Mississippi Gulf Coast Transportation Mgmt. Plan for Waterfront Development
Click HERE for graphic. Mississippi Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Prepared for Gulf Regional Planning Commission Prepared by Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. June 1993 Mississippi Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Prepared for Gulf Regional Planning Commission 1232 Pass Road Gulfport, MS 39501 601/864-1167 Prepared by Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4176 Canal St. New Orleans, LA 70119 504/486-5901 BKI No. 9246-01 June 1993 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..i List of Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ii Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iv Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ES-1 Project Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ES-1 Project Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ES-1 Overview of Area-Wide US 90 Traffic Trends . . . . . . . .ES-1 Summary of Common Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ES-2 Summary of Common Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . .ES-4 Summary of Local Problems and Recommendations. . . . . . .ES-8 Bay St. Louis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ES-8 Gulfport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ES-9 Biloxi - Ocean Springs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ES-13 Chapter 1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..1-1 Project Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Project Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..1-3 Chapter 2: Bay St. Louis Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 Problem Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 Existing Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 Major generators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 Traffic counts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 Problem summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Short-Term Future Developments. . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8 Casino Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8 Secondary development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9 General traffic forecast . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9 Potential Long-Term Developments. . . . . . . . . . .2-10 Casino Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-10 Other potential casino development . . . . . . .2-10 Future Traffic Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-11 Alternative Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-11 Short Range Improvements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-11 Do nothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-11 South bound right turn lane. . . . . . . . . . .2-12 North bound left turn lane . . . . . . . . . . .2-12 Temporary traffic diversion. . . . . . . . . . .2-13 Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Channelize shopping center entrance and exit . .2-13 Develop a second access road for Casino Magic. .2-15 Long Range Needs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-19 Roadway construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-19 Government policies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-21 Summary of Bay St. Louis Findings. . . . . . . . . . . . .2-22 and Recommendations Findings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-22 Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-23 Chapter 3: Gulfport Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1 Problem Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1 US 90 Existing Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1 Average daily traffic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1 Daily and hourly variations. . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 Existing Waterfront Uses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7 Deepwater port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7 Recreational waterfront uses . . . . . . . . . . 3-7 Access and circulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7 Short-Term Future Developments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8 State Port. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8 Grand Casino. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8 Copa Casino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8 Potential Long-Term Developments . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9 Other Casinos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9 Secondary Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9 Future Short-Term Traffic Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-10 State Port. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-10 Gaming Trip Generation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-11 Current Gulf Coast casino trip generation. . . .3-11 Short-term future casino trip generation . . . .3-11 Future Secondary Development Traffic. . . . . . . . .3-13 Long-Term Future Trip Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-13 Problem Locations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-15 US 90 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-15 US 90 / US 49 Intersection. . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-16 US 49 (25th Avenue) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-16 State Port Harbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-17 Truck route. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-17 Harbor circulation system. . . . . . . . . . . .3-18 Potential Residential Traffic Impacts . . . . . . . .3-18 Short-Term Future Traffic Conditions . . . . . . . . . . .3-18 and Alternatives Major Development Traffic Distribution. . . . . . . .3-18 US 90 / 30th Avenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-19 Do nothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-19 Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development TABLE OF CONTENTS Overpass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-19 US 49 / 28th Street intersection . . . . . . . .3-20 Harbor area circulation and access . . . . . . .3-21 US 90 / US 49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-21 Do nothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-21 Lane additions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-22 New access alternatives. . . . . . . . . . . . .3-23 US 90 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-25 Close 27th Avenue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-25 Add a lane in either direction on US 90. . . . .3-25 Potential Residential Traffic Impacts . . . . . . . .3-26 Long-Range Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-26 New East - West Arterial Roadway. . . . . . . . . . .3-26 New North - South Arterial Roadway. . . . . . . . . .3-28 Summary of Gulfport Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-29 and Recommendations Findings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-29 Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-30 Chapter 4: Biloxi - Ocean Springs Area. . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Beauvoir Avenue / President Casino . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Beauvoir Avenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Location description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Problem summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4 Proposed improvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4 President Casino. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Development summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Problem summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Existing signal and geometry . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 Proposed signal and geometry . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 Biloxi Strip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9 Traffic Counts and Baseline Estimates . . . . . . . . 4-9 Development Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9 Existing casino operations . . . . . . . . . . .4-13 Short-term future casino operations. . . . . . .4-13 Long-Term Future Development. . . . . . . . . . . . .4-14 Trip Generation and Future Traffic. . . . . . . . . .4-14 Trip generation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-14 Short-term future traffic demand . . . . . . . .4-16 Traffic access patterns. . . . . . . . . . . . .4-17 Short-Term Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-18 Install permanent traffic count station. . . . .4-18 Do nothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-18 US 90 improvement alternatives . . . . . . . . .4-22 Remote parking lot (s) . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-25 Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development TABLE OF CONTENTS Strip circulator bus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-29 Pedestrian improvements. . . . . . . . . . . . .4-32 Emergency vehicle traffic signal preemption. . .4-33 Ocean Springs: Washington Avenue . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-34 Existing Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-34 Intersection Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-34 Long-Term Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-35 New East - West Arterial Roadway. . . . . . . . . . .4-35 Comprehensive Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-37 Back Bay Casino Access. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-37 Summary of Biloxi - Ocean Springs Findings . . . . . . . .4-38 and Recommendations Findings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-38 Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-39 Appendix A: Traffic Counts Appendix B: Background Information Appendix C: Capacity Analysis Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development LIST OF FIGURES Figure No. Page ES-1 Recommended Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ES-17 1-1 Project Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 2-1 Bay St. Louis - Blue Meadow Road Area. . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 2-2 Comparison of '93 Saturday Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7 2-3 US 90 / Blue Meadow Road Proposed . . . . . . . . . .2-14 Intersection Geometry 2-4 US 90 / Drinkwater Road Proposed. . . . . . . . . . .2-18 Intersection Geometry 2-5 Blue Meadow Road / Casino Magic Boulevard . . . . . .2-20 Proposed Intersection Geometry 3-1 US 90 / US 49 Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2 3-2 New Harbor Area Access Loop . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-24 3-3 32nd Avenue Traffic Island. . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-27 4-1 Biloxi - Ocean Springs Analysis Units . . . . . . . . 4-3 4-2 President Casino Proposed Access Geometry . . . . . . 4-7 4-3 President Casino Proposed Signal Phasing. . . . . . . 4-8 4-4 Biloxi Strip Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-10 4-5 Biloxi Strip Short-Term Future. . . . . . . . . . . .4-19 Traffic Distribution 4-6 Proposed US 90/Washington Avenue. . . . . . . . . . .4-36 Intersection Geometry Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. i MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development LIST OF TABLES Table No. Page ES-1 Comparison of April '93 and January '94. . . . . . . . . .ES-3 Gulf Coast Casino Development ES-2 Summary of Gulf Coast Casino Short-Term. . . . . . . . . .ES-5 Future Trip Generation Forecasts ES-3 Summary of Short-Term Future US 90 Peak. . . . . . . . . .ES-6 Hour Traffic and Capacity ES-4 Bay St. Louis General Construction . . . . . . . . . . . ES-10 Costs For Short-Term Improvements ES-5 Gulfport General Construction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ES-12 Costs For Short-Term Improvements ES-6 Biloxi - Ocean Springs General Construction. . . . . . . ES-16 Costs For Short-Term Improvements 1-1 Current and Future Casino Operations . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 2-1 Blue Meadow Road Traffic Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 2-2 Casino Magic Boulevard Traffic Count . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5 2-3 Drinkwater Road Traffic Count. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6 2-4 Saturday Peak-Hour Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-16 2-5 Proposed US 90/Drinkwater Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-17 Intersection Geometry 2-6 Existing & (Proposed) Casino Magic Boulevard . . . . . . .2-21 / Blue Meadow Road Intersection Geometry 3-1 Gulfport Area US 90 Average. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3 Daily Traffic Trends 3-2 US 90 @ Teagarden Road Weekend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5 Baseline Traffic Volumes 3-3 US 90 @ Teagarden Road Weekday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6 Baseline Traffic Volumes 3-4 Mississippi State Port Projected Additional. . . . . . . .3-10 Short-Term Future Traffic 3-5 Gulfport Area Casino Saturday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-14 Trip Generation: Peak-Hour of Generator 3-6 Gulfport Area Casino Saturday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-14 Trip Generation: Peak-Hour of US 90 3-7 Proportionate Trip Distribution Assumptions. . . . . . . .3-19 Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ii MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development LIST OF TABLES 4-1 Biloxi Strip Estimated Saturday. . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-11 Baseline Traffic Distribution 4-2 Biloxi Strip Estimated Weekday . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-12 Baseline Traffic Distribution 4-3 Biloxi Strip Casino Saturday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-15 Trip Generation: Peak-Hour of Generator 4-4 Biloxi Strip Casino Saturday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-15 Trip Generation: Peak-Hour of US 90 4-5 US 90 Biloxi Strip Short-Term. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-17 Traffic Projections 4-6 Off-Site Parking Lot Typical Development Costs . . . . . .4-28 Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. iii MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Acknowledgments Completion of this document would not have been possible without the cooperation and assistance of officials from several public agencies responsible for planning and implementing transportation improvements on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. wishes to express its sincere appreciation to the following individuals, for their assistance in the preparation of this report. Gulf Regional Planning Commission Mr. Ned Boudreaux, Interim Executive Director Mr. James Wilkinson, Transportation Planner Mississippi Department of Transportation Mr. Richard Turner, District Engineer Mr. Hugh Long, Area Traffic Engineer Bay St. Louis Mr. Edward Favre, Mayor Harrison County Mr. Glenn Robinson, Planning Director Gulfport Mr. Ronald Jones, Planning Division Administrator Mr. Rodney Ladner, Traffic Engineer Superintendent Mississippi State Port at Gulfport Mr. William Edwards, Executive Director Biloxi Mr. Edward Shambra, Planning Director Coast Transit Authority Mr. Ted Hearn, Executive Director Mr. Keith Ballard, Director of Operations and Marketing Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. iv MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Project Objectives The purpose of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development is to define traffic problems in the US 90 corridor, particularly those related to the ongoing development of dockside gaming facilities, and develop recommendations which address these. The report's primary focus is on existing and short-run future problems and solutions. The highest priority is given to identifying alternative solutions which can be implemented in a relatively short time frame and at a relatively low cost. Unfortunately, some problems and development situations do not lend themselves to quick, low cost solutions. In these cases, general alternatives, including the need for more specific planning studies are identified. Project Area The project focuses on US 90 between MS Hwy. 43/603 in Hancock County and MS Hwy. 609 (Washington Avenue) in Jackson County. This 36 mile segment of US 90 provides access to all existing and planned floating casino operations (as of March 1993). The report also evaluates primary north - south travel demands between the densely developed US 90 waterfront areas and I-10. The project area is divided into three geographic units of analysis: Bay St. Louis, Gulfport and Biloxi - Ocean Springs. Each area forms a logical unit of analysis in terms of its arterial network. Each of these three areas is also experiencing traffic problems related to one or more intense waterfront developments which are heavily dependent on US 90 for access. The underlying common problem in all three geographic units is that US 90 is the only east - west arterial roadway. Local traffic, traditional beach visitor traffic, and now, gaming traffic is all forced to use this roadway. Current and impending gaming development patterns will further aggravate congestion on US 90. Overview of Area-Wide US 90 Traffic Trends The first dockside gaming establishments commenced operation in Biloxi in August of 1992. The advent of casino gambling on the Mississippi Gulf Coast with its influx of additional traffic is the primary motivation for this study of traffic on US 90 and its primary intersecting roadways. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-1 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Summary of Common Problems There are several problems which generally apply to the entire Mississippi Gulf Coast study area. These are summarized below. - US 90 is the only east - west arterial roadway spanning the length of the coastal urbanized area between Waveland and Ocean Springs. I-10, which is distant from the dense development hugging the Gulf shore, cannot satisfy the same travel demands as US 90. Most traffic -- through trips; local work, school, shopping and other trips; industrial waterfront trips; traditional beach visitor trips; and now, casino trips -- uses US 90. There are no alternative east - west through routes. - US 90 forms a corridor which is home to the most dense development in Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties. Shopping centers, office buildings, schools, colleges, residential areas, mass event centers, waterfront industries, beach recreation attractions and now, casinos, use US 90 as a means of property access. Therefore, it is both the only east - west traffic artery spanning the length of the Gulf Coast and the most important property access drive in the three-county coastal area. This is a difficult, if not impossible, task for an urban four-lane roadway, because each of the two roles compromises the effectiveness of the other. The addition of several major gaming operations to the US 90 corridor will both increase traffic and property access demands. As a result, congestion will worsen. - A comparison of monthly 1991 and 1992 (pre-casino) traffic counts with counts from the same month in 1992 or 1993 reveals annual rates of increase between 10 and 20 percent. This is more than double the normal range of traffic increase for an urban area with a moderately growing economy. - The traffic counts cited above only included traffic from four casinos (Casino Magic, President, Biloxi Belle and Isle of Capri) with a total gaming area of about 114,000 square feet. This report found that there are firm plans in place to develop six additional casinos resulting in a total of approximately 414,350 square feet of gaming space (a 264 percent increase over April 1993) by January of 1994. That month and year are considered to be the center of the þshort-term futureþ which is the focal point of this report. All of these casinos must rely on US 90 for access. Table ES-1 provides a summary of the short-term future casino developments considered by this report. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-2 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-3 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - Casinos are major trip generators, particularly on weekends when they achieve peak visitation. It is estimated that on an average Saturday, total Mississippi Gulf Coast casino traffic will be approximately 83,000 trips. These trips will have a very noticeable impact on the area roadway network, particularly US 90. Table ES-2 estimates short-term future trip generation for the casinos. The US 90 capacity impact of these casino trips is summarized in Table ES-3. As indicated by the latter table, severe peak-hour capacity deficiencies are projected for US 90 in Gulfport and Biloxi. As the roadway approaches full utilization in these areas nit will begin to fail (LOS F). Only the Bay St. Louis segment shows an adequate short-term future arterial capacity, as is indicated by the estimated 766 vehicle reserve capacity. - Other major uses, particularly the Mississippi State Port at Gulfport, also have expansion plans which will create additional traffic demands on US 90. Secondary development, which is related to or encouraged by the casino projects, will also have a major traffic impact in the short-term future. Finally, the potential for other casino projects, which cannot be defined at the present time, must be kept in mind for the long-term future. - Casino development occurs in an extremely dynamic and fast-paced environment, which is unlike that of most types of development. - Casino operators generally prefer to act independently on matters such as traffic, access and parking. Summary of Common Solutions Just as there are a number of problems which are manifest in all three areas of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, there are also solutions which can assist in improving future traffic flow on US 90. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-4 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-5 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Table ES-3 Summary of Short-Term Future US 90 Peak-Hour Traffic and Capacity Existing Post-Casino Peak-Hour Design* Reserve Peak-Hour % Reserve Volume Capacity Capacity Volume Change Capacity Bay St. Louis 1,774 3,840 2,066 3,074 73% 766 Gulfport 2,601 3,136 535 3,653 40% -517 Biloxi 2,340 3,136 796 4,970 112% -1,834 *Based on telephone conversations with MDOT, August 1993, and Highway Capacity Manual, Special Report No. 209, 1985, Transportation Research Board, pages 2-5. Source: Burk-Kleinpeter, Inc. June 1993. Burk-Kleinpeter, Inc. MS Gulf Coast Transportation Plan for Waterfront Development Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-6 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - Over the years, several studies have noted that a new east - west arterial roadway should be constructed in the future. Four factors associated with the recent and continuing casino development have moved that future need to the immediate present: 1) All current and planned dockside gaming operations will rely on US 90 for access. 2) Casinos generate large volumes of traffic. 3) The pace of casino development is faster than that of any other major commercial use. 4) It is very likely that additional casinos, not considered by this report, will be developed in the US 90 corridor within the next five years. Therefore, it is recommended that planning for a new east - west roadway commence immediately. - If it is to be effective in diverting traffic from US 90, the new east - west roadway should: 1) at least connect eastern Biloxi with western Gulfport (and preferably extend further to the west), 2) provide efficient connections to major north - south roadways, especially those interchanging with I-10, and 3) emphasize traffic movement over property access. - Gulf Coast communities should take a more active role in directing casino development via a comprehensive planning effort focusing on gaming related development. Such an effort would establish casino zones, size and access requirements. It would also establish roadway improvements necessary to support the projects. This would yield a schedule of improvements which would then be required to accompany further casino development. Rather than block further casino development, or conversely allow it to expand under loose regulations, this recommendation suggests that a middle-ground position be taken. - Casino operators should work together with their host communities and each other on roadway and parking solutions which benefit the gaming districts as a whole. This recommendation applies to Gulfport and Biloxi, with the Biloxi Strip being the area of greatest need. Individual casino operators strive to provide a quality patron experience within their own establishments but should also focus attention on the common environment surrounding their property. As gaming spreads to other areas inside and outside of Mississippi, the Gulf Coast will have to compete more vigorously for gaming patrons. The quality of the visitors' experience in the area as a whole will become increasingly important in attracting repeat patronage. Ease of access to, and circulation within, Gulf Coast gaming districts will be a major factor in determining the quality of the visitors' experience. No individual casino or government agency can solve the entire problem. For the long-term success of their individual operations, all casinos Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-7 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development should realize that they have an interest in cooperating on access and parking issues. Summary of Local Problems and Recommendations This section reviews the problems and recommendations which are specific to each of the three units of analysis -- Bay St. Louis, Gulfport and Biloxi - Ocean Springs. Bay St. Louis Problems - Casino Magic traffic accounts for roughly 80% of all vehicles using Blue Meadow Road - Comparison of '91 and '93 Blue Meadow Road traffic counts indicates that a substantial increase in roadway use has occurred during that period. - The peak hour for Blue Meadow Road is Saturday between 3:00 and 4:00 pm. - The increase in gaming space and positions at Casino Magic during the Summer of '93 should result in an approximate 30% increase in traffic on Blue Meadow Rd. - The US 90 / Blue Meadow Road (Main Street) intersection currently operates at a very poor level-of-service (LOS F) during the peak hour. Recommendations - US 90 / Blue Meadow Road (Main Street) - Construct a dedicated southbound right-turn lane - Construct a dedicated northbound left-turn lane - Provide a demand-activated signal and increase signal cycle from 65 to 70 seconds and provide additional green time to the north / south phase. - A southbound left-turn lane can also be added to improve capacity and level-of-service, however this improvement is not a requirement. