highway capacity software hcs) 2000 version 4

Final Environmental Impact Statement Section II.C

Kosciuszko Bridge Project II-35 September 2008

eastbound LIE traffic volumes east of Maurice Avenue will be 7,070 and 6,150 vph during the a.m. peak hour and 6,610 and 6,980 vph during the p.m. peak hour.

2045 No Build traffic volumes along Meeker Avenue between Vandervoort Avenue and Morgan Avenue in the eastbound and westbound directions are projected to be 980 and 760 vph during the a.m. peak hour and 920 and 920 vph during the p.m. peak hour.

Vehicle composition of traffic on the BQE, LIE and on local streets for both 2015 and 2045 No Build years is projected to remain unchanged from present conditions. Similarly, since the BQE will continue to operate without a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, vehicle occupancies are also not projected to change significantly from present conditions.

C.1.i. Level of Service

This section summarizes travel conditions on the expressway, ramps, and key local streets in the traffic study area. LOS is a qualitative measure of operational conditions of a roadway, based on service measures such as speed and travel time, freedom to maneuver, traffic interruptions, comfort, and convenience. Six LOS are defined for each type of facility. Letters designate each level, from A to F, with LOS A representing the best operating conditions and LOS F the worst. Each level of service represents a range of operating conditions and the driver’s perception of those conditions. Additional detail on all Level of Service analyses is included in Appendix B.

METHODOLOGY

Highway Capacity Software (HCS) 2000 version 4.1f and VISSIM Release 4.10 were used to estimate quality of flow in terms of LOS, density, and volume-to-capacity (v/c) ratios for expressway elements including basic freeway segments, weaving segments, ramp roadways, and ramp junctions along the BQE and LIE.

The HCS is based on methodology presented in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), Special Report 209, published by the Transportation Research Board and is a widely used traffic/transportation tool that is well adapted for the evaluation of individual segments, ramps and intersections. However, HCS is better suited for traffic conditions that have not fully reached congested conditions. VISSIM is a microscopic model that uses a system approach and analyzes an entire transportation network, as well as individual network links including freeway segments, ramps connections, and local streets. VISSIM also has the ability to analyze traffic conditions that are affected by periods of traffic congestion. Since traffic conditions on the project highways and local streets tend to operate at a high level of congestion during peak periods, the analysis was performed using both HCS and VISSIM.

FREEWAY SEGMENTS

The LOS of a freeway segment is primarily evaluated in terms of density (in passenger cars per kilometer [mile] per lane, pc/km/ln and pc/mi/ln) since the freedom to maneuver within the traffic stream and the proximity to other vehicles are of concern to drivers. Unlike speed, density increases as flow increases up to capacity. Speed and service flow rate (passenger cars per hour per lane, pc/hr/ln) are secondary measures of LOS. The following are the operating characteristics for the six LOS for freeway segments:



LOS A – Describes free-flow conditions. Vehicles are almost completely unimpeded in their ability to maneuver within the traffic stream. The effects of incidents are easily absorbed at this level.

LOS B – Represents reasonably free-flow conditions. Free-flow speeds are maintained and the ability to maneuver is only slightly restricted. The general level of physical and psychological comfort provided to drivers is still high and the effects of minor incidents are still easily absorbed.

LOS C – Provides for flow with speeds at or near the free-flow speed of the freeway. Freedom to maneuver is noticeably restricted with the need for more care to make lane changes. Minor incidents may still be absorbed, but the local deterioration in service will be substantial. Queues may start upon any significant blockage.

LOS D – Level at which speeds begin to decline slightly while increasing flows and densities begin to increase more quickly. Freedom to maneuver is more noticeably limited and the driver experiences reduced comfort levels. Even minor incidents can be expected to create queuing.

LOS E – The highest level of density with freeway operating at capacity. Operation is volatile, with no usable gaps and very little room to maneuver. Any disruption or incident can be expected to create a breakdown with extensive queuing. Maneuvering is extremely limited and level of comfort is poor.

LOS F – Describes breakdowns in vehicular flow. Forced flow where volume is less than capacity and stoppages may be short or long in duration with the potential for great delays and long queues.

Detailed basic freeway capacity analyses were performed for ten eastbound and eleven westbound segments along the BQE project limits.

RAMP ROADWAYS AND RAMP JUNCTIONS

The primary measurement of LOS for ramps, either entering or exiting a freeway, is density (in pc/km/ln and pc/mi/ln). Speed (in km/h and mph) in the influence area of the ramp is also used, but only as a secondary measurement. LOS A through E indicates that no breakdowns in traffic flow are apparent.

SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS

The quality of flow for a signalized intersection can also be expressed in terms of LOS, which is a function of the amount of delay a driver typically experiences at an intersection, or in terms of v/c ratio, which is often interpreted as a measure of congestion. While both of these measures are necessary to appropriately assess the operating conditions of a signalized intersection, LOS is a better indicator of what drivers perceive as favorable or unfavorable driving conditions. Factors such as long cycle lengths and poor signal progression can contribute to poor LOS values but favorable v/c ratios, while short delays and optimized signal progression can result in the opposite. The HCM defines LOS for signalized intersections as follows:

LOS A – Delays of 0 to 10 seconds; very favorable operating conditions with minimal control delay.



LOS B – Delays of 10 to 20 seconds; very favorable operating conditions with minimal control delay.

LOS C – Delays of 20 to 35 seconds; possible longer cycle lengths and occasional cycle failures.

LOS D – Delays of 35 to 55 seconds; perceived as the early stage of congestion at a signalized intersection; upper limit of “acceptable” delay.

LOS E – Delays of 55 to 80 seconds; traffic flow remains predictable but is frequently subjected to cycle failures.

LOS F – Delays longer than 80 seconds; unstable flow may result, possibly leading to stop-and-go conditions.

UNSIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS

The quality of flow for an unsignalized intersection is dependent on the available gaps in the major street flow through which minor (stop-controlled) street traffic can execute crossing or turning maneuvers. The vehicular conflicts resulting from these maneuvers determine the individual processing capacities for the critical movements through the intersection, which include the left-turn movements from the major streets and all movements from the minor streets. The operational descriptors for unsignalized intersections are similar to those for signalized intersections, but with slightly different delay thresholds. The HCM defines LOS for unsignalized intersections as follows:

LOS A – Delays of 0 to 10 seconds.

LOS B – Delays of 10 to 15 seconds.

LOS C – Delays of 15 to 25 seconds.

LOS D – Delays of 25 to 35 seconds; upper limit of “acceptable” delay.

LOS E – Delays of 35 to 50 seconds.

LOS F – Delays longer than 50 seconds.

EXISTING CONDITIONS

FREEWAY SEGMENTS

Detailed analysis was conducted for both directions of the BQE from Tillary Street to the LIE Interchange and eight eastbound and ten westbound ramps within this section of the BQE. (See Figure II-10, “Kosciuszko Bridge Project Traffic Study Areas,” for the location of noted streets.)

Freeway volume, ramp volume, length of acceleration lane and the free flow speed of ramps at the merge point are the critical variables affecting flow on the expressway, ramps, and the local street system. Since the BQE in the project area is an elevated structure in a highly developed urban area, most of the ramps in the project have steep grades and relatively short



acceleration/deceleration areas. The high truck volumes on these ramps further increase the impact of vehicles traveling up the ramps and merging into the expressway.

Eastbound BQE

Table II-18 and Figure II-23, “Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Level of Service – BQE,” show that, in the eastbound direction, the Kosciuszko Bridge, starting from the Vandervoort Avenue entrance ramp, is a bottleneck to otherwise generally acceptable traffic conditions. In the a.m. peak hour, the eastbound BQE operates at LOS D or better in segments from Tillary Street to the Vandervoort Avenue entrance ramp, except for the Metropolitan Avenue exit which operates at LOS E. Segments from the Vandervoort Avenue entrance ramp to the LIE eastbound/westbound service road exit operate at LOS E and F in the a.m. peak hour with densities that range from 26 to 41 pc/km/ln, (41 to 66 pc/mi/ln). Segments between the LIE exit and the Queens Boulevard exit operate at LOS C or better in the a.m. peak hour. In the p.m. peak hour, segments from Tillary Street to the Vandervoort Avenue entrance operate at LOS D or better except for the Williamsburg Bridge exit which operates at LOS E. During the p.m. peak hour, the BQE accommodates extremely high traffic volumes in the eastbound direction causing congestion to occur in most segments between the Vandervoort Avenue entrance and the LIE eastbound/westbound service road exit with LOS F and densities ranging from 49 to 73 pc/km/ln, (80 to 118 pc/mi/ln). Segments from the LIE EB/WB service road exit to the Queens Boulevard exit operate at LOS C or better in the p.m. peak hour.



TABLE II-18: EXISTING (2002) EASTBOUND BQE LEVEL OF SERVICE

Segment/ Ramp Number Segment A.M. P.M.

