Title
Discussion: City-Wide Truck Study completed by GPD Group in the City of Hudson, Ohio.
Executive Summary: This study was initiated in the fall of 2013 to study the current volumes, speeds and other concerns of truck traffic on the major routes throughout the City of Hudson. A comparable study was completed in 1997 and the historical data was evaluated to provide perspective on the 2013 truck volumes.
Body
Legislative History
No prior legislative history exists on this study.
Purpose & Explanation
The current Truck Study was prepared at the request of the City Council and a resident due to concerns of truck traffic volume and travel speeds through the historical downtown area along with their potential impacts. The existing truck traffic volumes were collected and analyzed in an effort to identify any specific routes that may be experiencing higher than expected truck traffic within this area since the 1997 study.
The ADT (average daily traffic) volumes along the primary roadway segments within the City of Hudson vary from under 1,000 to over 20,000 vehicles per day with truck percentages ranging from 3% to 13%. The State Route 91 corridor was found to carry between 15,200 and 20,800 vehicles per day with truck percentages ranging from 4% to 7%, while the State Route 303 corridor carries between 8,500 to 19,600 vehicles per day with truck percentages ranging between 6% and 9%. In terms of the number of trucks, both routes carry relatively the same truck volume with the percentages along State Route 303 only being slightly higher due to the lower ADT volumes. Other routes experiencing higher truck percentages include Seasons Road and Boston Mills Road, which provide access to State Route 8 as well as Terex Road, Stow Road and Hudson Drive which are connected to the industrial areas located in the southern section of the City. When reviewing historic traffic volume data along State Route 303 and State Route 91, traffic volumes have remained relatively constant along both routes. Each segment has experienced minor spikes and drops at different points in time which are likely a result of the various roadway improvement projects that have occurred in the area that have led to shifts (both temporary and permanent) in local traffic patterns. It is worth noting that each segment included in the comparison has lost volume since 2007 which follows the general traffic trends of northeast Ohio.
When evaluating the truck traffic, the volumes and percentage of trucks utilizing State Route 91 have increased over the last twelve (12) years while the volumes and percentages along State Route 303 have generally decreased. The most likely reasoning for the decrease along State Route 303 is the construction and increased use of the State Route 8/Seasons Road interchange which now serves as an alternative east-west route into the southern side of the City. The City of Hudson had implemented an alternate truck route in February 1999 to detour truck traffic to the south and around the downtown area. Unlike State Route 303, a parallel or alternative route to State Route 91 does not currently exist that could encourage a bypass of downtown Hudson. Subsequently, the increased growth of businesses throughout the City and in the downtown (specifically First & Main) correlates with an increase in the amount of truck volume utilizing this primary north-south thoroughfare. The data collection performed as part of this study has indicated that truck volumes and the percentages were typically found to be within reasonable ranges for each roadway segment. While speeding concerns have been identified along several roadways, the truck speeds were generally found to match the overall speed characteristics of that segment indicating that it is not a truck-specific issue.
Timing Considerations
Although no specific action is recommended at this time, the Engineering Department will continue to address specific concerns related to truck traffic and will address those issues as they arise.
Fiscal Impact
Currently Budgeted
Supplemental Appropriation Required
Appropriation Not Required.
Recommendation
Suggested Action
Staff recommends as a result of the study several institutional inconsistencies were discovered. It was determined that the alternate truck route has not been designated through City ordinance. Council could formally adopt via ordinance the alternate truck route (Terex Road - East Barlow Road - Stow Road). Additionally our current ordinance (410.08) prohibits truck traffic on Baldwin, Sullivan, East Barlow (SR 91 to Terex), Ravenna (Stow to Stone), and Stone. Although we understand the need for truck restrictions on these roads, it would be more practical to limit these routes to no trucks over 5 tons gross weight. Based on the findings of this study, no additional action related to truck traffic within the City of Hudson is recommended at this time.
Submitted by,
Jane Howington, City Manager
Scott N. Schroyer, Assistant City Manager
Thomas J. Sheridan, PE, PS, City Engineer
Christopher J. Papp, PE, Project Manager