Sr 826/Palmetto Expressway Project Development & Environment Study from Sr 93/I‐75 to Golden Glades Interchange
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METHODOLOGY LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING SR 826/PALMETTO EXPRESSWAY PROJECT DEVELOPMENT & ENVIRONMENT STUDY FROM SR 93/I‐75 TO GOLDEN GLADES INTERCHANGE SYSTEMS INTERCHANGE MODIFICATION REPORT (SIMR) Financial Project ID: 418423‐1‐22‐01 FAP No.: 4751 146 P / ETDM No.: 11241 Miami‐Dade County Prepared For: FDOT District Six 1000 NW 111th Avenue Miami, Florida 33172 Prepared by: Reynolds, Smith and Hills, Inc. 6161 Blue Lagoon Drive, Suite 200 Miami, Florida 33126 March 9, 2012 SR 826/Palmetto Expressway PD&E Study METHODOLOGY LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING MEMORANDUM DATE: March 9, 2012 TO: Phil Steinmiller, AICP Florida Department of Transportation District Six Interchange Review Committee Chair FROM: Dat Huynh, PE FDOT, District Six Project Manager SUBJECT: Methodology Letter of Understanding (MLOU) SR 826/Palmetto Expressway PD&E Study Systems Interchange Modification Report (SIMR) FDOT, District Six FM No.: 418423‐1‐22‐01 Dear Interchange Coordinator: This document serves as the Methodology Letter of Understanding (MLOU) between the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Systems Planning Office, Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (Cooperating Approval Authority) and FDOT District Six Interchange Review Committee (Applicant) regarding the preparation of a Systems Interchange Modification Report (SIMR) for a portion of SR 826/Palmetto Expressway located in Miami‐Dade County, Florida. The SIMR relates to the proposed improvements for the segment of SR 826 between I‐75 and the Golden Glades Interchange (GGI). The project proposes to widen SR 826 mainline from I‐75 to Golden Glades Interchange to provide additional lanes that could serve as general use lanes or special use lanes (managed lanes). In addition, major modifications are proposed at several interchanges along the corridor to address capacity deficiencies, enhance safety and upgrade roadway design elements to meet current standards. A direct system‐to‐system connection is also planned linking SR 826 managed lanes (east) and I‐95 Express Lanes (north). These proposed improvements are the subject of an ongoing Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study for the corridor. SR 826/Palmetto Expressway PD&E Study 1 METHODOLOGY LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING The SIMR will serve as a component of the PD&E Study and will follow procedures and evaluate alternatives that are consistent with the PD&E Study. This MLOU covers the criteria, assumptions, processes (analyses) and documentation requirements agreed upon for this study. This MLOU has been developed in accordance with FDOT Policy No. 000‐525‐015‐f (Approval of New or Modified Access to Limited Access Facilities), FDOT Procedure No. 525‐030‐160‐g (Interchange Handbook) and the FDOT Traffic Forecasting Handbook (Procedure No.525‐030‐120‐g). The map in Figure 1 shows the project location area. SR 826/Palmetto Expressway PD&E Study 2 END PROJECT (MP 24.572) BEGIN PROJECT (MP 15.354) LEGEND SR 826 PD&E Study TITLE FIGURE SR 826/Palmetto Expressway PD&E Study Project Location Map 1 From SR 93/I-75 to Golden Glades Interchange ETDM NO.: 11241 FM NO.: 418423-1-22-01 METHODOLOGY LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING 1.0 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROJECT The Palmetto Expressway is one of the most traveled transportation corridors in Miami‐Dade County. This multi‐lane expressway extends from US‐1 to the Golden Glades Interchange (GGI) for a distance of approximately 25 miles. Within the project study limits, the Palmetto Expressway corridor is a six‐lane divided limited access facility from SR 93/I‐75 to NW 27th Avenue; and from NW 27th Avenue to the GGI, the corridor widens to an eight‐lane divided expressway. From NW 67th Avenue, a one‐way frontage road (NW 167th Street) runs along each side of the facility, providing access to businesses located along the corridor as well as St. Thomas University and Florida Memorial College. The Palmetto Expressway provides system‐ level connections to I‐75, Florida’s Turnpike, and I‐95. In addition, the Palmetto Expressway is designated as a Florida Intrastate Highway System (FIHS) and Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) facility. A Multimodal Intrastate Master Plan was completed in 1999 for the segment of the Palmetto Expressway from NW 154th Street to GGI. This Master Plan identified the need for improvements along the SR 826 east‐west corridor as a combination of highway design and traffic operations deficiencies that exist along the corridor. In March 2011, the FDOT District Six commenced a PD&E study for SR 826 to continue the planning and development of improvements that were initiated during the Master Plan. The proposed SIMR will serve as a component of this PD&E Study and will provide analyses for the Locally Preferred Alternative arising from the PD&E process. The need for improvements along the Palmetto Expressway relates to traffic congestion, systems continuity/connectivity, safety and existing design criteria deficiencies. The