The group would like to thank Professor Jack Reilly, Teaching

Assistants Steve Yang, Bo Li, and Yiwei Zhou, and our mentor

Michael Kowalczyk for their continuous support of this project.

Acknowledgements

External Transportation Improvements for Washington Avenue & Fuller Road Mixed Use Site

Brett Cutler, Robert Fohrenbach, Shahira Hussein, Sofia Kyle, Alexander Lin

Civil Engineering Capstone Design, Spring 2015

Traffic ModelingSummary

Alternatives Analysis & Final Design Choices

Trip Generation and Distribution

Geometric Design

The site is located just west of the SUNY Albany Campus, south

of Washington Avenue and I-90, and east of I-87. The scope of

work is to improve traffic conditions on a realignment of

Washington Avenue, the intersection of Washington Avenue and

Fuller Road, and the intersection of Fuller Road and Tricentennial

Drive.

Mixed-use development is a type of development where multiple

building types are situated closely together on a single site. As a

result, the users of the roadways adjacent to the site will vary with

time of day, straining the network at certain peak hours.

The existing intersections suffer from heavy traffic volumes and

delays of over 80 seconds per vehicle. Additionally, pedestrian

access is either missing or insufficient.

The current design of intersections cannot accommodate the

current traffic, let alone the additional traffic that will be attracted by

the development of the site. In order to reduce congestion and

accommodate the community’s vision for development,

transportation improvements must be made.

Lighting, Drainage, and Safety

High pressure sodium bulbs will illuminate

our roadways. They have a very long lamp life

with minimal reduction in light level over time.

Catch basins will be placed at low points of

elevation to collect water and debris. Signs will be

placed to inform users of the new conditions.

These provisions will keep the system safe and

operational for many years.

EstablishmentWD AM

IN

WD AM

Out

WD PM

In

WD PM

Out

Sat Peak

In

Sat Peak

Out

Sun Peak

In

Sun Peak

Out

Dorms 10 24 25 17 18 20 18 20

Library 191 199 100 100 100 100 100 100

Theater 190 190 205 205 275 275 275 275

Athletic Center 26 23 18 26 11 9 15 12

Winery - - 163 77 196 92 - -

Restaurant 169 123 182 169 137 121 175 143

Hotel 20 30 28 24 22 27 24 21

Total (veh/hr) 606 589 721 618 759 644 607 571

Traffic was forecasted in

conjunction with the Institute

of Transportation Engineers

Trip Generation Manual, 8th

edition, and further adjusted to

match realistic expectations of

trip generation. Trips were

distributed onto our network

using TransCAD and gravity

distribution models.

The additional traffic generated by the mixed use site was added

to existing traffic volumes. The overall geometry of the network

was modelled in SYNCHRO 6 and SimTraffic. This method

provides Level of Service (LOS) for both individual lane groups

and each intersection overall. Level of Service measures how well

an intersection operates, and is expressed as a letter grade from A

to F. The final combination of design alternatives is the only

solution that achieves LOS C (desirable) or LOS D (acceptable) for

the worst case condition: Saturday PM Peak Hour.

IntersectionLOS at Estimated

Time of

Completion (ETC)

LOS 30 years after

ETC

Washington Avenue and Fuller Road

Existing Signalized

IntersectionF F

Realignment and Grade

Separation of Washington Ave

Over Two Lane RoundaboutC D

Fuller Road and Tricentennial Drive

One-Lane Roundabout

with Slip RampB C

New Signalized

IntersectionE F

Supernova Lane (new site access)

Right Turn Only LanesA A

A list of feasible alternatives were considered and analyzed for

their ability to meet this project’s objectives. A summary of key

features is shown below. Design choices are bolded.

Washington Avenue and Fuller Road1. The null alternative would result in continued deterioration of

the intersection's functionality.

2. Improving the existing signalized intersection, even with

construction of additional lanes, would not sufficiently improve

traffic operations.

3. Realigning Washington Avenue would allow for successful

construction of a two-lane roundabout. A four-lane bridge

spanning over this roundabout would remove eastbound

and westbound through traffic on Washington Avenue. This

alternative improves overall level of service, reduces conflicting

lane movements, and decreases emissions by reducing the

amount of idling cars.

Fuller Road and Supernova Lane1. Supernova Lane, a new construction that provides access to

the site, will be restricted to right turns in and out.

Disallowing left turns reduces conflict and improves traffic flow.

This alternative will allow for free flow of traffic at the estimated

time of completion, as well as 30 years into the future.

2. A new signalized intersection was considered, but is unnecessary

as it is more expensive to construct.

Fuller Road and Tricentennial Drive1. The existing one-lane roundabout experiences a large

southbound right turn movement, which reduces the efficiency

of its operation.

2. A slip ramp on Fuller Road allows vehicles coming

southbound to turn right onto Tricentennial Drive, without

entering the roundabout.

3. A new signalized intersection would result in an unacceptable

amount of delay per vehicle, and is more expensive to construct.

Overall cost estimation of project: $18.1 million

Intersections

Fuller

Ro

ad

Supernova Lane

Fuller

Ro

ad