Thomasville grade separation, State Route 35 Business, Thomas County

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1998
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THOMASVILLE GRADE SEPARATION
State Route 35 Business
Thomas County

. Prepared By: Office of Planning Ulysses Mitchell
May 18, 1998

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Scope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Background. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Traffic

"3

Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Conclusion

,9

Recommendations

"9

Appendix A

10

Appendix B

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Thomasville Grade Separation State Route 3S Business
May 18, 1998
SCOPE
In October 1997, the District.Preconstruction Engineer requested this Office study the City of Thomasville's proposal for an overpass or underpass at the CSX's rail crossing at State Route 35 Business. The City proposed putting an overpass or underpass just' west of SR-35 BUS (see Map 1). The City is experiencing traffic problems caused by CSX trains blocking this route during peak hours.
BACKGROUND
A study of an overpass on SR-35 BUS at the CSX rail line was conducted in 1991. The study concluded that a grade separation at SR-35 BUS was not warranted at that time, The conclusion was based on the Hazard Index Rating, building displacements, loss of side street access to SR-35 BUS, and the availability of alternate routes. The Hazard Index Rating did not indicate that the intersection was unsafe. A Hazard Index Rating of 6.00 or greater is one indication a separation should be considered to improve the safety of the crossing. The study reported the Hazard Index Rating as 3.34 for 1990 and a projected rating of 4.82 for the year 2010. The study also concluded construction of a grade separation would displace at least six multi-tenant retail buildings located south of Stevens Street and would adversely affect the historic rail depot located southwest of the railroad. The elevation difference required for the grade separation would eliminate Fleming Street, Victoria Place, Lee Street, Remington Avenue, Oak Street, and Stevens Street's access to SR-35 BUS.

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MAP 1
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The study noted that completion of the west bypass would divert much of the through traffic from the downtown area. Other factors influnencing the recommendation of the 1991 study was the fact that local traffic was familiar with other alternate routes that utilized existing underpasses and overpasses and that an electronic sign system could divert traffic to other alternate routes to reduce delays.
TRAFFIC
The conditions at this crossing have changed only slightly since the 1991 study. There have not been any accidents at this crossing. The traffic volume has only increased 7% from 13,958 ADT in 1990 to 15,053 ADT in 1997. The average number of trains per day has increased from six trains in 1990 to seven trains in 1997. The average length of the trains has remained the same, approximately 9,000 feet in length. The City of Thomasville monitored the train delays at this crossing during the month of January, 1997 (see Appendix A). The average delay was approximately two minutes. There was an average of one train per day that caused a delay for five minutes or more. The City reported that with delays of five minutes or greater there are between 25 and 30 automobiles delayed on each side of the track.
During these lengthy delays, local traffic may utilize alternate routes. There are two grade separated crossings in the area (see Map 2). One grade separated crossing is an underpass on Hansell Street and the other is an overpass on Martin Luther King Blvd (MLK). The Hansell Street underpass is approximately one mile east of SR-35 BUS and the MLK overpass is approximately 0.5 mile west of SR-35 BUS.
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The city proposes building the grade separation from Fleming Street to West Jefferson Street without relocating SR-35 BUS to the proposed grade separation. Instead, traffic would be detoured to the grade separation when SR-35 BUS is blocked by a train, For cost comparisons, the 1991 study estimated that an overpass at SR-35 BUS would cost an estimated $6 million. With the grade being approximately the same at both locations, a similar structure at Fleming Street would cost approximately the same amount.
During a recent meeting with the City Engineer of Thomasville, the relocation of SR-35 BUS as an alternative to a grade separation was investigated, The preferred alternate route would be to the east along Hansell Street. This would require minor roadway work to bring Hansell Street to state route standards, This route would also receive the most resistance. There are a number of bed and breakfast inn's located on Hansell Street, and they would not welcome the truck traffic that is associated with state route traffic.
The second alternate would be to relocate SR-35 BUS to the west, utilizing Campbell Street, MLK, Clay Street, and SR-38 BUS (Refer to Map 3). Campbell Street would have to be brought to state route standards and the train overpass on Clay Street would have to be replaced and the grade lowered. Clearance at the underpass is only 9' -6".
ANALYSIS
The 1991 study recommended looking into an electronic detour system. The system would detour traffic to an alternate street that has a grade separation in place, and then return the detoured traffic back to the original route (see Map 4). Directional signs with flashing lights
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STATE ~OOTE ~LOCATION

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-...... PROPOSED GRADE SEPARATiON
.........../. WEST STATE ROUTE RELOCATiON
EAST STATE ROUTE RELOCATiON

