HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance No. 08-1755THE CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS ---?1G11V4J4
ORDINANCE NO. W
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS,
AMENDING OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, BY AMENDING
APPENDIX D, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BY AMENDING 1-100 TO
PROVIDE FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE MASTER THOROUGHFARE
PLAN, DATED APRIL 16, 2008, WHICH IS ATTACHED HERETO AND
INCORPORATED HEREIN AS EXHIBIT A; PROVIDING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, on or about July 2, 2007 the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1723 which
provided for the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan as Appendix D to the Code of Ordinances;
and
WHEREAS, the City desires to incorporate the Master Thoroughfare Plan prepared by
Jacobs Engineering and dated April 16, 2008 into the Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, upon consideration, the City Council finds that the Code of Ordinances,
Appendix D, Comprehensive Plan, should be amended to provide for the adoption of the Master
Thoroughfare Plan, which is attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF THE COLONY, TEXAS:
SECTION 1. That the Code of Ordinances of the City of The Colony, Texas be and the
same is hereby amended by amending Appendix D, Comprehensive Plan, to provide for the
adoption of the Master Thoroughfare Plan prepared by Jacobs Engineering and dated April 16,
2008, which is attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A, by amending 1-100, which
shall read as follows:
"APPENDIX D - COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
1-100. The City of The Colony hereby adopts a Comprehensive Plan, dated
March 19, 2007, as amended by the incorporation of the Master
Thoroughfare Plan, dated April 16, 2008, full copies of which shall be
maintained in the office of the city secretary, for long range development
providing for land use, transportation and public facilities that are
organized by subject or geographic area and which shall be used to
coordinate and guide the establishment of development regulations."
1
TM 24571.76.000
SECTION 2. If any section, article paragraph, sentence, clause, phrase or word in this
ordinance, or application thereto any persons or circumstances is held invalid or unconstitutional by
a Court of competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions
of this ordinance; and the City Council hereby declares it would have passed such remaining
portions of this Ordinance despite such invalidity, which remaining portions shall remain in full
force and effect.
SECTION 3. That all provisions of the Ordinances of the City of The Colony, Texas, in
conflict with the provisions of this ordinance be and the same are hereby amended, repealed, and all
other provisions of the Ordinances of the City not in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance
shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 4. This Ordinance shall become effective from and after its date of passage in
accordance with law.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF THE
COLONY, TEXAS THIS 21st day of April, 2008.
A TE T:
Christie Wilson, City Secretary
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Robert E. Hager, City
(REH/cdb 01/31/q
y:~ J. ~77ry
2
TM 24571.76.000
14 THE
COLONY
Cit~9 by tlu Lake
MASTER
THOROUGHFARE
PLAN
UPDATE
April 16, 2008
PREPARED BY:
JACOBS ENGINEERING
6688 North Central Expressway
Suite 400, MB 13
Dallas, TX 75206-3914
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................3
LIST OF FIGURES ...............................................................................................3
1. INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................4
II. PURPOSE OF A THOROUGHFARE PLAN .....................................................5
III. FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION ...................................................................6
THE COLONY THOROUGHFARE SECTIONS 7
IV. LEVEL OF SERVICE ....................................................................................12
V. THE CITY OF THE COLONY MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN ..............14
VI. NCTCOG TRAVEL DEMAND .......................................................................16
VII. THOROUGHFARE UPDATES .....................................................................18
2
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Specifications for Functional Classification 11
Table 2: Level of Service 12
Table 3: Level of Service based on Functional Classification 13
Table 4: NCTCOG 2000-2030 Population Projections 15
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Functional Classification 6
Figure 2: Mobility 2030 NCTCOG Model 17
Figure 3: Mobility 2030 - Congestion Map 17
Figure 4: Wynnwood Peninsula Improvements 19
Figure 5: Headquarters Drive Realignment and SH 121 EB Frontage Road
Connectors 20
Figure 6: Carr Street and W.Lake Highlands Dr. Connector 22
Figure 7: SH 121 Frontage Road and Memorial Drive Connector 23
Figure 8: Lakeshore Boulevard/N.Colony Boulevard Connector 24
3
I. INTRODUCTION
Transportation is the movement of people, goods and services from one place to another.
