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G8.1 Project title:
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Highway AA - Capacity and Multimodal Improvements
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G8.2 Project description: |
The City of Blue Springs is experiencing residential growth eastward along the Highway AA corridor from US-40 to the city limits. Significant development in the adjacent City of Grain Valley, which grew nearly 150 percent from 2000 to 2010, has also caused congestion issues on the rural, two-lane roadway. The project will improve the existing corridor from Sunnyside School Road to the city limits (east of Scenic Drive) to a three-lane roadway with a center turn lane and right-turn lanes as warranted. The improvements will include a shared-use path on one side of the roadway and a sidewalk on the other side of the roadway to accommodate bicyclists, pedestrians, and mobility aid users. Intersection improvements at Adams Dairy Parkway, a major north-south roadway, are also planned. The project will extend the corridor improvements that are currently being constructed from US-40 to Sunnyside School Road and are associated with a new residential development along Highway AA.
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G8.3 Project contact: |
Jeff Sell,
Assistant Public Works Director,
901 Vesper Street,
Blue Springs, MO 64105,
816-228-0205,
jsell@bluespringsgov.com
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G1. Project Type: |
Road & Bridge - Roadway Capacity
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G2. Funding Stream: |
STP
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G3. TIP Number: |
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G4. State: |
Missouri
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G5. Project county: |
1. Jackson
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G6. Project municipality: |
1. Blue Springs 2. Jackson County
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G7. Multiple agencies / jurisdictions?
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No
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G8.4 Purpose and need:
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Highway AA was originally designed as a rural roadway without shoulders and no longer serves the needs of a growing community. The corridor does not meet current design standards and does not comply with the city’s Complete Streets policy. Highway AA is also a primary corridor that enables connectivity between Blue Springs and Grain Valley, both of which have experienced significant growth in the past decade. Therefore, traffic volumes on Highway AA have increased significantly in recent years, particularly as motorists seek alternative routes to I-70. Approximately 100 crashes occurred within the project limits from 2012-2017 and 30 percent of the crashes resulted in an injury (higher than the statewide average). The corridor improvements will improve visibility for motorists and address issues with turning movements at intersections (where the majority of crashes occurred). The shared-use path and sidewalk will also provide critical bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.
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G9. Origin and ending
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Route:
From:
To:
Length (Miles):
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HIghway AA
Sunnyside School Road
City Limits (east of Scenic Drive)
1.2
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G10. Functional Classification:
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Collector
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G11. In Transportation Outlook 2040?
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Yes
Decade:
2020
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G12. Muli-Agency Plan?
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Yes
The project aligns with the goals of the Jackson County Comprehensive Plan in that this project offers opportunities to alternative modes of transportation, provides a better connection between transportation and land uses, and increases connectivity between local activity centers and regional destinations. To the east, the City of Grain Valley has also begun to gradually improve Highway AA to an urban section with turn lanes as development occurs. The project is listed as an unconstrained project (Project ID: 375) within Transportation Outlook 2040.
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G13. Included in a CIP?
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Yes
The Highway AA project from Sunnyside School Road to the city limits is included in the city’s 2018-2023 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) as item ST-52 under the Capital Improvements category. The project currently does not have a funding source. The CIP seeks to advance the strategic goals adopted by the City Council including public safety, infrastructure, neighborhood preservation, development and redevelopment, and revenue stability. Based on the five-year planning period, the city’s capital investment needs exceed the current level of funding.
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G14. Planning stage:
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Conceptual Plan
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G15. Reviewed by state DOT?
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No
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G16. Right-of-Way acquisition: |
Not started
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G17. ROW by local public agency process manual?
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Yes
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G18. Other unique local goals and objectives?
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Yes
The Blue Springs Comprehensive Plan indicates the importance of not only implementing Complete Streets but Complete Networks that maximize the impact of Complete Streets and recognize that different streets serve different purposes. To provide a context-sensitive design, the project includes a shared-use path for bicyclists rather than bicycle lanes due to the residential nature of the surrounding area and increasing traffic volumes.
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G19. Transportation Disadvantaged Population:
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The project will provide bicycle and pedestrian facilities that provide safe transportation choices for residents, employees, and visitors. Therefore, the increase in safe transportation choices will positively impact transportation disadvantaged populations (low income, minority, older adults, persons with disabilities, zero car households, and veterans) that may more heavily rely on transportation options other than a personal vehicle. Providing these multimodal facilities helps connect transportation disadvantaged populations to different housing choices, employment, community resources, and other opportunities. The multimodal options will also provide safe access for families and students to nearby Young Park, Blue Springs Family YMCA, Blue Springs South High School, and William Bryant Elementary School.
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G20. Relevant Public Engagement:
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This project had a strong public engagement component prior to its inclusion in both the Comprehensive Plan and the Capital Improvements Program (CIP). Both processes featured public meetings, public engagement exercises, and were featured in public notices with significant comment periods. Furthermore, the project was approved by City Council, and was therefore included in a public docket. All persons within the community, including transportation disadvantaged populations, and the surrounding area were invited to participate in public processes. The engagement tools used included a SWOT analysis, visioning exercises, and group discussions. Residents from both Blue Springs and Grain Valley have expressed concerns regarding safety and the inability to connect to the city amenities via any mode other than a vehicle. The information gathered from the public was used to refine study areas and focuses, develop initial concepts, and evaluate the city’s plan.