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-8 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - US 90 / Drinkwater Road - Construct a four lane roadway between US 90 and Green Meadow Road - Construct a new two lane Casino Magic access road between Green Meadow Road and Blue Meadow Road - Provide a traffic signal at the US 90 / Drinkwater Road intersection - New Casino Magic Access Road / Blue Meadow Road - Construct a dedicated northbound right-turn lane - Construct a dedicated westbound left-turn lane - Construct a dedicated eastbound left-turn lane - Provide a traffic signal Table ES-4 provides a general magnitude cost estimate for each of the Bay St. Louis short-term projects. Figure ES-1, located at the end of this summary, depicts the general location of the improvements for the entire Gulf Coast project area, including Bay St. Louis. Gulfport Problems - Comparison of pre-casino traffic counts with counts since August 1992 indicate that US 90 traffic in Gulfport has an annual rate of increase between 10 and 20 percent. Even though the closest operating casino was located in Biloxi when the above count comparisons were made, gaming activities appear to have a dramatic impact on US 90 traffic in Gulfport. - The US 90 / US 49 intersection is operating at its capacity under present traffic volumes and cannot withstand increases without some improvements. The southbound right-turn and eastbound left-turn are the most serious problems. Neither can be addressed by signal improvements and an addition of lane capacity is indicated as being necessary. - Much of the Port's truck traffic is not using the 30th Avenue truck route to access I-10 and this aggravates operating problems on US 90 and US 49. Intersection limitations at US 49 / 28th Street appear to be the major problem. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-9 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-10 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - The Gulfport harbor area south of US 90 will experience a substantial increase in traffic access demands related to construction of new deepwater port facilities and two dockside gaming establishments. - The above major development projects have occurred and are continuing on an apparently individual basis. This incremental development pattern is not conducive to the creation of a logical roadway network serving the needs of all uses in the municipal and State Port areas of the harbor. Access to the exterior network north of US 90 is similarly compromised by the lack of a cohesive harbor area circulation system. Recommendations - Improve the US 49 / 28th Street intersection to encourage more port truck traffic to use the truck route. - Prepare a comprehensive site plan, focusing on creation of a unified on-site circulation system for the Gulfport harbor area. The effort should include fresh ideas regarding access to the external east - west and north - south arteries serving the site. - Construct a double eastbound US 90 left-turn at US 49, along with a double southbound right-turn and northbound left-turn, or - Implement harbor area access improvements consisting of: 30th Avenue overpass at US 90, improved harbor area circulation system, 23rd Avenue connection to US 49 via Railroad Street or other parallel route. - Close southern leg of 27th Avenue at US 90 in order to avoid an additional point of congestion on US 90. - Begin planning and development of a new east - west arterial roadway to relieve congestion on US 90 (CSX Railroad corridor) - Begin planning and development of a new north - south arterial roadway to relieve congestion on US 49 (Canal Road, 28th Street and 30th Avenue) Table ES-5 provides a general magnitude cost estimate for each of the Gulfport short-term projects. Figure ES-1, located at the end of this summary, depicts the general location of the improvements for the entire Gulf Coast project area, including Gulfport. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-11 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-12 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Biloxi / Ocean Springs The Biloxi / Ocean Springs unit is functionally divided into three sub-areas: - Beauvoir Avenue / President Casino - Biloxi Strip (I-110 - Myrtle Avenue) - US 90 / Washington Avenue (MS 609) intersection Problems -- Beauvoir Avenue / President Casino -- - Local input indicates a potential eastbound left-turn bay queuing deficiency and field observations indicate a potential southbound left-turn queuing deficiency at the US 90 / Beauvoir Avenue intersection. - The President Casino existing driveway and traffic signal system is not providing adequate access to the gaming operation on the south side of US 90. The two signals for the casino and hotel also seem to impede through movement on US 90. -- Biloxi Strip -- - A 250 percent increase in casino gaming space is expected from six dockside gaming operations. Four casinos will be located at the east end of the Strip near Point Cadet, while the remaining two will be in the downtown beachfront area near I-110. - The existing four-lane US 90 facility will not be able to accommodate the approximately 100 percent increase in traffic which is forecast for the Strip. Additional lane capacity will be needed. - Adding traffic lanes alone is not likely to result in adequate traffic flows during peak-periods. Additional improvements are also necessary. -- Ocean Springs -- - The intersection of US 90 and Washington Avenue (MS 609) is currently deficient in terms of its peak-period operation. Normal commuting patterns, as well as possible gaming related impacts from the Biloxi Strip seem to be the cause of this congestion. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-13 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Recommendations -- Beauvoir Avenue / President Casino -- - At the US 90 / Beauvoir Avenue intersection, lengthening the eastbound left-turn bay will remove turning vehicles from the eastbound US 90 left (through) lane during peak periods. Provision of two southbound left-turn lanes will alleviate potential congestion on this approach. - Dual one-way driveways separated by about 600 feet, along with a new signal system will provide for improved President Casino access and flow on US 90. -- Biloxi Strip -- - The addition of one lane in either direction on US 90 for the entire length of the Strip will improve flow and access to the casino properties and other major attractions developing between I-110 and Point Cadet. - A remote parking lot should be developed north of US 90 to intercept peak-period traffic and keep it off of the Strip. A transit shuttle system should connect the lot with the casinos. - A Strip circulator bus route should be developed to serve what will be a very heavily trafficked area. The route would help to control local or intra-Strip trips which would otherwise be made in low occupancy vehicles. The City of Biloxi, casinos and other major generators should consider establishing a benefit assessment district to fund this transit operation. - Pedestrian paths should be developed to further reduce short low occupancy vehicle trips. The system is recommended to include an east - west boardwalk on the south side of US 90, along with elevated pedestrian bridges over US 90. The pedestrian bridges could be directly linked to the parking lots and garages on the north side of the highway. - Traffic signals should feature emergency vehicle preemption capability to reduce response time for police, fire and medical vehicles. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-14 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development -- Ocean Springs -- - Dual east, west and southbound left-turn lanes should be provided. Table ES-6 provides a general magnitude cost estimate for each of the Biloxi - Ocean Springs short-term projects. Figure ES-1, which follows the table, depicts the general location of the improvements for the entire Gulf Coast project area, including Biloxi - Ocean Springs. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-15 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-16 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. ES-17 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Background US 90 is the primary east - west arterial roadway spanning the three-county coastal Mississippi area. It is the only continuous non-interstate roadway running from the Louisiana state line in western Hancock County to the Alabama state line in eastern Jackson County. Between these two termini, the cities of Waveland, Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, Long Beach, Gulfport, Biloxi and Ocean Springs along with smaller communities, form a contiguous strip of development along the Gulf of Mexico. Major north - south roadways accessing I-10 distribute traffic along the densely developed coast via US 90. With the exception of one short six-lane segment in Biloxi, US 90 consists of four lanes along its entire route in Mississippi. It provides capacity for work, school, shopping and other local trips. Since US 90 follows the Gulf shoreline, it also provides access to deep-water port facilities, hotels, motels, restaurants, tourist attractions, and within the last year, dockside gaming establishments. The rapid growth of dockside gaming establishments has caused a substantial increase in traffic on US 90 and the highways connecting it to I-10. At the present time (March 1993) there are three dockside gaming vessels located in Biloxi and one in Bay St. Louis. All four of these operations are planning an expansion of their gaming and support space (some for the second time) in order to attract more business and remain competitive. More importantly, by the end of 1993, two new floating casinos will open in Gulfport and four will be added in Biloxi. Commensurate increases in traffic can be expected to accompany these expansions and additions. The long-run future of the gaming industry along the Gulf Coast is yet to be defined. The success of current gaming ventures continues to lure still more potential operators to the Gulf Coast. There is no state limit on the number of gaming operations along the Coast and local governments do not have tight restrictions on the number or location of gaming operations. Based on informal discussions between potential casino developers and local planning officials, the long-run future could see over twenty dockside gaming operations on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It is difficult to forecast the location, magnitude or certainty of these projects, many of which are in a constant state of change. It is likewise difficult to develop responsive transportation plans in such a dynamic environment. Table 1-1 lists current and known future Gulf Coast casino operations. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 1-1 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Table 1-1 Current and Future Casino Operations As of Projected by Potential Area March 1993 January 1994 Long-term Bay St. Louis/ Casino Magic 2 Waveland Gulfport Grand 1 Copa Biloxi President Grand 2 Biloxi Belle Casino One Isle of Capri Casino Magic Gold Coast ___________________________ Sources: Director, Gulf Regional Planning Commission; Director, Gulfport Planning Commission; Director, Biloxi Planning Commission; Executive Director, Mississippi State Port Authority at Gulfport; Mayor, Bay St. Louis. Meetings, March 1993. Project Objectives This report defines traffic problems in the US 90 corridor and develops solutions thereto. The report's primary focus is on existing and short-run future problems and solutions. These problems can be defined using existing or easily obtained data. The highest priority is given to identifying alternative solutions which can be implemented in a relatively short time-frame and at a relatively low cost. Some problems and development situations do not lend themselves to quick, low-cost solutions. In these cases, general alternatives, including the need for more specific planning studies are identified. The report does not attempt to deal with the traffic impacts of the very speculative and uncertain potential long-term gaming projects. The long-term nature of these ventures, coupled with the paucity of information describing them is incompatible with the mission of this transportation study. However, the recommendations of this report should serve to accommodate part of the additional travel demand from these potential long-term gaming establishments. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 1-2 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Project Area The project focuses on US 90 between MS Hwy. 43/603 in Hancock County and MS Hwy. 609 (Washington Ave.) in Jackson County. This 36-mile segment of US 90 provides access to all existing and planned floating casino operations (as of March 1993). The report also evaluates north - south travel demands between the densely developed US 90 waterfront areas and I-10. Figure 1-1 depicts the project area and highlights the major thoroughfare segments covered by the report. The project area is divided into three geographic units of analysis: Bay St. Louis Area, Gulfport Area and Biloxi / Ocean Springs Area. The area covered by each is not necessarily limited to the city for which it is named, because the impacts and need for improvements do not stop at the corporate boundaries. Each area forms a logical unit of analysis in terms of its arterial network. Each of these three areas also is experiencing traffic problems related to one or more intense waterfront developments which are heavily dependent on US 90 for access. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 1-3 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 1-4 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development CHAPTER 2 BAY ST. LOUIS Hancock County, having a 1990 population of 31,760,1 is the smallest of the three Mississippi coastal counties. The neighboring towns of Bay St. Louis and Waveland, with a 1990 combined population of 13,432, form the largest developed area in the County. The two communities share many of the same arterial access routes, including US 90. Problem Statement Existing Conditions With the opening of Casino Magic in 1992, Blue Meadow Road has experienced a steady increase in traffic. Blue Meadow Road is a two lane asphalt collector street providing access to a largely residential area in northeastern Bay St. Louis. The intersection with US 90 is its interface with the external network and is the most heavily trafficked segment of Blue Meadow Road. Major generators. Blue Meadow Road serves a largely residential area ranging from medium density to very large-lot rural-type development. With the exception of the casino and a radio station, commercial uses are largely confined to the area at and near the US 90 intersection. Bay High School is the only other significant traffic generator relying on Blue Meadow Road for access to US 90 and the rest of Bay St. Louis. Figure 2-1 locates Blue Meadow Road and depicts its service area, including the Casino Magic development. Casino Magic consists of approximately 40,000 sq. ft. of gaming area, with additional restaurant, lounge and office space also included in the existing development. The total employment of 1,567 persons is spread over 24-hours and three operating shifts. Saturday is the peak-day for gaming activity with about 20,000 patrons entering the casino. The parking lot provides 1,100 spaces.2 Traffic counts. In 1991, prior to the opening of Casino Magic, Blue Meadow Road had an average daily traffic (ADT) flow of 1,330 vehicles3 near the ___________________________ 1Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, U.S. Census of Population. 2Meeting. Mr. Len Krick, Casino Magic; Mr. Ned Boudreux, jGulf Regional Planning Commission and Mr. Paul Waidas, Burk, Kleinjpeter, Inc. March 11, 1993. 3Mississippi Department of Transportation. Traffic Counts. Bay St. Louis - Waveland Gulf Coast Urbanized Area. Map No. 7. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-1 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-2 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development intersection of US 90. Traffic counts taken as part of this project focused on Saturday, the peak-day of Casino Magic, the major generator in the area. A Saturday total of 17,400 vehicles was counted at the same location as the 1991 count. This constitutes an approximate 1200% increase over the 1991 - 1993 period. In order to determine how much of the Blue Meadow Road traffic is attributable to Casino Magic, a simultaneous count was conducted on the development's access road at Felicity St. On the same Saturday 13,900 vehicles were counted at the entrance to Casino Magic. Therefore, approximately 80% of the traffic on Blue Meadow Road is attributable to the casino development. Drinkwater Road, located west of Blue Meadow Road provides a secondary access route to US 90 for the northeast Bay St. Louis area. It is connected to Blue Meadow Road via Green Meadow Road, a quiet residential street. Traffic counts were also conducted on Drinkwater Road at US 90 on the same Saturday as on Blue Meadow Road and Casino Magic Boulevard. Only 1,940 vehicles were counted on Drinkwater Road on the Saturday. The relatively low counts and limited observation of traffic seem to indicate that Drinkwater Road serves hospital and local residential traffic, but is not used to any great extent by Casino Magic traffic. Tables 2-1, 2-2 and 2-3 provide 24-hour peak-day counts for Blue Meadow Road, Casino Magic Boulevard and Drinkwater Road respectively. Figure 2-2 provides a comparative graph of the counts. Appendix A contains the complete 24-hour traffic counts. Counts were taken on a weekend when no special events (boxing match, etc.) were ongoing at the casino. Weather varied from very good to heavy rainfall. The counts are considered to represent average peak-period (weekend) traffic for the casino and Blue Meadow Road. Problem summary. Count data and observations reveal that most of the traffic using Blue Meadow Road north of US 90 is attributable to the Casino Magic development. Some traffic is contributed by the shopping center development located in the northeast quadrant of the intersection with US 90. The shopping center parking lot provides continuous access to Blue Meadow Road for its entire length. There is no driveway to organize entering or exiting movements. There is heavy traffic congestion on Blue Meadow Road in the vicinity of US 90, with the afternoon and evening periods being a particular problem. The period of congestion is more intense and covers a greater time period on weekends. Southbound Blue Meadow Road traffic, in particular, Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-3 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-4 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-5 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-6 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-7 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development experiences heavy delays during the evening hours, and to a lesser extent, so does the eastbound left-turn from US 90 onto Blue Meadow Road. All southbound movements -- left, through and right -- are confined to one lane. If the minor left-turn movement is blocked by opposing northbound traffic at US 90, all southbound traffic movements are delayed. Field observations indicate that the right- turn onto US 90 is the major evening peak-period movement using the southbound approach. The approach requires additional lane capacity to separate movements via dedicated lanes. A depiction of the 1993 intersection geometry is contained in Appendix B. Short-Term Future Developments Prior to the opening of Casino Magic, the pace of development in Bay St. Louis was slow. The influx of casino-related visitors and jobs has noticeably changed this situation. Future impacts will likely come from three primary sources: 1) Casino Magic, 2) Other potential casino boat developments, and 3) Secondary development capitalizing on the activity created by the casino(s). As of March 1993, available public information (state and local permit approvals for gaming operations) and meetings with elected4 and appointed5 officials indicate that additional casino developments are not likely to open in the Bay St. Louis area in the short-term future. Therefore, additional traffic impacts are most likely to come from Casino Magic expansion activities and secondary development. Casino Magic. In the Summer of 1993 Casino Magic will dock the Dubuque Casino Belle riverboat next to the existing casino barge. This will provide an additional 990 gaming positions and restaurant space. Approximate total capacity of the Belle is about 3,000 persons.6 Together with the existing 1,433 gaming positions and 1,123 slot machines7, this additional casino area will help Casino Magic to determine the true demand for additional gaming space and firm-up the long-term development plans for the site. Parking facilities are being expanded to accommodate the expected increase in gaming patrons. ___________________________ 4Meeting. Mayor Edward A. Favre, Mr. James Wilkinson, Gulf Regional Planning Commission and Mr. Paul Waidhas, Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. March 18, 1993. 5Meeting. Messrs. Richfard Turner and Hugh Long, Mississippi Department of Transportation; Mr. James Wilkinson, Gulf Regional Planning Commission and Mr. Paul Waidhas, Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. March 11, 1993. 6Meeting. Mr. Len Krick, Casino Magic. March 11, 1993. 7Pearson and Company, "Casino Boat Comparitive Chart", Riverboat Gaming Report. January 1993. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-8 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Secondary development. Casino Magic can be expected to attract and encourage additional development to occur in the area served by US 90, Blue Meadow Road and Drinkwater Road. While no major complementary developments were public knowledge at the time this study was ongoing,8 small commercial construction projects were evident. It is reasonable to expect that some of the vacant and under-utilized land in the vicinity of Casino Magic will be converted to commercial uses. Much of this will likely occur on US 90. Because of established land use patterns, zoning regulations and location factors, Blue Meadow Road. and Drinkwater Road are likely to receive less development and less intense development. General traffic forecast. Since Casino Magic will remain the major trip generator in the area, it will continue to dominate the traffic at the US 90 / Blue Meadow Road intersection. The previous expansion of gaming space resulted in an approximately proportionate increase in the number of gamblers.9 Given the lack of a market study or similar detailed document regarding the Casino Magic addition of 990 gaming spaces in the Summer of 1993, the traffic forecast employs a direct proportionate take-off on current gaming positions and traffic at the gate. Using this method, Saturday traffic on Casino Magic Boulevard is projected to increase to 19,280 vehicles (currently 13,906 vehicles use the street on Saturday). Peak Saturday evening-hour traffic is forecast to increase from the current 838 vehicles to 1,160 vehicles. Additional trip generation from secondary development is not judged to be substantial in the short-term future for two reasons: 1) The new trips added to the US 90 / Blue Meadow Road area will largely be a result of expansion at Casino Magic. It is the only major generator of non-local trips. If the casino were not open, Blue Meadow Road would likely revert to a residential collector with an ADT of about 3,000 vehicles. 2) Any new area restaurants, motels, gas stations, etc. will open only because of the substantial amount of external pass- by traffic generated by the casino. With the exception of employee and service-vehicle traffic, these establishments will only be diverting casino-based trips, as opposed to generating new trips. ___________________________ 8Meeting. Mayor Edward A. Favre. March 18, 1993. 9Meeting. Mr. Len Krick, March 11, 1993. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-9 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Potential Long-Term Developments Casino Magic.10 In the long-term future, Casino Magic will develop its approximately 350 non-wetland acres into a diverse destination resort. Management predicts that guests will have a three-to-four day average stay. These long-term development plans are very general at this time because a detailed master plan is being developed. Additions will be phased in over a number of years, with actual patron demand dictating what is built. There is no firm development plan available, but it is assumed that the resort will include the following major elements (approximate sizes): - 8,400 sq. ft. of additional gaming space - 2,200-seat showroom - 7 restaurants (steak house, food court, buffet, seafood, etc.) - 30,000 sq. ft. of lounge space - 120,000 sq. ft. meeting space and banquet facility - 1,500-room hotel developed in two phases, with the first 750 room 26 floor hotel tower being complete in Summer of 1994. - 18-hole golf course - 18-hole putting course - Golf course hotel (recreational theme) - Country club - 236-space marina - 119-space RV park - Other facilities are in the conceptual stage and may or may not happen The above improvements will transform Casino Magic from a gaming operation to a multi-attraction destination resort. The average length of stay per visitor is expected to increase from a few hours to about four days. The average visitor mix will also change from the current nearby gaming patrons to more families from a wider geographic area. General marketing plans for the casino indicate a shift in guest arrival mode from private automobile access to greater reliance on air transportation, with limmousine and shuttle connections between the airport and the Casino Magic site. The foregoing factors will somewhat soften traffic increases associated with long-term developments. Other potential casino development. During discussions with local officials four potential casino projects were mentioned: - Bay St. Louis, south of US 90 - Bay St. Louis, between Casino Magic and US 90 - Bayou Caddy - Waveland ___________________________ 10Meeting. Mr. Len Krick. March 11, 1993. