” Height 126.6 (including exhaust pipe)
Turning Radius (outside body corner) 43’
NABI Low Floor Length 40’ 8.4” Width 102” Height 125” (including exhaust pipe)
Turning Radius (outside body corner) 44’
Blue Bird Transhuttle Length 26’ 0” Width 94’ 6” Height 121”
NABI 30LFN “Optare” Length 31’ 2.5” Width 97” Height 112”
Turning Radius (outside body corner) 31.2’
MCI Commuter Coach (Proposed) Length 45.42’ Width 102” Height 137”
Turning Radius (outside body corner) 47’
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REFERENCES
1. “Coral Way (SR 972) at SW 32 Road”, Qualitative Assessment, prepared for District Six Traffic Operations, Florida Department of Transportation by Marlin Engineering, Inc., Miami, November 2003.
2. “Highway Traffic Noise Analysis and Abatement Policy and Guidance”, Office of Environment and Planning, Noise and Air Quality Branch, FHWA, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C., June 1995.
3. “Analysis of Traffic Operations at Collins Avenue (SR A1A) and 193rd Street”, prepared for Miami-Dade Transit by Center for Urban Transportation Research, University of South Florida, Tampa, December 20, 2004.
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