Downtown Tunnel Traffic Management Plan T03-10 NOVEMBER 2003 HAMPTON ROADS PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION CHESAPEAKE POQUOSON CLARENCE V. CUFFEE * CHARLES W. BURGESS, JR. DEBBIE RITTER GORDON C. HELSEL, JR. * WILLIAM E. WARD PORTSMOUTH FRANKLIN J. THOMAS BENN, III MARK S. FETHEROLF * C. W. McCOY * ROWLAND L. TAYLOR CAMERON C. PITTS GLOUCESTER COUNTY SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY JOHN J. ADAMS, SR. * MICHAEL W. JOHNSON * WILLIAM H. WHITLEY CHARLETON W. SYKES HAMPTON SUFFOLK MAMIE E. LOCKE E. DANA DICKENS, III GEORGE E. WALLACE * R. STEVEN HERBERT * PAIGE V. WASHINGTON, JR. SURRY COUNTY ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY ERNEST L. BLOUNT W. DOUGLAS CASKEY * TERRY D. LEWIS * ROBERT C. CLAUD, SR. VIRGINIA BEACH JAMES CITY COUNTY HARRY E. DIEZEL BRUCE C. GOODSON MARGARET L. EURE * SANFORD B. WANNER * LOUIS R. JONES . MEYERA E. OBERNDORF NEWPORT NEWS PETER W. SCHMIDT CHARLES C. ALLEN JAMES K. SPORE * JOE S. FRANK JAMES L. WOOD EDGAR E. MARONEY WILLIAMSBURG NORFOLK JACKSON C. TUTTLE, II * PAUL D. FRAIM * JEANNE ZEIDLER DONALD L. WILLIAMS REGINA V.K. WILLIAMS YORK COUNTY BARCLAY C. WINN * JAMES O. McREYNOLDS W. RANDY WRIGHT THOMAS G. SHEPPERD, JR. *EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE /MPO MEMBER PROJECT STAFF ARTHUR L. COLLINS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/SECRETARY DWIGHT L. FARMER DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TRANSPORTATION CAMELIA RAVENBAKHT PRINCIPAL TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER KEITH M. NICHOLS TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER JOHN A. BISHOP TRANSPORTATION ANALYST ROBERT C. JACOBS DIRECTOR OF GRAPHIC & PRINTING SERVICES MICHAEL R. LONG GRAPHIC ARTIST/ILLUSTRATOR TECHNICIAN II BRIAN MILLER GRAPHIC TECHNICIAN II RACHAEL V. PATCHETT REPROGRAPHIC SUPERVISOR DOWNTOWN TUNNEL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN STUDY This report was included in the Work Program for Fiscal Year 2002-2003, which was approved by the Commission and the Metropolitan Planning Organization at their meetings of March 20, 2002. NOVEMBER 2003 T03-10 Report Documentation November 2003: Final Report REPORT DOCUMENTATION TITLE: REPORT DATE Downtown Tunnel November 2003 Traffic Management Plan Study GRANT/SPONSORING AGENCY FHWA/VDOT/LOCAL FUNDS AUTHORS: ORGANIZATION NAME, John A. Bishop ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE Keith M. Nichols Hampton Roads Planning Camelia Ravanbakht, PhD District Commission 723 Woodlake Drive Chesapeake, Virginia 23320 (757) 420-8300 http://www.hrpdc.org ABSTRACT The Downtown Tunnel (I-264), a major transportation corridor connecting communities east and west of the Elizabeth River, is heavily congested during the peak travel periods. The four-lane facility, which carries more than 100,000 vehicles each weekday, commonly has queues of over two miles during the peak periods. The queues also affect surface street traffic in the Cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth. The Cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth requested that HRPDC examine short-term traffic management alternatives to relieve congestion at the Downtown Tunnel. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report was prepared by the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, and the City of Norfolk, Virginia. The contents of this report reflect the views of the staff of the Hampton Roads Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The MPO staff is responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the FHWA, VDOT, or HRPDC. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. FHWA or VDOT acceptance of this report as evidence of fulfillment of the objectives of this planning study does not constitute endorsement/approval of the need for any recommended improvements nor does it constitute approval of their location and design or a commitment to fund any such improvements. Additional project level environmental impact assessments and/or studies of alternatives may be necessary. Downtown Tunnel i Traffic Management Plan Study Report Documentation November 2003: Final Report TABLE OF CONTENTS REPORT DOCUMENTATION ......................................................................................... i LIST OF FIGURES..........................................................................................................iii LIST OF MAPS ...............................................................................................................iv LIST OF TABLES ...........................................................................................................iv INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 LAND USE ................................................................................................................. 