1 From Tillary Street Entrance to Flushing Avenue Exit D D

R1 Flushing Avenue Exit D D

2 From Flushing Avenue Exit to Williamsburg Street Entrance C C

R2 Williamsburg Street Entrance D C

3 From Williamsburg Street Entrance to Metropolitan Avenue Exit D D

R3 Metropolitan Avenue Exit E D

4 From Metropolitan Avenue Exit to Williamsburg Bridge Entrance D C

R4 Williamsburg Bridge Entrance D E

5 From Williamsburg Bridge Entrance to McGuinness Boulevard Exit D D

R5 McGuinness Boulevard Exit D D

6 From McGuinness Boulevard Exit to Vandervoort Avenue Entrance D D

R6 Vandervoort Avenue Entrance E F

7 From Vandervoort Avenue Entrance to top of Kosciuszko Bridge F F

8 Top of Kosciuszko Bridge to LIE EB/WB Service Road (SR) Exit F F

R7 LIE EB/WB SR Exit E F

9 From LIE EB/WB SR Exit to LIE EB SR Entrance C C

R8 LIE EB SR Entrance B A

10 From LIE EB SR Entrance to Queens Boulevard Exit B C

Westbound BQE

Table II-19 and Figure II-23, “Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Level of Service – BQE,” show, that in the westbound direction, conditions on the Kosciuszko Bridge are similarly unacceptable, but areas of poor operation extend beyond the project limits to the exit to the Williamsburg Bridge. During the a.m. peak hour, segments of the BQE from the Queens Boulevard entrance to the LIE eastbound/westbound/43rd Street entrance operate at LOS D or better. Segments from the LIE eastbound/westbound service road/43rd Street entrance to the Williamsburg Bridge exit operate at LOS E or F, except for the Metropolitan Avenue exit which operates at LOS B, with high densities that range from 23 to 46 pc/km/ln, (37 to 74 pc/mi/ln) in the a.m. peak hour. The congestion on these segments is caused by the high traffic volumes from eastbound and westbound LIE service roads merging into the BQE and the limited capacity of the three westbound lanes. From the Williamsburg Bridge exit to the Tillary Street exit, the BQE operates at LOS D or better during the a.m. peak hour. In the p.m. peak hour, segments from the Queens Boulevard entrance to the LIE eastbound/westbound/43rd Street entrance operate at LOS C or better. Similar to the a.m. peak hour, high traffic volumes entering the BQE from the LIE cause segments between the LIE eastbound/westbound/43rd Street entrance and the Metropolitan Avenue exit to also experience traffic congestion during the p.m. peak hour and



operate at LOS E or F with high densities that range from 23 to 77 pc/km/ln (37 to 123 pc/mi/ln). West of the Metropolitan Avenue exit, the BQE operates at acceptable LOS D or better.

TABLE II-19: EXISTING (2002) WESTBOUND BQE LEVEL OF SERVICE

Segment/ Ramp Number Segment A.M. P.M.

1 From Queens Boulevard Entrance to LIE WB Exit C C

R1 LIE WB Exit C B

2 From LIE WB Exit to LIE EB/WB SR/43rd St Entrance D C

R2 LIE EB/WB SR/43rd Street Entrance F F

R3 Transition from 4 to 3 Lanes F F

3 From LIE EB/WB SR/43rd Street Entrance to top of Kosciuszko Bridge F F

4 From top of Kosciuszko Bridge to Meeker Avenue/Morgan Avenue Exit F F

R4 Meeker Avenue/Morgan Avenue Exit F F

5 From Meeker Avenue/Morgan Avenue Exit to McGuinness Blvd Entrance E F

R5 McGuinness Boulevard Entrance F F

6 From McGuinness Boulevard Entrance to Metropolitan Avenue Exit E E

R6 Metropolitan Avenue Exit B B

7 From Metropolitan Avenue Exit to Williamsburg Bridge Exit E D

R7 Williamsburg Bridge Exit C C

8 From Williamsburg Bridge Exit to Metropolitan Avenue /Marcy Avenue Entrance D D

R8 Metropolitan Avenue/Marcy Avenue Entrance C C

9 From Metropolitan Avenue/Marcy Avenue Entrance to Williamsburg Street Exit C C

R9 Williamsburg Street Exit C C

10 From Williamsburg Street Exit to Flushing Avenue Entrance C C

R10 Flushing Avenue Entrance C C

11 From Flushing Avenue Entrance to Tillary Street Exit C C

Eastbound and Westbound LIE

Traffic volumes on the LIE are typically high during peak periods causing poor levels of service and congestion. Within the Secondary Traffic Study Area, eastbound and westbound travel on the LIE is, in most cases, affected by the downstream congestion at the LIE service roads and the connections to and from the BQE. The results of the analysis are summarized below in Table II-20.