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-10 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development However, local contacts had no specific information about these potential projects and each faces substantial challenges before beginning the development process. When and if these projects are implemented, their size, features and location, may change several times. The shape and success of the Casino Magic development, along with the gaming developments in Gulfport, Biloxi and New Orleans will also have a pronounced impact on these very tentative long-term future projects. Given these constraints, it is not possible to forecast traffic demands with any level of accuracy or detail. Future Traffic Demand The projected summer '93 traffic increase estimated for Casino Magic was used as input for a capacity analysis of the US 90 / Blue Meadow Road intersection during the critical Saturday afternoon 3:00 - 4:00 pm peak. On Blue Meadow Road, the casino expansion is forecast to result in a 30% increase in peak hour traffic, with a total demand of 1,384 vehicles. The short-term east, west and southbound peak hour approach volumes were estimated using four sources of information: 1) 1982 MDOT turning movement counts, 2) 1991 MDOT ADT counts, 3) A license plate survey of vehicles in the Casino Magic parking lot11, and 4) A Saturday peak-period observation of the US 90 / Blue Meadow Road intersection. The intersection's capacity analysis input worksheet contained in Appendix C depicts the estimated approach volumes. Alternative Solutions Short Range Improvements Do nothing. Without geometric or signal improvements, the capacity analysis12 indicates that the intersection will operate at level- of-service (LOS) F.* The northbound (Main Street) and southbound (coming from the casino) approaches will also function at LOS F and are the major problems. There is not enough lane capacity to accommodate the three approach ___________________________ 11Gulf Regional Planning Commission. April 6, 1993. 12Transportation Research Board, National Research Council. Special Report 209. 1985 Highway Capacity Manual Software. *LOS ranges from "A", a free flow condition generally only found on rural interstate segments, to "F", a severely congested stop-and-go condition associated with urban peak-hour traffic or incident delays. LOS C is the preferred urban-suburban design goal for roadways. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-11 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development movements being squeezed into one lane. Both approaches of US 90 will function at LOS B. Appendix C contains a copy of the capacity analysis short report and input sheet. Southbound right-turn lane. The license plate survey of the Casino Magic parking lot and observation of the traffic at the US 90 / Blue Meadow Road intersection indicated that about 53% of the traffic on the north segment (Blue Meadow Road) comes from and goes to the west. Therefore, an immediate benefit would be realized if a dedicated right-turn lane were constructed for southbound Blue Meadow Road traffic. Given that the peak demand for this movement is forecast to be about 370 vehicles per hour, a right-turn lane about 200 ft. long with a 150 ft. long taper should provide adequate capacity and safety. While the improvement provides lane capacity for the right-turn, it will immediately ease congestion for all three movements (left, through and right) because the minor movements (left and through) will no longer block the right-turns. At present, right-turns on red are sometimes totally blocked for an entire cycle of the signal under the present single approach-lane layout. The recommended improvement would alleviate this problem since the dedicated turning-lane would provide adequate storage capacity for right-turns. Capacity analysis using the same projected Summer '93 traffic volumes and movements as in the preceding þDo nothingþ analysis, but with a southbound right-turn lane and a five-second increase in the north / south phase (and the entire cycle length), results in a LOS C operating condition for the southbound approach. The major movements on US 90 continue to operate at LOS B. This represents a substantial and worthwhile improvement for Blue Meadow Rd. Unfortunately, the northbound approach (Main Street) and the intersection as a whole continue to operate at LOS F. Northbound left-turn lane. Additional capacity analysis reveals that the addition of a right-turn lane for the northbound movement does not solve the problem. However, the addition of a left-turn lane (northbound Main Street to westbound US 90) does raise the operation of this approach to LOS D and the entire intersection to LOS B. The US 90 approaches both continue to operate LOS B and the southbound Blue Meadow Road approach with its additional right-turn lane, functions at LOS C. Appendix C contains a copy of these capacity analyses. Therefore, it is recommended that a southbound right-turn lane and northbound left-turn lane be constructed for this intersection. The weekend Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-12 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development signal cycle should also be increased from 65 seconds to 70 seconds, with the additional five seconds of green time going to the north / south phase. Figure 2-3 depicts the turning-lane additions discussed above. In addition to the above mentioned improvements, a southbound left-turn lane could be added for better traffic flow. While the addition of dedicated left-turn bays in major intersections being upgraded is a policy of MDOT, this improvement is not a functional requirement of the intersection, based on the examined as part of this report. Temporary traffic diversion. The existing street network allows for a diversion of traffic between Blue Meadow Road and Drinkwater Road via Green Meadow Road, which acts as a manifold connecting the two routes. This diversion could be accomplished with directional signs. While this diversion is physically possible, it is not recommended, even on a temporary basis for the following reasons: - Green Meadow Road is a narrow, quiet residential street. Houses are close to the street. The increased traffic would result in negative safety and quality-of-life impacts. - As currently configured, the intersection of Green Meadow Road and Blue Meadow Road cannot safely accommodate high traffic volumes. No signal is present and Green Meadow Road enters Blue Meadow Road at an oblique angle. This presents sight-line and turning-movement problems. Without substantial geometric, and perhaps signal improvements, this is a poor candidate for a high-volume intersection. - Once a þshort cutþ becomes known it is difficult to bar traffic from using it in the future. Therefore, a temporary diversion of traffic on Green Meadow Road could result in negative long-term neighborhood impacts. Channelize shopping center entrance and exit movements. A contributing factor to congestion and a potential cause of traffic accidents on Blue Meadow Road is the continuous shopping center parking lot access in the northeast quadrant of the US 90 intersection. It is recommended that the parking lot be separated from Blue Meadow Road by a curbed strip of grass and / or low vegetation. Clearly stripped driveways should be provided onto Blue Meadow Road near the middle or north end of the shopping center frontage onto that street. Unless site plan or driveway conflicts indicate otherwise, this driveway access should not occur at the south end of the Blue Meadow Road frontage, since this would present potential conflicts with the US 90 / Blue Meadow Road intersection traffic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-13 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-14 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Develop a second access road for Casino Magic. In recognition of existing and potentially worsening short and long-term access problems, Casino Magic is pursuing construction of a second ingress and egress route. This roadway would link Casino Magic Boulevard with Drinkwater Road at Green Meadow Road. The route would be constructed on land that is presently vacant. Negotiations to purchase the land were ongoing at the time this report was being prepared. Given that over half of the casino's traffic is oriented to the west, the consultant concurs that the new roadway will provide a significant reduction in traffic on Blue Meadow Road and its intersection with US 90 by diverting west oriented trips. Table 2-4 estimates the impact of the new casino access roadway, by splitting west oriented Casino Magic traffic onto the new route, and east and south oriented casino traffic onto Blue Meadow Rd. Local traffic is assumed to continue using Blue Meadow Rd. As a result a 44% decrease in peak hour traffic is projected on Blue Meadow Rd. As expected, Drinkwater Road at US 90 would experience a substantial proportionate increase in weekend peak hour traffic (about 446%). However, this is largely irrelevant since current peak volume (136 vehicles per hour) is so low. A warrant analysis13 of the proposed intersection, using the traffic volumes listed in Table 2-4 indicates that the US 90 / Drinkwater Road intersection would require a traffic signal when the new Casino Magic access road is connected to Drinkwater Rd.* Warrant 1, Minimum Vehicular Volume and Warrant 2, Interruption of Continuous Traffic, would be exceeded. Geometry at the intersection and on Drinkwater Road would have to be improved. In the northbound direction it is recommended that the unique wood bordered triangle at US 90 be removed. This structure is confusing to motorists and does not meet design guidelines. A standard design for westbound right-turn movements should be constructed. Drinkwater Road, between US 90 and Green Meadow Road, should be a four lane roadway in order to accommodate casino, hospital, medical office building and local movements. North of Green Meadow Road the Drinkwater Road extension is actually a private access road for Casino Magic. Unless additional intense development is encouraged to develop along the route, a two lane roadway should be adequate to accommodate both short and long- term the ___________________________ 13U.S. Department of Transportation, kjFederal Highway Administration. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. 1988 Edition. Part 4C. *Warrants are criteria for evaluating whether an intersection merits (warrants) installation if a traffic signal. In general, traffic control signals shoild not be installed unless at least ine if the 11 warrants described in the MUTCD are met. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-15 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-16 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development traffic flows. This assumes that Blue Meadow Road will continue to used as an access route for east oriented Casino Magic traffic. Table 2-5 summarizes the geometry in the improved US 90 / Drinkwater Road intersection. On the southbound leg, the roadway features a dedicated right-turn lane (for the predominant movement), and a shared through / left lane. No geometric improvements are required on the other three approaches. Table 2-5 Proposed US 90 / Drinkwater Road Intersection Geometry No. of Lanes Provided Intersection Approach (Direction of Travel) Movement South East North West Left - 1 - 1 Left/Thru 1 - - - Thru - 2 - 2 Right 1 1 - 1 Right/Thru - - - - Left/Thru/Right - - 1 - ___________________________ Source: Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 1993. The above approach geometry is depicted in Figure 2-4. This geometry, and the estimated traffic for the Saturday peak hour, were input into a planning method signalized intersection LOS analysis. Results indicate that when a signal system is added to the intersection, the geometry will accommodate the projected traffic at a satisfactory LOS. Results indicate that the intersection will function þBelow Capacity,þ indicating that the geometry has the ability to absorb additional traffic in the future. Appendix C contains the full Planning Method report. The new casino access road will intersect with Blue Meadow Road at Casino Magic Boulevard. This intersection is currently regulated by a flashing signal. Given the diversion of west oriented vehicles to the new access road, it is likely that a traffic signal will be required at this intersection. Traffic projections using the peak hour volumes cited in Table 2-4, indicate that Warrant 1, Minimum Vehicular Volume would be exceeded. Warrant 2, Interruption of Continuous Traffic would appear to be a borderline situation. While signal warrant criteria are not an absolute Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-17 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-18 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development indication of the need to install or not install a signal, they do indicate whether the situation merits consideration for a signal. This certainly is the case at the new intersection given the crossing (conflicting) volumes, particularly the eastbound through, opposed by the westbound left. Using the Unsignalized Intersections module of the HCS the intersection was analyzed using the projected Summer '93 traffic, with the existing geometry and improved geometry. Geometric improvements consisted of the addition of a dedicated east and westbound left-turn lanes and northbound right-turn lane to accommodate the heavy volume of Casino Magic traffic comprising those movements. Neither of the unsignalized scenarios yielded satisfactory results for the minor street, Blue Meadow Road (LOS E). Appendix C contains a copies of the unsignalized intersection capacity analysis reports. The same two geometric options and Summer '93 traffic, were input into a planning method signalized intersection LOS analysis. Results indicate that the existing geometry, one lane for each of the four approaches, would function þNear Capacity.þ With the addition of a northbound right-turn lane and westbound left-turn lane, the intersection is projected to operate þBelow Capacity,þ indicating that the geometry has the ability to absorb additional traffic in the future. Appendix C contains the full Planning Method reports. Given the area's propensity for steady long-term traffic volume increases, the improved geometry is recommended for this intersection. Table 2-6 provides a comparison between the existing and recommended intersection geometry. Figure 2-5 depicts the proposed geometric improvements. Long-Range Needs Roadway construction. The form and intensity of the final Casino Magic full development plans are not known at this time, but available information clearly indicates that an intense use of the site will result. Likewise, while secondary development, which is not a traffic concern in the short-term future, will increase, depending on what occurs at Casino Magic, smaller incremental developments will be more of a traffic concern in the long-term. Obviously, traffic can be expected to continue building for a number of years in response to these as of yet unknown developments. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-19 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-20 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Therefore, for long-term traffic benefits, it is recommended that both the expansion of the US 90 / Blue Meadow Road intersection and construction of the Casino Magic access road be undertaken. The latter project should remove just over 50% of the casino traffic from the former intersection and provide capacity for additional traffic. If and when the new Casino Magic access road is constructed, its intersection with Blue Meadow Road should be signalized and the geometric improvements included in the project. Table 2-6 Existing & (Proposed) Casino Magic Boulevard / Blue Meadow Road Intersection Geometry No. of Lanes Provided Intersection Approach (Direction of Travel) Movement South** East* North West Left - (1) - 1 Left/Thru - - 1 - Thru - - - - Right - - (1) - Right/Thru - (1) - (1) Left/Thru/Right 1 - - - ___________________________ **Current geometry a single lane for Left/Thru/Right moves. *Eastbound approach does not exist at present (April '93). Source: Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 1993. Government policies. Communities which host major economic development projects, such as a casinos, must expect that a substantial amount of increased traffic will accompany those developments. However, the lack of information regarding the long- term future projects does not allow for the planning of specific traffic improvements at this time. Therefore, local officials should strive to control traffic impacts from all major developments, including casino and related projects. It is recommended that Bay St. Louis evaluate and regulate potential future major waterfront projects. To accomplish this the following steps are recommended: Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-21 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - The zoning ordinance and other land use regulations should specifically identify parcels which are suitable for major waterfront development based on roadway capacity (access) and other logical selection criteria (residential impacts, available infrastructure systems, etc.). - As part of the development permitting process, traffic impact studies should be required of all major waterfront projects. Responsible developers are interested in providing a quality experience for patrons. They should have the resources and desire to address traffic and access needs in a manner which is acceptable to patrons and the community. Casino Magic is a good example of this capability and philosophy, as is indicated by their plans to construct a new access roadway. - Smaller secondary developments, which on an individual basis have relatively mild traffic impacts will become more important in the future. Bay St. Louis and Waveland should carefully evaluate all development in order to avoid adverse cumulative traffic impacts. For example, strip development on major arterials and collectors can be expected to increase. This is not necessarily bad, if it is properly regulated via the zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations. Adequate parking, regulation of driveway access, proximity of access to major intersections and overall density of intense uses must be regulated in order to avoid needless traffic congestion. Summary of Bay St. Louis Findings and Recommendations Findings - Casino Magic traffic accounts for roughly 80% of all vehicles using Blue Meadow Road - Comparison of '91 and '93 Blue Meadow Road traffic counts indicates that a substantial increase in roadway use has occurred during that period. - The peak hour for Blue Meadow Road is Saturday between 3:00 and 4:00 pm. - The increase in gaming space and positions at Casino Magic during the Summer of '93 should result in an approximate 30% increase in traffic on Blue Meadow Rd. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-22 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - The US 90 / Blue Meadow Road (Main Street) intersection currently operates at LOS F during the peak hour. Recommendations - US 90 / Blue Meadow Road (Main Street) - Construct a dedicated southbound right-turn lane - Construct a dedicated northbound left-turn lane - Provide a demand activated signal and increase signal cycle from 65 to 70 seconds and provide additional green time to the north / south phase. - A southbound left-turn lane will increase the performance of the intersection, but is not a requirement for achieving an adequate LOS - US 90 / Drinkwater Road - Construct a four lane roadway between US 90 and Green Meadow Road - Construct a new two lane Casino Magic access road between Green Meadow Road and Blue Meadow Road - Provide a traffic signal at the US 90 / Drinkwater Road intersection - New Casino Magic Access Road / Blue Meadow Road - Construct a dedicated northbound right-turn lane - Construct a dedicated westbound left-turn lane - Construct a dedicated eastbound left-turn lane - Provide a traffic signal Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 2-23 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development CHAPTER 3 GULFPORT Gulfport, with a 1990 population of 40,775 is the second largest incorporated municipality on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Harrison County, within which Gulfport is located, is the most heavily populated coastal county with a 1990 population of 134,582.1 The intersection of US 90 and US 49 (25th Avenue) on the beach, in the center of Gulfport, is the focal point of the city's street system. US 90 is the primary east - west arterial, while US 49 is the primary north - south arterial and the most heavily utilized linkage to I-10. The intersection is near the center of coastal urban development, located approximately 5 miles south of I-10, 19 miles east of MS Highway 43 (the western project area limit) and 17 miles west of MS Highway 609 (the eastern project area limit). With the exception of I-110 in Biloxi, US 49 provides the greatest north - south roadway capacity between I-10 and US 90. Problem Statement US 90 Existing Conditions Average daily traffic. Just as the US 90 / US 49 intersection is the hub of the Gulfport street system, it is also the center of the City's development. On the landside of US 90, the Gulfport CBD extends northward along US 49. Beyond the CBD, a continuous strip of commercial development extends to I-10 and beyond. South of the US 90 / US 49 intersection lies the Gulfport harbor area. It is home to various commercial and recreational harbor facilities, along with visitor oriented waterfront attractions. The convergence of heavy east - west and north - south traffic within a relatively small and densely developed area creates roadway congestion. Figure 3-1 depicts the network and vicinity around the US 90 / US 49 intersection. Traffic counts for US 90 at Teagarden Road (MDOT Station No. 41A), east of the harbor area indicate a steady increase in vehicles. In comparing average ADT figures for the same months in 1991 and 1992, August presents a clear division in terms of traffic increases. As indicated by Table 3-1, the January - July ADT increases are all under 10 percent, while the August - December increases are all over 10 percent. The January 1992 - January 1993 ADT shows an increase of almost 5,200 vehicles or 20 percent. The following intrepretational points are offered regarding information presented in Table 3-1: ___________________________ 1Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. US Census of Population. 1990. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-1 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-2 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-3 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - The first Gulf Coast casino operations opened in August of 1992, the month in which the increases become noticeably larger. - Even though no casinos were operating in Gulfport during the 13 month period (January '91 - '93) which is covered by Table 3-1, that city recorded substantial increases in traffic. The lack of other significant development projects in the US 90 corridor would seem to indicate that the additional traffic is related to gaming activities even though they were in locations remote to Gulfport. - Annual arterial highway traffic increases in urban areas with stable (moderate growth) economies, normally range between 1 - 4 percent. - A portion of the traffic increases in the months prior to August 1992 can likely be attributed to construction and start-up activities related to the Gulf Coast casino operations. Daily and hourly variations. The traffic count data reviewed indicate that June and July are the months which have the highest total traffic volumes. This is obviously related to the Coast's tourist attractions and US 90's role as the beach access road. Friday and Saturday are consistently the highest count days. The development of dockside gaming ventures in Gulfport is expected to increase the demand for other visitor activities. Therefore, the summer months and weekends can be expected to continue as the peak traffic periods. Tables 3-2 and 3-3 describe typical summer Saturday and Wednesday volumes respectively. These days were selected because Saturday represents the peak weekend day, while Wednesday represents a normal weekday. Table 3-2 presents the average hourly traffic volumes for three Saturdays (July 4th weekend is excluded) in July of 1992. Table 3-3 presents the average hourly traffic volumes for three Wednesdays in the same month. July was selected because it represents the normal summer high month and it pre-dates the beginning of gaming activities. US 90 exhibits balanced east - west flows at all hours of the day. There is no discernible commuting bias on weekdays and weekend flows are likewise balanced. The Saturday 3 - 4:00 pm peak-hour volume of about 2,600 vehicles is very similar to the Wednesday 5 - 6:00 pm peak-hour of 2,800 vehicles. Average total Saturday and Wednesday traffic is also very similar. