A traffic plan to accommodate a Menards project east of Husky Trail and Patterson Road was approved by the Warsaw Traffic Commission during its meeting Thursday afternoon.
The commission approved submitting the plan to the Warsaw Plan Commission during its meeting.The commission discussed a truck traffic plan at its March 1 meeting where Brandon Fulk, project manager for Schneider Corp., presented preliminary Menards site traffic plan information to commission members.
Commission members requested at the March meeting the corporation conduct a traffic signal warrant analysis to determine if a traffic signal at the intersection of Husky Trail/Patterson Road and Parker Street and the proposed Menards access drive would be warranted.
The commission also requested at the March meeting for curb radius to be checked for larger trucks at Husky Trail and Parker Street, and plans for lane striping and grade changes be addressed.
The traffic plan is for a Menards development that will include an improvement superstore, approximately 78,000 square feet of additional retail development and approximately 75 single family homes.
Jim Pence, project engineer for Schneider Corp., West LaFayette; Tom Vanderberg, A & F Engineering, Indianapolis; and Garrett Caffee, lawyer for Menards, attended Monday's traffic meeting.
Vanderberg presented a traffic signal warrant analysis conducted by A & F Engineering in March with traffic volume counts at the intersection of Husky Trail/Patterson Road intersection and Parker street.
The purpose of the analysis was to determine if existing traffic volumes and future traffic volumes from a Menards store will meet minimum traffic signal warrant volume criteria.
A 13-hour manual traffic volume count was conducted between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the intersection of Husky Trail/Patterson Road and Parker Street during a typical weekday, Vanderburg said.
He said the analysis was submitted to Indiana Department of Transportation for approval.
"Based on the existing traffic volumes and projected hourly traffic volumes from the Menards Home Improvement Store, a future traffic signal will most likely not be warranted at the intersection," Vanderberg said.
He said the study was based on the existing traffic volumes currently experienced at the intersection as well as anticipated traffic volumes with the Menards store.
He said the warrant analysis found that with existing traffic and projected traffic from Menards, a traffic signal would only be warranted for three hours a day and a warrant for signalization must be warranted for eight hours a day.
Vanderberg said in the future, it is possible that, as other traffic from outside of the area begins to increase, the intersection may warrant a signal.
The study states that based on traffic projections. it is estimated that traffic would need to increase between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. in an average of approximately 5 to 35 percent for a signal to be warranted.
City Planner Jeremy Skinner said Michiana Area Council of Governments could conduct traffic counts once the Menards project is complete to determine if signalization is needed at the intersection. The organization assists cities and towns on transportation and transit planning.
The study recommends the intersection be continuously monitored as additional development within the area is considered.
The commission approved submitting the traffic analysis to the plan commission that requires Menards to meet seven development standards.
The requirements include Menards agreeing to pay for and install a traffic signal and right turn lane on the southeast corner of Parker Street when a traffic signal is warranted; Menards agreeing to install a sidewalk along Flora Avenue connecting the existing and proposed subdivision to Harrison Elementary School; and Menards agreeing that a traffic signal warrant study will be required if an outlot is developed or future traffic counts indicate significant traffic increases that may warrant a traffic signal.
Menards also must agree to install a sidewalk connecting the proposed subdivision to Patterson Place via a sidewalk from the southern edge of the proposed subdivision to the northern edge of the right of way line of Patterson Road subject to the approval of the existing property owner, First Baptist Church,
Other requirements include Menards must agree to install a facade treatment and staggered parapet chosen by the plan commission, agree to the continual maintenance of the proposed detention facilities per the commercial development, and agree to contribute $25,000 to the construction of a fitness trail on Harrison Elementary School property that will connect to the proposed sidewalk at Flora Avenue subject to a matching grant from another entity or foundation and the Warsaw School Board's approval.
The commission also reviewed a letter from Indiana Department of Transportation to Mayor Ernie Wiggins regarding the potential traffic pattern changes at the intersection of U.S. 30 and Parker/Dubois Street.
INDOT conducted a traffic study at the intersection. Results show the intersection already meets the warrant criteria to justify a signal installation before any additional traffic would be added due to the change in making Dubois Drive one-way.
The study included a traffic count, a review of crash history and a signal warrant analysis and speed study.
The commission previously discussed making the street one-way.
Police Chief Steve Foster said there has been a total of six accidents at the intersection in the past three years including four car-deer, one failure to yield and one fatal involving a motor cycle and semi.
The commission will meet again May 3 at 10:30 a.m. at the Warsaw Police Department.