TABLE II-20: EXISTING (2002) LIE LEVEL OF SERVICE

Segment A.M. P.M.

LIE Eastbound

From Borden Avenue to LIE SR Exit B C

LIE SR Exit (West of Interchange) C C

From LIE SR Exit to EB LIE SR Entrance B A

LIE SR Entrance (West of Interchange) C C

From LIE SR Entrance to Beginning of Contra-flow Bus Lane D N/A

From Beginning of Bus Lane to LIE SR Entrance (3-lane Segment) B N/A

From LIE SR Entrance to End of the 3-lane Segment N/A C

LIE SR Entrance Major Merge (East of Interchange) N/A N/A

Approaching N/A N/A

Departing N/A N/A

End of Three Lanes to Maurice Avenue Entrance C D

Maurice Avenue Entrance C C

From Maurice Avenue Entrance to 60th St Entrance C D

After 60th St Entrance D E

LIE Westbound

Before Maurice Avenue Exit E E

Maurice Avenue Exit E D

Maurice Avenue Exit to LIE SR Exit D D

LIE SR Exit B B

From LIE SR Exit to Beginning of Bus Lane D N/A

Bus Lane Exit D N/A

From Beginning of Bus Lane to Greenpoint /Hunters Point Avenue Exit C N/A

From LIE SR Exit to Greenpoint /Hunters Point Avenue Exit N/A C

Greenpoint/Hunters Point Avenue Exit F* C

Greenpoint/Hunters Point Avenue Exit to EB/WB BQE / WB LIE SR Entrance B B

EB/WB BQE / WB LIE SR Entrance N/A N/A

EB/WB BQE / WB LIE SR Entrance to Van Dam Street Exit C C

Van Dam Street Exit B B

Van Dam Street Exit to Van Dam Street Entrance B B

Van Dam Street Entrance B B

After Van Dam Street Entrance B B Note: *Demand exceeds capacity of the ramp



During the a.m. peak hour, the LIE in the westbound direction (the peak direction) between the Maurice Avenue exit ramp and the Van Dam Street entrance ramp operates at LOS D or better with low densities ranging from 8 to 20 pc/km/ln (13 to 32 pc/mi/ln). In the eastbound direction, the LIE between the westbound BQE exit and the Maurice Avenue entrance also operates at LOS D or better with densities ranging between 9 to 16 pc/km/ln (14 to 26 pc/mi/ln).

During the p.m. peak hour, the LIE carries higher traffic volumes in the eastbound direction and, therefore, the densities are higher. The p.m. peak hour analyses indicate that, in the eastbound direction between the entrance from Borden Avenue and the entrance from Maurice Avenue, the LIE operates at LOS D or better with slightly higher densities of 7 to 22 pc/km/ln (11 to 35 pc/mi/ln). However, downstream of the entrance ramps from the service road and Maurice Avenue, LIE traffic operations typically deteriorate which affects the performance of the upstream LIE mainline and service road segments.

SIGNALIZED AND UNSIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS

Detailed capacity analysis was performed for 2002 existing conditions at 50 signalized and seven unsignalized key intersections within the project study area. All 57 intersections, including four intersections along eastbound and westbound Meeker Avenue, were analyzed for the a.m. and p.m. peak hours, using HCS 2000 Version 4.1.f. Traffic volumes, signal timing, intersection geometry (lane utilization, lane width, parking maneuvers, etc.) and pedestrian crosswalk volumes were field collected and used in the analyses.

Table II-21 and Figure II-24, “Existing Level of Service – Meeker Avenue,” present the results of the four Meeker Avenue intersections. Note that, because eastbound and westbound Meeker Avenue function as separate roadways, their intersections with cross streets were evaluated individually.