The transportation network facilitates the passage of workers, shoppers, tourists and
various other individuals, as well as raw materials and finished goods, from their origins
to their destinations. It connects the various residential, commercial, industrial and
recreational centers within an urban environment. The transportation network is one of
the principal driving forces behind the economic and social growth of an urban area and
serves as the lifeline of its economy.
Careful planning of the transportation network of a region is extremely critical. It must
sustain the future traffic conditions and facilitate the movement of people, goods and
services efficiently and safely. The primary factors that need to be considered while
planning the transportation network for an urban area are the nature of its existing land
uses and their expected growth pattern. The Master Thoroughfare Plan (MTP) of a city
documents its existing and proposed thoroughfares, and also classifies all the
thoroughfares into different roadway types with specific design criteria. The roadway
network plays a significant role in major land use decisions and on the other hand land
use decisions also impact the Master Thoroughfare Plan. Land use planning decisions and
planning of thoroughfares go hand in hand. In order to serve its purpose as a planning and
information tool the Master Thoroughfare Plan needs to be continuously amended and
updated.
The City of The Colony is in southern Denton County and lies east of Lake Lewisville
and West of Plano. With an existing population of approximately 40,000 the city is also
home to several large retailers, offices and distribution and light industrial businesses.
The City of The Colony also serves as a popular tourist destination due to its close
proximity to Lake Lewisville. The City of The Colony has direct access to State Highway
121 and also provides easy access to Interstate 35 and US Highway 75. The Colony
adopted its first thoroughfare plan in 1989. The following update to the thoroughfare plan
considers the growth and future developments of the city and makes recommendations to
serve the anticipated future traffic demands.
This Master Thoroughfare Plan is based on Traffic forecast derived from the North
Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) 2030 planning model
(TRANSCAD). This model is based on a series of assumptions for land use (population
and employment) and models roadway network anticipated to be in place by the 2030
forecast year. Major changes to this plan may cause revisions to future Master
Thoroughfare Plan updates. This thoroughfare plan for The Colony balances projected
land uses and traffic in the year 2030 and recommends several modifications to the
existing plan to improve circulation within the city and provide a roadway network that
meets 2030 traffic needs.
4
II. PURPOSE OF A THOROUGHFARE PLAN
The NCTCOG defines a Master Thoroughfare Plan (MTP) as a comprehensive
multimodal "blueprint" for transportation systems and services aimed at meeting the
mobility needs of the city. It is a critical document required in the long-term planning of
the city. The amount of traffic generated on the roadway network of a city depends on the
nature and distribution of its land uses and the surrounding cities. The Master
Thoroughfare Plan accounts for the existing and future traffic demands by considering
the current land use development and the expected growth patterns for this area.
The purpose of the Master Thoroughfare Plan is to determine the size and distribution of
the roadway network, taking into consideration the future transportation needs as well as
satisfying the mobility and access needs of the land use developments, local and regional
traffic.
The benefits provided by an effective Master Thoroughfare Plan are as follows:
■ Efficient utilization of the existing land resources to meet the current traffic
demands and the reservation of necessary right-of-way for future long-term
developments.
■ Development of a framework for the future development of the city in which the
functional role of each street is defined. This framework ensures that the major
areas of the community are connected to each other as well as connecting adjacent
jurisdictions to the community.
■ Provision of information about the thoroughfare improvements beforehand to
ensure that major land use and capital budget decisions are effectively made.
■ A city's land use plan makes frequent use of elements in the Master Thoroughfare
Plan. The access density and framework of streets have a direct relationship with
the type of land use in any part of the street network system. For example, parks
and schools are most likely located near local streets while major retail and
offices are located adjacent to major arterials.
III. FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION
Roadway facilities have been classified in accordance with the degree of access they
provide to surrounding land uses. Generally, the greater the degree of access to and from
a roadway, the less capacity is available for through movement of traffic. Therefore, the
highest classification of roadways is a freeway facility where the through movement of
traffic over long distances and high speeds with minimal interruption is most important
and direct access to abutting land uses is prohibited. The lowest classification is the
residential street where access is liberally provided to adjacent land uses and vehicle trips
are short, speeds are low and interruptions frequent. Between the two extremes are
Expressways, Arterial and Collector street types.
