HomeMy WebLinkAboutemail Floriani on design standardsMalone, Walter
From: Floriani, Vince
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2015 2:04 PM
To: Malone, Walter
Subject: MSP Change - Kanis Rd Design Standard
Walter,
Use the information below as you wish. You may need to reorganize and reword. That is OK by me.
Public Works staff cannot recommend approval of the MSP change to Kanis Rd between Burlingame Rd and Stewart Rd
from 22 ft of pavement with 4 ft gravel shoulders to 20 ft of pavement and no shoulders. Per the MSP, this part of Kanis
Rd is a minor arterial street with a special design standard. A typical minor arterial street is 59 ft wide with 5 lanes in a
90 ft 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 number will increase in the future as the City of Little
Rock city boundary moves west. Staff believes the current MSP street section for Kanis Rd will be insufficient in the
future.
The current City of Little Rock minor residential street design consisting of 2 —11 ft lanes is the narrowest street section
at 24 ft total width. The service volume on this street is 400 vehicle trips per day. With the MSP change, Kanis Road
with its current traffic volume is proposed to be constructed to a street section that is narrower than a minor residential
street and a lane width of 10 ft. This section of Kanis Road will operate at a level of service E (LOS -E) at the best. Street
section designs found in the MSP are for a LOS C or better based on the expected traffic volume.
Streets with 10 ft lanes and no shoulders are less safe than wider streets with shoulders. The typical lane width of a
street is 11 ft. The minimum allowed street width per the latest version of the International Fire Code is 20
ft. 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 with Class 2 Bike Paths. The paths will be constructed of asphalt adjacent
to the travel lane and at a minimum width of 5 ft. This width will discourage vehicular traffic use and keep the path free
of debris. Finally, it should be mentioned that the proposed right-of-way for this section of Kanis Rd is 90 ft. Even
though the street maybe narrower, the right-of-way is the same as typical minor arterial streets and can be cleared to
provide utilities.
Thanks,
Vince Floriani, P.E.
Little Rock Public Works -Civil Engineering
701 W. Markham St.
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
501-371-4817