North Kings Highway (VA 241) Intersection Improvements Study

County of Fairfax, Virginia
North Kings Highway (VA 241)
Intersection Improvements Study
Community Meeting
Mount Eagle Elementary School
December 3, 2014
Department of Transportation

Introduction
2
• Meeting Objectives
o Evaluate future vision for the area
o Decide on a pragmatic solution for the study area
o Provide a balance between citizen needs, the need to reduce congestion,
and improved pedestrian circulation and safety
o Improve traffic operations and throughput on North Kings Highway
o Enhance walkability
o Improve pedestrian and vehicular safety
o Reduce cut-through traffic on School Street

Public Involvement / Citizen Feedback
• Public involvement has been a vital element of the process
o The Penn Daw Special Study Task Force, representing local citizen and
business groups, helped identify community issues and evaluate changes to the
Comprehensive Plan in 2010-2012.
o Community issues included traffic congestion, the need for more walkable,
pedestrian-friendly features, safety, and cut-through traffic on School Street.
o Stakeholder meetings were held in early 2013 to discuss different transportation
design alternatives for the realignment of North Kings Highway, Poag Street,
Shields Avenue, and School Street during the rezoning process.
o A Community Meeting, held in May 2013, provided an opportunity for feedback
as alternative concepts were developed.
o A later Community Meeting, held in June 2014, supplemented with online
voting, further augmented the effort of narrowing re-alignment concepts for
North Kings Highway
3

June 2014 Community Meeting
• Four Alternative Options were presented for North Kings Highway
4
Intersection Improvements
o Option 8A – Dual Roundabouts
o Option 8B – Roundabout at Jamaica Drive
o Option 8C – No Roundabouts
o Option 8D – Roundabout at Poag Street
• Based on evaluation & citizen feedback, Options 8C and 8D were
recommended for further, detailed study
o Options 8C & 8D had the highest vote totals
o Options 8A & 8B raised concerns due to impacts to school (roundabout)

Further, Detailed Study
• Analysis and evaluation taken to a higher level, since June 2014
o Micro-simulation traffic operational analysis
o Year 2030 operations assessment, in addition to Year 2020
o Closer look at intersections on Route 1 and how they interact
o Refined look at footprints of potential mitigation measures to minimize impacts
5

Measures of Effectiveness
• Means to compare alternative options
6
o Estimated cost
o Right-of-way, parking and property impacts
o Walkability
o Safety
o Traffic operations
o System-wide delay (hours)
o Travel time on North Kings Highway (sec)
o Propensity to attract or detract cut-through trips on School Street

No-Build with Proffers
7
No-Build Including Proffers

Option 8C

Option 8C
• Identifying Features
o Traffic signal at North Kings Highway/Poag Street
o Closure of median at School Street (Right-in, Right-Out)
o SB u-turn lane at Poag Street and NB u-turn lane at Jamaica Drive
o No roundabouts
• Changes Since June 2014
o Lesser bulb-outs for u-turn lanes
o Enhanced ped crossings more “general,” pending further study
o Slight refinement to “footprint”
9

Option 8C (Cont’d)
• Pros
o Discourages cut-through traffic on School Street
o Results in additional pedestrian crossing at Poag Street
o Enhances pedestrian crossings at mid-block locations
o Incurs the lowest estimated cost ($4.75 million) & right-of-way impact
(0.33 acres)
o Reduces average system delay per vehicle in Year 2020
(8 sec AM, 53 sec PM)
o Reduces travel time the highest along North Kings Highway in Year 2020
(65 sec NB AM, 253 sec SB PM)
10

Option 8C (Cont’d)
• Cons
o Increases travel time to/from School Street
o Incurs $4.75 million estimated cost
o Impacts 6 parcels and up to 0.33 acres of land
o Reduces parking on parcel 012
o Results in potentially significant property impacts
 Office Depot (not likely a taking)
11

Option 8D

Option 8D
• Identifying Features
o Roundabout at North Kings Highway/Poag Street
o Closure of median at School Street (Right-in, Right-Out)
o NB u-turn lane at Jamaica Drive
• Changes Since June 2014
o Reduced number of lanes on SW quad of roundabout from 2 lanes to 1
o Lesser bulb-outs for u-turn lanes
o Enhanced ped crossings more “general,” pending further study
o Slight refinement to “footprint”
13

Option 8D (Cont’d)
• Pros
o Discourages cut-through traffic on School Street
o Enhances pedestrian crossings at mid-block locations
o Provides safe, efficient traffic operations with roundabout
o Reduces average system delay per vehicle the highest in Year 2020
(21 sec AM, 64 sec PM)
o Reduces travel time along North Kings Highway in Year 2020
(57 sec NB AM, 219 sec SB PM)
14