In addition, street classifications have particular geometric standards which determine the
relative vehicle capacity of the facility. These standards include street, lane and median
widths, intersection spacing, grades, degrees of access, clearances and numerous other
standards. Figure 1 illustrates the street classification system graphically based on the
level of access in relation to the speed and through traffic movement.
Cul-de-sac
Local-street
Collector street
m
y U
Z
O Q Arterial street
U W0
a Strategic Regional
LL Arterial
W ,
Expressway
Q a ,
o `
a o ~
C $N
Y `
Q p» ` %
Increase proportion of through
traffic. Increase speed Minimum local
Minimum through traffic
traffic
MOVEMENT FUNCTION
Figure 1: Functional Classification
Freeway
6
As previously mentioned, the street classification plays an important role in the Master
Land Use Plan. The street classification process helps in identifying the roadway type and
impacts various aspects of roadway design like
• Roadway Width
• Right-of-way acquisition
• Pavement Markings
• Speed Limits
• Lighting standards
• Landscaping
• Access Control
• Application of traffic calming techniques
THE COLONY THOROUGHFARE SECTIONS
The Thoroughfare Plan identifies eight types of roadway sections in the functional
classification for local, collector and major arterials. Each roadway section has geometric
standards for pavement width(s), minimum right-of-way, number of parking and
traveling lanes, median width, when applicable, design speed and minimum pavement
thickness. Cross sectional characteristics and other geometric standards are set forth
below for each class of roadway.
1. Major Arterial: There are four thoroughfare standards for assignment to primary
roadways where the higher traffic volumes are expected, or forecasted to occur. The
principal differences between the standards are the traveling lane widths, the
number of lanes and right-of-way widths.
Type 8D-A Arterial: This thoroughfare classification accommodates the highest
expected traffic volume in the system. The divided thoroughfare section has a one-
hundred-forty-foot (140') right-of-way with forty-eight-foot pavement widths on
either side of a fifteen-foot median. Intersections with other arterials should flare
out to contain dual left-turn lanes and additional right-turn only lanes. The eight
lane divided section has a design speed of fifty-five miles per hour.
I
I
I
I
1
I
o~
d
C V
v
14'-6" "0' 14'-6.,
48'-0" 48'-0" - w
J 111'-0" J
_ - - 140'-0" R.O.W. y
TYPE 8D-A
Major Arterial
7
Type 6D-A Arterial: This thoroughfare classification is the most commonly used
section in the system for a major arterial. The six-lane divided thoroughfare section
has a one-hundred-twenty-foot (120') right-of-way with thirty-six-foot (36')
pavement widths either side of a fifteen-foot (15') median. Intersections with other
arterials should flare out to contain dual left-turn lanes and additional right-turn
only lanes. The six-lane divided thoroughfare can accommodate speeds of fifty-five
miles per hour.
oDa• po
t eo
i r.
i i
~ l
i
16'-6" 15'-0" € 16'-6" w
w 36'-0" 36'-0"
87'-O" i
`o
L - 120'-0" R.O.W. -
TYPE 6D-A
Major Arterial
Type 6D-B Arterial: This thoroughfare classification is similar to the 6D-A
standard except for the right-of-way is decreased to one-hundred-feet (100') and the
lane widths are reduced to eleven-feet (11'). Intersections with other arterials
should flare out to contain dual left-turn lanes and additional right-turn only lanes.
The six-lane divided section is capable of handling traffic volumes similar to the
6D-A with a lesser design speed of forty-five miles per hour.
o ~ G• ~ e
a
o G ~
i
i
i
i
i -
i
i
W-61, w - 33'-0" 33'-0"
- -
z:
81'-0" J
s
ci
100'-0" R.O.W. Rr
TYPE 6D-B
Minor Arterial
Type 4D-C Arterial: This four-lane divided thoroughfare section is a one-hundred-
foot (100') right-of-way with twenty-four-foot (24') pavement widths on either side
of a thirty-foot (30') median. Intersections with other arterials should flare out to
contain dual left-turn lanes and additional right-turn only lanes. The configuration
of the pavement within the one-hundred-foot right-of-way allows the section to be
upgraded to a 6D-B, if warranted by higher than expected traffic volumes.
O r Vd
i
1 t
i
W -9'-6" 24'-0" 33'-0" 24'-0" f"
100'-0" R.O.W. - -
TYPE 4D-C
Minor Arterial
2. Collector: The collector street has the function of moving traffic between local
areas and the major system. Collector streets generally are of short travel lengths
and are designed to handle low volumes of traffic. Intersections with arterials
should flare out to contain a right-turn only lane. There are standards for three
collector streets in The Colony System.
Type 4U-A Collector: This thoroughfare classification has four (4) twelve-foot
lanes centered in an eighty-foot right-of-way. Intersections with arterials should
flare out to contain a right-turn only lane. Generally, all four lanes are used for
through traffic, unless parking is permitted until such time volumes are reached
which require used of all four moving lanes. Design speed for this section is forty -
miles per hour.
on ,n
d
oat p a
1 i
i e
i
i
i
W ~ l,J
10 ° y-- - 10' o°_
801-01
°
TYPE 4U-A
Major Collector
9
Type 4U-B Collector: This section is similar to the 4U-B except for the decrease in
right-of-way to sixty-feet (60') and lane widths to eleven-feet (11').
v ° 0 6
I
'I
1
I
I
o v
n 60'-0" R.O.W.
TYPE 4U-B
Minor Collector
Type 2U-C Collector: The 2U-C is designed to accommodate two (2) eight-foot
(8') parking lanes and two (2) ten-foot (10') traveling lanes in sixty-foot (60') of
right-of-way.
p u ;
6 _
P I
(
a I
I
z 12 0 36'-0" - I ~2'-0"
J i T -1
~J L7
60'-0" R.O.W. -
TYPE 2U-C
Minor Collector
10
3. Residential: This street is the lowest in the system's hierarchy but the most used.
The right-of-way standard is fifty-feet (50') and the thirty-foot (30') pavement has
two (2) eight-foot (8') parking lanes and a fourteen-foot (14') traveling lanes.
0~ •~4
I
I
I
10'-0" 10-0-
-y til
30'-0"
Z ( Z
U C
re. 50'-0" R.O.W. r
Residential
Table 1: Specifications for Functional Classification
CHARACTERISTIC
FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION
FREEWAY EXPRESSWAY ARTERIAL COLLECTOR RESIDENTIAL
Facility Spacing
5+ Miles
5+ Miles
1 Mile
1/4 to 1/2 Mile
300-500 Feet
Length
Continuous
Continuous
Continuous
1/2 to 1 Mile
500-1,000 Feet
Degree of Access
None
Controlled
Moderate
No Restriction
No Restriction
60,000-
40,000- 60,000
10 000-
2,000- 5,000
Traffic Volumes
200,000
Veh/Day
40,000
Veh/Day
< 500 Veh/Day
Veh/Da
Veh/Da
Design Speeds
> 50 MPH
40 - 50 MPH
30 - 45 MPH
30 MPH
< 30 MPH
Typical Right-of-Way
> 300 Feet
200 - 300 Feet
80 - 200
60 Feet
50 - 60 Feet
Feet 1
11
11
IV. LEVEL OF SERVICE
The concept of level of service has been developed for street facilities. Roadway LOS is
quantifiable set of roadway operating conditions which describe the relative ease or
difficulty of completing a vehicle trip on a particular facility. The highest LOS is where
there is virtually no constraint to the progress of a vehicle trip, where speeds are fairly
uniform and high, and the density and total volume of traffic is low. The lowest LOS is
characterized by frequent stops and speed changes with high densities of traffic. The LOS
is described as shown in Table 2.
Table 2: Level of Service
LEVEL OF SERVICE
DESCRIPTION
Very low density of traffic with individual vehicle speeds controlled by the
A and B
physical features of the roadway and the driver's abilities. Little or no delay at
intersections.
Stable flow conditions with moderate density of traffic, uniform, moderate
C
speeds and relatively easy maneuvering ability. Moderate delay at intersections
with short-term queuing on critical approaches. Progression of traffic through a
series of signals possible.
