I-285 Top End Express Lanes Need and Purpose Statement
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I-285 Top End Express Lanes Need and Purpose Statement October 25, 2019 October 25, 2019 Project: I-285 Top End Express Lanes, GDOT PI PROJECT No. 0001758 NEED Cobb, Fulton, and DeKalb AND Counties GDOT Major Mobility PURPOSE Investment Program (MMIP) Draft | Month 2017 I-285 TOP END EXPRESS LANES | PROJECT NEED AND PURPOSE OCTOBER 2019 ii I-285 TOP END EXPRESS LANES | PROJECT NEED AND PURPOSE Federal Highway Administration and Georgia Department of Transportation in conjunction with the General Engineering Consultant Team Jacobs Engineering Group 10 10th St NE #1400 Atlanta, Georgia 30309 OCTOBER 2019 iii I-285 TOP END EXPRESS LANES | PROJECT NEED AND PURPOSE Contents Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Project Background and Planning Context .................................................................. 2 1.1.1 Regional and State Plans for Managed Lanes System ............................................. 2 1.1.2 Transportation Funding Act of 2015 .............................................................................. 3 1.1.3 Major Mobility Investment Program Overview ........................................................... 4 1.2 Project Description .......................................................................................................... 8 1.2.1 Existing Conditions ......................................................................................................... 10 1.2.2 Proposed Project Improvements ................................................................................. 10 1.2.3 Proposed Express Lane Access Points ........................................................................ 12 Project Need and Purpose ........................................................................... 13 2.1 Reliable Trip Times for Commuters ............................................................................... 13 2.1.1 Traffic Projections ........................................................................................................... 14 2.1.2 Level-of-Service Analysis ............................................................................................... 17 2.1.3 Travel Time Reliability ..................................................................................................... 21 2.1.4 Additional Travel Option for Commuters ................................................................... 25 2.2 Improve Accessibility and Regional Connectivity ..................................................... 26 2.2.1 Adjoining Transportation Projects ............................................................................... 26 2.2.2 Accessibility and Connectivity .................................................................................... 29 2.2.3 Current Transit Planning ................................................................................................ 30 2.3 Accelerate Project Delivery Following TFA Legislation .............................................. 35 Logical Termini ................................................................................................ 36 Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 38 OCTOBER 2019 iv I-285 TOP END EXPRESS LANES | PROJECT NEED AND PURPOSE EXHIBITS Exhibit 1-1: MMIP Project Locations .......................................................................................................... 5 Exhibit 1-2: MMIP 1-285 Advanced Improvement Project Locations ................................................. 6 Exhibit 1-3: MMIP Goals ............................................................................................................................... 7 Exhibit 1-4: Georgia Express Lanes Network ............................................................................................ 8 Exhibit 1-5: Project Location Map ............................................................................................................. 9 Exhibit 1-6: Proposed Express Laneage and Connections ................................................................. 11 Exhibit 2-1: I-285 Top End Existing, No-Build, and Build GP+CD AADT ............................................... 15 Exhibit 2-2: Express Lane AADT by Interstate Segments ...................................................................... 16 Exhibit 2-3: Percent Change in GP AADT Volumes in Build Condition ............................................. 17 Exhibit 2-4: Level of Service ...................................................................................................................... 18 Exhibit 2-5: Existing, Open Year, Design Year Traffic Volumes and LOS – AM Eastbound ............. 19 Exhibit 2-6: Existing, Open Year, Design Year Traffic Volumes and LOS – AM Westbound ........... 19 Exhibit 2-7: Existing, Open Year, Design Year Traffic Volumes and LOS – PM Eastbound ............. 20 Exhibit 2-8: Existing, Open Year, Design Year Traffic Volumes and LOS – PM Westbound ............ 20 Exhibit 2-9: Travel Time Index – AM Peak Period ................................................................................... 21 Exhibit 2-10: Travel Time Index – PM Peak Period ................................................................................. 22 Exhibit 2-11: Travel Time Index Graph – AM Peak Period .................................................................... 22 Exhibit 2-12: Travel Time Index Graph – PM Peak Period .................................................................... 23 Exhibit 2-13: Buffer Index - Daily Values .................................................................................................. 23 Exhibit 2-14: Buffer Index Graph - Daily Values ..................................................................................... 24 Exhibit 2-15: Buffer Index – AM Peak Values.......................................................................................... 24 Exhibit 2-16: Buffer Index – PM Peak Values .......................................................................................... 25 Exhibit 2-17: Transportation Projects Located in I-285 Top End Project Area .................................. 27 Exhibit 2-18: Adjacent Projects ................................................................................................................ 28 Exhibit 2-19: Existing SRTA Direct Xpress Transit Routes and MARTA Stations ................................... 33 Exhibit 2-20: Long-Term Recommendations of the Horizons 2 & 3 Service Plan ............................. 34 Exhibit 4-1: Project Need and Purpose Summary ................................................................................ 39 OCTOBER 2019 v I-285 TOP END EXPRESS LANES | PROJECT NEED AND PURPOSE APPENDIX: REGIONAL DATA ON TRAVEL TIME Exhibit A-1: I-285 GP Lanes Travel Times and Speeds Between I-75 and I-85, Existing and 2040 Conditions Exhibit A-2: I-285 Express Lanes Travel Times and Speeds Between I-75 and I-85, 2040 Build Conditions Exhibit A-3: Percent Decrease in Average Travel Time of GP Lanes in 2040 Build Compared to No-Build Conditions Exhibit A-4: Existing and 2040 No-Build Travel Sheds (within 45 Minutes to Perimeter during AM Peak Period) Exhibit A-5: Existing and 2040 No-Build Travel Sheds (within 45 Minutes from Perimeter during PM Peak Period) Exhibit A-6: 2040 No-Build and Build Travel Sheds (within 45 Minutes to Perimeter during AM Peak Period) Exhibit A-7: 2040 No-Build and Build Travel Sheds (within 45 Minutes from Perimeter during PM Peak Period) OCTOBER 2019 vi I-285 TOP END EXPRESS LANES | PROJECT NEED AND PURPOSE INTRODUCTION The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) are preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed highway express lanes (ELs) project along the “top end” perimeter of Interstate 285 (I-285)/State Route (SR) 407 in the north Atlanta Metropolitan (metro) area. The I-285 Top End Express Lanes project would include barrier-separated ELs along the I-285 top end corridor and SR 400. While studied as one project in the EIS, the project would be constructed in two phases: I-285 Top End West and I-285 Top End East. The I-285 Top End West section would include ELs in both directions from Paces Ferry Road (Exit 18) to SR 400. The I-285 Top End East section would include ELs in both directions from Henderson Road to SR 400, and along SR 400 from south of Glenridge Connector north to the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) North Springs Station. System-to-system connections are proposed with existing EL systems at I-75 Northwest Corridor (NWC) and at I-85 ELs (see Section 1.2 Project Description for additional details). The following sections begin with a brief overview of the managed lanes systems and policy for context, followed by the Dynamic Pricing demonstrated needs to improve reliability of trip times, improve regional connectivity, and provide an accelerated delivery Rates on any express lane (EL) are schedule. Express lanes are a form of managed lanes in which based on a dynamic pricing format, drivers can choose to pay a fee to receive a more reliable trip which increases the price during time. To support GDOT’s purpose in undertaking this project, the peak travel times and decreases the discussion includes background on the proposed project, price during off-peak times. planning studies leading to its development,