2015-03-31 Traffic - Sun Homes.Reckson Phase 3 Amendments
To: Village of Rye Brook Planning Board
Date: March 31, 2015
Subject: Traffic Study for Sun Homes at Reckson Executive Park,
Village of Rye Brook, New York – Review of Traffic
Impact Study (#538.662)
As requested, we have completed a review of the Traffic Access and Impact
Study prepared by Maser Consulting P.A., dated January 14, 2015. The
proposed Sun Homes at Reckson Executive Park will be located in the
western portion of the Reckson Executive Park located on the west side of
King Street and north of Anderson Hill Road. The proposal is to extend
International Drive to serve this residential development.
Project Description
There is a previous approval for the Reckson Executive Park (R.E.P.) Phase
III comprising 280,000 square feet of office space. The current proposal is
to instead construct a mix of single-family homes and attached homes
totaling 110 units, with 10 units set aside to be affordable. The traffic
analysis is based on 2014 existing traffic conditions, 2019 future no-build
and 2019 build traffic conditions.
The Applicant has provided both an analysis for build conditions with the
approved 280,000 square feet of office space and build conditions with the
110 residential units.
Traffic Comments
Based on the review of the Traffic Report and Site Plan, the following
comments are provided:
1. 2014 Existing Conditions – As noted in the previous Traffic Study
for the Reckson Sports Amenity project, comparing the existing site
traffic generation obtained from the Institute of Transportation
Engineers (ITE) in “Trip Generation” 9th Edition, 2012, rates
2
indicate that currently the site is generating significantly less traffic than expected.
The existing development, according to the Applicant, currently has a total of
540,000 square feet of office space, with 154,000 square feet of the space vacant.
From the turning movement counts, the existing buildings on the site are
generating a total of 171 and 226 vehicle trip ends during the weekday morning
and weekday afternoon peak hours, respectively. However, based on ITE rates
and using the fitted curve equation for the weekday morning and weekday
afternoon peak hours, a site with 386,000 square feet of occupied office space
could generate a total of 564 and 511 vehicle trip ends during the peak hours noted
above. The Applicant should therefore follow the same methodologies used in the
Reckson Sports Amenity Traffic Study to account for this condition. Also see
comment number 3 below.
2. Accident Experience – The Applicant should provide the latest three years of
available accident data from either New York State Department of Transportation
(NYSDOT), Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) and/or the
Rye Brook/Greenwich Police Departments and summarized in a tabular format.
3. No-Build Conditions – An annual growth rate of two percent was utilized and is
acceptable to expand the baseline volumes. The 154,000 square feet of vacant
office space was included in the other developments section. As mentioned in
comment number 1, the same methodologies that were used to account for both
the vacant space and the significant difference between the traffic counts and ITE
rates for the occupied office space should be followed.
It was mentioned in the Traffic Study that the Brunswick School Expansion and
Kingswood Residential Development are included in the growth rate. However, in
the previous study for Reckson Sports Amenity, the Brunswick School Expansion
traffic was included as another development and; therefore, the same methodology
should be followed. We believe that Kingswood should also be added as another
development.
The Applicant has not accounted for the temporary closure of PepsiCo Corporate
Park. This traffic should be added to the other development section and account
for the proposed full master plan, which indicates a population of 2,400
employees. Also, there was no mention of the proposed Trinity Church on
Anderson Hill Road. This will generate very little traffic during the peak hours
analyzed and we believe would be included in the growth rate used.
3
There is a proposal, but no formal application, at SUNY Purchase for
approximately 385 unit senior housing development. As there is no formal
application into the Village/Town of Harrison, the exclusion is acceptable. Also,
on the SUNY Campus there has been a reference to adding more dormitories.
Again, there is no formal application; however, we believe that the addition of
dormitories may add minimal new traffic and would be accounted for in the
growth rate.
Lastly, there is a proposal for a new parking garage at Westchester County
Airport. This project will not add a significant amount of traffic to the Study Area
and we believe it is accounted for in the growth rate. The missing other
developments and the use of the same methodologies used in the Reckson Sports
Amenity Study should be added and the no-build volumes be revised.
4. Site Traffic Generation – The Applicant used the ITE trip rates to calculate the
remaining approved 280,000 square feet of office space vehicle trip ends and is
acceptable. It is our opinion that it should be calculated using the fitted curve
equation for 820,000 square feet and for 540,000 square feet and the difference
between the two would be the site traffic generation for the approved 280,000
square feet of office space.
For the proposed residential development, the Applicant has used the ITE rates for
single-family homes to calculate the estimated site traffic generation. A review of
the site plan indicates that this development consists of 25 single-family homes
and 85 attached homes. Using ITE rates for both single-family homes and
condominium/townhouse type buildings, we developed the following comparison
Table:
SOURCE
TRAFFIC
DIRECTION
VEHICLE TRIP ENDS
Weekday
Morning
Weekday
Afternoon
From Traffic Study Enter
Exit
Total
22
65
87
From Traffic Study
From ITE Using Single-
Family and
Condominium/Townhouse
Enter
Exit
Total
13
51
64
From ITE Using
Single-Family and
Condominium/
Townhouse
4
The site traffic volumes used in the Traffic Study and analysis are higher and
should be considered conservative.
5. Site Traffic Distribution and Assignment – The Applicant provided a site traffic
distribution and assignment for both office and residential developments and is
acceptable.
6. Build Traffic Volumes – Build volumes should be revised, as needed. Refer to
comments 1 and 3.
7. Traffic Impact Analysis – We have reviewed the Synchro Files submitted for
existing conditions and the proper timing inputs were used. The peak hour factors
used for both the weekday morning and weekday afternoon peak hours for both
intersections should match the field data. A vehicle queue/storage analysis should
be provide for all signalized intersections.
Site Plan Review
A review of the Site Plan, identified as the Illustrative Plan, and prepared by Divney
Tung Schwalbe indicates the residential development will be located to the west of the
existing Office Park. It will have access via an extension of International Drive, provide
an internal roadway circulation plan providing access to each of the proposed units.
A secondary access is shown on the plan near the northerly boundary and providing
access to the northwest corner of a large parking area currently serving the Office
Complex. The Applicant should indicate if this will be emergency access only or provide
for full movements at all times.
The plan shows two dead-end roadways serving several units. However, these dead-end
roadways do not include any turnaround area for residents and guests, as well as
emergency vehicles and; therefore, should be investigated to determine options of
eliminating these dead-end aisles.
The main spine of International Drive, as an extension into the residential development
indicates perpendicular parking on this roadway. It is recommended that since this will
serve the entire residential area that these parking spaces be relocated so that motorists
are not backing in and out of these parking spaces along this particular roadway.
5
The Applicant may consider a roundabout concept for the southerly terminus of this
International Drive access road into the residential development at its location to the most
southerly homes to be located in a plaza-type layout.
As part of the overall development of the site, visitor parking should be identified to
serve the entire development. The Applicant should indicate if the driveway aprons are
intended for residents and guests and how these driveways will serve each home.
Findings
Based on the comments generated by our review of the Traffic Report, the Applicant
should provide responses to each of the comments. When all the requested information is
provided a second review will be conducted.
Michael A. Galante
Executive Vice President
Steven T. Cipolla
Associate/Transportation
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