Transportation
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Chapter Twelve: TRANSPORTATION Transportation Overview in nearby Washington, DC as well as Annapolis and Baltimore in Maryland. A wide variety of transportation Local, regional and nationwide bus networks serve the City of Manassas service is available both directly and Park directly or indirectly. The city's indirectly to residents of Manassas street system serves all residential, Park. Taxicab service to regional commercial and industrial users and destinations is also available. is linked to an extensive regional and Bicycle and other non-motorized national highway system. The means of travel share the street and Virginia Railway Express (VRE) highway system as well as a limited provides weekday commuter rail number of trails. Pedestrian traffic is service from the city to Washington, accommodated primarily by an DC and the Virginia suburbs of extensive sidewalk system. Burke, Springfield, Alexandria and Arlington. The Department of Public Works is responsible for maintaining most Major airports in the region include City streets, sidewalks and trails Washington Dulles International (outside residential developments). Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington The City Engineer (currently a National Airport and Baltimore private consulting engineer) is Washington International – responsible for the analysis and Thurgood Marshall Airport. design of transportation Manassas Regional Airport provides improvements. The framework of access for smaller aircraft. Access to the Department of Public Works commercial waterways is available staff, equipment and other facilities are covered in Chapter 13 of this Comprehensive Plan. Since the same Department is responsible for both transportation and other public works activities, there is necessarily some overlapping of duties, depending on the city’s needs. Figure 12.1 Manassas Park Region ____________________________________________________________________ 116 Chapter Twelve: TRANSPORTATION Streets and Highways – Background intersects with US Route 29, Interstate I-66 and US Route 50 to The primary form of transportation the north and VA Route 234 and VA provided within the City boundaries Route 234 Bypass to the south, is that of motor vehicles using the which in turn connect with Interstate street and highway system. The city I-95 and US Route 1 farther south. has a total of 24.2 miles (53.88 lane Access to VA Route 3000 (the miles) of streets and highways (see Prince William Parkway) is available Table 12.1 and Figure 12.3 – Street indirectly off of VA Route 28 via System). The intersection of VA both Liberia Avenue and the US Route 28 (Centreville Road) with Route 234 Bypass. Annual average Manassas Drive provides direct daily traffic along VA Route 28 is access to major regional and national about 44,000 vehicles (see Table highways. 12.2). Outside the City, VA Route 28 Table 12.1 Road Mileage Totals Functional classification Lane miles Principal Arterial 1.24 Minor Arterial 9.82 Collector 2.86 Local 39.96 All Roads 53.88 (equals 24.2 miles of streets and highways) Source: Planning Department, City of Manassas Park and VDOT DVMT by Maintenance Jurisdiction All Roads-2002 http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/resources/VMT_2210_MainJurAllRoads_2002.pdf ). Table 12.2 Average Daily Traffic (Vehicles) Location AADT* VA Route 28 from Liberia Avenue (City of 46,000 Manassas) to Prince William County line Manassas Drive from Cabbell Dr. to VA 10,000 Route 28 Manassas Drive from Baker St. to Cabbel 7,300 Dr. Manassas Drive from VA Route 28 to 22,000 Euclid Avenue Signal View Drive 13,000 *AADT is the estimate of the Annual Average Daily Traffic, i.e., the total annual traffic estimate divided by the number of days in the year. Source: VDOT; from its “Traffic Turning Movement Counts” database, its “Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Transportation Average Daily Traffic Volumes with Vehicle Classification Data on Interstate, Arterial and Primary Routes” and its “Virginia Department of Transportation Daily Traffic Volumes Including Vehicle Classification Estimates” for the year 2002 and Planning Department, Manassas Park Also see http://www.virginiadot.org/comtravel/resources/AADT_152_Manassas%20Park_Short_2003.pdf. ____________________________________________________________________ 117 Chapter Twelve: TRANSPORTATION Table 12.3 Levels of Service (LOS) Definitions Level Traffic flow A Free flow B Stable flow-presence of other users becomes noticeable C Stable flow-beginning to be significantly affected by interactions with others D High density, but stable flow E At or near capacity, low speed, but relatively uniform F Forced or breakdown flow; queues form Source: From “Planning the Built Environment”, Larz T. Anderson, 2000, American