Approaching unstable flow conditions with maneuvering difficult because of
the density of traffic. Speeds are lower and the necessity for speed changes
D
more frequent. Probability of delay at intersections increases and more than one
cycle often required to clear traffic on a signalized approach. Progression of
traffic difficult.
Unstable flow conditions, maneuvering difficult and speeds low and erratic.
E
Delays of two or more cycles at signals usual and probability of stopping at
every signal is high.
F
Forced flow conditions, heavy congestion, long queues and delays at
intersections. Total breakdown with stop-and-go operation.
The LOS concept has great importance to the development of a thoroughfare plan and the
relative cost of constructing a facility. A high level of service would require a greater cost
to serve the same number of vehicles than would a design or facility type accepting a
lower level of service. Generally, a LOS "C" is desirable. However, a LOS "C" for
projecting "daily" traffic volumes may actually operate at a lower LOS for short periods
of time during the peak periods of the day.
Capacity, or the number of vehicles that can be accommodated at a particular LOS over a
period of time has been defined for the various types of facilities. These capacities, in
terms of Daily vehicles are shown in Table 3 for both LOS "C" and LOS "E".
12
Table 3: Level of Service based on Functional Classification
LEVEL OF SERVICE "C"
LEVEL OF SERVICE "E"
FACILITY
TYPE
DAILY
SERVICE
VOLUME PER
FACILITY
DAILY
SERVICE
VOLUME PER
LANE
DAILY
SERVICE
VOLUME PER
FACILITY
DAILY
SERVICE
VOLUME PER
LANE
8D-A
46,400
5,800
58,000
7,250
6D-A
34,800
5,800
43,500
7,250
6D-B
33,600
5,600
42,000
7,000
4D-C
22,400
5,600
28,000
7,000
4U-A
20,000
5,000
25,000
6,250
4U-B
16,000
4,000
20,000
5,000
2U-C
8,000
4,000
10,000
5,000
13
V. THE CITY OF THE COLONY MASTER THOROUGHFARE
PLAN
The Colony is a bedroom community of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. By nature, this
determines some of the traffic peaking and travel patterns of the city. While The Colony
has employment centers within the city, the main employment centers are located in other
areas of the metroplex and require travel to reach these destinations. Existing
employment (2007) within The Colony is approximately 6,900 and by 2030 it is
forecasted to increase to 13,500.
The original Master Thoroughfare Plan for the City of The Colony was adopted in 1989
and has undergone updates in the past with the last revision in 2006. Revisions to the
Master Thoroughfare Plan, like any other planning document, should not deviate
significantly from the original version. The Master Thoroughfare Plan for a city is
developed based on the best existing information available regarding future growth and
traffic patterns.
The City of The Colony is bounded by the Plano on the east, and Lewisville on the south
and south-west side. The growth of these cities will have significant impact on the traffic
conditions in the City of The Colony in addition to internal growth. A significant number
of vehicles using a city's roadway originate and end in neighboring cities. The growth of
neighboring cities can, therefore, have a significant impact on the roadway infrastructure
of a city. Planned infrastructure may, therefore, fall short of projected demands due to the
dynamic nature of internal growth of a city and also due to the growth of neighboring
cities. Therefore, a thoroughfare plan should be reviewed at regular intervals to assess its
adequacy to meet future traffic demands based on the most updated demographic and
other impacting resources.
The Dallas/Fort Worth region has experienced tremendous population growth during the
past decade and is one of the fastest growing metropolitan regions in the country.
NCTCOG predicts that more than 100,000 people enter the region every year. Among the
16 counties in the NCTCOG region, Denton is one of the fastest growing ones. The
Colony's population has grown by 50% in a span of five years between 2000 and 2005.
Given this tremendous rate of growth within and in nearby cities, it is all the more
relevant to continuously evaluate the adequacy of the thoroughfare plan. Table 4 shows
the population projections for The Colony and its neighboring cities through 2030. It can
be seen that the population of The Colony and neighboring cities are expected to
substantially increase. This projected growth can significantly affect the nature and extent
of the regional roadway network, both from internal growth and that of adjoining cities.
