09-17-2019 City Center Access
City Council Update
September 17, 2019
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Project Overview and Background
Why Now?
Congestion is increasing. Sound Transit link light rail is planned and funded to Tacoma, with the station in the City Center scheduled to open in 2024. this will spur development, and
improvements need to be identified to improve congestion and to not be precluded by Sound Transit construction.
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Federal Way - Now
Recession
Picture on the top is the congestion per Google maps; typical Tuesday at 5 PM. Notice the congested conditions on the SR 99, 320th,and I-5 SB off and NB off ramps..
Traffic volumes decreased with the recession, increasing again.
Anticipated to continue to grow with City Center development.
Federal Way Future
Year 2045 No Build PM Peak Hour Forecasts
Future Traffic Origin-Destination
Source: 2040 No Build travel demand model select link analysis
Year 2045 No Build PM Peak Hour
Outbound
Inbound
50% to City Center
5% to the North
30% to the West
15% to the South
45% from the East
20% from I-5 Northbound
35% from I-5 Southbound
Legend
Talking points:
Review O’D’s
Solution that reduces queue spillback onto I-5 and improves access to the City Center will need to address this issue
Project Overview and Background
Project Purpose and Need:
Improve economic vitality and quality of life:
Congested corridors, poor multimodal mobility, and delayed emergency response will continue to affect the quality of life and inhibit economic growth in the City Center.
Maintain integrity of the Interstate system:
Queues that backup on mainline I-5 impact regional mobility including freight and decrease safety. I-5 mobility needs to be maintained without impacting safety.
Decrease roadway congestion on S 320th Street as it affects transit and general travelling public to improve person mobility
Maintain or improve access to and from the City Center, considering side streets including key transit routes
Provide opportunities for through traffic to travel around rather than through the core.
Improve nonmotorized mobility to increase use of transit facilities
Improve I-5 mobility and safety by reducing I-5 off ramp queue
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Project Overview and Background
Local street improvements
Developed large list of possible local street improvements using community input
Conducted a study to understand how local improvements might improve congestion in City Center
Findings similar as 2009 study. Improvements to the local roadways alone will not alleviate the congestion issues on S 320th Street. Modifying access to the Interstate needs to be considered
to distribute traffic off of S 320th Street and onto other roadways.
This step was required by WSDOT/ FHWA before evaluating I-5 Access improvements
Local only alternative did not work, still had queue backing on the I-5 ramp affecting mainline traffic and 320th congestion did not meet targets. Additionally, the cost to do all tis
was about a $1billion
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Review Alternatives
S 312th Street Modified Interchange Ramps
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Review Alternatives
S 324th Street Modified Interchange Ramps
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Review Alternatives
312th/S 324th Street Combo Modified Interchange Ramps
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Review Alternatives
Evaluation
Criteria
Improve mobility by decreasing congestion on S 320th Street
Maintain or improve access to and from the City Center
Provide opportunities for traffic to travel around rather than through the core
Improve non-motorized mobility
Improve safety for the general traveling public on the Interstate and ramps, S 320th Street corridor, and study area
Be designed for feasibility and constructability
Address impacts to neighborhoods, parks, wetlands, and cultural resources
Address impacts to commercial and industrial properties and future land uses
Be acceptable to impacted residents and the public
Alternative Screening
Interchange Locations Eliminated
S 288th Street
S 296th Street
S 304th Street
S 336th Street
These interchanges do not provide relief on the S 320th Street corridor compared to the alternatives at S 312 Street and S 324th Street and required four new access points which decreases
safety.
Alternative Screening
The S 312th Street and S 324th Street interchange alternatives improve operations on S 320th Street and reduce queue spillback to I-5, thus meeting the baseline needs for traffic
Alternative Screening
S 312th Street interchange alternatives were eliminated due to:
Additional access points to I-5 decreasing safety
Operational impacts to Sound Transit
Incompatible with future planned I-5
High potential for Steel Lake Park and neighborhood impacts
Lack of stakeholder acceptance
S 312th Street does not directly serve the City Center core
Where We Are Now
Screening Interchange modification Alternatives at S 324th Street
Identification of a preferred solution at S 324th Street
Select Ramp Configuration
Select Intersection Control – S 324th Interchange
Select TDM/Nonmotorized Improvements
Local Elements
“these are the local improvements already identified in our comprehensive plan. Not all are necessary to be implemented immediately to improve city center congestion. Implementation
of specific improvements like S312th overcrossing and 32nd Ave S may be needed for future development.”
Bicycle, pedestrian, and transit connections
Additional local roadway and multimodal improvements are under consideration in support of the interchange modification to improve access to the City Center.
This map shows existing and planned King County Metro RapidRide lines in the vicinity of the City Center and Federal Way Comprehensive Plan non-motorized improvements that may become
part of the City Center Access Project.
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Public Process To-Date
Online and In Person Open House – April 2018
Stakeholder Interviews – 2018, 2019
Tabling events
Farmers Market 2018
Red white and Blues 2018, 2019
Summer Sounds 2018, 2019
Public Process To-Date
Neighborhood Meetings May – September 2019
Belmor Park
312th/ 324th neighborhoods
EJ Meetings June – July 2019
City/ Korean Community Quarterly Meeting
Community Connections Round Table
Business and Property Owner Meetings - 2018, May – September 2019
Upcoming Public Process
October 1-14, 2019 Online Open House
October 10, 2019 In Person Open House
Presenting:
Alternatives
Evaluation Process
Preferred alternative(s)
2A, 2B, or 2H
Signals vs Roundabouts
Multimodal improvement opportunities
Business/ Property Owner Meetings
Additional EJ Meetings
Next Steps with City Council
Next steps with City Council:
To concur with the preferred alternative for team to move forward with preliminary design, environmental review and Access Revision Report.
November 4 – Land Use and Transportation Committee
November 5 – City Council Meeting
Review Preferred Alternative
November 19
Council Adopt Preferred Alternative
Questions?
Following Slides for Reference if Needed
7/17/2019 26
7/17/2019
Bryan make this black page
Alternative 2A – split Diamond
8/21/2019 27
Alternative 2B – Grade Separated Ramps
8/21/2019 28
Alternative 2C – Arterial Couplet
8/21/2019 29
Alternative 2D – Grade Separated Ramps + Compatible with S 324th St SE Quadrant Loop Ramp
8/21/2019 30
Alternative 2E – Split Diamond + Compatible with S 324th St SE Quadrant Loop Ramp
8/21/2019 31
Alternative 2f – Grade Separated Ramps with Diverging Diamond
8/21/2019 32
Alternative 2g – Split Diamond with Roundabouts
8/21/2019 33
Alternative 2H – alt 2A + 2B Hybrid
8/21/2019 34
City Center Access Project
Urban growth center
In 1992 and 1993, Federal Way community members helped develop a vision for the creation of a Federal Way City Center. The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) designated the Federal
Way City Center as an urban growth center in 1994.
City Center Core: An area designed to handle the highest levels of infrastructure demand within Federal Way.
City Center Frame: A zone for dense, mixed-use development that surrounds and supports the core.
Urban growth center: A focal point for planned growth, economic development, and transportation infrastructure investments.
What is the problem?
The existing S 320th Street cannot handle the number of vehicles using it
Congestion moving into, out of, and around the City Center hinders economic vitality, including the movement of goods and services and future development opportunities
Congestion affects transit reliability
Inadequate pedestrian and bike access to the City Center
Emergency response on S 320th Street is affected
Traffic will back up on the I-5 ramps affecting I-5 through traffic
x
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