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Agenda 03/23/2021 Item #11E (Logan Boulevard Extension Truck Traffic Report)03/23/2021 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Recommendation to accept the staff report regarding truck traffic on Logan Boulevard Extension between Immokalee Road and the Lee County line. OBJECTIVE: To report on truck traffic on Logan Boulevard between Immokalee Road and the Lee County line. CONSIDERATIONS: In 2011, Collier County staff applied for Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP) funds through the Collier Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) joint priority process with the Lee MPO for the extension of Logan Boulevard from Immokalee Road to the Collier County Line. TRIP funds are authorized pursuant to Florida Statute 339.2819 for the purpose of providing funds to improve regionally significant transportation facilities that serve national, statewide or regional functions as part of an integrated transportation system. The application indicated that Logan Boulevard would serve as a major parallel reliever to I-75, a strategic intermodal system facility. Furthermore, the new roadway would become part of the County’s arterial network and would provide the first north south connection to Lee County, east of I-75. At the May 10, 2016, Board meeting, an agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation was approved to accept $2,663,736 of Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP) funding pursuant to Florida State 339.2819, for a bi-county regional roadway to provide safe access for the increased traffic due to significant growth in the area. The County went on to award a bid for construction and ultimately coordinated with the City of Bonita Springs and the local developer (GL Homes) for the completion of the roadway to Bonita Beach Road, which opened in March 2020. In late January 2021, Traffic Operations staff was contacted regarding concer ns with truck traffic. Due to similar concerns in 2020, staff had performed 24-hour classification counts on this section of Logan Boulevard in March 2020 and had scheduled to repeat the counts in March 2021, one year later. The counts performed in March 2020 had a very low percentage of truck traffic in relation to the overall traffic on the roadway (1.7%). To determine if truck traffic is considered ‘excessive’, 24-hour classification counts are reviewed to determine the percentage of truck traffic in relation to the overall 24-hour traffic. The counts provide an hourly tally of the number of vehicles for the entire 24-hour period. The counts are further categorized to type of vehicle. The types include motor bikes, cars & trailers, buses, and numerous categories of number of axles. A ‘normal’ amount of larger trucks (e.g. dump trucks, tractor semi-trailers, etc.) is considered to be approximately 3% of the overall traffic. An ‘excessive’ amount of larger trucks is considered over 5% of the overall traffic. When identifying ‘larger’ trucks, this designation does not include standard delivery trucks such as UPS, Fed-Ex, etc. or landscaping trucks. Staff used guidance from the Manual of Transportation Engineering Studies, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reports, similar work completed by other entities, and their own experience to determine these percentages. FHWA Report No. FHWA-PL-97-025 indicated that combination trucks and multi-trailer trucks (essentially all truck traffic) had a national average truck percentage of 4.5%. Staff prefers to be conservative and include a portion of single unit truck traffic which includes the classification that has dump trucks in these percentages. To be even more conservative, staff additionally reduced the percentage considered ‘normal’ to 3% and considered over 5% to be ‘excessive’ for this roadway (two-lane public road connecting two major arterials). Based on the additional community concerns, staff rescheduled the counts to February 9-11, 2021. The 11.E Packet Pg. 408 03/23/2021 same week the new counts were taken, Wink News aired a news segment about the truck traffic, the Collier County Sheriff enforced speeding, and staff reached out to trucking companies and developers regarding their construction traffic using this roadway segment. At that time, staff followed trucks to three locations: a new Collier County complex at Heritage Bay, a new Charter School site at the Fogg’s Nursery & Mulch Supply location, and a new development across from Twin Eagles. Staff reached out to trucking companies to ask if they could find an alternate route, however, staff does not have authority to require a specific route. The counts showed that truck traffic progressively reduced over the three days indicating that the coordinated effort had worked. The truck traffic was 5.1% on the first day, 3.9% on the second day, and the third day was 3.6%. Additional 24-hour classification counts were taken on February 23-25, 2021. The results verified that truck traffic had indeed been reduced and was on average 2.9% of the overall traffic. Staff continues to monitor this situation through the cameras at the intersection of Logan Boulevard and Immokalee Road. To date the truck traffic witnessed appears to be below the 5% mark. The Board accepted State funding to construct this regionally significant roadway and to restrict truck traffic is contrary to the goals and objectives of the funding program. However, the county is undertaking additional efforts to improve safety and operational efficiency along this sector of Logan Boulevard. Two median crossovers, which will allow for a turnaround movement in the median in case of an emergency (2,200 feet east of Azalea Drive and 4,400 feet further north), will be constructed this summer. In addition, county staff has met twice with each of the adjacent communities, Riverstone, StoneCreek and Olde Cypress to discuss improvements to their intersections on Logan Boulevard. These meetings were well attended by hundreds of residents and the communities are currently deciding whether roundabouts would meet their needs. Staff will continue to work with the communities on these improvements as well as with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office for continued enforcement along the corridor. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this item GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: This action will result in no growth management impact. LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item has been reviewed by the County Attorney. The staff recommendation raises no legal issues and requires majority vote for approval. Should the Board wish to consider restricting truck traffic on Logan Blvd., the County Attorney would request that the matter be continued and brought back at a future Board meeting. -JAK RECOMMENDATION: That staff continues the ongoing efforts to manage traffic on Logan Boulevard and address community concerns. It is not recommended to restrict truck traffic on Logan Boulevard. Prepared by: Daniel G. Hall, P.E., Transportation Engineering Division ATTACHMENT(S) 1. Logan Boulevard Presentation BCC (PDF) 11.E Packet Pg. 409 03/23/2021 COLLIER COUNTY Board of County Commissioners Item Number: 11.E Doc ID: 15338 Item Summary: Recommendation to accept the staff report regarding truck traffic on Logan Boulevard Extension between Immokalee Road and the Lee County line. (Anthony Khawaja, Chief Engineer Traffic Operations) Meeting Date: 03/23/2021 Prepared by: Title: – Growth Management Department Name: Christine Arnold 03/17/2021 8:38 AM Submitted by: Title: Dept Head - Growth Management – Growth Management Department Name: Thaddeus Cohen 03/17/2021 8:38 AM Approved By: Review: Transportation Engineering Jay Ahmad Additional Reviewer Completed 03/17/2021 8:41 AM Growth Management Department Anthony Khawaja Additional Reviewer Completed 03/17/2021 8:49 AM Growth Management Department Jeanne Marcella Level 1 Reviewer Completed 03/17/2021 9:26 AM Growth Management Department Jeanne Marcella Department Head Review Completed 03/17/2021 9:27 AM County Attorney's Office Jeffrey A. Klatzkow Level 3 County Attorney's Office Review Completed 03/17/2021 9:42 AM County Manager's Office Dan Rodriguez Level 4 County Manager Review Completed 03/17/2021 2:10 PM Board of County Commissioners MaryJo Brock Meeting Pending 03/23/2021 9:00 AM 11.E Packet Pg. 410 Truck Traffic on Logan Boulevard between Immokalee Road and the Lee County Line 1 Anthony Khawaja, P.E. Chief Engineer Traffic Operations 11.E.1 Packet Pg. 411 Attachment: Logan Boulevard Presentation BCC (15338 : Logan Blvd Truck Traffic) 2 11.E.1 Packet Pg. 412 Attachment: Logan Boulevard Presentation BCC (15338 : Logan Blvd Truck Traffic) 3 The dump trucks originated from the Bonita Grande Mine: 11.E.1 Packet Pg. 413 Attachment: Logan Boulevard Presentation BCC (15338 : Logan Blvd Truck Traffic) 4 Excessive truck traffic 02/03/2021 2:25PM 11.E.1 Packet Pg. 414 Attachment: Logan Boulevard Presentation BCC (15338 : Logan Blvd Truck Traffic) 5 Normal truck traffic 11.E.1 Packet Pg. 415 Attachment: Logan Boulevard Presentation BCC (15338 : Logan Blvd Truck Traffic) 6 Truck Counts •Florida Department of Transportation defines a truck as: A vehicle engaged primarily in the transport of goods and materials. •Combination trucks and multi-trailer trucks (excludes classes 6 and 7) had a national average truck percentage of 4.5%. •Staff included classes 6 and 7 of single unit truck traffic (dump trucks) in our percentages. We do not include standard delivery trucks (UPS, Fed- Ex, etc.) or landscaping trucks (class 5). •24-hour classification counts are reviewed to determine the percentage of truck traffic in relation to the overall 24-hour traffic. •Staff reduced the percentage considered ‘normal’ to 3% and considered 5% to be ‘excessive’ for this roadway (two-lane public road connecting two major arterials). 11.E.1 Packet Pg. 416 Attachment: Logan Boulevard Presentation BCC (15338 : Logan Blvd Truck Traffic) 7 9000 9500 10000 10500 11000 11500 2/9-2/10 2/10-2/11 2/11-2/12 2/23 2/24 2/25 24-Hour Counts Other Traffic Truck Traffic 5.1%3.9% 3.6% 3.1% 3.6% 2.0% 11.E.1 Packet Pg. 417 Attachment: Logan Boulevard Presentation BCC (15338 : Logan Blvd Truck Traffic) Review of Truck Traffic on Logan Boulevard 8 •Logan Boulevard is an important connection between Collier and Lee County; •Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP, Florida Statute 339.2819) funds of $2,663,736 were used to build the road: •improve regionally significant transportation facilities that serve national, statewide or regional functions as part of an integrated transportation system; •parallel to I-75, part of the County’s arterial network, only north south connection to Lee County east of I-75 11.E.1 Packet Pg. 418 Attachment: Logan Boulevard Presentation BCC (15338 : Logan Blvd Truck Traffic) Review of Truck Traffic on Logan Boulevard 9 •To restrict truck traffic is contrary to the goals and objectives of the funding program; •Staff undertaking additional efforts to improve safety and operational efficiency: o Two median crossovers will be constructed this summer allowing for a turnaround movement in the median in case of an emergency; o Staff met twice with the adjacent communities, Riverstone, StoneCreek and Olde Cypress, to discuss improvements to their intersections on Logan Boulevard. 11.E.1 Packet Pg. 419 Attachment: Logan Boulevard Presentation BCC (15338 : Logan Blvd Truck Traffic) Conclusion & Recommendation 10 •The Traffic Management Center has monitored the intersection of Logan Blvd and Immokalee Rd and the truck traffic witnessed appears to be below the 5% mark. •Staff continues the ongoing efforts to manage traffic on Logan Boulevard and address community concerns. •Not recommended to restrict truck traffic on Logan Boulevard. 11.E.1 Packet Pg. 420 Attachment: Logan Boulevard Presentation BCC (15338 : Logan Blvd Truck Traffic)