14
Table 4: NCTCOG 2000-2030 Poanlation Proiections
CITY NAME
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
2025
2030
THE COLONY
26,519
39,148
46,131
50,906
55,916
59,519
64,216
THE COLONY ETJ
27
167
259
536
811
831
970
LEWISVILLE
78,360
87,841
92,437
95,544
96,844
105,444
111,168
PLANO
222,498
245,261
255,812
256,882
256,882
257,061
257,061
FRISCO
34,028
80,969
112,725
144,788
178,558
202,949
227,911
CARROLLTON
109,364
114,164
119,250
119,435
120,868
123,676
124,086
LITTLE ELM
3,667
11,231
12,436
13,790
15,223
17,066
18,882
Source: The City of The Colony Comprehensive Plan Update
15
VI. NCTCOG TRAVEL DEMAND
The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) has developed and
maintains a regional travel demand-forecasting model (TDM) which uses the traditional
four-step modeling process (i.e. trip generation, trip distribution, trip assignment and
modal split). This model captures the travel pattern in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplcx
area as shown in Figure 2. The 2030 mobility model takes into consideration planned
improvements expected to happen by the year 2030 across the modeled area and is
continuously updated based on the latest demographic data available from all the cities
included in the model. This process ensures that the model projects volumes in the
network as realistically as possible. The trips are assigned to various roadways and the
projected traffic data is then used for various purposes such as air quality analysis,
congestion management and identifying potential capacity issues. Based on the 2030
mobility analysis, and as shown on Figure 3, City of The Colony is identified as an `Area
with Severe Congestion'. This implies that there is a severe shortage in the planned
roadway capacity to handle the projected traffic volumes in 2030. Consideration should
be given to the addition of future relief routes to reduce the projected congestion in the
major corridors in the City of The Colony. This update to the city's Master Thoroughfare
Plan addresses this issue and proposes solutions to mitigate the congestion.
The NCTCOG regional transportation model consists primarily of all the major
thoroughfares in the DFW area. All the freeways, and most of the major and minor
arterials and collectors are coded as part of this network. Since this model's primary role
is that of a planning tool, local and residential streets are not represented in detail in this
model.
The model was initially evaluated to understand the representation of the city's
thoroughfare network compared to the existing thoroughfare plan. The model was found
to adequately represent the thoroughfare network of the City of The Colony. The model
was updated to reflect the proposed changes to the thoroughfare network. The updated
network was then run to determine the projected traffic on all the major thoroughfares in
The Colony and better understand the traffic impact of the proposed recommendations.
The projected traffic volume, which was provided by the model, was compared to the
capacity of the proposed thoroughfares to identify the need for additional improvements.
The proposed recommendations were found to be adequate to handle the traffic demand
in 2030. While sections of Main Street (FM 423) will continue to experience congestion,
the proposed modifications will considerably reduce the burden on this critical corridor of
the city. The proposed recommendations that were incorporated into the model are
described in detail in the following chapter. As mentioned earlier, the Master
Thoroughfare Plan should be periodically evaluated, especially when major land use
changes are anticipated within the city and in neighboring cities that might have a
significant impact on the street network of The Colony.
16
Figure 2: Mobility 2030 NCTCOG Model
17
Figure 3: Mobility 2030 - Congestion Map
VII. THOROUGHFARE UPDATES
1. Wynnwood Peninsula
• Colony Causeway
The Colony Causeway (extension of Lebanon Road) is a proposed six-lane divided
thoroughfare that would serve The Tribute, an active development under construction
on the Wynnwood peninsula. It would also provide an additional north-south major
arterial to supplement Main Street (FM 423). The Causeway project has been in
planning stages since the development of the previous thoroughfare plan, and
geometric alignment is yet to be finalized. Therefore, this project plan has been
included in the updated thoroughfare plan. The ultimate alignment of the Causeway
will be determined in the future based on engineering and/or economic opportunities
and challenges identified at the time. Because the alignment within the "bubble"
traverses public lands, the appropriate governmental entities will have a good deal of
flexibility in determining the final alignment. From an operational viewpoint,
virtually any alignment that will connect the end of Lebanon Road to SH 121T will
accomplish the goal of alleviating congestion on FM 423 and improving mobility
both in the Wynwood Peninsula and outside. Therefore, a rough "bubble" alignment
would suffice for the purposes of transportation planning. The Thoroughfare Plan
demonstrates the critical need for The Colony Causeway connection with the
understanding that the specific alignment will be determined at a future date.
