N.J. Admin. Code § 16:47-4.30

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 19, October 7, 2024

Section 16:47-4.30 - Traffic impact studies for major access and concept review applications

(a) A traffic impact study is required for those concept review applications with an expected two-way traffic volume of 500 or more vehicle trips per day directly accessing a State highway and with an expected peak-hour volume of 200 or more vehicle trips directly accessing a State highway and all major access applications with a planning review. The pages of the traffic impact study shall be numbered and the topics shall be addressed in the same sequence as they appear in this subsection. The study shall be completed and sealed by a New Jersey licensed professional engineer.

(b) A traffic impact study shall include a narrative summary as follows:

1. The narrative summary should be in the beginning of the report and should indicate the size and type of development and the proposed access plan. It should either indicate that the access points are in conformance with the Access Code or refer to the waiver request accompanying the application.

2. The narrative summary should establish that the LOS standards set forth in 16:47-4.2 4 through 4.29 are met. If they are not met, the narrative summary shall evaluate and provide detailed justification for the applicant's proposals.

3. Figures should show the location of the lot and access points.

4. Any fair-share financial contributions determined necessary to mitigate traffic impacts according to 16:47-4.3 4 shall be generally described and illustrated.

5. Any improvements not required by these rules, but desired by the applicant, should be presented along with facts indicative of their workability.

6. Issues raised at the pre-application conference shall be addressed in summary form.

(c) A traffic impact study shall include a development description, including the following:

1. The applicant and development name;

2. A location map;

3. A development description based on sizes and land use types which are compatible with those land uses listed in the Institute of Transportation Engineers publication entitled "Trip Generation, 6th Edition," 1997 or superseding edition or other uses listed by the Department. For land uses not listed in this source or when an applicant believes these uses are not representative, the Department may accept alternative evidence of representative uses;

4. Unique functional or operational activities which relate to atypical trip making activity such as ridesharing participation, bus intercept areas, recreational use facilities, or travel demand management plans;

5. Development staging identifying the year of development activities per stage and proposed access plans;

6. A transportation system inventory, which is a description of the physical, functional and operational characteristics of the study area highway system and, where appropriate, local transit service. The description should provide, where pertinent, data on:

i. Peak-hour volumes;

ii. Number of lanes;

iii. Cross section;

iv. Intersection traffic signals and configuration;

v. Traffic signal progression;

vi. Percentage of heavy trucks;

vii. Grades;

viii. Adjacent access point locations;

ix. Jurisdiction;

x. Transit routes and stops;

xi. Transit frequency.

7. Shared access agreements; and

8. Proposed transportation improvements.

(d) A traffic impact study shall include a traffic analysis. Extensive documentation is required for the Department to review and accept the traffic volumes presented in a traffic analysis. The logic and calculations that provide these volumes must be shown.

1. For trip generation, applicants shall use the Institute of Transportation Engineers publication entitled "Trip Generation, 6th Edition," 1997 or superseding edition, or superseding rates adopted by the Department. For land uses not listed in this source or when an applicant believes these rates are not representative, the Department may accept alternative evidence of representative rates. The rates shall be summarized in tabular form for each analysis time period and indicate size, type, and appropriate ITE land use code. The applicant must seek prior approval from the Department or request a waiver for trip generation rates other than those specified above. The documentation must cite specific locations and describe the land use in detail. Facts supporting the use of rates from these locations must be supplied.

i. The peak-hour traffic analysis must identify site, roadway, and coincidental peak-hour conditions, and the beginning and end of the peak-hour used. It shall show the combination of site and background traffic which causes the most critical impacts. The peak-hour will generally be the A.M. and P.M. weekday highway peak-hours. The Department may, depending on development characteristics, require analysis of other peak-hours, such as Saturday afternoon or evening. In the event that the least peak-hour of generation of the A.M., P.M., and Saturday conditions evaluated is 50 percent or less of the maximum peak-hour generation, a traffic analysis shall not be required for the least peak-hour.

ii. For mixed-use developments, internal trips should be addressed in the trip distribution section.

2. For trip distribution, the procedure and rationale shall be documented. Trip tables for each land use on the lot shall be shown. The documentation shall tie the trip table to the data source, such as U.S. Census Journey to Work, marketing studies, or employment data. Where existing travel patterns are used for all or a component of the site's traffic, an explanation is required as to why the expected patterns are likely to replicate these existing patterns.

3. The traffic assignment shall follow logically from the trip distribution. Any special conditions must be explained.

i. Peak-hour traffic volumes covering the analysis area shall be depicted graphically. They must identify site generated, primary, passby, and total traffic.

ii. Entering and exiting traffic shall be routed on public roadways and the applicant's lot. Routing on any other lot shall meet the requirements of 16:47-3.1 2(n).

4. Support shall be provided for any credits or reductions for passby trips or mixed-use developments. Included shall be an explanation of how these trips are being captured and a demonstration that the existing traffic volume is high enough to support the rates used. Because of the highly judgmental nature of passby trips, it is important to discuss them at the pre-application conference. An agreement on the rates or an agreement on the approved can be reached at the conference.

5. The study locations shall be established pursuant to 16:47-4.3 6.

(e) A traffic impact study may include a travel demand management plan. This is an optional plan. The trip reduction anticipated in an approved travel demand management plan shall be deemed to reduce the site trips, thereby also reducing site traffic impacts and associated fair share financial obligations.

(f) Highway traffic volumes shall be prepared for the build year or such other years as may be appropriate due to development staging or programmed highway improvements. The traffic volumes shall be determined by applying background traffic growth rates, prepared pursuant to 16:47-4.3 8, to traffic counts, obtained pursuant to 16:47-4.3 7. The traffic volumes shall represent the traffic volumes anticipated on the date the access is to open.

(g) The traffic impact study shall include a capacity analysis.

1. The "1994 Highway Capacity Manual" (HCM), Special Report 209, or superseding issue is the standard for capacity analysis. The use of other procedures must be justified and documented. Capacity work sheets must be provided as an appendix to the traffic impact study. The Department will accept calculations performed using computer software based on the HCM. The Department preference is for McTrans software. The applicant shall obtain the approval of the Bureau of Major Access Permits before using any other software. Any deviation from the HCM accepted values shall be fully documented. Default values shall not be used when actual values are reasonably available or obtainable.

2. Capacity analysis shall be performed at each access point for the lot and the study locations identified in 16:47-4.3 6. The interaction of conflicting traffic movements shall be addressed in the traffic impact study.

3. Impacts should be evaluated with and without development traffic and with and without any proposed transportation improvements for the build years. For staged developments, no-build analyses for latter stages are not to include traffic and improvements from earlier stages of the development.

4. Alternate access availability shall be addressed.

5. The no-build analysis of future years shall be based on traffic signal timing which is possible with the existing traffic signal hardware and will be appropriate for the future year no-build traffic volumes. The build analysis may use traffic signal timing changes which are possible with the existing traffic signal hardware and comply with the standards for progression pursuant to 16:47-4.2 1(a)6.

6. Summary tables shall show, as appropriate to the type of analysis, volume, number of lanes, green time, volume to capacity ratio, delay, LOS, and reserve capacity for each lane group or movement on each approach. These tables shall facilitate comparison of build and no-build conditions and of existing and improved configurations based on the LOS standards. Sample summary tables are shown in Appendix M, incorporated herein by reference.

7. A fair share analysis prepared pursuant to 16:47-4.3 4 shall be included.

N.J. Admin. Code § 16:47-4.30