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