At present, Main Street (FM 423) is the major north-south corridor that serves the
City of The Colony. The Average Daily Traffic (ADT) on Main Street (FM 423) near
SH 121 under existing conditions is about 55,000-60,000 vehicles per day (vpd). The
traffic on Main Street (FM 423) has been steadily growing over the last decade.
Future projections, based on NCTCOG's planning model, indicate an ADT of 80,000
vpd on sections of Main Street (FM 423). Even after the proposed expansion of Main
Street (FM 423), this volume far exceeds the capacity. The operation of this corridor
is critical to maintaining high regional mobility. In the absence of an alternate route
like the Colony Causeway (Lebanon Road), Main Street (FM 423) would be
overloaded and motorists would experience severely congested traffic conditions. The
availability of an alternate route to and from SH 121, like the Causeway, would
remove a significant burden from Main Street (FM 423). This roadway would also
serve local traffic that would otherwise be forced to use Main Street (FM 423). The
Colony Causeway (Lebanon Road), based on its alignment and available capacity is
projected to carry 17,500 vehicles per day in each direction. This will significantly
improve the operations on Main Street (FM 423). This projected volume will be much
higher if the proposed land use development in the Wynnwood peninsula is more
aggressive and generates more trips than accounted for in the NCTCOG planning
model. Both the old and new proposed alignments for the Causeway Corridor
(Lebanon Road) are illustrated in Figure 4.
18
• Boyd Road, Aberdeen and Stonefi.eld Road
Boyd Road, Aberdeen and Stonefield Roads are minor thoroughfares that would serve
traffic in Wynnwood Peninsula.
- Portions of Boyd Road, shown in the previous Thoroughfare Plan, have been
removed from the updated plan. The old and proposed alignments of Boyd
Road are illustrated in Figure 4. The existing and the proposed thoroughfares
are expected to be able to serve the demand in this area.
field
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Figure 4: Wynnwood Peninsula Improvements
19
- Aberdeen is a proposed east-west four-lane collector that will provide
connection for traffic originating from and destined to the areas west of
Lebanon Road and north of old Boyd Road in the Wynnwood Peninsula.
Figure 4 illustrates the proposed alignment and location of Aberdeen.
- Stonefield Road is a proposed two-lane collector that will provide a
connection route for residents living along Lake Lewisville in the north-west
section of Wynnwood Penninsula. The alignment of this proposed roadway is
illustrated in Figure 4.
2. Morning Star and South Colony Boulevard south of SH 121
The alignment of Morning Star and South Colony Boulevard south of SH 121 in the
original thoroughfare plan was compared to the existing schematics for the SH 121
corridor. These roadways would serve uses and activities between SH 121 frontage
roads and Headquarters Drive and therefore to all land uses south of SH 121 between
Plano Parkway and W. Spring Creek Parkway.
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Old Alignment
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Figure 5: Headquarters Drive Realignment and SH 121 EB Frontage Road
Connectors
20
In comparing the alignment of these streets found in the 2006 Master Thoroughfare
Plan to the SH 121 schematic design, conflicts with `point of no access locations' on
the SH 121 Frontage Road were noted. `Point of no access locations' are locations
that are in close proximity to entrance and exit ramp gores on the frontage road.
Therefore, the alignment of these proposed roadways were revised to allow access to
and from the SH 121 on and off ramps as appropriate. The revised alignment of these
roadways is shown in Figure 5. The revised alignment of these roadways is shown
(western segment), connecting SH 121 eastbound frontage road to Headquarters
Drive, is located just downstream of the proposed location of the eastbound off-ramp
from SH 121. This would provide access to traffic exiting off eastbound SH 121 and
also reduce the traffic that would otherwise continue farther downstream and interfere
with the SH 121 eastbound entrance ramp bound traffic.
As illustrated in Figure 5, the proposed modification is primarily the location of these
proposed roadways in the original Thoroughfare Plan. These roadways are expected
to serve its original purpose of providing a good connection to SH 121 mainlanes and
frontage roads on the south side.