TABLE II-21: EXISTING (2002) PEAK HOUR INTERSECTION ANALYSES – MEEKER AVENUE 2002 Existing Conditions 2002 Existing Conditions

A.M. Peak Hour P.M. Peak Hour ID Intersection Direction Movement LOS Direction Movement LOS Meeker Ave at McGuinness Blvd/Humboldt St

Meeker Ave EB EB LTR D EB LTR D Exit Ramp (NB) NB LTR E NB LTR E SB LT D SB LT D

1

OVERALL E OVERALL D Meeker Ave WB WB LTR D WB LTR F McGuiness Blvd (N-S) NB LT B NB LT B SB T D SB T E SB R C SB R D

2

OVERALL C OVERALL E Meeker Ave at Kingsland Ave

Meeker Ave EB EB LTR B EB LTR B Kingsland Ave (N-S) NB T E NB T C NB R C NB R C SB LT C SB LT C

3

OVERALL C OVERALL B Meeker Ave WB WB LTR B WB LTR B Kingsland Ave (N-S) NB LT C NB LT C 4 OVERALL B OVERALL B

Meeker Ave at Morgan Ave Meeker Ave EB EB LTR B EB LTR B Morgan Ave (N-S) NB TR D NB TR D SB LT C SB LT C

5

OVERALL C OVERALL C Meeker Ave WB WB LTR B WB LTR C Morgan Ave (N-S) NB LT C NB LT C 6 OVERALL C OVERALL C

Meeker Ave at Vandervoort Ave Meeker Ave EB EB LTR E EB LTR E Vandervoort Ave (N-S) NB TR E NB TR E SB DefL C SB DefL C SB T B SB T C

7

OVERALL E OVERALL E Meeker Ave WB (at Apollo St) WB LT D WB LT E Vandervoort Ave (N-S) NB L D NB L D SB TR E SB TR E

8

OVERALL D OVERALL E

Two of the four intersections analyzed, Meeker Avenue at Kingsland and Morgan Avenues, operate at LOS D or better during both the a.m. and p.m. peak periods. The eastbound Meeker Avenue intersection at McGuinness Boulevard/Humboldt Street operates at LOS E in the a.m. peak hour due to heavy traffic exiting the eastbound BQE. This exit ramp also individually operates at LOS E during the p.m. peak hour, although the intersection as a whole is LOS D. Similarly, the northbound Kingsland Avenue approach to eastbound Meeker Avenue is congested in the a.m. peak hour with delays of over one minute (LOS E), although the



intersection as a whole is LOS C. The Meeker Avenue intersection with Vandervoort Avenue operates at LOS E with at least three movements (eastbound Meeker Avenue, northbound Vandervoort Avenue, and southbound Vandervoort Avenue at eastbound Meeker Avenue) at LOS E during both peak hours.

Other corridors experiencing congestion under existing conditions in the study area include Flushing Avenue, Grand Avenue, Metropolitan Avenue, Greenpoint Avenue, McGuinness Avenue, Van Dam Street, and Jackson Avenue. Signalized intersections currently experiencing poor operating conditions, with total intersection delay higher than 55 seconds and LOS E or F in the a.m. and/or p.m. peak hour include:

Greenpoint Avenue at Humboldt Street;

Greenpoint Avenue at eastbound LIE Service Road;

Eastbound/westbound Queens Boulevard at 69th Street;

Metropolitan Avenue at Morgan Avenue; and

Grand Street at Bushwick Avenue.

Unsignalized intersections with one or more movement operating at LOS E or F in either the a.m. and/or p.m. peak hours include:

Maspeth Avenue at 68th Street/Maurice Avenue;

Grand Avenue at Page Place;

Eastbound/westbound LIE service road at 68th Street;

Borden Avenue at Queens Midtown Tunnel entrance/exit; and

McGuinness Boulevard at Freeman Street.

NO BUILD CONDITIONS

The following section presents the results of the level of service analysis for the 2015 and 2045 No Build conditions. For level of service analyses for the Build Alternatives refer to Section III.C.2.b.

FREEWAY SEGMENTS

Traffic volumes on the study area roadways will continue to increase as long as there is demand and the capacity limits have not been completely met. Therefore, by 2015 traffic conditions on the BQE in both directions are expected to deteriorate. By 2045, traffic conditions would continue to deteriorate in most locations and breakdown conditions would prevail on the BQE. Expressway congestion would be caused by the traffic demand level consistently exceeding capacity in the a.m. and p.m. peak hours. These conditions would affect not only vehicles traveling on the expressway but also would cause additional congestion on the adjacent street network, especially on Meeker Avenue. Vehicle densities in most locations would increase and



some segments that would operate acceptably in 2015 would operate at LOS E or worse in 2045.