Option 8D (Cont’d)
• Cons
o Requires second SB through lane on Kings Highway at and through
pinch point.
o Increases travel time to/from School Street
o Includes right-in, right-out access for the Grande at Huntington on
Shields Avenue
o Incurs $6.35 million estimated cost
o Impacts 6 parcels and up to 0.48 acres impacted
o Reduces parking on parcels 002 and 012
o Results in potentially significant property impacts
 Office Depot (not likely a taking)
 Zipps Dry Cleaners (potentially a taking and additional cost)
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2020 Summary / Comparison
Factor / Option
2020
No-Build
2020
No-Build with
Proffers
2020
Alt 8C
(No Roundabouts)
2020
Alt 8D
(Poag St
Roundabout)
Cost (1) None Developer $4.75M $6.35M (4)
ROW Impact None Proffered Low (2)(3) Moderate (2)(3)
System-wide Average Delay
Savings Per Vehicle
Vs. No-Build w Proffers
Peak Hour (seconds)
AM - - -8 -21
PM - - -53 -64
North Kings Highway Travel
Time Savings
Peak Hour, Direction (seconds)
AM
NB
- - -65 -57
PM
SB
- - -253 -219
Pedestrian Safety, Walkability Low Moderate High Moderate
Vehicular Safety Low Low Moderate High
(1) Assumes VDOT Planning Level Cost Estimates Plus ROW & Business Impacts ($50/SF + $50,000/Parking Space)
(2) Potentially significant impact to Parcel 002 (Zipps Dry Cleaners)
(3) Potentially significant impact to Parcel 012 (Office Depot)
(4) Does not factor potential total property takes.
16

2030 Summary / Comparison
Factor / Option
2030
No-Build
2030
No-Build with
Proffers
2030
Alt 8C
(No Roundabouts)
2030
Alt 8D
(Poag St
Roundabout)
Cost (1) None Developer $4.75M $6.35M (4)
ROW Impact None Proffered Low (2)(3) Moderate (2)(3)
System-wide Average Delay
AM - - +72 -26
Savings Per Vehicle
PM - - -100 -105
Peak Hour (seconds)
North Kings Highway Travel
Time Savings Per Vehicle
Peak Hour, Direction (seconds)
AM
NB
- - -98 -90
PM
SB
- - -311 -272
Pedestrian Safety, Walkability Low Moderate High Moderate
Vehicular Safety Low Low Moderate High
(1) Assumes VDOT Planning Level Cost Estimates Plus ROW & Business Impacts ($50/SF + $50,000/Parking Space)
(2) Potentially significant impact to Parcel 002 (Zipps Dry Cleaners)
(3) Potentially significant impact to Parcel 012 (Office Depot)
(4) Does not factor potential total property takes
17

18
Existing Vs No-Build Queuing

19
Option 8C –Queuing

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Option 8D –Queuing

Conclusion – Performance Based
• Option 8C is expected to improve traffic operation along North Kings
Highway at most of the intersections in the Study Area
o LOS - Intersections operating at LOS C or better
o Travel Time Savings - Best travel time savings on North Kings Highway; Savings
increase by 53% in 2020 and by 55% in 2030
o System Delay - Overall Improvement in System Delay from Proffered Conditions
o Queuing - Expected to reduce queuing along NB US 1 and SB Kings Highway in AM
and PM peak hours, respectively
o Community Impact - Least impacts to the surrounding area with lower cost, less right-of-
way impact, fewer parking impacts, no structural/property impacts (takings), and no
impact to existing lanes or on-street parking
o Most Enhanced Pedestrian Safety, Walkability
o Improved Vehicular Safety
o Reduced Cut-Through Traffic on School Street
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Conclusion – Performance Based (Cont’d)
• Option 8D is also expected to improve traffic operation along North Kings
Highway, but with some deficiencies
o LOS - Intersection of Poag @ North Kings Highway to operate at LOS F in PM peak
o Travel Time Savings - Travel time savings on North Kings Highway lesser than option
8C; Savings increase by 45% in 2020 and by 46% in 2030
o System Delay - Overall Improvement in System Delay from Option 8C
o Queuing - Not generally expected to exhibit queuing levels as good as option 8C
o Community Impact - Higher impacts to the surrounding area than Option 8C with
higher cost, more right-of-way impact, more impact on parking, the potential need to
take the Zipps Dry Cleaners building, the need for two SB through lanes on Kings
Highway approaching the pinch point intersection and up to 1000’ feet south.
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Recommendation
• Fairfax County DOT Staff
Recommendation
*Option 8C*
o Safer traffic operations
o Reduction in delay
o Significant improvement in
travel time
o Minimal impact on
neighboring properties
o Cost effective
o Safer pedestrian crossings
o Improved walkability
o Improved new look to area
o Signage/way-finding
Option 8C
23

Questions?
Arpita Chatterjee & Thomas Burke
Fairfax County Department of Transportation
4050 Legato Road, Suite 400
Fairfax, VA 22033
(703) 877-5600
Thomas.Burke@FairfaxCounty.gov
Arpita.Chatterjee@FairfaxCounty.gov
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North Kings Highway (VA 241) Intersection Improvements Study

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