HomeMy WebLinkAboutPEC120036 REVISED TRAFFIC REPORT by Felsbur Holt and Ullevig_received 122112
December 21, 2012
Mr. Greg Hall, PE
Public Works Director
Town of Vail
75 S. Frontage Road
Vail, CO 81657
RE: Vail Golf Course Clubhouse Expansion – Traffic Impact Assessment
FHU Project No. 12-457-01
Dear Mr. Hall:
This letter-report is intended to provide information concerning the traffic impact associated with
the Vail Golf and Nordic clubhouse Remodel effort. The remodel would adjust the square footage
of a number of rooms (some increasing, some decreasing in size, some not changing at all)
resulting in a net increase of 2,974 square feet of space. The remodeling is intended to make the
clubhouse a more attractive option for various types of functions, as well as to accommodate larger
up to 200-person functions.
Questions have been raised about the traffic impact and parking needs relative to the expansion.
This letter-report addresses the traffic impact. A separate letter-report addresses the parking needs
of the venue given the expansion.
EXISTING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
Currently, the clubhouse serves the Vail Golf Course, which includes 18 holes, a driving range, and
a restaurant. While the remodeling would affect the configuration of one golf hole, it is not
anticipated to have an impact on the level of golfing that occurs. The only change in traffic will be
from that resulting from an increase in banquet-related functions and the notion that some of the
functions will be larger than those hosted in the past.
Sunburst Drive provides direct access to the clubhouse. As a two-lane road, Sunburst Drive
extends east approximately one-half mile from the site into a cul-de-sac turnaround. Approximately
one-quarter mile to west, Sunburst Drive intersects Vail Valley Drive East (also a two-lane
roadway), which extends to the South Frontage Road. Sunburst Drive also includes designated
bicycle lanes along the outside of the vehicular lanes.
December 21, 2012
Mr. Greg Hall, PE
Page 2
No recent traffic data are available along either of these roadways, but peak hour turning
movement count data collected back in the winter of 2005/2006 indicate that Vail Valley Drive East
served nearly 250 vehicles per hour during the PM peak hour just south of the South Frontage
Road. Using typical peak hour-daily traffic inferences, this would suggest that Vail Valley Drive
East serves between 2000 and 3000 vehicles per day during the peak winter season (just south of
the South Frontage Road). Much of this traffic “bleeds off” at the Vail Valley East/Sunburst Drive
intersection, leaving Sunburst Drive traffic levels estimated to be on the order 800 to 1200 vehicles
per day during the peak winter season just above Vail Valley Drive East.
Traffic count data are not available during the summer season. However, the Institute of
Transportation Engineers’ Trip Generation (9th edition) indicates that the average 18-hole golf
course can generate a total of 650 trips per day when in use. Vail’s Golf Course, being in a resort
environment, may function differently than a typical golf course in a suburban setting relative to
trip-making, but this is at least some sort of indicator of the traffic that Sunburst Drive may be
serving (at a minimum) west of the golf course during the summer season (plus that associated
with residential uses above Vail Valley Drive East).
The planning-level capacity of a two-lane road typically ranges from 10,000 to 15,000 vehicles per
day. Based on the aforementioned data, Sunburst Drive and Vail Valley Drive East appear to be
serving traffic levels well below these capacity levels.
EXPANSION TRIP GENERATION
The 2974 square-foot net increase is anticipated to attract more functions. Additional trip-making
associated with this attraction is closely tied to the nature, size, and frequency of banquet room
functions.
The nature of the remodeling is not specifically captured in the Institute of Transportation
Engineers’ Trip Generation. The closest land use category listed is a Recreational Community
Center, which is shown to include meeting rooms and many other uses as well. While not exactly a
match with the proposed expansion, it is the closest category in the manual. Based on the data for
this category, the 2974-square-foot expansion could generate an average 100 trips per day
additional as a Recreational Community Center.
Another way in considering the traffic impact is to examine the nature of increased activity that is
anticipated at the facility given the expansion. The project team has estimated that the expansion
would allow up to a 200-person function to take place, up from an estimated 140 persons at the
existing venue. The average sized banquet room function is estimated to increase from 100
persons to 140. In addition, the number of functions has been estimated to increase from
approximately 25 per year to between 65 and 70 per year.
Table 1 was prepared to better illustrate this alternate means of considering the traffic impact. This
table suggests that the average daily trip impact associated with the expansion would be on the
order of 18 trips per day. This is an average increase calculated by summing all of the additional
trips that occur over in a year’s time due to the expansion and dividing by 365 days. Clearly, there
will be times in which the impact is greater (Table 1 shows 200 trips per day could be generated by
the maximum function size), but there will a much greater number of days in which there will not be
any functions and hence, no traffic impact (more than 80 percent of the time). Also seen in the
table is that a 200-person banquet room function in the remodeled venue could add 30 trips per
hour compared to a peak capacity function today.
December 21, 2012
Mr. Greg Hall, PE
Page 3
TABLE 1. VAIL GOLF COURSE CLUBHOUSE EXPANSION TRIP ESTIMATES
Current Clubhouse
Usage
Proposed Clubhouse
Usage
Estimated Number of Functions per Year1 25 65
Average Function Size
Persons1
Daily Trips2
100
100
140
140
Maximum Function Size
Persons1
Daily Trips2
Peak Hour Trips3
140
140
70
200
200
100
Annualized Trips4 7 per day 25 per day
Trip Increase
Average Annual Daily Trip Increase
Peak Hour of a Maximum Capacity
Function
0
0
18 trips per day5
30 trips per hour6
1. Based on estimates provided by the project team.
2. Trips calculated from attendance, assuming one trip in and one trip out at two persons per auto.
3. Assumes that all attendees arrive over a one‐hour period, 2 persons per car.
4. Estimate based on calculated number of trips per year (number of functions multiplied by trips associated with average function size)
divided by 365 days per year.
5. Proposed usage trips minus current usage trips (25 trips per day minus 7 trips per day).
6. Proposed usage trips minus current usage trips (100 trips per hour minus 70 trips per hour).
SUMMARY
Based on the available data and the assessment presented here regarding trip making, there is no
indication that Sunburst Drive or Vail Valley Drive East would be overwhelmed by the net 2974
square-foot increase remodeling. The roadways appear to be functioning well below their
comfortable capacity, and even a peak banquet room function associated with the expansion
would generate only 200 trips per day, less than two percent of the road’s carrying capacity.
Should you have any questions regarding this progress report, please call me at 303-721-1440.
Sincerely,
FELSBURG HOLT & ULLEVIG
Christopher J. Fasching, PE, PTOE
Principal