Eastbound BQE

Table II-22 and Figures II-25, “Existing and No Build AM Peak Hour Level of Service – BQE,” and II-26, “Existing and No Build PM Peak Hour Level of Service – BQE,” show that, in the eastbound direction, by 2015, the bottleneck at the Kosciuszko Bridge would worsen, operating at LOS E or F from McGuinness Boulevard to the LIE Interchange. In 2015 during the a.m. peak hour, conditions at the five eastbound mainline BQE segments from the Tillary Street entrance to the McGuinness Boulevard exit would remain at acceptable LOS D or better. Traffic conditions would deteriorate from the McGuinness Boulevard exit to the LIE eastbound/westbound service road exit and those segments would operate at LOS E or F with higher densities ranging from 44 to 84 pc/mi/ln (27 to 52 pc/km/ln) in the a.m. peak hour. BQE eastbound segments from the LIE eastbound/westbound service road exit to the Queens Boulevard exit would continue operating at LOS C or better with slightly higher densities in the a.m. peak hour. In the p.m. peak hour, traffic conditions would follow a similar pattern as the a.m. peak hour where 2015 conditions would experience a slight deterioration in LOS and densities.



TABLE II-22: NO BUILD (2015 AND 2045) EASTBOUND BQE LEVEL OF SERVICE

2015 2045 Segment/ Ramp Number Segment A.M. P.M. A.M. P.M.

1 From Tillary Street Entrance to Flushing Avenue Exit D D E E

R1 Flushing Avenue Exit D D D D

2 From Flushing Avenue Exit to Williamsburg Street Entrance C C D D

R2 Williamsburg Street Entrance D C D D

3 From Williamsburg Street Entrance to Metropolitan Avenue Exit D D E E

R3 Metropolitan Avenue Exit E D F F

4 From Metropolitan Avenue Exit to Williamsburg Bridge Entrance D C D D

R4 Williamsburg Bridge Entrance D E E E

5 From Williamsburg Bridge Entrance to McGuinness Boulevard Exit C F F D

R5 McGuinness Boulevard Exit F F F F

6 From McGuinness Boulevard Exit to Vandervoort Avenue Entrance E F F F

R6 Vandervoort Avenue Entrance F F F F

7 From Vandervoort Avenue Entrance to top of Kosciuszko Bridge F F F F

8 Top of Kosciuszko Bridge to LIE EB/WB SR Exit F E F F

R7 LIE EB/WB SR Exit F F F F

9 From LIE EB/WB SR Exit to LIE EB SR Entrance C C B C

R8 LIE EB SR Entrance B A B A

10 From LIE EB SR Entrance to Queens Boulevard Exit B C C C

By 2045 the BQE from Tillary Street to Flushing Avenue and Williamsburg Street to Metropolitan Avenue would become congested and operate at LOS E during the a.m. and p.m. peak hours. The Metropolitan Avenue exit and segments between McGuinness Boulevard to the LIE eastbound/westbound service road exit are also expected to deteriorate during both peak hours to LOS F with densities ranging from 42 to 67 pc/km/ln (68 to 107 pc/mi/ln) in the a.m. peak hour and 44 to 98 pc/km/ln (72 to 158 pc/mi/ln) in the p.m. peak hour. Other segments would operate at LOS D or better with higher densities compared to 2015 No Build conditions in the a.m. and p.m. peak hours

Westbound BQE

Table II-23 and Figures II-25 and II-26 show, that in the westbound direction, conditions on the Kosciuszko Bridge would similarly deteriorate, but areas of poor operation extend beyond the project limits to the exit to the Williamsburg Bridge. In 2015, the BQE from Queens Boulevard to the LIE eastbound/westbound service road entrance would operate at LOS D or better in both the a.m. and p.m. peak hours. However, traffic conditions would be much worse on the segments from the LIE eastbound/westbound service road entrance to the Williamsburg Bridge



exit with densities that range from 24 to 95 pc/km/ln (38 to 154 pc/mi/ln) in the a.m. peak hour, while those segments would continue operating at LOS E or F in the p.m. peak hour with densities ranging from 23 to 68 pc/km/ln (37 to 110 pc/mi/ln). The LIE eastbound/westbound service road entrance with a density of 23 to 68 pc/km/ln (37 to 110 pc/mi/ln) during the a.m. peak hour would experience the highest density in the study area in the year 2015. This is due to the increasing demand and the capacity limitations on the entrance ramp and the BQE mainline. The BQE from the Metropolitan Avenue/Marcy Avenue entrance to the Tillary Street entrance would continue to operate at LOS D or better in both the a.m. and p.m. peak hours.

