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HomeMy WebLinkAboutstaff reportNovember 5, 2015 ITEM NO.:. 8 FILE NO.: MSP15-02 Name: Master Street Plan Amendment Location: Kanis Road, Chenal Downs Blvd. to Walnut Grove Road Request: Modify the design standard to two 10.5 foot lanes with no shoulders Source: Michael Mitchell PROPOSAL/REQUEST: To amend the Master Street Plan design standards for the Arterial section of Kanis Road from Chenal Downs Boulevard to Walnut Grove Road to two travel lanes of 10.5 feet each and no shoulders from two 11 -foot lanes with two 4 -foot gravel shoulders. ANALYSIS: Ordinance 18510 approved June 19, 2001 reduced the design standard for Kanis Road west of Stuart Road to two 11 -feet lands with two 4 -foot gravel shoulders. Kanis Road was and is classified as a Minor Arterial. This was not changed in 2001 and is not proposed for a change currently. The amendment 14 years ago was an attempt to maintain the rural character of the road as it develops. This amendment's intend is to further protect the tree canopy along Kanis Road through 'Fletcher Hollow'. The stretch of Kanis Road, between Walnut Grove Road and Chenal Downs Boulevard, has ridges along either side of the road making development difficult. The zoning pattern and future Land Use Plan designations both call for single family development along this corridor. The traffic volumes along this stretch of Kanis Road have been from 1900 to 2300 trips a day for several years., MetroPlan projects the traffic will increase to between 4000 and 6000 trips per day by 2040. Due to the development pattern, current and projected, in the area and location beyond the City, the range of possible volumes is greater than typical for this segment. Kanis Road has always been a route for traffic coming to Little Rock from areas to the west. The applicant and Staff agree that this will continue in the future and that the functional classification of Arterial is appropriate. The area south of Kanis Road through this corridor is now developed or proposed to be developed as large lot residential with no direct access to Kanis Road from the residential tracts, only three street access points along this two plus mile corridor would exist. A typical minor arterial street is 59 -feet wide with 5 -lanes in a 90 -feet of right-of-way similar to Markham St. between Shackleford Rd and Bowman Rd. Approximately 2000 vehicles per day travel on this portion of Kanis Rd today. It is expected the November 5, 2015 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont. FILE NO.: MSP15-02 number will increase as more land is developed west of Little Rock. Staff is concerned that the current reduced standard for Kanis Road will be insufficient in the future. The current City of Little Rock `Minor Residential Street' design consisting of 2 — 11 foot lanes is the narrowest street section at 24 feet total width. The service volume on a Minor Residential Street is 400 vehicle trips per day. With the proposed Master Street Plan amendment, Kanis Road with its current traffic volume is proposed with a street section that is narrower than a Minor Residential Street. This section of Kanis Road will operate at a level of service E (LOS -E) at the best. Street section designs found in the Master Street Plan are for a LOS C or better based on the expected traffic volume. Streets with 10 -foot lanes and no shoulders are less safe than wider streets with shoulders. The typical lane width of a street is 11 feet. The minimum allowed street width per the latest version of the International Fire Code is 20 feet. Shoulders are constructed for drivers to safely find refuge during times of crisis and not obstruct the travel lanes. Kanis Road is on the Master Bike Plan as a Class 2 Bike Path. A Bike Path along a shoulder road is typically the paved shoulder. Pulaski County Planning has informed the City that they have classified this road - the Kanis Road Scenic Corridor. The standard they would recommend is two (2A 10 foot lands with two five foot shoulders (which could be used as bike lanes) within a 60 -foot right-of-way with no sidewalks. They do not recommend any further design reductions for the corridor. Both the City and County regulations require a 30 -foot wide road consisting of two -travel lanes and two shoulders. Both staffs recommend no further reduction to the design standard. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: The applicant notified 16 adjacent property owners. Staff has received 17 emails and 1 phone in support and one against the amendment as of this writing. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff believes the change is not appropriate and recommends denial. 2 Area Zoning Case: MSP15-02 N Location: Kanis Road, between Walnut Grove and Chenal Downs Ward: N/A PD: 21 0 450900 1,800 Feet CT: 42.02 TRS: T2N R14W33 E r v o° CHENL OVAVE T pR'• ' J ' �p a'!!°an�D.E vL1VlLL•E,CIf� , j 1 � G�FiB°o°o o ok'vSvg .a 6 0. s e 0 � � . • i �� g -06g a°y�Cy�<yr� v Fav � Z•+' Qa° o o- �.�ti O duv C,1 ■ i a r,� � N'� a� ' • * rp"ate, �Ae .w , 4 • � �' � ' z .. . -�--- � 'q,� ° o ®�° ao�,�� .fin •• ■ ''^ �• .9 GTS U I � � �n` ° dna G • 6A ..A .nbs • Yn��/e ° 9s �o pv.o a g _ . r ''rar �•• !-_city-Lilnits� -'' ;.. • ,-r;C�iyG a RD 'gEECE •m zfft FOXRI?GE ��`� This Segment e'ertis o TRAIf:S•END•RO +♦ s m ° :( ca REFS 5Cp`Q♦ a ° ° . F ° 0 e . w a 0 Legend MSP e o a •'► r .• Cfi SCADD_TYPE ° e TOpy,C ° �`° .. YT� b■� •p ° a ' SIMAON LN + ' NONE PROPOSED PRINCIPAL ARTERIAL ° a 6 + _ ;, ° ° 1;4 v + - gyp: PRINCIPAL ARTERIAL ■ ■ IF PROPOSED MINOR ARTERIAL - 4IONEC v %ry - •. f G� A��� b ' i MINOR ARTERIAL _ COLLECTOR 11 f}AVfS Rp I Master Street Plan Amendment Case: MSP15-02 N Location: Kanis Road, Walnut Grove to Chenal Downs Boulevard Ward: NA PD: 21 0 7501,500 3,000 Feet CT: 42.02 TRS: T2N R14W33