09.02 Traffic Study Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 . Introduction _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -♦ a. Purpose of Study In 2017, Highway 371 underwent an expansion to a four-lane section from Nisswa to the south side of Jenkins. As a part of this expansion, the highway was re-routed around the City of Pequot Lakes. Where before the expansion Highway 371 ran along Patriot Avenue through downtown, the new highway bypasses the City on its east side and is accessible via interchanges. As expected, the new bypass has altered travel patterns and changed driving routes associated with the City. The purpose of this study is to be able to understand the magnitude and impacts of these changes and review the need or feasibility of making modifications to existing downtown intersections and roadways. For those not familiar with the general concepts and terms associated with traffic engineering, The Language of Traffic Engineering guide is included in the Appendix. Spack Consulting completed an "Existing Conditions" memorandum as a part of this study in June 2019. That document is included for review in the Appendix. b. Sfudy Objectives This study aims to answer three primary sets of questions: i. What are the current volumes through the City now that the new Highway is in place and drivers have acclimated to new travel patterns? How do these compare to past information such as the traffic forecasts when the new Highway was being designed? ii. Can Patriot Avenue from roughly West Lake Street on the south to Front Street on the north be narrowed, reduced in number of lanes, or reconfigured to allow parallel or diagonal parking, etc.? iii. Does the traffic (vehicle and non-vehicle) at any of the studied intersections necessitate geometric or traffic control modifications at those intersections (now and into the future) — with special consideration on the existing traffic signal system at Patriot Avenue / Main Street and the existing all-way Stop at Main Street/ Rasmussen Road? The first set of primary questions is addressed in the Existing Conditions memorandum. The other two sets of questions will be addressed in this study. The objectives of this study are: i. Review how the study intersections and roadways currently operate. ii. Forecast the amount of traffic growth expected in the study network. iii. Determine how the study intersections and roadways will operate in the future years 2024 and 2039. iv. Recommend appropriate mitigation measures if poor operations are identified including answering the second and third sets of primary questions. For the purposes of this traffic study, the study intersections chosen for review include: i. 2"d Street & Main Street ii. Patriot Avenue & Main Street Traffic Study � • . CONSULTING PequotLakes