proposed improvements would be designed to meet current FDOT criteria, provide system continuity with adjoining segments of SR 826 and new/improved system‐to‐system connectivity to adjacent facilities (I‐95, I‐75 and HEFT). The PD&E Study will evaluate Active Traffic Management and Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) strategies, lane additions, managed lanes, major interchange modifications, and bus rapid transit. The study will determine the number and type of travel lanes and interchange improvements required to accommodate anticipated traffic volumes and improve safety conditions throughout the project corridor. SR 826/Palmetto Expressway PD&E Study 4 METHODOLOGY LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING 1.1 Safety Standards and Design Criteria Deficiencies: The existing SR 826 facility was designed in the early 1960s and much of its design criteria do not satisfy current design standards. The existing typical section provides an inside shoulder width of 7 feet, which is below the current American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) standard of 10 feet. The rate of vertical curvature (K‐value) throughout the corridor does not satisfy current design standards and the horizontal alignment in the area of the 90‐degree curve west of NW 67th Avenue does not satisfy the desirable stopping sight distance requirements. None of the overpasses along the corridor meet the minimum vertical clearance requirement of 16.5 feet. Finally, many of the interchange ramps do not provide sufficient deceleration/acceleration lengths. 1.2 Travel Demand and Traffic Operations SR 826 is a heavily traveled corridor with existing annual average daily traffic (AADT) of around 140,000 vehicles per day. Projections of future population and employment in the project area indicate that travel demand will continue to increase for years to come and AADT is expected to reach over 200,000 vehicles per day by year 2040. Throughout most of the study corridor, the mainline facility currently operates within Level of Service (LOS) E standards but this is expected to decline to failing conditions (LOS F) with the anticipated growth in traffic. Currently failing conditions are experienced at the terminal intersections for the interchanges at NW 67th Avenue, NW 57th Avenue and NW 27th Avenue. Queues on the off‐ramps at these interchanges back onto the mainline during peak periods, impeding traffic flow on the mainline and increasing risk of crashes along the corridor. These failing conditions at the terminal intersections will deteriorate further in the future, if no corrective actions are implemented. 1.3 System Linkages and Continuity The implementation of a new managed lanes system along the mainline is among the proposed improvements under consideration for SR 826. The proposed managed lanes are part of a regional network of special use lanes that is being planned for the South Florida Region. The SR 826 managed lanes would provide direct system‐to‐system connections to 95 Express. The initial phases of 95 Express, from SR 112 to GGI, were completed and opened to traffic in 2008. The FDOT is now continuing the expansion of 95 Express through to I‐595 in Broward County. The proposed SR 826 managed lanes would also provide direct connections to the planned I‐75 SR 826/Palmetto Expressway PD&E Study 5 METHODOLOGY LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING Express Lanes. The I‐75 Express Lanes are the subject of an ongoing PD&E Study by District 4 and District 6 which is expected to gain full FHWA Location Design Concept Approval by March, 2012. The planned improvements along the east‐west portion of SR 826 would provide continuity for the expansion of the SR 826 corridor from US‐1 to the GGI. Over the past 20 years, FDOT has implemented the Palmetto Improvement Program that consisted of a 12‐Section phased construction program to widen the north‐south segment of SR 826. The final phase (Section 5) of this corridor expansion program (SR 826/SR 836 Interchange improvements) is currently under construction. Further planned improvements from the I‐75 PD&E Study and improvements under consideration for the SR 826 PD&E Study, would complete the expansion of SR 826 from US‐1 to the GGI. 2.0 PROJECT SCHEDULE The anticipated production schedule for the proposed SR 826 improvements is as follows: Table 1: Schedule ACTIVITY START END PD&E Phase 2011 2013 Design Phase 2013 2015 Construction* 2015 2018 * Pending LDCA by FHWA. The proposed improvements are expected to be implemented within the existing right of way. The expected completion dates of the SIMR and PD&E studies are February, 2013 and October, 2013 respectively. The anticipated schedule for intermediate deliverables and reviews is as follows: Draft SIMR Document: October, 2012 Final SIMR Document: February, 2013 SR 826/Palmetto Expressway PD&E Study 6 METHODOLOGY LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING SIMR Approved: February, 2013 Draft Preliminary Engineering Report (PER): December, 2012 Draft Project Development Summary Report (PDSR): March, 2013 Final PER: August 2013 Final PDSR: August, 2013 LDCA: October, 2013 This proposed schedule allows for coordination efforts between Applicant, FDOT Systems Planning Office and FHWA.