3. SH 121 Frontage Road
The previous thoroughfare plan showed only the proposed mainlanes for SH 121. The
frontage roads have since been constructed and the mainlanes are now under
construction. The frontage road alignments have been included in the updated
thoroughfare plan. These roads function as arterials with three lanes in each direction.
The inclusion of these in the Thoroughfare Plan is essential as the location/alignment
of connector roads to the frontage road can now be better planned.
4. Headquarters Drive
Headquarters Drive south of Plano Parkway has been removed in the updated Master
Thoroughfare Plan as shown in Figure 5. Plano Parkway, which will be a six-lane
divided thoroughfare in its ultimate configuration, has sufficient capacity to carry the
traffic that will be shifted as a result of this change.
21
5. Carr Street and W. Lake Highlands Drive Connection and Connection to Main St.
This proposed two-lane collector links W. Lake Highland Drive and Carr Street. It
provides access between north of W. Lake Highlands Drive and south of Carr Street
as shown in Figure 6. This connection would also provide vehicles an alternate
access to Main Street (FM 423) for short trips.
16
W.Lake Highlands Dr
AV
Carr St
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Figure 6: Carr Street and W. Lake Highlands Dr. Connector
6. Trails included on Master Thoroughfare Plan
Trails that run along city's major thoroughfares are included in the updated
Thoroughfare Plan. The Trail System Master Plan was reviewed to this end. The
inclusion of trails in the Master Thoroughfare Plan would ensure that the acquisition
of right-of-way for future expansion of arterials would account for trails as well. The
objective of showing trails on the Master Thoroughfare Plan is also to promote them
as a viable alternative to motorized transport in addition to its role as a recreational
facility. In the future, when the traffic demand will increase considerably, it is critical
that alternative and environmental friendly modes of transportation be considered
where feasible especially for short trips, trips to Transit stations etc. Trail
beautification is an effort on the city's part to promote the attractiveness of trails.
Even though, only the trails that run alongside major thoroughfares are included in
22
this updated Master Thoroughfare Plan, the Trail System Master Plan (last updated in
2004) can be used to obtain the comprehensive trail system in the City of The Colony.
7. Memorial Drive and SH 121 WB Frontage Road connector
A future four-lane divided access road is proposed that connects the SH 121
westbound frontage road to Memorial Drive just west of Main Street (FM 423).
Figure 7 illustrates this revision to the Master Thoroughfare Plan. This roadway
would serve retail-related traffic north of the SH 121 westbound frontage road.
Figure 7: SH 121 Frontage Road and Memorial Drive Connector
8. Lakeshore Boulevard and North Colony Boulevard connector
A two-lane connector (with a short four-lane section at the intersection with Main
Street (FM 423) is proposed in the updated Master Thoroughfare Plan to provide
access between Lakeshore Boulevard and North Colony Boulevard. This proposed
connection would primarily serve local traffic north of North Colony Boulevard and
south of Lakeshore Boulevard. Figure 8 shows the proposed alignment options for
this roadway. Any alignment that allows local circulation behind and along Main
23
Street will effectively serve the needs of the local transportation network. With
regard to the connection at North Colony, an alignment of Lakeshore at Pogue Circle
or at Keys Drive will accomplish local transportation objectives. These two options
are shown in the circled area in Figure 8. At such time as the first segment is
constructed, the second connection to Lakeshore option may be eliminated from
future consideration. There are benefits and detriments to either choice. A connection
at Keys would be the most efficient (and probably more utilized). In the long run,
such an alignment may be preferable to the more circuitous route utilizing Pogue.
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Figure 8: Lakeshore Boulevard/N.Colony Boulevard Connector
This proposed roadway would provide a good connection for traffic to or from local
streets east and west of Main Street (FM 423). Example of these trips include,
parents dropping their kids at school, local retail trips from local residents etc. This
roadway will reduce congestion at the intersection of North Colony Blvd. at Main
Street (FM 423) by attracting commuters, bound east or west of Main Street (FM
423). It will also serve local traffic bound south on Main Street (FM 423) from
North Colony Blvd.
24
With the above modifications to the existing thoroughfare plan in place, the future
roadway network of the City of The Colony can be expected to sustain the projected
traffic demands of the city and maintain the mobility of the region.
25
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