CR 03-185 Traffic Study - Former Knox Site•
December 12, 2003
` T Y U f-
NOPKlNS
Council Report 03-185
TRAFFIC STUDY -FORMER KNOX S11TE
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Proposed Action.
Staff recommends the following motion: Move to approve a contract with Short Elliott
Hendrickson lnc. SEH for a traffic stud for the redevelo ment of the former Knox site and
authorize the City Manager to sign the contract.
Overview.
Rudy Luther Hopkins Honda has purchased the former Knox site and is proposing to relocate
their Honda facility to this site in the future. With the redevelopment of this site, a traffic
study will have to be completed to analyze the traffic patterns in the area and the impact the
new facility will have. Honda is also looking into the possibly of having a connection from
Eighth Avenue to the former Knox site.
The contract will be with the City and SEH, with Honda reitnbLU-sing the City far the cost of
the study. I-Ionda has agreed to reimburse the City far the cost of the study.
The study is estimated at a cost i~ot to exceed $15,500. Any contract over $15,000 requires
City Council approval.
Su ortin Documents.
• Contract
Nanc S. Anderson, AICP
Planner
Financial impact: $ 0 Budgeted: YIN Source:
Related Documents (CiP, ERP, etc.):
Notes: ~
•
=SEfI
December 10, ?003
Ms. Nancy S. Anderson, AICP
Planner
Cit}r of Hopkins
1010 First Street South.
Hopkins, Milulesota 55343
Dear Nancy:
10901 Red Circle Drive, Suite 200, Minnetonka, MN 55343-9301 952.912.2600 952.912.2641 fAX
architecture engineering environmental transfiortat:gin
RE: Hopkins Honda Traffic Study
Hopkins, Mizuiesota
SEH No. P-HOPKN0403.00
Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. (SEH} is pleased to present a proposal for a traffic study of the
Proposed Hopkins Honda development located in the southwest quadrant of the Excelsior
Boulevard/Sty' Avenue South intersection in the City of Hopkins, Minnesota.
According to tl~e conceptual site plan provided to us during our November 18, 2003 meeting wit11
City staff, the proposed development of the site will consist of new and used car sales, a service
depaz•tment, and a body shop all consolidated in one building on the site of the old Knox Lumber
stare.
Based on information provided in the conceptual site plaza and discussions with City staff, access to
the site is currently provided on 5`I' Avenue South, at the same location as the existing access point
for the old Knox Ltunber stare. A secondary access is also being proposed on Excelsior Boulevard.
The access would be formed by extending the existing access apposite of 8ti' Avenue, south over the
Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority's regional trail. It is assumed that if this secondary
access is approved, it would become a full access to the site.
We believe the following work program will address the traffic impacts associated uTith the
development of the proposed Hopl~ins Florida.
Work Program
Meet with representatives of Hopkins Honda to obtain input on how their operations are
a~zticipated to fiulction at the proposed site. Determine the trip generation and distribution of
the proposed IIoplcins Hazlda development in terms of average weekday and p.m. peak hour
traffic volumes.
2. Conduct p.m. peak hour turning movement counts at the Excelsior Boulevard intersections with
Jt~' and 8tt' Avenues. Hezu~epin County is looking into revisions to the signal tizninn at the
intersection of Excelsior Boulevard and 5`h Avenue. Therefore, the data collection effort tivill
be coordinated with the County.
Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. Yflur-(rusted Resource Equal pppQrtunity Employer
1VIs. Nancy S. Anderson, AICP
December 10, 2003
Page 2
3. Conduct 48--hour mechanical tube counts on 5`~' Avenue, south of Excelsior Boulevard. These
counts will be set up to gather velucle classification information in order to help identify the
percentages and peak hours of truck traffic along Sth Avenue.
4. Develop annual average daily traffic volume projections for one year, 10 years, and 20 years
after the completion of the proposed development far the adjacent roadways, and p.m. peak
hour traffic volume projections at the following key intersections:
• Excelsior $oulevard at 5th Avenue South
• Excelsior $oulevard at 8t'' Avenue South
• 5`~' Avenue South at Site Access Driveway
S. Perform a capacity analysis of the key intersections in order to determine the necessary lane
configurations and intersection traffic control to accommodate the projected p.m. peals hour
traffic volumes given t11e following three access scenarios:
• Access linuted to Sig' Avenue
• Access limited to 8`~' Avenue
• Access to both St'' and 8t'' Avenues (with primary access on 5"')
6. Evaluate the pros and cons of having the proposed second access to the site off of Excelsior
Boulevard. Consideration will be given to the fiiture Metro Transit plans for the existing parlc-
and-ride in the southeast quadrant of the Excelsior Boulevard/8t~' Avenue intersection; access to
and from the existing office building located in the southwest quadrant of the intersection; and
access across the Hezu~epin County Regional Railroad Authority's right-of--way which currently
contains a tt•ail, and has also been identified as a potential future light rail transit corridor. Meet
with representatives from Metro Transit to obtain their future plans for the park-and-ride.
7. E~ualt~at~th~p~s~nc~co~ssof ~es~n~iz~ t~r~ a~~~~i~1~~r~n~'~i~~ ~saai~}~.
8. Conduct a preliminary review of the existing trail crossing of 5th Avenue (south of Excelsior
$oulevard). Provide recanuz~.endations, as needed, in order to improve pedestrian safet}r at the
crossing.
9. Prepare a draft report that sununarizes the work performed in the above defined work program.
Meet with City staff to discuss the findings and conclusions of the draft report, revise the draft
report as required, and prepare a final traffic study report. Attend tGVO public meetings to
discuss the findings and conclusions of the traffic study.
The scope of work described above is our best estimate of the work that will be required to
satisfactorily complete the traffic study that will be submitted to the City of Hopkins for their
analysis and review.
Included in this work program are five meetings (one with IIoplcins Honda, one with .Metro Transit,
ane with City staff, and two public meetings). Any additional meetings and/or services beyond the
Ms. Nancy S. Anderson, AICP
December 10, 2003
• Page ~
scope of the above work program, requested by the client shall be billed based on an hourly fee
basis.
Cast Estimate
5EH will undertake the traffic engineering services outlined in the above work program far a total
cost not-to-exceed of $15,500. Modifications may affect the above quoted estimate. Qur fee is
based on our hourly payroll cost times a multiplier for general overhead and profit. Actual costs of
reimbursable expenses will be charged and are included in the estimated fee.
We will begin work as soon as we receive your authorization to proceed. It is estimated that the
work will take approximately four weeks to complete, depending on when authorization to proceed
is received, and the traffic counts are completed. Since we are entering the time of year that poor
weather and Holiday traffic can have an impact on when traff c counts can be taken, we would
propose that the traffic counts be gathered as soon as possible and at the very latest, the third week
of December. If poor weather does not allow far us to conduct the required counts by the third
weep of December; we would have to postpone the data collection efforts until the fixst full week of
January 2004 in order to avoid Holiday traffic patterns. In that case, the study would not likely be
completed until the end of Ja~iuary/early February 2Q04.
Please review the presented work program and cost estimate. If you are in agreement, please sign
both copies of this letter, acid return one copy to us as our formal notice to proceed with the work.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact John Hagen at
952.912.2643, or Dave Halter at 612.75$.&821.
Respectively submitted,
Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc.
"~-~n
Dave C. Halter, P.E, John M. Hagen, P.E.
Principal, Client Service Manager Transportation Engineer
JMH/jmh/MEK
c',lhaeeri~pmposa%hopkinshondal 119gi, doc
Accepted this day of , 2003
CITY OF HOPI~TNS, NHNNESOTA
By:
Title: