The developer of a proposed apartment complex in Richmond Heights said in the Richmond Heights Plan and Zoning last week that traffic would not change if it was built. Actually, traffic would increase by a little more than one car per minute, according to a study done by Crawford, Bunte & Brammeier (CBB).
The 203-unit apartment building, proposed by developer Joseph Cyr, at the northwest corner of Dale Avenue and Poland Place, was passed by Richmond Heights Plan and Zoning last week.
According to the study:
“The additional traffic (with added apartments) at the intersection of Dale Avenue and Boland Place is relatively small. … expected to add 65 to 75 new trips per hour, or approximately 1 to 1.5 new trips per minute on average.”
Cyr also said he would email a copy of the traffic study to everyone there. According to Richmond Heights Building Department, the study is currently available only on paper at the building department. An employee said it would be posted on the city website before the city council considers the proposal at its Jan. 4 meeting.
40 South News acquired a copy of the study from a city employee. The entire 18-page study is included with this post.
The CBB study analyzes four different scenarios:
- Existing conditions
- Conditions for the approved uses — existing traffic plus a school (500 students) and a church (500 seats)
- Conditions for the proposed use — existing traffic plus apartments
- Conditions for alternative uses — existing traffic plus office/retail
The study looked at traffic during 7 – 9 a.m. and 4 – 6 p.m. on a typical weekday. The AM peak hour occurred between 7:30 and 8:30, and the PM peak hour between 4:30 and 5:30.
What the study found for each use:
- Existing conditions at Dale and Boland: total traffic at AM peak hours: 490, Total PM peak hours 725
- Traffic for school use (in addition to existing): Total traffic at AM peak hours: 225, Total PM peak hours 70
- Traffic for church use (in addition to existing): Peak hour: 300, Sunday daily trips total: 925
- Traffic for office/retail use (in addition to existing): Total traffic at AM peak hours: 130, Total PM peak hours 160
- Traffic for apartment use (in addition to existing): Total traffic at AM peak hours: 105, Total PM peak hours 130, weekday daily trips: 645
Also from the report:
The proposed apartment use is for a 203-unit apartment building with approximately 3,500 square feet of retail. Access to the site would be via one driveway to Dale Avenue.
About the retail, from the study: “It is our understanding that the 3,500 SF retail space is viewed as organic with the neighborhood since it is expected to be a small neighborhood coffee shop, deli or ice cream shop that is purely used by residents and park patrons before and after games, thereby not generating any ‘new’ traffic.”
The full study (underlines by 40 South):
There are 203 units, and only 105 cars will be making a morning trip?? So 50% of the other unit dwellers are walking or biking to work or school? That doesn’t seem right. The majority of US household have at least two cars. This just doesn’t make sense.
As a side note, putting retail at the ground level would make this into a very walkable area, maybe decreasing the number of car trips individuals must make.
No one has accounted for the weekend or social effect. All it takes to blow this study out of the water is if ten (10) or more residents have parties or social “events” at the same time. The impact on traffic and parking is not accounted for here. If each event added an additional 5 to 10 cars in the area that is an additional 50 to 100 cars. That is if only 10 residents have events. What if the number is 20 or 30 or more…. There are 204 units in the proposed development so there is potential impact stated In this study is laughable. There are “real world” scenarios not taken into account. Richmond Heights needs to wake up from the stupor because this will ruin that neighborhood. If what people like is retail on Dale you can certainly accomplish that without the massive apartment complex attached. Wake up people.
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