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-4 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-5 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-6 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Existing Waterfront Uses The Gulfport harbor area is divided into two functional areas: 1) An industrial deepwater port on the west side, and 2) A municipally owned recreational marina and visitor oriented area on the east side. Deepwater port. The Mississippi State Port at Gulfport has developed into a major deepwater port. Current facilities include Dole, Chiquita and Continental banana facilities, a dockside chiller (fruit refrigeration), dockside freezer, duPont ore blending facility, and general container and cargo facilities. Gulfport is the second largest banana port in the US, handling over 31 million cases or 622,000 tons in fiscal year 1992.2 Bananas are shipped in refrigerated containers from the port to distant locations via single trailer truck rigs. The west pier is much more intensely developed and generates about 700 of the estimated 1,000 total trucks (about 2,000 entering and exiting trips) per week which the Port generates.3 Recreational waterfront uses. The previously described state industrial port, and the municipally owned recreational marina and visitor oriented area to the east of it. Facilities in the latter area consist of a small boat harbor, yacht club, excursion boat dock, boat repair yard and aquarium. Access and circulation. Access to the State Port area is provided by the extension of 30th Avenue and 27th Avenue south of US 90 onto Port property. It is the Port Director's intent that all trucks use 30th Avenue to access I-10.4 The route includes 30th Avenue, 28th Street and US 49. This route separates heavy trucks from cars and keeps the former traffic off of US 90 and US 49 in the congested downtown area. Between 30th Avenue and 27th Avenue, a Frontage Road paralleling US 90 acts as an on-site ring road for trucks. Other site circulation at the Port is provided by roadways going to each of the two piers. A manifold roadway connecting 30th Avenue and 27th Avenue at the northern edge of the harbor has been closed and all traffic re-routed onto the new central north-south collector connecting with the Frontage Road. Access to the municipal area is provided by the extension of US 49 (25th Avenue), 23rd Avenue and 20th Avenue. ___________________________ 2Times - Picayune, "Banana boat a boost for Mississippi port." July 15, 1992. 3Meeting. Mr. William W. Edwards, Executive Director, Mississippi State Port Authority at Gulfport; Mr. James Wilkinson, Gulf Regional Planning Commission and Mr. Paul Waidas, Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. March 23, 1993 4Meeting. Mr. William W. Edwards. March 23, 1993 Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-7 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Connections between the industrial port and recreational oriented areas are poor. No roadway provides a continuous east - west connection. Given the large volume of heavy truck trips in the industrial area and limited circulation network in the harbor area, this separation would seem to be prudent at the current time. Short-Term Future Developments State Port The deepwater port facilities will expand over the next five years in order to accommodate an ore blending facility, additional chiller and freezer space, two container lines and wood products terminal.5 With the exception of the duPont ore blending facility, which will use rail transport to ship its materials, the other uses will all rely on heavy trucks to provide their land-side transportation. Grand Casino The Grand Casino, which opened near the conclusion of this study, in May of 1993, is one of the Gulf Coast's largest casinos, featuring 65,000 square feet of gaming area. It is located in the former Commercial Small Craft (fishing) harbor west of 30th Avenue. Access is provided via two high volume four-lane driveways at 32nd and 33rd Avenues. The former driveway is designed to be the primary access route, with the entering and exiting movements being separated by a median and regulated by a traffic signal. The Grand Casino garage has a secondary two lane access road onto 30th Avenue, but this route will be reserved for infrequent service vehicles and those rare occasions when the deepwater wharves are not busy.6 Copa Casino The Copa Casino is slated to open in May of 1993. This dockside gaming project will consist of a renovated Pride of Mississippi ship. The operation will feature 30,000 square feet of gaming area. The permanent dock location for this vessel has not yet been established. However, the probable location will be at the south end of the deepwater harbor, mid-way between ___________________________ 5Meeting. Mr. William W. Edwards. March 23, 1993. 6Meeting. Mr. William W. Edwards. March 23, 1993. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-8 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development the bases of the East and West piers. Parking facilities have similarly not been finally located, although it is assumed that they will be located just north of the casino. Potential Long-Term Developments Other Casinos There have been discussions about the potential for one other dockside gaming venture in the municipally owned portion of the Gulfport harbor area. The Lucky Lady Casino may locate at the current Misco Marine site. However, based on conversations with the Gulfport Planning Director, this project has several substantial issues which must be satisfactorily addressed before it could proceed.7 Therefore, the certainty of development is questionable, and facility size, access plans, parking improvements, etc. are not available or clearly defined. However, the potential for this or a similar dockside gaming venture should be kept in mind when reviewing long-range options. Secondary Development The Port Director indicated that a cruise terminal may locate on the East Pier if the casinos and related visitor-oriented developments seem to be stable. There is also some thought being given to development of hotels adjacent to the Grand Casino. A long-term development plan for the State Port is now being finalized. Unfortunately this plan could not be made available to the project staff for consideration in this report.8 There are a number of vacant land parcels and buildings located on US 90 in the vicinity of the Gulfport harbor area. Once the casino operations are underway these locations will begin to be developed for commercial uses that take advantage of the crowds visiting the dockside gaming facilities. It is not possible to characterize the nature or extent of secondary development at this point, other than to note the obvious potential for its occurrence. The traffic impacts from these future developments will be more related to ___________________________ 7Meeting. Mr. Ronald Jones, Planning Division Administrator, Mr. Rodney Ladner, Traffic Engineering Superintendant and Mr. Darrell Wilson, Department of Public Works, City of Gulfport; Mr. James Wilkinson, Gulf Regional Planning Commission and Mr. Paul Waidas, Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. March 18, 1993 8Meeting. Mr. William W. Edwards. March 23, 1993. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-9 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development additional turning (entering and exiting) movements, than to another increase in traffic volume. Future Short-Term Traffic Demand State Port Traffic going to and from the State Port area will increase as new facilities are brought on-line. The increases will come in the form of heavy trucks and employee and service vehicle trips accessing these deepwater industrial uses. Table 3-4 estimates short-term future trip increases for new facilities. This general forecast is based on input received from the Port Executive Director and methods outlined in the Trip Generation manual.9 Table 3-4 Mississippi State Port Projected Additional Short-Term Future Traffic Truck Trips Other Trips Total Trips Facility Day/Peak-Hr. Day/Peak-Hr. Day/Peak-Hr. Wood Prod. 10 / 2 100 / 25 110 / 27 Terminal Chiller & 30 / 3 50 / 12 80 / 15 Freezer Container 120 / 10 80 / 25 200 / 35 Lines (2) Ore Blend. 1 / 0 100 / 25 101 / 25 Facility __________ ____________________________________________ Total 161 / 15 330 / 87 491 / 102 ___________________________ Source: Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 1993. ___________________________ 9Institute of Transportation Engineers. Trip Generation. 5th Edition. 1990 Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-10 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Gaming Trip Generation Unlike most types of major development, casinos do not have standard ITE trip generation rates10 available for use in forecasting project traffic impacts. Because gaming was largely isolated to Nevada and did not pose major traffic problems until a few years ago, not much empirical data gathering work was done. Also, each of the established major US gaming environments -- Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Reno -- is unique in terms of trip generation, because of casino development characteristics, geographic location, marketing efforts, socio-economic make-up of the primary market area, etc. As a result, trip generation characteristics for Las Vegas do not apply to Atlantic City and vice versa. While there is ample trip generation information available about Las Vegas, the largest concentration of gambling establishments in the US, the circumstances affecting gaming traffic are unlike those in place on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.11 Therefore, Las Vegas' trip generation rates are not comparable or applicable to the Coast's gaming establishments. Current Gulf Coast casino trip generation. Observations of the existing four Gulf Coast casinos and conversations with some of the management of these establishments indicates that the demand for gaming exceeds the supply of gaming positions (number of slot machines plus person spaces at table games). For example, patrons were observed to be waiting for an opening at each casino on Saturday night. Casino Magic, the casino at which the project staff conducted a (total) driveway traffic count, provided records of the number of patrons entering the facility during the count period, along with an estimate of employment. During peak weekend periods the number of patrons desiring to game (as opposed to total patrons) is estimated to exceed the number of gaming positions by more than 25 percent.12 Observations at the other casinos during the peak-period (Saturday evening) indicate that demand also exceeds supply (to an unknown extent) at these locations. Short-term future casino trip generation. The above under-supply of gaming space will quickly be corrected by the addition of new gaming establishments and the expansion of existing casinos. While additional ___________________________ 10Institute of Transportation Engineers. Trip Generation. 5th Edition. 1990 11Transportation Research Center, University of Nevada Las Vegas. Trip Generation Analysis Report - Hotels-Casinos Within the Las Vegas Urbanized Area. May 1991. "Trip Generation Rates for Las Vegas Area Hotel-Casinos." ITE Journal, Volume 62, No. 5 May 1992. Page 13. 12Telephone Conference. Mr. Ken Krick, Casino Magic and Mr. Paul Waidas, Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. May 5, 1993. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-11 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development gaming space and positions will attract more patrons and traffic, a directly proportionate increase in the number of patrons and vehicle trips should not occur. Including the current pent-up demand in future projections would result in an overestimation of trips. Therefore, the empirical data received from the Casino Magic traffic counts and patron counts were corrected to adjust for the excess demand currently being experienced. If only this excess demand were eliminated, projections would assume that the casinos would be operating at 100 percent of their capacity. This is not the case, even during all but a very few peak-periods. In order to estimate average peak day (Saturday) and hour trip generation, casino operators, industry observers and other consultants familiar with gaming environments were contacted.13 The following are the salient points regarding trip generation rate: - Over a period covering 24 hours a day, for seven days (calendar week) a casino will only use about 20 - 25 percent of its gaming capacity. - On weekend days, during the normal peak season, evening peak-period casino gaming utilization normally will be about 80 percent of capacity. Special events, such as the presence of two or more major conventions will cause the peak-period utilization to rise, but this is an infrequent event. During the weekday evening peak-hour of the network, approximately 55 percent of gaming capacity will be occupied on a good day. - Casino project employment is the best indicator of trip generation for operating casinos. Operating casinos quickly react to actual service demand and staff-up in order to satisfy customers. However, planned casinos do not yet know their actual service demand, and cannot accurately forecast employment. They also tend to change their marketing plans in order to find their niche. Therefore, employment is not a reliable indicator for a developing casino market area. Using available data for Gulf Coast casino operations, three factors were initially considered as independent trip generation variables: 1) square feet of gaming (casino) space, 2) number of gaming positions, and 3) employment. The last variable, employment, was dropped from consideration for three reasons: 1) it was not available for all projects, 2) its low reliability, as indicated in the above comment, 3) poor correlation with the stated gaming area size and/or number of gaming positions. Analyses ___________________________ 13Mr. Len Krick, jCasino Magic; Mr. Larry Pearson, Pearson Publications; Mr. Ken Achert, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. May 1993. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-12 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development of square feet of gaming area and number of gaming positions indicates that the two variables together provide the best indicator of short-term future trip generation. Tables 3-5 and 3-6 list the short-term peak-day, peak-hour trip generation characteristics for Gulfport's two casinos. For the purposes of this report, þshort-termþ is assumed to mean January 1994 (or sooner) start-up of gaming activities. The trip generation forecasts listed in these tables are estimates using available information. During the data collection phase of this project it became apparent that virtually all casino developments are highly dynamic and subject to change on an almost daily basis. The actual constructed size and characteristics of each development, as well as the cumulative mass of gaming facilities will determine actual short-term trip generation rates. Arrival mode and vehicle occupancy during the critical peak-period is heavily skewed towards relatively low occupancy private vehicles. Bus traffic is discouraged during the peak-periods. The vast majority of patrons drive-in from surrounding areas. Considering actual vehicle and patron counts, along with shift employment indicates an average peak-period vehicle occupancy of 2.2 persons per car. Future Secondary Development Traffic Merely adding the projected traffic from the foregoing major development projects would underestimate short-term future traffic. As was demonstrated in Table 3-1, background traffic is steadily increasing on US 90 even before the opening of a major casino in Gulfport. Therefore, existing (background) peak-hour traffic levels were increased by 10 percent. This is deemed to be reasonable and perhaps somewhat optimistic, since the annual increase in ADT at the Teagarden Road count station ranges between 10 and 20 percent since the inception of dockside gaming on the Gulf Coast. Long-Term Future Trip Generation Knowledgeable observers of the gaming industry are speculating that if all floating casinos currently being discussed are developed, an over-supply of Gulf Coast gaming space could result.14 This will not likely occur within ___________________________ 14Mr. Larry Pearson, Riverboat Gaming Report. January 1993. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-13 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-14 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development the short-term future and may never occur if the gaming industry self-regulates based on economics. However, the trip generation rates cited in Tables 3-5 and 3-6 will no doubt change over time. The reason for this is the changing nature of the casinos. Casinos, such as the Grand in Gulfport, are planning to add hotels as part of their overall development plan. Changing market demands will dictate the content and size of future casino developments. This in turn will change the marketing plan, market area, arrival mode, vehicle occupancy, etc. Along with the cumulative developments at other Gulf Coast casinos, these factors will change trip generation characteristics at Gulfport casinos. Problem Locations US 90 The general motivation for this study is the readily apparent current traffic congestion on US 90. In Gulfport, that congestion is centered on the US 49 intersection and extends westward to 33rd Avenue and eastward to 20th Avenue. The reasons for this congestion include: - US 90 is the only east - west through route south of I-10 which connects the contiguous development between Pass Christian and Biloxi. All traffic -- local work and school trips, external through trips, traditional coastal recreation trips, and now gaming trips -- must use US 90. - Since it is the only major east - west arterial, US 90 serves an important property access function, in addition to its traffic movement function. Most of the intense trip generators in Harrison County are either directly on or within one block of US 90. These uses include hotels, motels, office buildings, schools, colleges, shopping centers, mass event facilities and casinos. Property access compromises the roadway's traffic capacity by introducing frequent turning movements. This slows or stops the flow of traffic. - There are only two through lanes in each direction. The US 90 congestion in central Gulfport is due to a lack of lane capacity. The signal system seems to be providing as much capacity as is possible without deleteriously impacting north - south routes. The 30th Avenue, US 49, 20th Avenue and 15th Avenue signals are all linked and offset to provide for efficient traffic flow. This three quarter-mile segment of US 90 includes the most congested stretch of US 90. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-15 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development US 90 / US 49 Intersection Eastbound left-turn lane capacity is inadequate for the current demand. A capacity analysis using existing traffic, geometry and signal parameters indicates that this movement operates at LOS F during the weekday evening peak-period. While the capacity analysis points out that there is a lack of adequate green to clear the eastbound left-turn, field observations indicate that weekday and Saturday peak-period traffic demand is greater than can be accommodated by the 250 foot long bay. In order for a longer left- turn bay to be effective, additional green time would have to be allocated to this movement. However, the HCS capacity analysis15 indicates that it is not possible to lengthen the green time for this movement without causing excessive delay to the major westbound through movement on US 90. Varying the signal phasing will not solve the problem. Additional lane capacity is needed to address this problem. Grand Casino traffic accessing I-10 via US 49 will only increase demand for this movement since vehicles exiting the site will use the intersection to access I-10. To a somewhat lesser extent, southbound right-turn lane capacity is inadequate. The HCS analysis indicates that this movement currently functions at LOS E (Appendix C contains a capacity analysis short report) during the weekday evening peak-period. As with the left-turn problem described above, altering the signal phasing cannot equitably solve the problem. Additional southbound right-turn lane capacity is needed. Grand Casino traffic coming from I-10 on US 49 will substantially add to the demand for this movement. On-street angle parking slows the flow of vehicles on US 49 in the two blocks north of the US 90 intersection. The area is the old downtown section of Gulfport and this type of parking arrangement is typical to small-town business districts. Over the years, as Gulfport grew, the old angle parking scheme was retained even though the traffic volume on US 49 would seem to indicate that this layout is inappropriate. US 49 (25th Avenue) As on US 90, heavy congestion on US 49 is currently apparent during peak-periods. The segment between US 90 and 28th Street is the worst with evening peak-hour queues spanning the entire distance between 28th Street ___________________________ 15U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Hoghway Administration. Highway Capacity Software. January 1987. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-16 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development and Pass Road. The primary reasons for the congestion are similar to those for the problems on US 90: - US 49 is Gulfport's only multi-lane direct connection between I-10 and US 90. The two I-10 interchanges on either side of US 49 (Canal Road on the west and Lorraine Road on east) are each served by two-lane roadways which are poorly connected to the center of development in Gulfport. - US 49 serves an important property access function, in addition to its traffic movement function. South of 28th Street, buildings are extremely close to the travel lanes. - There are only two through lanes in each direction. - The US 49 congestion is due to a lack of lane capacity. The City of Gulfport has linked some signals on the roadway in order to maximize progression benefits. This program is continuing, but additional lane capacity is needed for the volumes observed. State Port Harbor Truck route. While the Port Director currently advises truck drivers to use 30th Avenue, 28th Street and US 49 to access I-10, this advice is not being heeded by many truck drivers. For example, banana trucks can regularly be seen on US 90 between US 49 and 30th Avenue, and on US 49 south of 28th Street. In a May 17 peak-hour observation of the US 49 / 30th Avenue intersection, 63 percent of all heavy trucks (20 of 32) exiting the port (northbound) turned right onto US 90. There are two apparent geometric problems which discourage use of the US 49 / 28th Street intersection. These are: - Lack of adequate southbound right-turn radius for tractor-trailer trucks. - Lack of adequate eastbound left-turn lane storage capacity and conflicts with westbound through and right- turn movements. Heavy trucks also use 27th Avenue and US 49 to exit the State Port area, bypassing the 30th Avenue truck route. Using peak-hour turning movement volumes from May of 1993 and traffic signal data supplied by MDOT, a capacity analysis was performed on the Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-17 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development US 90 / 30th Avenue intersection. Results indicate that the intersection currently has the capability to function at LOS C. A copy of the short capacity report is contained in Appendix C. The north and southbound minor approaches function at LOS D, indicating potential problems if additional vehicles are added to this stream or additional red time increases delay. Harbor circulation system. The harbor area circulation system is split between the eastern municipal area and western industrial deepwater port. Connections between the two areas are poor and the northbound US 49 intersection approach is not designed to accommodate a high volume of vehicles. The continued use of the intersection by trucks and the lack of firm plans for the location of the Copa, its parking or access roads, creates a genuine cause for concern. Present plans for the Mississippi State Port site, are to route Copa Casino traffic through the US 90 / US 49 intersection via the Frontage Road immediately adjacent to US 90, if the Copa Casino is located at the northern end of the deepwater harbor.16 The route is not a direct one and only provides under 200 feet of northbound approach storage. This does not bode well for efficient utilization of the signal at the US 90 / US 49 intersection. Accidents and congestion conflicts with traffic using 27th Avenue (open to US 90) and traffic going to and coming from the municipal side of the harbor will likely result unless this circulation system is redesigned. Potential Residential Traffic Impacts The congestion in the US 90 / US 49 intersection may cause some Grand Casino traffic to seek a short-cut through the residential area north of US 90. The design of the casino driveway and signal at 32nd Avenue somewhat encourage this use pattern. The current 32nd Avenue casino exit driveway features three northbound lanes: left, shared left/through, and right. Short-Term Future Traffic Conditions Major Development Traffic Distribution Future traffic at key intersections on US 90 in Gulfport will be driven, to a very large extent, by the access patterns of the casino developments. Unfortunately, there is no empirical data available to suggest trip distribution for these major facilities. Therefore, distribution was ___________________________ 16Meeting. Mr. William W. Edwards. March 23, 1993. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-18 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development estimated based on the patterns observed at Casino Magic in Bay St. Louis, and the Isle of Capri and Biloxi Belle in Biloxi, along with an examination of the arterial connections available in the vicinity of the Gulfport Harbor. Estimating trip distribution for the State Port was somewhat easier, since there were existing patterns to observe. For the purposes of estimating Port trips, it is assumed that some basic improvements will be made in the 30th Avenue / 28th Street truck route in order to successfully divert trucks onto that route. Table 3-7 describes the proportionate trip distribution assumptions for the three major generators in the area. The assumptions apply to the new traffic which will be generated by the casinos and additional traffic which will be generated by the State Port projects. In order to analyze critical intersections, this new traffic will be added to the existing volumes which were counted at the primary intersections. Table 3-7 Proportionate Trip Distribution Assumptions Grand C. Copa C. Port US 90 West 35% 35% 38% US 90 East 25% 25% 13% US 49 North 40% 40% 17% 30th Avenue North -- -- 32% ________________________________ Source: Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 1993. US 90 / 30th Avenue Do nothing. Assuming that State Port truck traffic is successfully routed to and from the wharves via the 30th Avenue truck route (30th Avenue, 28th Street and US 90), with no geometric (lane addition) improvements, the short-term future will find this intersection operating at LOS F during the weekday evening and Saturday peak-hours. A major problem is on US 90, where the westbound movement in particular is in need of additional lane capacity. Giving more green time to US 90 merely causes the 30th Avenue approaches to fail (LOS F). Overpass. The State Port may permit construction of a hotel or hotels in the long-term future in association with the casino projects. Note that the Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-19 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development latter hotel projects cannot be defined at this point in time and traffic from them is not included in the intersection analysis. The State Port is also considering constructing an overpass on 30th Avenue over US 90 to accommodate port and related traffic. While this overpass would help to ease traffic congestion in the intersection it would not totally solve anticipated problems. It would remove north - south through trips from the intersection and raise overall performance to LOS C during the weekday evening peak- period, if double north and southbound left-turn lanes are added as part of the project. Under this scenario, the westbound through movement still functions at LOS D even though green time would be extended to 60 seconds. The relatively optimistic (low) level of the traffic forecasts associated with weekday evening casino operations, port activity and background traffic indicate that US 90 is reaching its functional saturation flow point in the vicinity of 30th Avenue. Saturday peak-periods will certainly result in LOS E and F conditions. As US 90 east or west through volumes approach and exceed 2,000 vehicles per hour, additional lane capacity will be required. Given this situation, it is recommended that consideration be given to providing Copa Casino access via 30th Avenue. This will be further discussed in the following section. While the Grand Casino parking and access facilities are in-place on US 90, consideration should also be given to providing charter bus access via 30th Avenue, with no turning movements onto or off of US 90. This will require some modification of the site plan, but would reserve more capacity for traffic flow (as opposed to property access) on US 90. Directional signage should begin near the 28th Street intersection on US 49, in order to divert buses. Given the great difficulty of adding lane capacity on US 90 and US 49, diverting as many trips as possible off of both routes should be explicit short and long-term goals. US 49 / 28th Street intersection. The assumption that port-related truck traffic and Grand Casino bus traffic will actually use the proposed truck route is built into the above analyses. In other words, operating conditions at US 90 / 30th Avenue and on US 90 in the vicinity of that intersection can be worse if the truck route is not successful at attracting heavy vehicles. Improvement of the US 49 / 28th Street intersection is the key to making the route more successful than it is at present. It is recommended that the eastbound left-turn bay be lengthened to accommodate more traffic, particularly trucks. This would alleviate the current problem of eastbound through and right movements blocking left-turn vehicles and vice versa. A more gentle southbound US 49 right-turn radius, providing more pavement width for heavy truck turning movements should also be considered. If possible, consideration should be given to four-laning 28th Street between US 49 and 30th Avenue. The eastbound left-lane would drop at US 49 and Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-20 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development the westbound left lane would drop at 30th Avenue. These improvements would appear to require some right-of-way (ROW) acquisition on 28th Street. Harbor circulation and access. Current use of the 30th Avenue intersections with US 90 and the Frontage Road paralleling US 90 are observed to work remarkably well when the very short (less than 100 feet) distance between the intersections is considered. An additional problem is the very sharp angle of the westbound Frontage Road right-turn onto 30th Avenue. Large trucks must drive very slowly to navigate the available geometry. There is an honor system among truck drivers and they take turns moving onto or across US 90. However, as traffic intensifies in the harbor area in the future this situation will worsen. Having two intersections with multiple turning movements and a large volume of heavy trucks in such close proximity is unsafe and inefficient. It is very difficult to efficiently signalize two four-approach intersections. The southern part of this multiple intersection area, particularly the Frontage Road intersection with 30th Avenue should be redesigned. This redesign effort would best be accomplished as part of a study of the entire circulation system of the harbor area, including the municipal side to the east. The access needs of the deepwater port, Copa Casino, recreational boating interests and commercial ventures should all be considered as one system to maximize circulation in the harbor area south of US 90. Such a study should develop alternatives to logically spread north - south access demands among 30th Avenue, US 49, 23rd Avenue and 20th Avenue. It should also consider potential one-way access scenarios and street improvements for streets north of US 90 so that harbor area congestion is not merely displaced to that area. US 90 / US 49 Do nothing. The following assumptions were used in the capacity analysis of the this scenario: - No geometric (lane addition) improvements undertaken - Weekday peak-hour of US 90 analysis period - Grand Casino and Copa Casino operating at 55 percent of gaming capacity - Port facility expansions in place - Background (current) traffic increased by 10 percent - 30th Avenue truck route improvements in place (truck traffic has been diverted onto that route) Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-21 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - Copa Casino access is assumed to come through the intersection The US 90 / US 49 intersection will operate under unacceptable LOS F. The problems in the intersection are (capacity analysis intersection summary short report is contained in Appendix C): - Inadequate capacity for the eastbound left-turn - Inadequate capacity for the southbound right-turn - Inadequate capacity for the northbound left-turn The above capacity problems cannot be adequately addressed by altering the signal phasing. The addition of green time to one or more of the problem phases (movements) will merely shift the capacity and delay problem to another approach and movement. Observation in the field also indicates that the total approach volumes on the eastbound and southbound legs block access to the turning lanes. Both the capacity analysis and field observations indicate that additional lane capacity is needed in order for more vehicles to get through the intersection in the same or similar 100 second signal cycle. Using Saturday peak-period traffic as input for this scenario would result in even greater delay and worse LOS problems. Lane additions. The addition of a southbound right-turn lane, and eastbound and northbound left-turn lanes will bring the intersection up to LOS C (Refer to Appendix C for the capacity analysis intersection summary short report). However, a review of MDOT ROW plans, Harrison County aerial photographs and field inspections seems to indicate that additional ROW will be required for the southbound right-turn lane, and eastbound left-turn lane. This assumes that the City of Gulfport would provide the additional land needed to expand the northbound approach. The eastbound left-turn addition would require that eastbound US 90 be shifted southward to allow for current through lanes plus the additional left-turn lane. While MDOT owns the Port Frontage Road between 30th Avenue and 27th Avenue, the critical segment between 27th Avenue and US 49 is in private ownership. Three parcels, two of which contained ongoing commercial enterprises at the time this report was being prepared would be affected. On the southbound right-turn lane addition, the triangular island separating the right-turn and through movements may be able to be narrowed somewhat if the on-street angle parking is removed in the last block approaching the intersection and the approach lanes are re-aligned. A survey and preliminary design would have to be undertaken to determine whether this is feasible. If not, part of the currently vacant bank building or the sidewalk in front of it may be affected by the lane addition. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-22 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development New access alternative. The problem with the above described þimprovementsþ is that all traffic (existing and new, through traffic and local traffic) is routed through an already congested intersection on congested approaches. The long-term capacity gain of the lane additions may not last because of continued double- digit increases in traffic volumes. Alternatives which address the impacts of specific major traffic generators should be investigated. As suggested in the foregoing section covering the US 90 / 30th Avenue intersection, there is a need to comprehensively plan the circulation system and access roadways for the intense trip generation area south of US 90 in the Gulfport harbor. One potential solution which may better address access problems might include a new access system: - Incoming casino (Grand and Copa), deepwater port and recreational waterfront traffic is diverted from US 49 at 28th Street, thence routed south on 30th Avenue, where it crosses US 90 on an overpass. - On-site four-lane roadways provide adequate capacity for distribution of the various casino, industrial and recreational traffic demands. Industrial traffic remains on the west portion of the site, being routed to the truck yards and piers. Gaming traffic is routed to the two (or even more in the long-term) casinos. - Gaming traffic exiting the harbor area south of US 90 would be routed northward on 23rd Avenue and thence westward on 14th Street or other suitable connection to US 49. Port trucks would be routed northward on 30th Avenue, the designated truck route. Figure 3-2 depicts the general route described above. While planning and development of this alternative clearly requires much detailed analysis, the benefits would appear to include: - The point at which gaming and State Port traffic leaves US 49, 28th Street, requires a right-turn. The point at which gaming traffic re-enters US 49 likewise requires a right turn. These movements are easier to accommodate than left-turn movements. The expanded US 49 / 28th Street intersection will feature adequate eastbound left- turn geometry to accommodate Port truck traffic. - Traffic destined for the area south of US 90 would be separated from local traffic and through traffic. The former stream would use a loop around the US 90 / US 49 intersection, while the latter would remain in the intersection. Instead of trying to accommodate all movements in one congested intersection, the demand is grouped by destination and distributed over a wider geographic area and more access lanes. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-23 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-24 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - The northbound approach to the US 90 / US 49 intersection could be closed or reduced (entering and exiting right- turns only). US 90 and US 49 would both experience a capacity benefit as a result of shorter signal cycle and elimination of blocking (red) phases. At the US 90 / 30th Avenue intersection, the overpass would likewise improve east - west flow because north - south through movements would have been removed from the signal via grade separation. - The above two points provide a capacity benefit for the intersection without the addition of any lanes. A net decrease in traffic may result, particularly in the short-run future. The analysis of this proposed access scenario should logically include an evaluation of impacts to the streets which will receive additional traffic flow so that harbor area traffic problems are not relocated to the downtown area. The foregoing access scenario also provides the City of Gulfport with the opportunity to spread secondary economic development potential over a wider area. If all casino related traffic is concentrated on US 90 and US 49, the rest of the downtown area will lack exposure to visitor traffic. 30th Avenue and 23rd Avenue would become visitor corridors which could provide numerous development and redevelopment opportunities, if supported by appropriate zoning, economic development and aesthetic designations and improvements. US 90 Close 27th Avenue. The very close proximity of the Frontage Road to US 90, along with the congestion on this stretch of US 90 warrant closure of 27th Avenue at US 90. In the short-term, port traffic will focus on 30th Avenue, while Copa Casino traffic presumably will use the US 49 intersection. Both are signalized and provide safer access to US 90 than does 27th Avenue. A third intersection in such a short stretch of highway adds a congestion point which should be avoided. Add a lane in either direction on US 90. The worst congestion does and will continue to occur between 30th (Grand Casino) and US 49. The large number of eastbound left-turns and southbound right-turns warrant that an eastbound lane addition and drop at US 49 be considered, along with a westbound lane addition and drop at the Grand Casino. These improvements have apparent ROW acquisition requirements and bear detailed investigation. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-25 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development However, the demand for these east - west lane additions to US 90 should be kept in proper perspective; many of these trips are actually north - south movements which have been forced to go east - west for three blocks. This again raises the question of whether the goal of concentrating all traffic demand in one location or spreading demand over more roadways and lanes is more desirable in the long-run. Potential Residential Traffic Impacts Without substantial traffic access improvements in the US 90 / US 49 intersection and/or a new waterfront access route the residential area around 32nd Avenue north of the Grand Casino may be used as a short cut for traffic going to and coming from the casino. The dedicated northbound through lane at the signalized intersection encourages this flow pattern. If casino traffic flowing through the residential area becomes a problem, it is recommended that a raised triangular island be constructed at the entrance to 32nd Street on the north side of US 90. This would prevent northbound and southbound through movements. Figure 3-3 provides an illustration of the raised island concept. Long-Range Needs New East - West Arterial Roadway Clearly, additional east - west arterial lane capacity is needed in Harrison County on the Gulf Coast. Unfortunately, additional lanes cannot be added to US 90 without negative environmental impacts and massive costs. On the north side, adjacent uses are located close to the roadway. In the median, available width varies; and there are numerous large trees. The median is also a transition area accommodating elevation changes which further complicate lane expansion in that narrow strip. On the south side, the narrow walkway, seawall and sand beach are an important aesthetic and recreational resource. From a transportation standpoint, such an expansion of US 90 would not be as effective as construction of a new east - west arterial roadway located further to the north. US 90 is located at the southern edge of the area. This forces east - west traffic to drive through the urbanized area to its southern edge. Many northbound trips must first go south and then east or west before finally actually going north. A new roadway, with a central alignment would be of more use, particularly for local trips which have no destination on the beach. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-26 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-27 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development While the need for such a roadway is evident from the increasing traffic counts, projected volumes, capacity problems and high density uses locating in the US 90 corridor, the concept is not new. The 1974 Mississippi Gulf Coast Area Transportation Study: The Recommended Transportation Plan17 noted the long-term need for a new east - west route and identified the þRailroad Freewayþ corridor as being the preferred alignment. Another project, Study for an East - West Highway Through the City of Biloxi, Mississippi18, specifically examined use of the L&N (now CSX) railroad corridor in Biloxi, and also discussed the possibility of extending the route further to the west. Finally, the 1981 Mississippi Gulf Coast Area Transportation Study Update19 noted the need for such a roadway, recommending a three-lane arterial roadway parallel to the CSX Railroad track connecting Long Beach and Biloxi. Each of the above reports identified the CSX Railroad track corridor as the preferred alignment for an east - west arterial roadway. While the recommendation of a specific alignment for a new route is beyond the scope of the current effort, field reconnaissance, along with map and aerial photography interpretation concurs that the railroad alignment provides the only continuous east - west corridor which spans the entire width of Harrison County, from St. Louis Bay in the west to Biloxi Bay in the east. It is likely that ROW acquisition and negative impacts would be minimized by following this route. The reports prepared in the '70's and '80's indicated that a new east - west roadway would be needed in the þfutureþ. That future is now at hand. It is recommended that the new route be aggressively pursued in a timely manner. New North - South Arterial Roadway US 49 suffers from severe congestion at present and the new developments at its southern terminus will only aggravate this situation. This report has already recommended detailed investigation of a loop access system for the waterfront uses, circumventing the most heavily congested area around the US 90 / US 49 intersection. However, in the long-term, improved access beginning at I-10 should be provided. Given the density of uses emerging along the coast, development of a parallel artery to US 49 should be ___________________________ 17Wilbur Smith and Associates, Inc. Prepared for the Mississippi State Highway Department and Gulf Regional Planning Commission. 1974. 18B.M. Dornblatt and Associated, Inc. Prepared for the Gulf Regional Plannng Commission and the City of Biloxi. 1974. 19Johnson, Brickell, Mulcagy and Associates, Inc. Prepared for the Gulf Regional Planning Commission. September 1981. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-28 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development investigated. Field reconnaissance, along with map and aerial photography interpretation seems to indicate that the Canal Road, 28th Street, 30th Avenue corridors offer the most direct route to the major destinations in the Gulfport harbor. The State Port Executive Director supports development of this route as the preferred means of removing all of the Port's heavy trucks from the entire length of US 49.20 While the previously proposed inner loop around the busy US 90 / US 49 intersection would relieve congestion on the downtown segment of US 49, expansion of the Canal Road connection to I-10 would relieve congestion along the entire length of US 49. Much of the land along this route is vacant or sparsely developed. Additionally, many of the existing uses appear to enjoy an ample set-back from the roadways. While this is only a cursory evaluation of the situation, these factors indicate that the addition of one travel lane in either direction, along with turning lanes at major intersections could be accomplished with relatively low adverse impacts to the adjacent uses. It is recommended that development of a new north - south route be aggressively pursued in a timely manner. Summary of Gulfport Findings and Recommendations Findings - Comparison of pre-casino traffic counts with counts since August 1992 indicate that US 90 traffic in Gulfport has an annual rate of increase between 10 and 20 percent. Even though the closest operating casino was located in Biloxi when the above count comparisons were made, gaming activities appear to have a dramatic impact on US 90 traffic in Gulfport. - The US 90 / US 49 intersection is operating at its capacity under present traffic volumes and cannot withstand increases without some improvements. The southbound right-turn and eastbound left-turn are the most serious problems. Neither can be addressed by signal improvements and an addition of lane capacity is indicated as being necessary. - Much of the Port's truck traffic is not using the 30th Avenue truck route to access I-10 and this aggravates operating problems on US 90 and US 49. Intersection limitations at US 49 / 28th Street appear to be the major problem. ___________________________ 20Meeting. Mr., William W. Edwards. March 23, 1993. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-29 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - The Gulfport harbor area south of US 90 will experience a substantial increase in traffic access demands related to construction of new deepwater port facilities and two dockside gaming establishments. - Gulfport harbor area casino, port and other projects are continuing on an apparently individual basis. This incremental development pattern is not conducive to the creation of a logical roadway network serving the needs of all uses in the municipal and State Port areas of the harbor. Access to the exterior network north of US 90 is similarly compromised by the lack of a cohesive harbor area circulation system. Recommendations - Improve the US 49 / 28th Street intersection to encourage more port truck traffic to use the truck route. - Prepare a comprehensive site plan, focusing on creation of a unified on-site circulation system for the Gulfport harbor area. The effort should include fresh ideas regarding access to the external east - west and north - south arteries serving the site. - Construct a double eastbound US 90 left-turn at US 49, along with a double southbound right-turn and northbound left-turn, or - Implement harbor area access improvements consisting of: 30th Avenue overpass at US 90, improved harbor area circulation system, 23rd Avenue connection to US 49 via Railroad Street or other parallel route. - Close 27th Avenue access to US 90 - Begin planning and development of a new east - west arterial roadway to relieve congestion on US 90 (CSX Railroad corridor) - Begin planning and development of a new north - south arterial roadway to relieve congestion on US 49 (Canal Road, 28th Street and 30th Avenue) Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 3-30 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development CHAPTER 4 BILOOXI - OCEAN SPRINGS Background At a 1990 population of just over 46,3001, the City of Biloxi is the largest incorporated area in Harrison County and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Ocean Springs, in Jackson County, had a 1990 population of about 14,660.2 As in the Bay St. Louis and Gulfport areas, US 90 forms the only non-interstate east - west artery which spans the entire length of the Biloxi - Ocean Springs area and provides external traffic connections. The Biloxi - Ocean Springs area encompasses the longest stretch of US 90 considered in this report, about 10.5 miles from the Gulfport City limit in the west to MS Highway 609 (Washington Avenue) in Ocean Springs. Since this entire stretch is not directly impacted by intense waterfront uses or problem intersections, it has been divided into three units of analysis which were identified by local officials as being points of concern: - Beauvoir Road / President Casino Includes the US 90 / Beauvoir Road intersection and the President Casino driveways at the Broadwater Beach Marina - The Biloxi Strip A 2.4 mile segment of US 90 from its intersection with I- 110 in the west to foot of the bridge over Biloxi Bay in the east - US 90 / MS 609 intersection Each of the above analysis units is distinct in terms of character and the nature of the traffic problems. Figure 4-1 locates each of the above areas. Beauvoir Avenue / President Casino Beauvoir Avenue Location description. Beauvoir Avenue provides a six-mile connection between US 90 and I-10 via Popps Ferry Road and Cedar Lake Road. The ___________________________ 1Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. Census of Population. 1990 2Census of Population. 