Comprehensive Access Planning Is Key to Economic Sustainability

The purpose of this paper is to relate a planning procedure for the systematic retrofit of a four lane suburban expressway to a six lane urban freeway. The retrofit is likely years away and will require a number of projects over multiple funding programs. To develop an implementation-ready corridor access management plan, it is necessary to balance priorities for land-use (intensity, livability, walkability, and sustainability) and desires for public safety and accessibility on the public roadway system (safety and capacity constraint). The desired result is a plan that will systematically retrofit a suburban expressway into an urban freeway through a combination of access management, corridor preservation, and development coordination. Land-uses and transportation networks exist in a demand/supply relationship just as any economic system, and a general equilibrium is sought throughout the years required for full retrofit. Negative economic and environmental impacts will compound over time, and the public safety will be compromised, if inappropriate access connections and intersection controls are allowed. An area-wide access management plan was developed beginning with an understanding of future traffic generation/distribution characteristics and the capacity constraint requirements of the various regulatory partners. A VISSIM model was developed with the capacity constraints and future traffic demands were added. Points of interchange with the freeway system were identified, and then “nodes” of connection for the supporting street network were added. With a transportation system framework in place, a land-use plan was developed. Development characteristics were identified that will fully leverage the capacity of the planned transportation network. The foundation of an implementation plan was developed to allow for cooperation and coordination between multiple levels of government. Execution of this plan will provide for improved economic and environmental sustainability and public safety.