TABLE II-23: NO BUILD (2015 AND 2045) WESTBOUND BQE LEVEL OF SERVICE

2015 2045 Segment/ Ramp Number Segment A.M. P.M. A.M. P.M.

1 From Queens Boulevard Entrance to LIE WB Exit D C D D

R1 LIE WB Exit B B C C

2 From LIE WB Exit to LIE EB/WB SR/43rd St Entrance D C D E

R2 LIE EB/WB SR/43rd Street Entrance F F F F

R3 Transition from 4 to 3 Lanes F F F F

3 From LIE EB/WB SR/43rd Street Entrance to top of Kosciuszko Bridge F F F F

4 From top of Kosciuszko Bridge to Meeker Avenue /Morgan Avenue Exit F F F F

R4 Meeker/Morgan Avenue Exit F F F F

5 From Meeker/Morgan Avenue Exit to McGuinness Blvd Entrance F F F F

R5 McGuinness Boulevard Entrance F F F E

6 From McGuinness Boulevard Entrance to Metropolitan Avenue Exit E E E F

R6 Metropolitan Avenue Exit B B B B

7 From Metropolitan Avenue Exit to Williamsburg Bridge Exit E E E F

R7 Williamsburg Bridge Exit C C C C

8 From Williamsburg Bridge Exit to Metropolitan Avenue /Marcy Avenue Entrance D E E E

R8 Metropolitan Avenue/Marcy Avenue Entrance C C C C

9 From Metropolitan Avenue/Marcy Avenue Entrance to Williamsburg Street Exit C D D D

R9 Williamsburg Street Exit C C D D

10 From Williamsburg Street Exit to Flushing Avenue Entrance C C C C

R10 Flushing Avenue Entrance C C D C

11 From Flushing Avenue Entrance to Tillary Street Exit C C D D



In 2045, the expressway from Queens Boulevard to the LIE eastbound/westbound service road entrance would continue operating at LOS D or better except for the segment between the LIE westbound exit and the LIE eastbound/westbound service road entrance which would become congested and would operate at LOS E in the p.m. peak hour. Traffic conditions would deteriorate on segments from the LIE eastbound/westbound service road entrance to the Williamsburg Bridge exit with LOS E or F in both peak hours and densities ranging from 23 to 98 pc/km/ln (38 to 158 pc/mi/ln) in the a.m. peak hour and 27 to 76 pc/km/ln (44 to 123 pc/mi/ln) in the p.m. peak hour. The segment from the Williamsburg Bridge exit to the Metropolitan Avenue/Marcy Avenue entrance will operate at LOS E in both the a.m. and p.m. peak hours. Segments from the Metropolitan Avenue/Marcy Avenue entrance to the Tillary Street entrance would continue operating at LOS D or better in both peak hours.

SIGNALIZED AND UNSIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS

Similar to the highway network, as long as there is demand and reserve capacity, traffic volumes on the local streets will also continue to increase. Meeker Avenue will continue to experience traffic increases as the expressway becomes increasingly congested. Table II-24 and Figure II-27, “No Build Level of Service – Meeker Avenue,” summarize the capacity analysis results for the four Meeker Avenue intersections during the a.m. and p.m. peak periods.

TABLE II-24: NO BUILD (2015 AND 2045) INTERSECTION ANALYSES – MEEKER AVENUE 2015 No Build Conditions 2015 No Build Conditions 2045 No Build Conditions 2045 No Build Conditions

A.M. Peak Hour P.M. Peak Hour A.M. Peak Hour P.M. Peak Hour ID Intersection Direction Movement LOS Direction Movement LOS Direction Movement LOS Direction Movement LOS Meeker Ave at McGuinness Blvd/Humboldt St

Meeker Ave EB EB LTR D EB LTR D EB LTR D EB LTR D Exit Ramp (NB) NB LTR D NB LTR E NB LTR F NB LTR F SB LT D SB LT E SB LT F SB LT F 1

OVERALL D OVERALL E OVERALL F OVERALL F Meeker Ave WB WB LTR D WB LTR F WB LTR E WB LTR F McGuiness Blvd (N-S) NB LT C NB LT B NB LT C NB LT C SB T E SB T E SB T F SB T D R D SB R D SB R D SB R D

2

OVERALL D OVERALL E OVERALL F OVERALL F Meeker Ave at Kingsland Ave

Meeker Ave EB EB LTR B EB LTR B EB LTR C EB LTR B Kingsland Ave (N-S) NB T F NB T C NB T F NB T D NB R C NB R C NB R C NB R C SB LT C SB LT C SB LT C SB LT C