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G21. Planned Public Engagement:
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If funding is secured for this project, the City will hold public town hall meetings before and after design to gather input from all interested parties, including transportation disadvantaged populations. All public engagement events will be accessible to persons with disabilities and those who require special accommodations. The public input will be used to determine design decisions as feasible.
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G22. Sustainable Places Criteria:
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Access to Healthy Foods---Active Transportation/Living---Age in Place---Compact, Walkable Centers---
Complete Street Design---Connected Street Network---Context Appropriate Streets-------
----Green Infrastructure---Infill-Rehab Housing---Integrated Trail System---
----Natural Resources Protection-------Pedestrian-Oriented Public Realm---
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----Tree PreservationUnique Community Characteristics
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G22.1. Describe CSP relationship:
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The project has incorporated a shared-use path and sidewalks to greater accommodate all users. Bicycle and pedestrian accommodations will support active transportation, promote physical activity, and provide connections to nearby parks, schools, and community centers. The corridor is an important link between the growing communities of Blue Springs and Grain Valley. The eastern project limits can also serve as a unique gateway into the City of Blue Springs. There are opportunities along the corridor to provide infill housing on larger or undeveloped lots, include native landscaping, and preserve existing trees.
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G23. Implements Sustainable Places Initiatives?
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Yes
In 2013, the Highway AA corridor were included in the Creating Sustainable Places (CSP) 40 Highway Corridor and Focus Area Plan. The Plan supported the creation of a mixed-use neighborhood node at the US-40 and Adams Dairy Parkway intersection, which is located just north of the Highway AA corridor. The Plan also mentioned continuing to enhance the US-40 and Highway 7 intersection node, which is located just west of the Highway AA corridor. Therefore, multimodal improvements along Highway AA would enhance access to these key intersections for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
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G24. Serves Regional Activity Center?
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Yes
High-Intensity and More_Walkable Centers
The project corridor connects multiple high-intensity activity centers in all four directions: US-40 and Adams Dairy Parkway intersection (north), near Blue Springs South High School and Family YMCA (south), Highway AA and Sni-A-Bar Boulevard in Grain Valley (east), and US-40 and Highway 7 intersection in Blue Springs (west). The project supports connectivity between these activity centers through increased roadway capacity for vehicles and multimodal facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians. It will also allow all people to access the city parks, schools, YMCA, and the vast collection of trails and sidewalks throughout the city.
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G25. Environmental justice tracts?
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No
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G26. Reduces greenhouse gas emissions?
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Yes
The shared-use path and sidewalk included in the project provide transportation choices beyond the use of a personal vehicle, which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the use of carbon-based fuels. The addition of a center turn lane and right-turn lanes as appropriate will reduce vehicle delay and idling.
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G27. Natural Resource information:
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The project will include native landscaping elements that serve both aesthetic and stormwater functions. The preservation of existing trees will be accommodated as feasible during design. All areas will incorporate best management practices for erosion control during construction and all disturbed areas will be improved as soon as feasible.
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G28. Community Links at Watershaed Scale:
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For new development and redevelopment, City codes require the preservation of streams and encourage development patterns that preserve forested areas. Additionally, post-construction stormwater quality best management practice provisions are adopted and enforced. Lastly, the City of Blue Springs is unique in that residents have direct access to two large Corps of Engineers lakes which are located directly to the west. Providing linkages to these amenities is identified as an important advantage the City of Blue Springs has in order to maintain long-term stability and sustainability.
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G29. Explain local land use or comprehensive plans:
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In the early 2010s, the City engaged residents and business owners to update the Comprehensive Plan. Based on their input, the Plan calls for “breathing new life into old car-oriented corridors.” Therefore, the Plan specifically advocates for improvements to the Highway AA corridor that was originally designed for low volume, higher speed rural traffic rather than the growing suburban community. Additionally, the Highway AA corridor was identified in the Creating Sustainable Places (CSP) 40 Highway Corridor and Focus Area Plan as a potential route with multimodal accommodations to support nearby mixed-use neighborhood centers. This project will extend the corridor improvements that are currently being constructed from US-40 to Sunnyside School Road and are associated with a new residential development along Highway AA.
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G30.1 Complies with MARC’s CSP?
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Yes
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G30.2 Exception to the MARC CSP?
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No
The project will be designed using APWA design guidelines for a 45 mph street. The project will follow the city’s commercial collector standards with a 5-foot sidewalk on one side of the roadway and an 8 to 10 foot shared-use path down the opposite side. Both facilities will be ADA compliant. Turn lanes and intersection improvements will be included as warranted.
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Traveler Type (All Ages & Abilities)
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Pedestrians:
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Mobility Aids:
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Bicyclists:
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Transit Riders:
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Cars:
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Trucks:
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Motorcycles:
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Buses:
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Green Streets:
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We welcome your feedback on this. Comments from the public will be shared with project
sponsors and the evaluating committee. If you wish to be contacted directly about
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