1990 Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-1 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Mississippi Coast Coliseum, a mass event center, is located on the west side of Beauvoir Avenue at US 90, while Beauvoir, the national historic landmark summer home of Jefferson Davis is located on the east side of the Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-2 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-3 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development intersection. The President Casino is located approximately one- half mile east of the intersection. At US 90 Beauvoir Avenue is a four-lane roadway with the southbound approach featuring separate right (towards Gulfport) and left-turn (towards the Biloxi Strip) lanes. The US 90 westbound approach is a three lane roadway with two through lanes and one right-turn lane. The eastbound approach features two through lanes and one left-turn lane, with a 270 foot long left-turn lane. Appendix B contains an intersection inventory form depicting current geometry. A three-phase signal controls the intersection. Problem summary. The eastbound left-turn bay cannot accommodate vehicles desiring to turn north onto Beauvoir Avenue during certain peak-periods. Project staff observed the intersection during a typical weekday evening peak-period to detect possible problems related to commuter traffic. A Saturday evening peak-period observation was also conducted to gauge the impact of casino traffic. Neither observation revealed a problem related to inadequate queuing capacity in the eastbound left-turn bay. However, no events were ongoing at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum during the observation period and the observations were not made during the peak summer season. The Saturday evening peak-period observation did seem to indicate that the southbound left-turn movement was at or near its capacity, with the tail end of the vehicle platoon moving through the signal during the amber phase. The situation appeared to be one of complete utilization of capacity by aggressive drivers, as opposed to one of excess current demand. However, as additional casino space is added to the east of this intersection, it is reasonable to expect that demand for this movement will increase. Proposed improvement. The eastbound left-turn bay is currently about 270 feet long, with an approximate 80 foot long taper. Unfortunately, on-site inspection and interpretation of aerial photography seem to indicate that providing a double left-turn will be very difficult, given current ROW limits and proximity of the beach on the south side of US 90. However, the median in US 90 provides adequate space to extend the eastbound left-turn lane another 200 feet, with a 100 foot taper. This would effectively double the storage capacity of the left-turn lane. As a result, left-turn flow would improve somewhat. The eastbound US 90 through movement which is currently blocked by the left-turn during occasional peak use periods would receive the greatest benefit. A drainage culvert inlet is located in the edge of left-turn bay curb. This would appear to be the only feature requiring special consideration in the design and construction process. It should be Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-4 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development noted that noticeably improving the capacity and flow of the left- turn lane will require extending the green time allotted to that movement. Increased green time for the eastbound left-turn will block the westbound through movement on US 90 and negatively affect that movement. The southbound approach can be expanded somewhat on the west side of Beauvoir Avenue. This would require an apparent acquisition of limited ROW from the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in order to provide a right-turn bay. It appears that a bay of about 150 feet, plus taper area could be provided without impacting the current ring road on the Coliseum property. This would allow the intersection southbound approach to feature either two left-turn lanes with one right-turn lane, or one left-turn lane, one right or left-turn lane and a right-turn lane. President Casino Development summary. As of March, 1993 the President Casino provides about 20,000 square feet of gaming area and 750 gaming positions3 for its patrons. The casino is located on the south side of US 90 in the Broadwater Beach Marina basin. Access is provided via a driveway onto US 90. Parking is provided adjacent to the riverboat casino, with overflow lot located on the north side of US 90. Shuttle bus connections are provided from the remote lot. The total development also includes the Broadwater Beach Hotel, an established Biloxi resort hotel. The hotel grounds include golf, tennis, swimming and other recreation facilities. Problem summary. The two signals are delaying through movements on US 90 to the extent that the City of Biloxi has requested the MDOT to consider removing one of them.4 At the same time the casino is experiencing access problems related to the T-shaped driveway configuration and signal system. Specifically, the westbound left- turn lane storage capacity is inadequate to accommodate the peak- period demand. This causes left-turn vehicles to occupy the left through lane, reducing through traffic to one lane. To address these problems the President Casino has employed its own consultant to examine possible redesign of its entrance and exit driveway. That consultant indicated that he did not want to discuss the President ___________________________ 3Pearson & Co. Riverboat Gaming Report. March 1993. 4Meeting. Mr. Edward Shambra, Planning Director, City of Biloxi; Mr. James Wilkinson, Gulf Regional Planning Commission and Mr. Paul Waidas, Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. March 23, 1993. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-5 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Casino project and indicated that the plans regarding improvements for the President Casino would not likely be made available for review under this study.5 Therefore, general improvement alternatives for driveway access and signalization were developed by the project team. The proposed improvement concepts were presented to MDOT6 for review and comment. The resulting general improvement recommendations are described below. Existing signal and geometry. A prime consideration in the design of a signalized intersection is minimizing the delay on each approach, while providing adequate green time to all movements entering the intersection. Limiting the number of signal phases, and thus overall cycle length, is one way to accomplish this objective. The existing signalized "T"-intersection at the entrance to the President Casino requires three basic traffic signal phases to accommodate all movements in the intersection: 1) northbound right and left-turns, along with eastbound right-turns, 2) east and westbound through moves, along with eastbound right-turns, and 3) westbound through and left-turns, along with northbound right- turns. The geometry dictates this signalization pattern and creates certain inefficiencies which can be addressed by a new driveway design. Proposed signal and geometry. The approximate 600 foot distance of frontage which the marina property apparently owns on US 90 provides the opportunity to separate the entrance and exit driveways. A westbound US 90 median left-turn lane using this distance would have the capacity to store over 20 vehicles, a vast improvement over the current situation. Figure 4-2 depicts the proposed driveway configuration. The proposed President Casino dual driveway configuration would allow for the installation of a more efficient, traffic signal system. There would still be two signals on US 90 at the casino, but their operation would be different. Though approximately 600 ft. apart, the two proposed driveways and signals would function as a one signalized intersection being regulated by a the same controller. The new driveway configuration allows for a two- ___________________________ 5Meeting. Mr. Denis Finigan, Urban Systems, Inc. and Mr. Paul Waidas, Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. March 12, 1993. 6Meeting. Mr. Hugh Long and Mr. Richard Turner, Mississippi Department of Transportation; Mr. James Wilkinson, Gulf Regional Planning Commission and Mr. Paul Waidas, Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. March 30, 1993. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-6 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-7 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development phase demand-activated (loop detectors) signal system which would eliminate one of the phases currently in effect. This will provide a higher LOS (more green time) to US 90. Figure 4-3 depicts the proposed signal phasing plan. Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-8 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Biloxi Strip The Biloxi Strip has been a well known vacation and entertainment district for a number of years. The Strip is generally defined as the 2.5 mile segment of US 90 bounded by the Biloxi Bay bridge in the east and the I-110 interchange in the west. Figure 4-4 depicts the Biloxi Strip area. Until the advent of dockside casino gaming in August of 1992 traffic congestion was related to influx of summer vacation visitors. As more casinos come on-line, traffic congestion is becoming a year-round situation, with the number of vehicles steadily increasing. Traffic Counts and Baseline Estimates Unlike Gulfport, Biloxi does not have a full-time MDOT traffic station in place on US 90. Available traffic data is therefore limited to spot counts on US 90. Comparison of 1991 and 1992 US 90 counts outside of the Strip indicate an annual (1991 - 1992) pre- casino increase of about 30 percent at St. Peter Avenue, with a similar proportionate increase to 31,540 vehicles inside of the Strip at Reynoir Street.7 To put this level of traffic into perspective, it is pointed out that I-10 in Gulfport had an ADT of 34,730 in 1991.8 Using the detailed US 90 count data available from Gulfport and the ADT figures for Biloxi, the hourly traffic volumes for Biloxi were estimated. These estimates are presented in Tables 4-1 and 4-2. These estimates form the baseline for short-term future casino traffic analyses. Development Summary The Biloxi Strip provides the greatest concentration of waterfront visitor attractions on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Until the advent of dockside gaming in August of 1992, the character of this development was typified by medium density shorefront hotel and motel establishments, with a mix of restaurants, commercial recreational attractions and small shops filling the spaces between. Another important land use and traffic element was the shrimping industry. In comparing the old Biloxi waterfront and the new (short-term future) development, two important points that relate to traffic congestion should be pointed out. ___________________________ 7GRPC. Map depicting area traffic counts. April 1993. 8Mississippi Department of Transortation. Average Daily Traffic By Month for 1991. Station 72, I-10 Gulfport. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-9 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-10 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-11 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-12 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - The old mix of uses had a substantial seasonal component that was only active from mid-May to mid-September, with June, July and August being the real peak. Several shops and attractions on the Strip closed for the remaining eight months of the year. Traffic congestion peaked with the summer visitor season. Gaming activities are displacing some of these seasonal uses and will cause others to stay open for the entire year because of the influx of additional visitors. Traffic congestion will be a year-round situation because casinos operate for the entire year and because they generate much more traffic than previous visitor attractions. - The shrimping industry occupied a substantial amount of linear waterfront on the east end of the Biloxi Strip. Shrimp docks and processing facilities are not intense trip generators, particularly in comparison to casino operations. The low traffic volume shrimping industry essentially displaced potential higher traffic volume visitor uses. This land use pattern resulted in an indirect capacity benefit to US 90, particularly during the summer season. In the short-term future it is very likely that the dramatically increased value of shorefront land will result in the total displacement of the shrimping industry from the Biloxi Strip. Intense casino trip generators will take over the former shrimp industry parcels. Existing casino operations. The two existing dockside gaming operations, the Biloxi Belle and Isle of Capri, currently (May 1993) provide a total of about 53,000 square feet of actual casino space and 2,200 gaming positions.9 Short-term future casino operations. In the short-term future (January 1994), it is expected that the Biloxi Strip will be home to six dockside gaming operations.10 A review of the application material filed with the City of Biloxi Planning Department indicates that these six gaming vessels will provide over 209,000 square feet of gaming area and 7,300 gaming positions. This represents a 250 percent increase in Strip gaming capacity. The Grand Casino and Casino Magic will individually provide more gaming space than is currently provided by the (existing) Biloxi Belle and Isle of Capri together. The Strip can be divided into two different casino areas. The eastern end of the Strip, between Myrtle and Pine streets, will contain the Isle of Capri, Casino Magic, Casino One and the Grand Casino. The Biloxi Belle and Gold Coast casinos will be located at the western end of the Strip, between I- ___________________________ 9Pearson & Co. 10Meeting. Mr. Edward Shambra. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-13 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development 110 and Reynoir Street. The former group of casinos will offer about 171,000 square feet of gaming area while the latter will offer about 38,000 square feet. The individual casinos are tightly grouped within the two areas, being immediately adjacent to one another, but approximately one and one-half miles separate these two gaming clusters. Long-Term Future Development The Biloxi Planning Director indicated that, based on recent conversations with gaming developers, as many as eight dockside gaming operations may eventually locate along the Strip.11 However, the two additional parcels and the proposed operations have several local and state requirements to satisfy before they can be considered as solid development prospects. The characteristics of these potential casino operations change frequently as the investors and developers begin the various permitting and design processes. Still more casinos may be located in the Back Bay area, which will also use US 90 to satisfy part of their access requirements. Even though no absolute limits have been established for Back Bay projects, the general feeling of City officials is that these operations will be fewer and smaller than those on the Strip. Trip Generation and Future Traffic Trip generation. With a total mass of 209,000 square feet of gaming area and two casinos of over 50,000 square feet of gaming area, the Strip has the potential to become a southern gaming Mecca with traffic and transportation demands which will be proportionately similar to those of Las Vegas or any other intensely developed gaming environment. As indicated in Tables 4-3 and 4-4, the Biloxi Strip gaming venues are forecast to generate over 42,000 vehicle trips on an average Saturday. The trip generation forecasts employ the same process and assumptions as described in the preceding chapter on Gulfport. Two important points regarding trip generation bear special attention when interpreting Tables 4-3 and 4-4. ___________________________ 11Meeting. Mr. Edward Shambra. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-14 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-15 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - The trip generation forecasts are based on empirical local information (traffic counts, patron counts, and employment information, etc.). Excess demand, brought on by the current short supply of gaming space during peak- periods, has been accounted for and is not part of the short-term future forecast. Therefore, even though the future peak-day and peak-hour forecasts are alarmingly high, they do appear to be reasonable. - The forecasts may actually be low, when the propensity for expansion of existing gaming operations and potential for additional gaming facilities on the Strip and Back Bay are considered. Short-term future traffic demand. While there are three access routes with six lanes leading in and out of the Biloxi Strip from the external area (US 90 on the east, US 90 on the west and I-110 from the north) the Strip segment of US 90 provides only four lanes. These four lanes must absorb most of the traffic from the six external feeder lanes because they make-up the area's central roadway and are the only lanes providing access to the beachfront. US 90 is þthe Stripþ. Currently traffic congestion on US 90 in the Biloxi Strip is generally a problem from Friday evening to Sunday evening. As the four additional casinos come on-line this period of congestion is expected to encompass virtually the entire week, with the peak weekend days experiencing much worse congestion. Unlike the Bay St. Louis and Gulfport areas where congestion was centered around one or two intersections, Biloxi traffic congestion will be a linear problem affecting the entire Strip. The six casinos along with other development will have a traffic impact resembling a string of community shopping centers. While individual problems will have to be addressed, no one intersection or location will have enough of an impact to address the entire problem. The overriding concern should be to find solutions that improve flow along the entire Strip. The Saturday casino trip generation forecast of 42,000 vehicles would more than double the current US 90 Saturday ADT estimate of 34,000 vehicles. The gaming traffic alone implies a Saturday US 90 ADT of about 76,000 vehicles. All of the gaming operations included in the forecast are on the Strip section of US 90 and there is no effective alternate east - west roadway to divert local traffic. It must again be noted that the foregoing estimate may actually be low, if additional Strip and/or Back Bay casinos come on-line in the short-term future. These operations will also have to rely on US 90 for at least part of their traffic access demand because of a lack of alternate routes. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-16 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development The foregoing estimate of traffic also does not include any growth factor in background traffic, the approximately 31,500 weekday vehicles and 34,000 Saturday vehicles, which will come as a result of ordinary traffic increases and secondary development projects. Although the lack of detailed traffic counts for US 90 in Biloxi places limitations on future projections, it is felt that the large mass of casino space will certainly spawn substantial increases in background traffic. Therefore, the 10 percent increase applied in Gulfport is likewise applied in Biloxi. Table 4-5 summarizes the estimated short-term future traffic demands which will be placed on the Biloxi Strip. Table 4-5 US 90 Biloxi Strip Short-Term Traffic Projections US 90 Traffic Volume Pre-Casino With Six Casinos Period 1992 1994 % Inc. Sat Total Traf 34,060 79,590 134% US 90 Sat. Pk-Hr 2,340 4,770 104% Weekday ADT 31,540 64,690 105% US 90 Weekday Pk-Hr 2,530 4,300 70% _______________________ Source: Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. May 1993. Traffic access patterns. Traffic access to the Strip was forecast by examining existing access patterns as evidenced by the available traffic counts on I-110, US 90 east of the Strip and US 90 west of the Strip. Those counts reveal the following Strip traffic access patterns: Route Percent of Traffic - I-110 - 19.4% - US 90 east - 33.3% - US 90 west - 47.3% These proportionate distribution patterns and the actual counts explain part of the congestion on US 90. Of the three approaches to the Strip, I-110 has the most capacity, yet it carries the fewest vehicles. It is reasonable to assume that a portion of the large number of vehicles using the US 90 west approach to the Biloxi Strip, come from as far away as US 49 in Gulfport, which has a very heavy southbound left-turn volume. The heavy Saturday Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-17 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development evening southbound left-turn at Beauvoir Avenue could also be partially explained by the attraction of the Biloxi Strip. Regardless, if no improvements are made, the western approach of US 90 will continue to be the most heavily utilized access route to the Strip. The marketing areas and plans of the casinos will also have a noticeable impact on the future Strip approach volumes. Unfortunately, these plans are not known at this time and will likely go through an evolution as the casinos come on-line and attempt to find their competitive niche. Figure 4-5 depicts the Strip's short-term future traffic volumes and access demands during the Saturday peak-hour of US 90. Figure 4-5 summarizes the peak-hour trip distribution estimates for the east and west Strip gaming clusters. Individual driveway and access plans for all casinos were not final at the time this report was being prepared and this schematic arrangement should not be construed to indicate a recommendation for such a driveway layout. Short-Term Solutions As the foregoing discussion indicates, the available information indicates that traffic on US 90 in the Strip will roughly double over the next year. If additional Strip casino development is brought on-line in the area accessed by US 90 even more traffic will result. These factors along with the very limited ROW of US 90 would seem to indicate that there is no single short-term project which can alleviate the congestion on US 90. In the short- term, a number of projects should be simultaneously undertaken to both expand US 90 and divert traffic from that busy route. Install permanent traffic count station. Biloxi is the most populous city on the Gulf Coast and it will very shortly have the most casinos with the largest gaming area in the entire state. The Strip segment of US 90 will likely receive greatest demand of any roadway on the Coast. In order to track the actual traffic demands on US 90 and develop responsive traffic improvement programs, it is recommended that a permanent traffic count station be established on the Strip. Such a station should provide data on par with that of the MDOT Station 41 in Gulfport. Do nothing. In the case of the Biloxi Strip, the key issue is not capacity at any one intersection, rather it is the linear capacity of the US 90 Strip segment. Demands upon individual signalized and unsignalized intersections will be determined by what is actually developed around them, how that development is accessed (driveway interface) and the linear improvements along the entire strip. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-18 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-19 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development The þdo nothingþ alternative assumes that the casinos will be allowed to access US 90 at their driveway locations, with signals being added as appropriate to provide for ingress and egress. Under this alternative basic Strip geometry consists of the following (from west to east): Segment Thru Lane Rt-Turn Lt-Turn Serv Rd. I-110 - Reynoir 4 2 continuous Bays None Reynoir - Holley 4 None Bays None Holley - Oak 4 None Bays North Oak - Pt. Cadet 4 Bays Bays North & South Traffic signals are located at the Caillavet, Reynoir, Main, Oak and Myrtle Street intersections. During the Saturday peak-hour of US 90 the short-term future casino development would result in 1,215 vehicles per hour per lane (VPHL) for peak eastbound directional flow. By comparison, it is estimated that the pre-casino peak eastbound directional flow was about 600 VPHL. In fact, the forecast demand of 1,215 VPHL is very near the maximum number of vehicles observed on four-lane urban arterials. The Highway Capacity Manual cites only two empirical observations with higher lane utilization12. In the two casino areas the demand for crossing movements, as indicated in Figure 4- 5, would require reasonable green times for each casino, thus delaying the movement on US 90. Using the methods set forth in Chapter 11 of the 1985 Highway Capacity Manual, the capacity of the existing four-lane roadway was estimated to be 3,840 vehicles per hour (1,920 vehicles per direction). Input data and assumptions are as follows: C = (1,600 x 2) x 0.60 = 1,920 Where: C = capacity 1,600 = theoretical ideal capacity per lane 2 = Number of lanes 0.60 = g/C or green signal ratio for the US 90 lane group Unfortunately, the projections indicate a total short-term future peak-hour demand of 4,770 vehicles. Again using the methods set forth in Chapter 11 ___________________________ 12Transportation Research Board, National Research Council. Highway Capacity Manual, Special Report No. 209. 1985. Page 2-5 Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-20 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development of the 1985 Highway Capacity Manual, the vehicle / capacity (v/c)* ratio was estimated for the Strip assuming that the two lanes would continue as at present. Results indicate a v/c of 1.40 for the eastbound movement and 1.35 for the westbound movement. Input data and assumptions are as follows: EB adjusted demand flow rate = (2,430 / 0.95) x 1.05 = 2,686 EB v/c = 2,686 / 1,920 = 1.40 WB adjusted demand flow rate = (2,340 / 0.95) x 1.05 = 2,586 WB v/c = 2,586 / 1,920 = 1.35 Where: 2,430 & 2,340 = EB & WB approach volumes respectively 0.95 = Peak-hour factor 1.05 = Lane utilization factor These figures indicate that US 90 will be severely deficient in both directions if no improvement actions are undertaken. Analysis of individual intersections is meaningless since the v/c is far in excess of 1.2 and the same basic LOS F operating conditions would result at each intersection. This large projected excess demand in comparison to capacity raises two important points: - Even if the traffic forecasts are 10 or 20 percent too high, LOS F operating conditions are still likely to plague the roadway. However, based on all information reviewed and developed as input, it is felt that the peak-hour projections, in particular, are not at all high. - Based on the distinct possibility that additional casinos may develop on the Strip and in the Back Bay area (unable to be predicted or defined with any reliability at this time), and that area secondary development will spur background traffic increases of more than 10 percent, the traffic forecasts, may in fact be lower than what will actually be experienced. All of the foregoing analyses and interpretations strongly indicate that the þdo nothingþ alternative is not a viable course of action for the Biloxi Strip. It will result in gridlock on US 90 and render the casino developments inaccessible during the periods which they rely on to generate the most income. ___________________________ *The ratio of demand flow to capicity for a traffic facility. Any v/c at or over 1.00 indicated LOS F operating conditions. A v/c over 1.2 does not produce meaningful results using the methods of the Highway Capacity Manual or its software package. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-21 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development US 90 improvement alternatives. The focus of the ideas and conceptual designs for the addition of US 90 lane capacity has been the Point Cadet area between Myrtle and Oak streets. To date, two basic alternatives have been developed: - Improve the service road on the south side of US 90, by continuing two-way flow and adding a continuous turning lane in the middle. The service road would be separated from US 90 via a fence. In effect, this would create a dedicated casino access roadway. - Add one lane in each direction to US 90 between Myrtle and Oak streets. The expansion would occur at the expense of the south side service road which would be eliminated. - Improved service road - The improved service road would essentially divert about 1,770 peak-hour trips from US 90, reducing flow on the mainline by about 37 percent. While eastbound and westbound v/c would improve to 0.88 and 0.85 respectively, this gain in mainline roadway (through movement) LOS is theoretical because it does not consider the congestion related to the complicated intersections such a design requires. The problems associated with a service road paralleling and immediately adjacent to the mainline roadway are as follows: - Two parallel high volume roadways would be within a few feet of one another. Unlike perpendicular intersecting street movements, this arrangement presents numerous conflicts which both slow traffic flow and lead to increased accidents. For example, vehicles turning right from eastbound US 90 onto the service road and desiring to continue eastbound on the service road would conflict with the service road through movements and the eastbound service road left-turns. If a casino were to also have a driveway at a service road / US 90 intersection even more conflicts would be present. - Even if dedicated lanes could be provided for most of the numerous movements, the geometry would be awkward, slowing the traffic flow and reducing practical intersection capacity. For example, an eastbound service road motorist desiring to turn left onto US 90 (westbound) would actually be required to make a large radius U-turn. Such a movement cannot be accomplished (with any degree of safety) in the same amount of time as a left-turn in a normal 90ø intersection. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-22 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - The very close proximity of the service road and US 90 is necessitated by the lack of ROW. The storage capacity within the intersection would be minimal. Devising a signal plan for the substantial number of vehicles in the many approaches in this physical layout is difficult at best. The physical layout essentially presents two intersections in one location. An inordinately large number of phases would be required to safely accommodate all movements, resulting in a very long signal cycle length and correspondingly low intersection LOS. The high traffic volumes forecast for US 90 and the accessing properties on the south side mandate that efficient, high volume intersections be provided. For the above reasons, most service roads are reserved for situations where lower traffic volumes are present. The service road between Myrtle and Oak streets also is a limited solution, one that does not address the capacity deficiencies between I-110 and Oak Street. In particular, the downtown segment of the Strip, between I-110 and Main Street, will certainly require capacity improvements if it is to provide an adequate LOS. It is not possible to add service drives in the downtown segment without substantial ROW acquisitions. This is not deemed to be a þshort- termþ solution in the downtown area. - Add a lane in each direction on US 90 - In recognition of the limitations of the expanded service road concept, MDOT and City of Biloxi officials have also examined the addition of a lane in either direction on US 90 between Myrtle and Oak streets. On the south side of US 90, the right-lane would be a de facto casino access lane. They have determined that one lane can be added in either direction.13 Other project features would include: - Installation of a barrier in the narrow median which would remain after the lane additions. - Left-turn bays at intersections. - Alignment of major casino driveways on the south side of the Strip with existing streets on the north side would create a series of 90ø intersections. This would allow for the installation of regularly spaced traffic signals which could be linked together and offset to provide progression along the entire Point Cadet casino corridor. ___________________________ 13Meeting. Mr. Hugh Long and Mr. Richard Turner, Mississippi Department of Transportation. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-23 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development From the standpoint of linear capacity on US 90, this design would improve the v/c to 0.90, a noticeable improvement over the current geometry. In comparing the intersection geometry, safety and capacity features of the improved service road with the addition of two lanes on US 90, the latter arrangement is clearly preferable. It presents standard intersection geometry and signalization, thus providing a higher LOS to all movements along with greater safety. The casinos will also enjoy direct access to US 90. In the event that one or more of the casinos in the Point Cadet area cannot directly line-up with an existing intersecting street on the north side of US 90, it is recommended that the City and MDOT mediate a solution which forms a joint driveway that results in a four-leg 90ø intersection. It is further recommended that the City and MDOT pursue construction of an additional lane in each direction further to the west in order to improve traffic flow along the entire Strip. All data developed as part of this report indicate that over half of the casino traffic destined for Point Cadet area will come and go through the downtown segment of US 90. It will also require capacity improvements. The three eastbound lanes should extend from the I-110 exit ramp to Myrtle Street, which marks the end of the Point Cadet casino development. In the westbound direction, a lane should be added at Myrtle Street and dropped at northbound I-110 entrance ramp. In the downtown area the addition of lanes will likely require acquisition of additional ROW and elimination of any existing median. The expansion may also require limiting east and westbound left-turns to certain intersections where adequate space can be provided for the movements. All data reviewed and developed as part of this report indicate that even with the extension of the six-lane US 90 facility, additional traffic management improvements should be considered. These improvements are identified in the following sections. - Limit crossing streets and left-turns - In the two casino areas and at I-110, the projected increase in traffic volumes and limited geometry indicate that consideration should be given to the elimination of U-turns on the Strip. A traffic study of the two Strip casino areas should be undertaken to determine if southbound left-turns can be eliminated at some of the minor streets entering US 90 from the north. The same study should also evaluate the feasibility of closing some of the US 90 median cuts for minor streets entering from the north. These actions will reduce friction and delay on US 90 in the Point Cadet and downtown areas. Currently there are three turning bays in US 90 at the I-110 interchange. The eastern island cut accommodates westbound U-turns and Hopkins Boulevard entering and exiting movements. Unfortunately it is located in a Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-24 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development very busy area, being directly across from the I-110 exit ramp onto eastbound US 90. The numerous movements accommodated by this median cut together with the heavy traffic volumes slow through traffic and create a situation where accidents can easily occur. Consideration should be given to closing this median cut for safety and capacity reasons. - Construction period traffic impacts - Regardless of the roadway expansion or improvement alternative selected, constructing improvements on US 90 will only aggravate traffic congestion because of the lack of alternate routes. Construction period congestion impacts should be anticipated. A construction period traffic management plan should be considered as part of any US 90 roadway improvement project. Remote parking lot (s). The City of Biloxi currently requires that each casino provide one parking space per 50 square feet of gaming area.14 The City has encouraged development of multi-casino parking garages adjacent to the gaming establishments, but to date, these efforts have not come to fruition. The location, type of parking (lot or garage) and related decisions are largely left up to the individual casino developer. The site plans for the casinos are like those `of most major commercial ventures in that they provide as much patron parking as possible immediately adjacent to the establishment. This approach works well from a business standpoint, because it is what the customers want. The two established Biloxi Strip casinos, the Isle of Capri and Biloxi Belle each park patrons adjacent to the gaming vessel, while employees use remote lots north of US 90 and shuttle bus connections. In the short-term future, all six of the casinos will apparently follow a similar parking philosophy and try to mass as much patron parking as possible south of US 90, immediately adjacent to the individual gaming vessels. Some of the casinos listed in Tables 4- 2 and 4-3 have indicated that they have purchased property fronting on the north side US 90 across from their respective gaming locations. This additional property may be used for patron parking. However, it is apparent that most, if not all, casino operations desire to evolve into hotel-casino operations in the long-term future in order to expand their geographic market and retain patrons for longer periods of time. As this occurs, the parcels on the north side of US 90 will be the logical sites for the hotels. Together with the value and location of the parcels, the potential for hotel development means that any casino parking lots which are developed immediately on the north side of US 90 should be likely viewed as transitional uses. ___________________________ 14Meeting. Mr. Edward Shambra. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-25 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Obviously, if the hotels are developed on the north side of US 90, traffic congestion on that already busy roadway will increase. Weekends and holidays will be a particular problem. Therefore, it is recommended that the City of Biloxi, in partnership with the casinos, consider development of a peak-period parking plan. While the casino establishments are the destination of the visitor person trips associated with these developments, the parking facilities are the destination of the vehicle trips. The two trip destinations need not be the same in all circumstances. Peak- period or overflow parking lots could be located north of US 90 to intercept drive-in trips from the immediate market area. The following points outline the facility location and operation: - The lot(s) should be located as close to I-110 as possible and be accessible from either Howard Avenue or Division Street. Both of these roadways have slip ramp interchanges with I-110. This will be convenient for visitors, while also minimizing adverse neighborhood impacts. Most importantly, it is the best way to keep traffic off of US 90 and out of the US 90 / I-110 interchange. - As the casino lots begin to fill during peak use periods, variable message signs located on I-10 on either side of the I-110 interchange and on the east side (westbound approach) of MS 609 will advise motorists to use the remote parking lot and direct them to southbound I-110. Once on I-110, additional variable message signs would direct motorists to exit at Howard Avenue and/or Division Street. Variable message signs are an element of an intelligent vehicle-highway system (IVHS) program and should easily meet with the approval of MDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). - Once at the remote lot(s), the visitor would be shuttled to the casino(s) on the strip. The greatest overall efficiency and reduction of trips would result from an operation that provided access to all casinos. The Coast Transit Authority (CTA) or a private operation funded by all participating casinos could provide the connection. This assumes that the (competing) casinos could agree to such a common shuttle service. As an alternative, each casino could operate its own shuttle service from the lot. The objective of this peak-period parking plan is to divert traffic from US 90. Obviously, this concept requires much detailed planning if it is to be implemented. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-26 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - The first, and most important, step is to gain the cooperation of all strip casinos. If any one establishment refuses to participate, it is likely that some or all of the others will back-out of the plan. The City of Biloxi should coordinate this effort and use whatever leverage it has to bring these competitors together. - The demand for peak-period parking needs to be established. The size, type of features and even the number of future casino projects in Strip has been in a state of constant change during the course of this study. Firm development plans must be obtained from all casinos. - A suitable location needs to be identified. This will likely involve some level of neighborhood participation in the site selection process. - The financing, ownership and operation of the lot and shuttle connections needs to worked out. Will this be a public, private or partnership venture? - MDOT and FHWA approval for the placement of the variable message signs needs to be obtained. Given the very rapid pace of casino development along the Biloxi Strip, it is recommended that the foregoing detailed planning begin as soon as possible. As a beginning point, this report provides a typical per acre development cost estimate for both an aggregate and hard surface parking lots (Table 4-4). The estimate for an aggregate lot is provided because peak-period congestion problems may begin during the summer of 1993, before all planning and physical improvements can be in-place on a hard surface remote parking lot. Table 4-4 assumes that a 90ø configuration will be used because it accommodates the most cars, about 171 cars per acre15 without landscaping. However, the areas around Howard Avenue and Division have a large residential component. The visual impact of parking lots can be effectively screened with perimeter landscaping, while internal landscaping can be used to both improve appearance and route users to walkways. For planning purposes it can be assumed that, with plant material and perimeter berms, the average 90ø lot will hold between 112 and 140 cars per acre (depending on total size, shape, access requirements and other site-specific design factors). ___________________________ 15Joseph DeChaira and Lee Koppelman. Time-Saver Standards for Site Planning. McGraw-Hill Book Companym 1984. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-27 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-28 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Strip circulator bus. The number of casinos and other attractions on the Strip will draw thousands of visitors and trips to and from external (outside of the Biloxi Strip) locations. These intial external trips into the area, along with the final trips out of the area will be a largely unavoidable traffic impact associated with casino development. The numerous attractions (trip generators) of the Biloxi Strip will also result in numerous local or intra-Strip trips. While each casino would like every patron to spend all or most of their time in that casino, the reality of the situation is that most visitors will want to sample the larger universe of offerings along almost 2.5 mile long Strip: at least six casinos, numerous hotels, motels, shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, beaches, etc. The large number visitors, coupled with this mass of different attractions will result in a substantial number of local or intra-Strip trips. The demand for these trips can be satisfied by any of several travel modes: walking, personal car or taxi, casino shuttle bus or public transit. Since congestion on US 90 will be a serious problem, it is essential that as many of these intra-Strip trips as possible be diverted from private automobiles and taxis. When it is considered that most intra-Strip trip demand will come from out- of-towners who are unfamiliar with the area, the desirability of minimizing use of personal automobiles gains more importance. Pedestrian circulation improvements are recommended by this report, but their usefulness is limited by the length of the Strip and the climate of the Gulf Coast. Intra-Strip trips of one-quarter mile or more can easily be accommodated by high occupancy transit vehicles. It is recommended that a casino Strip public transit circulator bus route be established. Primary features would include: - The route should be confined to the densely developed casino and hotel corridor, which is generally defined by the I-110 interchange and Biloxi Bay. This will be the area most seriously impacted by traffic congestion. Visitor interest in destinations beyond these limits is also likely to be lower because of the relative lack of major attractions. - The President Casino / Broadwater Beach Hotel complex is the only major attraction west of the Strip. The proposed remote parking lot would be the only major trip generator north of the Strip. When evaluating the line's feasibilty and route, consideration should be given to extending some or all circulator bus trips to also serve these locations. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-29 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development - A high level-of-service, characterized by low headways (intervals of about 10 minutes might be appropriate during peak-periods), stops located near the primary doors of high volume generators and late night service should be provided. Limiting the route to the Strip and providing constant bus circulation will result in economically efficient service that is effective in luring people out of their cars. Anything less will likely fail for the opposite reasons. - Transit vehicles must be comfortable and well maintained. Visitors are þdiscretionaryþ transit riders. Mid and higher income groups have a distinct preference for automobiles and show an aversion to ordinary bus transit. Currently, individual casinos offer shuttle service between their casino and the patron's hotel. While this does remove some low- occupancy vehicle trips from US 90, this type of service does not at all address intra-Strip trips from one casino to another, or from one non-casino location to another non-casino location. The latter two trip categories will grow substantially as the Strip develops in the near term future. The CTA bus line currently serving the Strip has experienced a three-fold increase in ridership to about 15,000 riders per month (comparison of September of '92 and May of '93) even though the route has a 40 minute headway and serves a 26 mile route.16 Under these circumstances, the success of the line is very encouraging and points to the potential for even greater success of a more intense effort which is specifically focused on the casino Strip. At present, casino operators prefer to act individually in addressing their transit needs. While they allow CTA vehicles onto their properties, they do little else to encourage patron ridership. However, the factors examined in this section point to the need for and role of a Strip transit circulator route. Establishment of such a route is hereby recommended. While additional detailed planning and development work is necessary to implement this recommendation, the following suggestions are offered as a starting point: - The City of Biloxi, in cooperation with the casinos and other major trip generators should consider designating the Biloxi Strip as a transit benefit assessment district. The major generators would all contribute financially to the costs of starting, maintaining and operating the system. They would likewise promote the availability of the service and ___________________________ 16Telephone conference. Mr. Keith Ballard, Director of Operations and Marketing, Coast Transit Authority and Mr. Paul Waidas, Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. My 28, 1993. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-30 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development provide a stop shelter on or at the perimeter of their site. All casinos and other major generators, should have input into the system route, vehicles, advertisement, etc. so that each can be assured of equitable treatment. To the extent possible, no one casino should receive an advantage over another. Cooperation for the common benefit of the Strip, not competition, should be the hallmark of this project. While this is somewhat of an innovative concept of funding transit service on the Strip, it is not without positive operating experience. To one extent or another, benefit assessment districts are currently funding transit services in Denver, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Portland, Seattle and other US cities. In New Orleans, construction of the Riverfront Streetcar line was partially funded by the adjacent uses which benefit from the service. - To attract as many riders as possible, and thus reduce automobile trips to the maximum extent possible, consideration should be given to making the strip circulator a free (no rider fare) service. The benefit assessment district makes this method of operation and financing possible, since costs to individual casinos and other developments would be reasonable. Other areas have used this approach to circulation needs within compact densely populated areas. For example, the 16th Street transit mall in Denver is considered to be one of America's most successful short-distance downtown transit routes. No fare is charged on that line and it has an average weekday ridership of about 46,000.17 Obviously, the setting of the Biloxi Strip and the downtown Denver transit mall are different. However, they do have proportionately similar access, circulation, parking and population characteristics. - To the extent possible the Strip circulator transit route should directly connect major generators and not use US 90. This requires cooperation among the casinos and other major generators on the south side of US 90 and may not be physically possible on all parcels. At a minimum all stops should be recessed from the traffic and turning lanes on US 90 so as to minimize impact on that roadway's capacity. At the same time, transit stops should be located so that travel times between stops are kept to a minimum. This travel time will affect both efficiency (number of vehicles required to meet the designated headway) and effectiveness (number passengers attracted to the line) objectives of the project. ___________________________ 17Lawly Publications. "Time Proves Denver Transit Mall Successful," The Urban Transportation Monitor, Vol. 6, No. 19. October 16, 1992. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-31 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Pedestrian improvements. Improving pedestrian access and circulation on the Strip is another way to discourage low-occupancy vehicle intra-Strip vehicle trips. Within the next year, as all six casinos come on-line, there will be an immediate need for east - west pedestrian movement on the south side of US 90. Location of parking facilities and hotels on the north side of US 90 will create a demand for north - south pedestrian connections between these facilities and the casinos. - Walkway - The City of Biloxi and the casinos are currently planning to construct a pedestrian path (being referred to as a þboardwalkþ) on the south side of US 90.18 It is recommended that this walkway continuously span the entire length of the Strip, from the area of the I-110 interchange to Biloxi Bay. Such a facility would link all casinos and major developments. While individual owners may fund and construct the path segments on their property, the City of Biloxi should provide some design guidelines. If properly designed and developed, the path, like the original Atlantic City Boardwalk, can be more than a utilitarian sidewalk. It can become a unifying design element on the south side of US 90 and a signature feature of the Biloxi Strip. Attention to aesthetic location and design elements enhance the attractiveness of the path to users, ensuring that more local trips are diverted away from automobiles and to the path. - Pedestrian bridges - The high demand period for local trips between the parking and hotel facilities to be developed on the north side of US 90 and the casinos on the south side will coincide with the peak traffic periods on US 90. Therefore, at-grade north - south pedestrian crossing movements threaten to block US 90 (loss of signal capacity) the most during periods when the roadway can least afford to give-up green time for traffic movement. Once expanded to six lanes, US 90 will have an approximate width of 120 feet (depending on location and presence of turning lanes). If adequate cross-walk width is provided for the number of pedestrians desiring to cross (LOS C for the pedestrian movement) and those pedestrians move at an average or better walking pace, it is generally estimated that about 30 seconds (total green plus yellow time) would have to be allotted19 to the pedestrian movement across US 90. The east - west vehicular through movements on US 90 cannot afford to give-up that much green time during the peak-periods. Under these circumstances safety is also a concern. ___________________________ 18Meeting. Mr. Edward Shambra. 