3 TRAVEL PATTERNS...................................................................................................... 6 EXISTING CONDITIONS ................................................................................................ 9 Traffic Volume and Trend Analysis........................................................................... 9 Traffic Volumes, Speeds, and Queues ................................................................... 11 Crash and Incident Data......................................................................................... 18 Transit Usage ......................................................................................................... 20 Commuter Characteristics ...................................................................................... 21 ADDRESSING THE CONGESTION PROBLEM .......................................................... 24 Transportation System Management...................................................................... 24 Transportation Demand Management .................................................................... 25 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS................................................................................ 39 APPENDIX A – Downtown Tunnel Traffic Count Data.................................................. 40 APPENDIX B – Downtown Tunnel Incident Data.......................................................... 44 APPENDIX C – City-to-City Commuting Data, Southside Hampton Roads .................. 46 Downtown Tunnel ii Traffic Management Plan Study Report Documentation November 2003: Final Report LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1 Downtown Tunnel Annual Traffic Volume Trends, 1989 - 2002 .......................... 9 FIGURE 2 Downtown Tunnel Monthly Traffic Volumes, 2002............................................. 10 FIGURE 3 Downtown Tunnel Daily Traffic Volumes, 2002 ................................................. 10 FIGURE 4 Downtown Tunnel and Berkley Bridge Daily Traffic Volumes............................ 12 FIGURE 5 Downtown Tunnel and Berkley Bridge AM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes ............ 13 FIGURE 6 Downtown Tunnel and Berkley Bridge PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes ............ 14 FIGURE 7 Downtown Tunnel and Berkley Bridge AM Peak Period Queues and Speeds .. 15 FIGURE 8 Downtown Tunnel and Berkley Bridge PM Peak Period Queues and Speeds .. 16 FIGURE 9 Transit and Ferry Ridership Between Norfolk and Portsmouth, 2002................ 21 FIGURE 10 Downtown Tunnel Weekday Volumes by Direction, 2002 ................................. 30 FIGURE 11 Eastbound and Westbound Available Capacity by Time of Day........................ 31 FIGURE 12 Change in Eastbound Traffic Volumes due to Congestion Pricing .................... 35 FIGURE 13 Change in Westbound Traffic Volumes due to Congestion Pricing ................... 36 FIGURE 14 Change in Westbound Traffic Volumes due to Congestion Pricing ................... 37 FIGURE 15 Change in Westbound Traffic Volumes due to Congestion Pricing ................... 38 Downtown Tunnel iii Traffic Management Plan Study Report Documentation November 2003: Final Report LIST OF MAPS MAP 1 Study Area Map ................................................................................................... 2 MAP 2 Study Area Population ......................................................................................... 4 MAP 3 Study Area Employment ...................................................................................... 5 MAP 4 Trip Ends Using the Downtown Tunnel................................................................ 7 MAP 5 Trip Ends Using the Berkley Bridge ..................................................................... 8 MAP 6 EPDO Rate per MVMT in the Vicinity of the Downtown Tunnel, 1998-2000 ..... 18 MAP 7 Alternate Routes to the Downtown Tunnel and Berkley Bridge ......................... 26 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1 Average Traffic Stoppage Time by Incident Type, 2002.................................... 19 TABLE 2 Commuting Mode by Southside Jurisdiction, 2000............................................ 22 TABLE 3 TRAFFIX Outreach Program Summary, Downtown Norfolk and Portsmouth.... 23 TABLE 4 Transit and Ferry Usage, 2002 .......................................................................... 27 TABLE 5 Potential Impact of Ridesharing on the Downtown Tunnel ................................ 28 TABLE A.1 Average Volumes at the Downtown Tunnel....................................................... 41 TABLE A.2 Maximum Volumes at the Downtown Tunnel..................................................... 41 TABLE A.3 Average Volumes at the Downtown Tunnel by Day of Week ............................ 41 TABLE A.4 Average Daily