3

OVERALL D OVERALL B OVERALL E OVERALL C Meeker Ave WB WB LTR B WB LTR B WB LTR C WB LTR C Kingsland Ave (N-S) NB LT C NB LT C NB LT C NB LT C 4 OVERALL C OVERALL C OVERALL C OVERALL C

Meeker Ave at Morgan Ave Meeker Ave EB EB LTR B EB LTR B EB LTR B EB LTR C Morgan Ave (N-S) NB TR E NB TR D NB TR E NB TR F SB LT C SB LT C SB LT C SB LT C 5

OVERALL C OVERALL C OVERALL C OVERALL D Meeker Ave WB WB LTR B WB LTR D WB LT C WB LT C Morgan Ave (N-S) NB LT D NB LT C NB LT D NB LT C 6 OVERALL C OVERALL D OVERALL C OVERALL C

Meeker Ave at Vandervoort Ave Meeker Ave EB EB LTR E EB LTR E EB LTR F EB LTR D Vandervoort Ave (N-S) NB TR F NB TR E NB TR F NB TR F SB DefL C SB DefL C SB DefL C SB DefL C SB T B SB T C SB T B SB T C

7

OVERALL E OVERALL E OVERALL F OVERALL F Meeker Ave WB (at Apollo St) WB LT E WB LT F WB LT E WB LT F Vandervoort Ave (N-S) NB L D NB L D NB L D NB L E SB TR E SB TR E SB TR E SB TR E 8

OVERALL E OVERALL F OVERALL E OVERALL F

Final Environmental Im

pact Statement

Section II.C

Kosciuszko B

ridge Project II-49

September 2008



Under 2015 No Build conditions, two of the four intersections, Meeker Avenue at Kingsland Avenue and at Morgan Avenue, would continue to operate at an acceptable level (LOS D or better) during the a.m. and p.m. peak hours and would, except for eastbound Meeker Avenue at Kingsland Avenue in the a.m. peak hour, remain acceptable in 2045. However, by 2015 two individual approaches to these intersections would have become unacceptable; in the a.m. peak hour the northbound Kingsland Avenue approach to Meeker Avenue would operate at LOS F and the northbound Morgan Avenue approach to Meeker Avenue would operate at LOS E. By 2045, the northbound Morgan Avenue approach would also be unacceptable (LOS F) in the p.m. peak hour.

The Meeker Avenue intersection with McGuinness Boulevard/Humboldt Street would be LOS E in the p.m. peak hour in 2015, but deteriorate to LOS F for both peak hours by 2045. Two approaches to this intersection would experience particularly severe delay in 2045: vehicles using the eastbound exit ramp at this intersection would experience over four minutes of delay and vehicles entering the intersection on westbound Meeker Avenue would experience over two and a half minutes of delay.

The Meeker Avenue intersection at Vandervoort Avenue/Apollo Street would also deteriorate between 2002 and 2045, reaching LOS E or F for both peak hours. In particular, the westbound Meeker Avenue approach to the intersection will experience increased delay in the p.m. peak hour, from under one minute in 2002, to over two minutes by 2015. The eastbound Meeker Avenue approach, with current delays just over a minute in the a.m. peak hour, will degrade to nearly three minutes of delay by 2045. Finally, northbound Vandervoort Avenue which currently experiences delays of less than one and a half minutes, will, by 2045, experience delays over three minutes.

In 2015, the results of the capacity analysis indicate that 20 of the 50 analyzed signalized intersections in the Secondary Traffic Study Area would operate with a total intersection control delay in excess of 55 seconds (LOS E or F) in the a.m. and/or p.m. peak hours, an increase of 10 intersections over existing conditions. By 2045, the number of intersections at LOS E or F would increase to 40 of the 50 analyzed.

C.1.j. Non-Standard Features and Non-Conforming Features

This section describes the existing non-standard and non-conforming features of the BQE within the project limits. Section II.C.1.k describes the link between these features and identified safety issues.

NON-STANDARD FEATURES

As defined in the NYSDOT Highway Design Manual, non-standard features are those features, which do not meet the applicable design criteria for certain critical design elements. The design criteria are based on the functional classification of the highway, traffic volumes, operating speed, terrain, and other factors. There are 17 critical design elements:

1. design speed

2. lane width

3. shoulder width

highway capacity software hcs) 2000 version 4

Documents