Planning Association, pages 98-99. The City has significantly improved In addition to VA Route 28 its street network and continues to (Centreville Road) and Manassas upgrade local streets to modern Drive (see Figure 12.1), other standards. With the cooperation and highways or streets providing access support of the Virginia Department to Manassas Park include Old of Transportation (VDOT), major Centreville Road, Signal View improvements have been made to Drive, Euclid Avenue, Mathis improve traffic flow and safety Avenue, Rugby Road and a few throughout the City. minor side streets. A measure of the ability of traffic to flow along city streets and highways is given by its level of service (see Table 12.3). At minimum, the goal of level of service D should be aimed at whenever technically and financially feasible. During morning and evening rush hours, Figure 12.2 – Intersection of VA Route 28 levels E and F may be acceptable if (Centreville Road) and Manassas Drive the costs of providing better levels of (Looking eastward on Manassas Drive) service are prohibitive. The City’s major intersection at VA The existing and expected future Route 28 and Manassas Drive was levels of service for major streets and completely reconstructed in 2000 highways in the City are provided in (see Figure 12.2). Table 12.4. ____________________________________________________________________ 118 Chapter Twelve: TRANSPORTATION Table 12.4 Future Levels of Service for Major Streets and Highways with Planned Development Level of Service (at AM and PM Peaks) Street or Intersection Existing 2009 (2005) Euclid Avenue/Manassas Drive D or better B or better with re- design/construction Manassas Drive-Railroad Drive D or better B or better Manassas Drive/Digital Drive C or better B or better with traffic signal Manassas Drive/Signal View C or better B or better Drive/Andrew Drive Source: Walker Station Traffic Impact Analysis, July 15, 2005, p. 23-24. ____________________________________________________________________ 119 Chapter Twelve: TRANSPORTATION Figure 12.3 Street System Map ____________________________________________________________________ 120 Chapter Twelve: TRANSPORTATION Streets and Highways – additional lanes to VA Route 28 to Regional Approach further ease congestion along this important highway. The City must Congestion is a major concern ensure any new access point to VA throughout the Washington DC Route 28 will not further impede metropolitan area. Traffic volumes flow along that highway. continue to increase even with the availability of various mass transit Streets and Highways – Tri- options. County Parkway As residential, commercial and The Virginia Department of industrial development continue to Transportation (VDOT), in grow, the region as a whole must cooperation with local jurisdictions, address congestion concerns. the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and other interested It is critical that the city continue to organizations and citizens finalized a actively participate in regional study for the possibility of building a organizations such as the Tri-County Parkway. Two of the Metropolitan Washington Council of primary goals are to alleviate traffic Government (MWCOG), and the congestion along the VA Route 28 Potomac and Rappahannock corridor and to provide a new or Transportation Commission (PRTC) improved major north-south route in to help minimize congestion and its the area. sources. A number of alternatives, including An area of primary concern is the the alternative of doing nothing, congestion along the VA Route 28 were considered. One of the corridor passing through the City. In proposals, known as the cooperation with neighboring “Comprehensive Plan” alternative, communities, and where feasible, the would pass through the City of city should continue to study Manassas and Prince William alternative accesses to or bypasses County approximately one-half mile around VA Route 28. In particular, northwest of the City of Manassas the city should work with Prince Park (see Figure 12.4). The William County to improve and Commonwealth Transportation extend Euclid Avenue north into the Board (CTB) endorsed the “West county. Two” alignment in November 2005. Because a final decision has not yet One alternative already under been made, and due to the proximity consideration for relieving of the “Comprehensive Plan” congestion and helping traffic bypass alternative to the City of Manassas VA Route 28 is the Tri-County Park, the city must continue to track Parkway (see separate discussion and participate in the decision- below). In addition, the City should making process. encourage the City of Manassas, Prince William County and the Commonwealth of Virginia to add ____________________________________________________________________ 121 Chapter Twelve: TRANSPORTATION