Mark Stuechli, Senior Transportation Planner for Overland Park, KS, Planning & Development Services Department provided an updated traffic study and a Technical Appendix for the proposed re-zoning/development on the Southeast Corner, 159th/Metcalf.

The new report shows significantly increased waiting at intersections compared to the September 27, 2007 report.

The report also eliminates a key comparison showing that the proposed development will generate 10 times the traffic of the residential zoning which is Master Planned for the area - over 17,000 additional trips. [Update 12/17/2007: Mr. Stuechli states that this was an oversight and he will ask the consultant to re-issue the report with the comparison.]

For the really bad intersections (e.g. wait time 390 seconds in the last report), the new report says simply >100 seconds rather than giving the actual estimate.

As with the earlier report, no consideration is given to cut-through traffic, nor to the intersections along 159th near where Blue Valley High school is: Horton Street, Woodson Street, and the 4 exits from the school itself.

Increased Wait Times at Traffic Signals

The new report provides data on 40 traffic wait times for 16 intersections, taking into account for each intersection the different traffic directions. Of the 40, 37 can be compared to the previous report:

• 29 show longer wait times than the previous report
• 3 show no change from the previous report
• 5 show shorter wait time than the previous report

Three of the very worst wait times cannot be compared because the report now states "> 100" seconds, rather than telling the actual wait time as the previous report did. In the last report, these 3 wait times are predicted to exceed 100 seconds if the development is approved:

• Metcalf and 161st street (existing street), eastbound left turn, 749.2 seconds
• Metcalf and 161st street (a new extension of 161st from the shopping center), westbound left turn, 390.1 seconds.
• 159th & East Drive (a new street from the shopping center), northbound Left-turn: 943.4 seconds

Nall and Metcalf is another intersection which is now labeled as ">100" seconds. Before it was 88.1 seconds.

Deterioration of Wait Times Compared to Existing

The addition of 19,000+ more trips per day has a significant effect on wait times at signals, as one would expect. Here are some of the worst based on the % increase in wait time and/or change in LOS for the PM Peak Hour:

1. 159th St and Nall Ave
   • Eastbound, existing, LOS E, 47.6 seconds delay
   • Eastbound, project, LOS F, >100 seconds delay
   • Increase in delay: >110%
   • Westbound, existing, LOS C, 16.6 seconds delay
   • Westbound, project, LOS D, 27.3 seconds delay
   • Increase in delay: 64%

2. 151st St and Metcalf Ave
   • Signalized, All Movements, existing, LOS C, 30.0 seconds delay
   • Signalized, All Movements, project, LOS D, 35.9 seconds delay
   • Increase in delay: 20%

3. 159th St and Metcalf Ave
   • Signalized, All Movements, existing, LOS C, 20.7 seconds delay
   • Signalized, All Movements, project, LOS D, 32.2 seconds delay
   • Increase in delay: 55%

4. 159th St and Riggs Road
   • Northbound, existing, LOS D, 29.3 seconds delay
   • Northbound, project, LOS E, 46.1 seconds delay
   • Increase in delay: 57%
   • Westbound, existing, LOS D, 31.6 seconds delay
   • Westbound, project, LOS F, 49.5 seconds delay
   • Increase in delay: 57%

5. 167th St and Metcalf Ave
   • Southbound, Left Turn, existing, LOS A, 0.4 seconds delay
   • Southbound, Left Turn, project, LOS F, 75.3 seconds delay
   • Increase in delay: 18725%
   • Northbound, Left Turn, existing, LOS A, 2.1 seconds delay
   • Northbound, Left Turn, project, LOS C, 15.8 seconds delay
   • Increase in delay: 652%

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