AGENDA DATE: 2/17/2021
TITLE:
Title
5th Street Corridor STARS Study Final Report
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: To provide information to the Board of Supervisors on the VDOT 5th Street Corridor STARS Study Final Report.
ITEM TYPE: Consent Information Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Kamptner, Filardo, Rapp, McDermott, Butch
PRESENTER (S): Daniel Butch
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: The Virginia Department of Transportation conducted a transportation study of the 5th Street corridor between Harris Road in Charlottesville and Ambrose Commons Drive in Albemarle County. The study began in June 2019 and was supported by a stakeholder group made up of representatives from the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC), the Charlottesville‐Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization (CA‐MPO), Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT), and the 5th and Avon Community Advisory Committee. The study identified safety, congestion, and multi-modal issues to develop and recommend on-going, near-term, and long-term improvements.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Infrastructure Investment: Prioritize, plan, and invest in critical infrastructure that responds to past and future changes and improves the capacity to serve community needs.
DISCUSSION: VDOT established early and continuous engagement through the public involvement process that engaged community members through a variety of channels and opportunities. The study team gathered input and feedback from the public throughout the study through a mix of in-person and online outreach activities and public surveys. Community meetings were held with two key focus groups establishing goals and priorities at a 5th & Avon Community Advisory Committee meeting and with Southwood neighborhood residents. In 2020, an online public forum was organized for public feedback on priorities and alternative solutions that resulted in over 2,100 comments.
The 5th Street study goals were to:
1. Improve Safety and Comfort
2. Manage Congestion
3. Support Economic Development
4. Support Environmental Sustainability
5. Community Health
Evaluation went into automobile, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian conditions along 5th Street. The study assessed future travel projections and development patterns identifying specific on-going, near-term, and long-term safety and operational community-supported transportation solutions. The recommended solutions could serve as potential transportation improvements through future grant applications and could also be incorporated into a future update of the Southern and Western Development Areas Master Plan.
The final recommendations from the Corridor Study include significant improvements to the bicycle and pedestrian facilities along 5th Street and Old Lynchburg Road, as well as both major and minor improvements at the various intersections along the Corridor. One example is the recommendation to reconfigure the intersection at the 5th St/Old Lynchburg Rd/County Office Building entrance intersection to a roundabout. This recommendation has been submitted for Smart Scale funding and has received a recommendation for funding in the most recent round. The 5th Street Corridor STARS Study Executive Summary is attached (Attachment A) and the entire study can be found on the County’s website at this link <https://www.albemarle.org/home/showpublisheddocument?id=6230>.
BUDGET IMPACT: The study is complete and was conducted at no cost to the County. Future consideration of any project recommendations would occur as part of the Board’s regular transportation planning and prioritization process.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Board review the attached 5th Street Corridor Executive Summary (Attachment A) for information.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - 5th Street Corridor STARS Study Executive Summary