Ward Circle NW Traffic Operations and Safety Analysis Study Report Submitted to: District Department of Transportation Transportation Operations Administration Submitted by: Precision Systems Inc. In association with Parsons Brinckerhoff, P.C. November 17, 2014 Ward Circle NW Traffic Operations and Safety Analysis Study Report Table of Contents 1.0 Background ......................................................................................................................6 1.1. Study Area ............................................................................................................................... 6 1.2. Existing Traffic Operations ........................................................................................................ 8 1.3. Operational Issues.................................................................................................................... 9 2.0 Previously Reviewed Studies .........................................................................................11 2.1. American University Master Plan, Transportation Report (March 2011) ................................. 11 2.2. Nebraska Avenue Complex – Homeland Security .................................................................... 14 2.3. Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3D AU Master Plan Traffic Report ................................. 15 2.4. Westover Place ...................................................................................................................... 16 2.5. Ward Circle Traffic Safety Issues ............................................................................................. 17 2.6. Rock Creek West Livability Study ............................................................................................ 17 3.0 Existing Traffic Conditions..............................................................................................19 3.1. Traffic Volumes ...................................................................................................................... 19 3.2. Transit Operations ................................................................................................................. 22 3.3. Bicycle Volumes ..................................................................................................................... 23 3.4. Pedestrian Volumes ............................................................................................................... 24 3.5. Signage and Pavement Markings ............................................................................................ 26 3.6. Traffic Safety .......................................................................................................................... 26 3.7. Existing Traffic Operations Analysis ........................................................................................ 30 4.0 Alternatives Development .............................................................................................36 4.1. Alternative 1 - Roundabout .................................................................................................... 36 Ward Circle NW 2 Traffic Operations and Safety Analysis Study Report November 2014 4.2. Alternative 2 - Bi-furcated Intersection................................................................................... 37 4.3. Alternative 3 - 4-leg Intersection ............................................................................................ 39 4.4. Alternative 4 – Fully Signalized Traffic Circle ........................................................................... 40 4.5. Alternatives Analysis .............................................................................................................. 42 4.5.1. Alternative 1 - Roundabout ............................................................................................ 43 4.5.2. Alternative 2 - Bi-furcated Intersection ........................................................................... 45 4.5.3. Alternative 3 - 4-leg Intersection..................................................................................... 47 4.5.4. Alternative 4 – Fully Signalized Traffic Circle ................................................................... 49 4.6. Comparison of Alternatives .................................................................................................... 51 5.0 Findings and Recommendations ....................................................................................54 5.1. Findings ................................................................................................................................. 54 5.2. Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 55 5.2.1. Reducing Vehicle-Pedestrian Conflicts on Massachusetts Avenue ................................... 55 5.2.2. Improving Throughput Capacity on Nebraska Avenue ..................................................... 55 5.2.3. Other.............................................................................................................................. 55 5.3. Infrastructure Recommendations ........................................................................................... 56 Appendix A - Data Collection Results Appendix B - Crash Data Analysis Results Appendix C - VISSIM Simulation Modeling Results Ward Circle NW 3 Traffic Operations and Safety Analysis Study Report November 2014 List of Figures Figure 1-1 | Map of Ward Circle Area (Source: Google Maps) .................................................................. 7 Figure 1-2 | Study Area of Ward Circle, NW (Source: Google Maps) ......................................................... 7 Figure 1-3 | Left Turn Operations at Ward Circle, NW (Source: Gorove Slade Associates) ....................... 10 Figure 3-1 | Turning Movement Count Locations (Source: Precision Systems Inc.).................................. 20 Figure 3-2 | Peak Hour Volumes at Ward Circle (Source: Precisions Systems Inc.)................................... 21 Figure 3-3 | American University Shuttle Bus Routes (Source: American University) .............................. 23 Figure 3-4 | WMATA Metro Bus Routes (Source: WMATA) .................................................................... 23 Figure 3-5 | Peak Hour Bicycle and Pedestrian Volumes at Ward Circle (Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff) .. 25 Figure 3-6 | Existing Signage and Pavement Markings (Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff) ............................ 27 Figure 3-7 | Existing Crash Data Summary (Source: Precision Systems Inc.) ............................................ 28 Figure 3-8 | Ward Circle Collision Diagram (Source: Precisions Systems Inc.) .......................................... 29 Figure 3-7 | Existing Conditions as Modeled in the VISSIM Simulation Model (Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff) ......................................................................................................................................... 31 Figure 3-8 | VISSIM Screen Shot of Existing Traffic Operations Model (Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff) .... 34 Figure 4-1 | Roundabout Alternative (Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff)...................................................... 37 Figure 4-2 | Bi-furcated Intersection Alternative (Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff) .................................... 38 Figure 4-3 | 4-Leg Intersection Alternative (Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff) ............................................. 39 Figure 4-4 | Fully Signalized Traffic Circle Alternative (Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff) ............................. 41 Figure 4-5 | Snapshot of Roundabout Alternative Simulation Model (Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff) ...... 43 Figure 4-6 | Snapshot of Bi-furcated Intersection Alternative Simulation Model (Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff) ......................................................................................................................................... 45 Figure 4-7 | Snapshot of 4-leg Intersection Alternative Simulation Model (Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff) .............................................................................................................................................................. 47 Figure 4-8 | Snapshot of Fully Signalized Traffic Circle Alternative Simulation Model (Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff) ......................................................................................................................................... 49 Ward Circle NW 4 Traffic Operations and Safety Analysis Study Report November 2014 List of Tables Table 3-1| Traffic Data Collection Plan .................................................................................................. 19 Table 3-2 | GEH Methodology Realism Test ........................................................................................... 32 Table 3-3 | GEH Methodology Results ................................................................................................... 33 Table 3-4 | LOS Results of Existing Traffic Conditions ............................................................................. 34 Table 4–1 | Comparison of Alternatives ................................................................................................ 41 Table 4-2 | Results of Roundabout Simulation Modeling Results ........................................................... 44 Table 4-3 | Results of Bi-furcated Intersection Simulation Modeling Results.........................................