19Transportation Research Board, National Research Council. Page 13-8. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-32 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Therefore, it is recommended that overhead pedestrian walkways be considered as an alternative to at-grade crosswalks. While these facilities will require detailed planning prior to construction, some general guidelines follow: - The location and number of overhead walkways should be dictated by the location of parking facilities and hotels on the north side of US 90 and the casinos on the south side. These features will be the pedestrian trip origins and destinations. No information is available at this time regarding the uses on the north side of US 90. Regardless, it should not be necessary for each casino to have its own walkway. - The overhead crossings should be linked to the east - west pedestrian walkway that is recommended to link the casinos on the south side of US 90. Together with the east - west path the overhead crossings can create a unique casino mall setting which effectively diverts person trips from vehicles to the pedestrian walkway system. - The City of Biloxi and MDOT should provide basic design guidelines for design and construction of the overhead crossings to assure architectural continuity. If properly designed and integrated into the setting, the overhead walkways can become a signature design feature of the Biloxi Strip as well as practical and safe facility linkages. - Each pedestrian bridge could be directly linked to one or more parking garages, thus enhancing the utility and safety of the garage/casino link. Emergency vehicle traffic signal preemption. Even if all of the foregoing traffic and transportation improvements are implemented, there will still be traffic congestion on US 90. Thousands of people will be massed in the gaming parlors and other Strip attractions. In this setting it will be difficult for emergency vehicles -- police, fire and medical units -- to access the strip during peak-periods unless the traffic signal system includes preemption capability. It is strongly recommended that all signals on the Strip, as well as those on emergency vehicle access routes have this capability. It is further recommended that the Biloxi preemption system be compatible with that of all Gulf Coast preemption systems. In the event of a major emergency, such as a multi-vehicle accident or casino fire, neighboring communities will likely be asked to send assistance. In these instances, it will be important that all Gulf Coast emergency vehicles be able to activate the Biloxi preemption system. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-33 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Ocean Springs: Washington Avenue Washington Avenue (MS 609) is being used as a casino access route for traffic on I-10 east of Biloxi. It is faster to enter and exit I-10 at Washington Avenue if a Point Cadet area casino is the trip destination than it is to use I-110 and the US 90 Strip. Biloxi Strip traffic is therefore in the southbound right-turn lane and eastbound left-turn lane along with local traffic. Existing Conditions Using MDOT counts from October of 1992 and existing signal phase parameters, a capacity analysis was performed to evaluate current intersection performance. Several different signal phase timing schemes were used in order to evaluate problems and identify effective timing programs. After numerous HCS model runs, LOS E was the best operation level that could be achieved during the critical evening peak-hour. This is not an acceptable LOS and indicates that the intersection is in need of improvement. Appendix C contains a copy of the HCS short report. The east, west and southbound left-turn movements are currently deficient. The capacity analyses revealed that these problems cannot be addressed by allotting more green time to one or more of these movements because this comes at the expense of other movements and intersection performance as a whole. The heavy eastbound left-turn volume seems to be a normal evening commuter exodus from Biloxi towards I-10, as opposed to casino traffic. By comparison, the southbound right-turn going into Biloxi shows no stress during the peak-hour, operating at LOS C. However, the southbound right-turn may operate at lower LOS during the morning commuter peak when flows are reversed. The casino peak would not be noticed until about 7:00 pm or on the weekends. Intersection Improvements It is only reasonable to assume that this intersection will continue to be used by traffic going to and from the Biloxi Strip, particularly by those trips originating or ending in the Point Cadet area near the east end of the Biloxi peninsula. As congestion on the US 90 Strip increases this intersection may even experience disproportionate growth in traffic. Since there is not enough background information to predict future demands with any degree of confidence at this time, the existing flows were routed through an improved intersection in order to evaluate performance. Improvements consisted of the provision of dual left-turn lanes for the south, east and B urk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-34 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development westbound movements. The westbound left-turn lane addition will also require the addition of a through lane on Washington Avenue south of US 90. The maximum signal cycle length was also extended somewhat to provide more green time to critical movements. These lane additions raised overall intersection performance to LOS D on all approaches and in the intersection as a whole. Appendix C contains a copy of the HCS short report. Figure 4-6 depicts the proposed intersection configuration. Some marginal LOS improvements in the form of reduced overall intersection delay could likely be achieved through use of recent detailed counts and additional optimization analyses, but the LOS D resulting from the analysis of the expanded intersection indicates that there is not much excess capacity to absorb additional traffic. The intersection signal plan supplied by MDOT seem to indicate that the lane additions will require the acquisition of additional ROW on US 90 and possibly on Washington Avenue. As Biloxi Strip casino related traffic increases, it is very likely that a second southbound right-turn lane will need to be added, further increasing the ROW requirements. Long-Term Recommendations New East - West Arterial Roadway As in Gulfport, the capability and desirability of expanding US 90 is limited. It simply cannot be the Gulf Coast's most intensely developed commercial strip and the only east - west arterial roadway. Another route needs to be developed as soon as possible. As indicated in the preceding chapter, previous studies, field reconnaissance and aerial photo interpretation point to the CSX Railroad corridor as being the most likely alignment for that route. It is essential that the new east - west route be efficiently linked to the major north - south routes so that traffic will not have to use US 90 to complete part of any local or external trip not beginning or ending on the Strip. In Biloxi, an efficient I-110 interchange will be the most important connection. The difficulty of siting a new east - west roadway in the fully developed Biloxi peninsula should lead planners and engineers to focus on traffic movement, rather than property access, as the primary purpose of the route. Zoning for the area should discourage higher density strip commercial development which requires numerous driveway access points. Likewise, every north-south local street should not be allowed to intersect or cross the new route as this impedes flow and encourages external traffic to use local Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-35 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-36 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development streets. Finally, if the new east - west roadway is to achieve its goal of providing arterial capacity for trips that are not destined for the local beach area, the route must go beyond the western Biloxi City Limit and access Gulfport and beyond. To build less of a roadway will not provide a viable alternative route to US 90. Comprehensive Plan Casino development in Biloxi has occurred at a speed which few other types of development can rival. While this provides instant economic benefits, it is difficult to plan for community support and infrastructure improvements, such as transportation facilities, in this environment, because it is not possible to accurately forecast what major facilities are going to be developed and react in a parallel time frame. US 90 and its feeder roadways have a limited capacity. Likewise, a new east - west roadway will have a finite capacity if reasonable levels-of-service are expected. Therefore, it is recommended that the City of Biloxi prepare a comprehensive development and growth management plan for the entire Strip and Back Bay area, east of Keesler Air Force Base. This will ensure that future roadway improvements will not be overpowered by unforeseen development, prompting yet another round of reactionary improvements. Back Bay Casino Access While it is not possible to define Back Bay gaming traffic impacts at this point, it is known that one or more casino projects will likely be developed there within the future. To the extent possible, it is imperative that traffic from these developments not use US 90 to access their developments. Gaming and other establishments on US 90 do not have a choice in this matter and must use US 90. It is recommended that Back Bay gaming traffic be routed to and from Biloxi via I-110. This traffic should enter and exit that roadway via either Howard Avenue or Division Street. Once more is known about the Back Bay casinos (location, size, parking plan, etc.) expansion of the roadway network serving the area will likely become necessary. These improvements should connect back to the aforementioned I-110 interchanges so as to encourage traffic to use that route and avoid the Strip. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-37 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Summary of Biloxi - Ocean Springs Findings and Recommendations Findings Beauvoir Avenue / President Casino - Local input indicates a potential eastbound left-turn bay queueing deficiency and field observations indicate a potential southbound left-turn queueing deficiency at the US 90 / Beauvoir Avenue intersection. - The President Casino existing driveway and traffic signal system is not providing adequate access to the gaming operation on the south side of US 90. The westbound left-turn two signals also seem to impede through movement on US 90. Biloxi Strip - A 250 percent increase in casino gaming space is expected from six dockside gaming operations. Four casinos will be located at the east end of the Strip near Point Cadet, while the remaining two will be in the downtown beachfront area near I-110. - The existing four-lane US 90 facility will not be able to accommodate the approximately 100 percent increase in traffic which is forecast for the Strip. Additional lane capacity will be needed. - Adding traffic lanes alone is not likely to result in adequate traffic flows during peak-periods. Additional improvements are also necessary. Ocean Springs - The intersection of US 90 and Washington Avenue (MS 609) is currently deficient in terms of its peak-period operation. Normal commuting patterns, as well as possible gaming related impacts from the Biloxi Strip seem to be the cause of this congestion. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-38 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Recommendations Beauvoir Avenue / President Casino - At the US 90 / Beauvoir Avenue intersection, lengthening the eastbound left-turn bay will remove turning vehicles from the eastbound US 90 left (through) lane during peak periods. Provision of two southbound left-turn lanes will alleviate potential congestion on this approach. - Dual one-way driveways separated by about 600 feet, along with a new signal system will provide for improved President Casino access and flow on US 90. Biloxi Strip - The addition of one lane in either direction on US 90 for the entire length of the Strip will improve flow and access to the casino properties and other major attractions developing between I-110 and Point Cadet. - A remote parking lot should be developed north of US 90 to intercept peak-period traffic and keep it off of the Strip. A transit shuttle system should connect the lot with the casinos. - A Strip circulator bus route should be developed to serve what will be a very densely trafficked area. The route would help to control local or intra-Strip trips which would otherwise be made in low occupancy vehicles. - Pedestrian paths should be developed to further reduce short low occupancy vehicle trips. The path network should include an ocean-side boardwalk (sidewalk) and pedestrian bridges crossing US 90. - Traffic signals should feature emergency vehicle preemption capability to reduce response time for police, fire and medical vehicles. Ocean Springs - Dual east, west and southbound left-turn lanes should be provided. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. 4-39 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development APPENDIX A TRAFFIC COUNTS Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-2 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-3 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-4 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-5 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-6 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-7 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-8 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-9 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-10 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-11 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-12 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-13 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development CASINO MAGIC LICENSE PLATE SURVEY (APRIL 6,1993) PLATE NUMBER PERCENT Louisiana 141 29.7% Hancock County 141 29.7% Harrison County 91 19.2% Other Counties: Pearl River 14 Jackson 7 Forrest 5 Lamar 2 Rankin 2 Copiah 1 Hinds 1 Jefferson Davis 1 Jones 1 Lowndes 1 Marion 1 Tunica 1 Walthall 1 Total 38 8.0% Western States: Texas 11 Nevada 8 Local Hancock Colorado 3 California 3 Total 25 5.3% Midwestern/ Illinois 4 Midsouthem Michigan 2 States: Wisconsin 2 N,lipnesota 2 Tennessee 2 Azkansas 1 Iowa 1 Total 14 3.0% Southeastern Alabama 7 States: Florida 3 Georgia 3 Total 13 2.7% Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-14 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Northeastern New Jersey 3 Mid-Atlantic Virginia 3 States: Connecticut 1 Maryland 1 Pennsylvania 1 Rhode Island 1 New York 1 Total 11 2.3% Total 474 100.0% Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. A-15 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development APPENDIX B BACKGROUND INFORMATION BURK-KLEINPETER, INC. ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, PLANNERS, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST 4176 CANAL STREET NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 70119-5994 TELEPHONE (504) 486-5901 FAX (504) 488-1714 P. 0. BOX 19087- NEW ORLEANS, LA. 70179 OVER 80 YEARS OF SERVICE August 17, 1993 CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD WM. R. "SIFF" BURK, III, PE PRESIDENT GEORGE C. KLEINPETER, JR.. PE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS JAMES W. ARMBRUSTER MICHAEL G. JACKSON, PE WILLIAM R. BURK, JR. 1912-1986 VICE PRESIDENTS JOSEPH H. PRANGE. PE BLAISE S. D'ANTONI. JR.. PE BRUCE L. BADON, AICP OM P. DIXIT, PE DALE R. JENSEN, PE J. W. "BILL" GIARDINA, JR., PE ENGINEERING ASSOCIATES SURESHI SHAH, PE DANIEL S. CALUDA, JR. LLOYD J. FITZPATRICK, JR. HENRY M. PICARD, III, PE PLANNING ASSOCIATES PAUL L. WAIDHAS RANDOLPH C. CARMICHAEL ARCHITECTURE ASSOCIATE BARRY SCAIRONO. AIA Mr. James D. Wilkinson Transportation Planner Gulf Regional Planning Commission 1232 Pass Road Gulfport MS 39501 RE: MS GuLf Coast Transportation ManageMent Plan for Waterfront Development BKI 9246-1 Dear Jim: Most of the review comments contained in and attached to your July 27 letter have been incorporated into the final report nose comments which are not included in the final report or perhaps require additional explanation are discussed below: Mr. Eddie Robinson and others commented that the US 90 / Blue Meadow Road intersection should include a recommendation for the addition of a southbound left-tum lane. This recommendation is apparently the result of an MDOT policy that left-tum lanes be added whenever major signalized intersections are upgraded (Bob Mabry mentioned the policy in a telephone conversation after our meeting with Messrs. Long and Turner, and after all analyses and recommendations were complete). While the northbound left-tum lane is required to improve that approach to a satisfactory LOS, the data do not indicate that the southbound leftturn is required. The text will mention that a southbound left-tum would have a beneficial impact, but state that it is not a functional requirement. Given the foregoing circumstances and the apparent ROW constraints in the intersection, a southbound left-tum lane will not be added to Figure 2-3. þ Mr. Robinson's concerns about elimination of the north-south movements in the US90 / US 49 intersection are well founded. Additional detailed study of this recommendation would be required prior to implementation. As stated in the report, two of the primary bases of the recommendation are: - Traffic congestion in the US 90 / US 49 intersection can be accommodated by either concentrating all movements in that intersection or dispersing it through other intersections. After considering the level of congestion on both highways, along with the existing and planned developments in the area, the report concludes that dispersal of traffic is the preferable approach to managing area travel demands. - Successful dispersal of traffic, and therefore elimination of the north-south through movement in the US 90 / US 49 intersection, is dependent on implementation of a number of improvements which upgrade the area network as a whole. Improvements include BURK-KLEINPETER, INC. Mr. James Davis Wilkinson August 17, 1993 Page 2 construction of a 30th Avenue overpass at US 90, development of a new harbor area circulation system south of US 90 and creation of an additional harbor area access route at 23rd Avenue. As the report indicates, these improvements would be used to disperse the north-south movements related to the area south of US 90, thus allowing for the creation of a "T" or three-approach intersection at US 90 / US 49. Eliminating the southern leg of the intersection should provide a significant capacity improvement to US 90 without having to add lanes, because the corresponding signal phases could be eliminated. 30th Avenue would likewise benefit because the north-south movements would be elevated and thus removed from the signal program at US 90. With a linked and actuated signal system, including the improved 23rd Avenue intersection, the entire US 90 corridor in downtown Gulfport would function at a higher level-of- service than it currently does, even though the network as a whole would be accomodating much higher traffic volumes. While we are in agreement with Mr. Robinson regarding consideration of the Broadwater Beach Hotel access on the north side of US 90, the President Casino (part of the hotel property) management and their traffic consultant (Urban Systems, Inc.) declined to actively participate at the time we were examining that segment of US 90. The analysis of the President Casino access is relatively simple because the facilities and other site plan elements are fairly limited. By comparison, the hotel facilities and site are much larger and more complex. There are, in fact, numerous access options for the Broadwater Beach Hotel. Without input from the hotel management or consultants, we could not adequately deal with this issue in a timely fashion. General conversations with both the casino manager and the consultant indicated that their efforts would consider casino and hotel access in detail, and that these plans would be reviewed with Biloxi and MDOT officials. For all of the foregoing reasons, the report is limited to a succinct analysis of the casino access traffic problem. We agree with Mr. Robinson's concern regarding regulation of pedestrian movements between the casinos on the south side of the US 90 Biloxi Snip and the hotels and parking facilities on the north side. Pedestrian safety and maintenance of vehicular flow on US 90 are the reasons that the pedestrian bridges were recommended in the report. Fencing could also be erected on either side of US 90 to block random pedestrian crossings, but this is not solely a traffic safety issue, as it also entails aesthetic and local regulatory concerns which are beyond the scope of the report. þ In a July 15 letter to GRPC (Item 3), Mr. Hugh Long suggested that a Single Point Urban Intersection (SPUI) be considered for the US 90 / US 49 intersection. While a high volume intersection could accommodate larger volumes of traffic, such a facility assumes that the option of concentrating all north and southbound traffic on US 49 is preferable. As indicated in the report and earlier in this letter, we feel that dispersion of north-south trips is the preferred approach. It is very apparent that US 49 in downtown Gulfport is deficient in lane capacity. It would be difficult to route more traffic to and from a SPUI via US 49 with the current geometry. Solving this deficiency would require an expansion of the ROW, and thus the removal of most on- street angle parking and possible demolition of some buildings. The BURK-KLEINPETER, INC Mr. James Davis Wilkinson August 17, 1993 Page 3 increased traffic, along with the aforementioned physical changes required to provide the needed capacity, would effectively transmogrify the character of 25th Avenue, which currently forms the spine of Gulfport's downtown area. We are hesitant to recommend a SPUI without detailed consideration of land use and economic development issues in downtown Gulfport. þ In Item 5, Mr. Long recommends the addition of two left-tum lanes and one right-turn lane at Beauvoir Avenue. This would apparently require additional ROW on the sand beach (and/or sidewalk on the south side of US 90) and Beauvoir, a National Register historic site. Taking part of either property should be avoided for reasons relating to permitting and community sensitivity. Available data and observation of the intersection also do not seem to indicate an urgent or apparent need for the improvements mentioned by Mr. Long. This does not mean that the improvements are not needed, but does point out that additional detailed traffic and ROW information should be developed before proceeding with improvement plans for this sensitive location. þ Mr. Oliver Bass asked how much ROW would be required to construct the improvements at US 90 / Washington Avenue. Based on a review of the plan sheets provided by MDOT it would seem that some ROW will need to be acquired. However, the purpose of the report is to examine capacity issues along the entire length of US 90 from Bay SL Louis to Ocean Springs. Specific ROW requirements at any given location are beyond the scope of the study. In response to a related question posed by Mr. Bass, the cost estimates contained in the report do not include ROW acquisition costs (refer to the bottom of Tables ES-4, 5 and 6. If you, Mr. Boudreaux or the Commission members have any additional questions or comments about the report, please contact us. Thanks again for your help throughout the project. Sincerely, BURK-KLEINPETER, INC. ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS. PLANNERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS Paul Waidlias Associate PLW/plw Enclosure Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. B-5 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. B-6 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. B-7 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. B-8 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. B-9 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. B-10 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. B-11 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. B-12 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. B-13 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. B-14 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. B-15 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. B-16 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. B-17 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development APPENDIX C CAPACITY ANALYSIS Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-2 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-3 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-4 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-5 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-6 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-7 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-8 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-9 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-10 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-11 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-12 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-13 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-14 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-15 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-16 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-17 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-18 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-19 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-20 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-21 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-22 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-23 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-24 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-25 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development Click HERE for graphic. Burk - Kleinpeter, Inc. C-26 MS Gulf Coast Transportation Management Plan for Waterfront Development