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To: Members of Dublin City Council
From: Dana McDaniel, City Manager
Date: May 14, 2019
Initiated By: Megan O’Callaghan, PE, Director of Public Works Paul A. Hammersmith, PE, Director of Engineering Jean-Ellen Willis, PE, Engineering Manager – Transportation
Re: Sawmill Road Corridor Study Briefing
Background
The Sawmill Road Corridor Study was initiated at the end of 2015. As described in the 2016-2020 Capital Improvements Program (CIP), the intersection of Sawmill Road and Snouffer Road was to be evaluated with the study area limits being generally from Village Parkway north to I-270 (see Figure 1). The City of Columbus was engaged and a partnership was formed resulting in a comprehensive corridor study for Sawmill Road with expanded study limits. Columbus requested the study limits extend along Sawmill Road from SR 161 to Hard Road and include those intersections. The resultant work combines Dublin’s initial study area with the Columbus Sawmill Road Third Southbound Lane Study (which was from I-270 to Hard Road) and then further extended the limits south to SR 161, as depicted in Figure 1. The added study scope was finalized in June 2016. The study contract was awarded to CH2M, who became Jacobs Engineering during the study period.
Figure 1. Study Area
Office of the City Manager 5200 Emerald Parkway • Dublin, OH 43017-1090
Phone: 614.410.4400 • Fax: 614.410.4490 Memo
Sawmill Road Corridor Study Briefing May 14, 2019
Page 2 of 4
An overview of the study process is illustrated in Figure 2 below. Details are provided in the following summary.
Figure 2. Study Timeline Summary
The goal of the study was to recommend improvements for the Sawmill Road corridor, for increased capacity and improved access to the corridor. A parameter of the study was to maintain the footprint of the Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) with I-270 at Sawmill Road. Initial concept drawings for the overall study area were developed, and certified traffic assumptions were submitted to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) in October 2016. A public meeting regarding the study progress for the Bright Road Area was held on November 29, 2016. A few of the conceptual alternatives were shared with those in attendance. This meeting was held in coordination with the Bright Road Area Plan update. A project kick-off meeting with Columbus and ODOT was held in January 2017. In early 2017, a capacity analysis compared the current number of through lanes (2 through lanes in each direction plus left turn lanes) on Sawmill Road to widening Sawmill Road to 7 lanes (3 through lanes in each direction plus left turn lanes). Through the Fall of 2017, additional technical analysis was conducted, building the models and setting the assumptions for the traffic modeling. In early 2018, a proposed crossing over I-270 west of Sawmill Road was analyzed. The potential bridge would connect Tuller Road and Emerald Parkway, as shown conceptually in Figure 3. Current congestion and operational issues along Sawmill Road will continue into the future, as traffic volumes are projected to gradually increase. Analysis shows the addition of through lanes on Sawmill Road induces even more traffic to the Sawmill Road corridor. As a result, the Sawmill Road 7 lane analysis only shows marginal improvements to measures of effectiveness and negligible parallel route relief as compared to existing conditions. However, the proposed crossing over I-270 provides up to 20% relief to the Sawmill Road corridor. For these reasons, Columbus made a decision to maintain the existing number of through lanes on Sawmill Road through the design year of the study.
Dublin Initiates
Study
(2015)
Columbus Expands
Study Area
(June 2016)
Certified Traffic
Volumes Submitted to ODOT
(Oct 2016)
Bright Road Area
Meeting
(Nov 2016)
Agency Meeting with Columbus
and ODOT
(Jan 2017)
Columbus Decision on
Through Lanes
(April 2018)
Agency Meeting
with Columbus, ODOT and
FHWA
(June 2018)
1st Draft Study
(July 2018)
Agency Meeting
with Columbus and ODOT
(Aug 2018)
2nd Draft Study
(Dec 2018)
Agency Meeting
with Columbus and ODOT
(April 2019)
Final Study
(May 2019)
Sawmill Road Corridor Study Briefing May 14, 2019
Page 3 of 4
Figure 3. Possible I-270 Crossing
In the Spring of 2018, Crawford-Hoying presented a conceptual layout for an alternative roadway network north and west of Sawmill Road and I-270, including a similar bridge crossing over I-270 as depicted in Figure 3. It also showed modifying the I-270 and Sawmill Road interchange. Dublin staff met with Columbus, ODOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to discuss the content of the concept and potential next steps. The group provided unanimous positive feedback for the I-270 crossing, supporting the benefits provided to the Sawmill Road corridor, and low impact to the interstate system. The feedback on other portions of the concept present significant challenges, and are outside the scope of this study. Along with the I-270 crossing, Jacobs Engineering further evaluated turn lanes and conventional intersection concepts along the Sawmill Road corridor. In addition, innovative intersection concepts were evaluated at the Sawmill Road intersections with Snouffer Road and with Bright Road. Dublin, ODOT and Columbus reviewed a draft study and met to discuss their collective comments in August 2018. The study was revised and submitted to the agencies for review in December 2018. The agencies met to discuss the final recommendations of the study in April 2019. The study recommends the I-270 crossing, plus improvements to the Sawmill Road corridor. Conventional intersection solutions, such as additional turn lanes, are recommended at almost every study intersection along Sawmill Road. Additionally, access is provided to a future west leg of the Sawmill Road and Snouffer Road intersection, extending west to John Shields Parkway. Left and right turns are allowed from Sawmill Road to the new extension, and only right turns are allowed from the extension onto Sawmill Road. Instead of a conventional intersection, an innovative intersection is recommended as a potential future expansion for the intersection of Sawmill Road and Snouffer Road. This proposed concept will restrict left turns on each approach. Through movements are allowed in each direction. Roundabouts are provided to the east and west of Sawmill Road to accommodate the restricted movements.
