Installation of traffic lights among recommendations of traffic impact study for proposed Urban Middle School relocation
SHEBOYGAN – Traffic lights, crosswalks and a widened road were all recommended additions to the area of Mill and Najacht roads by engineers in the traffic impact study for the proposed relocation of Urban Middle School.
Earlier this year, the Sheboygan Area School District announced plans for a referendum to a rebuild both Urban and Farnsworth middle schools. The $140 million project was proposed by the district because the nearly century-old buildings need extensive repairs and upgrades.
Rather than rebuild Urban Middle School on the same site, SASD proposed building the new school on the corner of Mill and Najacht roads. This relocation was intended, in part, to help with congestion issues, as the current building stands right beside North High School.
As part of this process, a traffic impact analysis was conducted by Traffic Analysis & Design. TADI studied intersections surrounding the current Urban location as well as the proposed site to analyze traffic impacts and where improvements need to be made to decrease future congestion at the new site.
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The study itself is almost 70 pages with a more than 600-page appendix.
Each intersection studied in the report was graded on an A-F Level of Service scale according to the Highway Capacity Manual from the Transportation Research Board.
If an intersection is rated in the A-C range, there is free flowing to stable traffic operations with relatively short delays. D-rated intersections have moderate delays with small increases in traffic flow causing increased delays.
E and F ratings show higher delays with F-rated intersections having long delays with extensive vehicle lines at intersections.
The current location of Urban showed acceptable LOS ratings at all intersections except at North 13th Street and North Avenue. For east and westbound movements through that intersection, the higher delays resulted in an LOS E rating.
At the proposed new location, all the intersections had acceptable rating for the existing traffic conditions. When looking at traffic movements with the proposed Urban in place, all intersection levels were acceptable, except the intersections at North 21st Street and Eisner Avenue and State 42 and Mill Road.
East and westbound traffic on the intersection at State 42 received an LOS E/F. South and westbound movements at Eisner Avenue scored LOS F.
As a result of the low LOS ratings, TADI recommended installing traffic lights at both intersections. Don Lee, senior traffic engineer, said these would likely run on sensors so midday traffic would only trigger switches in the lights when cars need to utilize the signal.
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With most of the students living southeast of the new location, the traffic study showed 90% of the expected traffic would be traveling through the North 21st Street and Eisner Avenue intersection.
The study also included a conceptual drawing of the school and roads leading to its entrance.
With the school lot sitting on the corner of Mill and Najacht roads, TADI suggested sidewalks be installed along the roads within the limits of the school.
Additionally, TADI suggested Najacht be widened to allow for a dedicated left-turn lane into the school.
On the north side of the proposed build, buses would have their own loop to drop off and pick up students. This section also would have staff parking.
Parents would make their own loop to drive through, exiting on the southeast corner of the lot, turning right onto Najacht Road. The right-turn-only option for the exit is proposed to help with congestion and safety as students are picked up and dropped off from school.
Currently, about 70% of students are dropped off by their parents with the other 30% of kids either riding the bus or walking, according to the district. The planned population level of Urban is 650 students.
In the morning, the expected rush hour of traffic would last about 15 to 30 minutes and the afternoon peak rush is estimated to last about 10to 15 minutes.
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This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Traffic study at proposed Urban Middle School in Sheboygan calls for lights