Sawmill Road Corridor Study Briefing May 14, 2019
Page 4 of 4
Next Steps
To move the study forward, staff recommends communication and coordination of the study recommendations as follows:
1. Additional City Council communication could include a brief summary as a Council agenda item, under the Other section. Alternatively, Council could assign a committee to review the study results.
2. After engagement with elected officials, staff will engage the public and stakeholders, such as area property owners, interested residents and the East Dublin Civic Association.
3. Project prioritization and funding strategies will follow, with coordination between the public agencies involved in the study.
Recommendation
This memo is provided for information only. Staff requests City Council guidance regarding the aforementioned next-steps.
SECTION 5 – COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES
OT1003181311CO 5-3
Table 5-1. Comparative Evaluation of Alternatives
Evaluation Factor No-Build Alternative Conventional A Conventional B Innovative A (MUT) Innovative B (Bowtie)
Description/Changes No-Build All
Intersections
All Intersections
Conventional,
Snouffer Option A
All intersections
Conventional,
Snouffer Option B
Innovative Bright 3,
Snouffer 4, Remaining
Intersections are
Conventional
Innovative Bright 5,
Snouffer 6, Remaining
Intersections are
Conventional
Access
Movements Added - Snouffer
None NBL, WBR
EBL, EBT, EBR, WBT,
WBL
EBL, EBT, EBR, WBL,
WBT, NBL
Mobility
No. Throughput Segments Better than
No-Build (No. Intersection
Approachesa) N/A 29 (25) 31 (27) 17 (16) 33 (29)
Segments with Highest Throughput of
All Builds N/A 1 (1) 7 (5) 5 (5) 26 (24)
Total AM Travel Time Northbound +
Southbound (minutes)
15.38 13.97 13.31 18.17 11.93
Total PM Travel Time Northbound
+Southbound (minutes)
15.75 15.8 16.69 22.34 16.36
LOS (2040)
LOS A-D (AM Peak) 5 7 8 5 7
LOS A-D (PM Peak) 3 5 5 3 5
Intersections Meeting Criteria (AM and
PM) 1 2 2 0 0
Intersections Better than No-Build
(AM and PM) N/A 4 3 1 4
Intersections Better than No-Build
(AM or PM) N/A 7 7 3 6
Note: Recommended Alternative, see Table 6.1
SECTION 5 – COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES
5-4 OT1003181311COL
Table 5-1. Comparative Evaluation of Alternatives
Evaluation Factor No-Build Alternative Conventional A Conventional B Innovative A (MUT) Innovative B (Bowtie)
Description/Changes No-Build All
Intersections
All Intersections
Conventional,
Snouffer Option A
All intersections
Conventional,
Snouffer Option B
Innovative Bright 3,
Snouffer 4, Remaining
Intersections are
Conventional
Innovative Bright 5,
Snouffer 6, Remaining
Intersections are
Conventional
Total Intersection Delay (AM+PM
Peaks) – (sec/veh) 1,026 763 762 1,174 760
Right of Way (ROW)
Total ROW (Acres) N/A 3.09 5.02 6.76 6.97
Total ROW (Cost) N/A $1,693,326 $3,042,844 $3,555,560 $4,348,569
Business Displacements (#) N/A 0 1 2 3
Residential Displacements (#) N/A 0 0 0 1
Private Property Access Elimination (#) N/A 0 0 0 0
Construction
Ability to Maintain Traffic During
Construction N/A Good Fair Fair Fair
Construction Cost N/A $4,787,000 $5,789,000 $6,826,000 $6,985,000
Project Cost N/A $9,000,000 $12,200,000 $14,400,000 $15,600,000
Other Considerations
Minimizes Utility Impacts N/A Good Fair Fair Fair
Minimizes Environmental Impacts N/A Good Fair Fair Fair
Enhances Pedestrian Connectivity? N/A Fair Good Good Good
Note: Recommended Alternative, see Table 6.1
a Number in parentheses is the number of throughput segments that are better than No-Build that are also intersection approaches (provided for comparison to
recommended alternative summary table).