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would be activated through electronic linkage with the existing crossing protection devices to signal motorists of the impending train movements. The detour would utilize Bartow Street and Hansell Street as shown on Map 4. The District Office evaluated this alternate and recommended that the proposed detour be eliminated as a possible alternative to a grade separation (Recommendation included in Appendix B).
The problem at the SR-38 BUS/CSX crossing exists only when there are train delays 0(5 minutes or greater. This occurs on the average of once each day and involves approximately 60 automobiles. A bridge in the proposed location would cost over $6 million dollars and require a detour system that is activated when a train is on the track or through traffic would not be aware of the grade separation. Local traffic would be aware of this and existing grade separation. The other alternative is to relocate the state route to the proposed grade separation.
Relocating state.route traffic to the proposed. grade separation would only increase the travel time by 47 seconds. This alternate, however, would result in business and residential displacement in order to tie SR-35 BUS to the new grade separation.
Relocating state route traffic to the west would add 2.46 miles to the State Highway System and increase the travel time by 4.21 minutes, not considering traffic signals. The west route has three traffic signals more than the existing route, which will add an additional six minutes to travel time.
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Relocating state route traffic to Hansell Street would be opposed by the City according to the' . City Engineer. This route has several bed and breakfast inns that would be affected by truck traffic. Travel time would be increase by 1.95 minutes.
CONCLUSIONS
Constructing the grade separation without relocating the state route traffic as proposed by the city would only serve those 60 or so drivers affected by delays greater than five minutes. With delays less than five minutes, the train would have passed before drivers would be able to cross the overpass. The cost of constructing an overpass would outweigh any benefits derived from its use. Most traffic would continue to use the existing route because of its convenience to the downtown area and its direct route through downtown.
Relocating state route traffic to the proposed grade separation or either alternate would have an adverse economic impact on the downtown area and place additional traffic in residential areas. It would also increase travel time. The impact on downtown would overshadow any benefits received from not having to stop at the rail crossing. The additional travel time and expense experienced by the 14,346 other drivers that currently use SR-35 BUS would also outweigh any benefits.
RECOMMENDATION
A no build alternative is recommended. The expense and inconvenience of a grade separation or relocation of the state route outweigh the benefits.
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APPENDIX A
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JAN 28'98 02:53PM DOT TIFTON

.. . i-23-1 998 1 1 : 57AM

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TRAIN LOG

aA JAN. 5
. , 7:15.-1:20 AM

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JAN.21

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7:49-7:60 Stop~ 7:51-7:55 AM4t7:48-7:S4 AM

8:55-8:56 AM

8;Q8..8:20 AM'

e;32-8:34 AM

2:022;03 PM

9:06-9:08 AM !

3:31-3:35 PM

.2:45-2:47 PM

3:01-3:02 PM

e 4:11-4:12 Stop, 4;13-4:14 PM
5:15..5:17 PM

3:os.3;07 PM 5:14-5:19 PM

4:25-4:26 PM
:JAN. 23

JAN.. S
7:16-7:18 AM
8:00-8:02 AM
810:~10:34 AM
1:OO~1:09 PM

5:30-5:31 PM
. JAN. 13 ~
8:16-8:18 AM e11:~~11:29 AJ.I.
3:21--3:23 PM ,

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9:27-9;30 Noll
2:38-2:39 PM '
2:47-2:48 PM

1:55-1;56 PM

3:28-3:30 PM

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JAN. 7

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7:00..7:03 AM

1:07-1:09 PM

7:4b-7:44 AM

2:33--2:33 PM

8:498:52 AM

3:29-3:29 PM

9:47-9:47 112 AM

3:38-3;38 PM

9:57-9:57 112 AM
11:55-11:58 AM

a JAN. 15

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' A JAN. 16

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11:52-11 :56. f+M

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_2:48-2:50 Stop, 2:55-3;03 PM 4:33-4:35 PM .

_ 3:39-3:44 PM

JAN. 20

JAN,..i

S:4S..s:58 AM '

8:42..8:45 AM

9:51-9;54 AM

2:14 PM (10 Seconds) .

3:15-3:17 PM

3:4&-3:47 PM

3:1e~:21 PM

. .4:21-4:2.2 PM . .,4:48-4:56 PM

3:48--3:50 PM _4:51-4:56 fiM

TRAIN DELAY OF 5 MINUTES :JR GREATER

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APPENDIXB
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I N T E R 0 F FIe E M E M 0 RAN DUM

Date: From:
Dept: Tel No:

09-Mar-1998 08:52am GMT Shelly Anderson ANDERSON_SHELLY

Ulysses Mitchell

MITCHELL_ULYSSES

Jject: RR Detour, T'ville

un in receit of the excerpt from the 1991 Planning Report on grade separation US 319 and the CSX Railroad in Thomasville.

~s excerpt covers the 4th alternate of the study, proposing a railroad signal :ivated detour on Bartow and Hansell Streets.

my evaluation of. this proposal, I used the City's log that documented the les and duration that the railroad signals were activated over a 13 day period January. The log shows 67 such incidents with an average duration of 3.28 lutes. The longest duration was 15 minutes and the shortest was 10 s~conds . .y 16 were greater than 5 minutes and 51 were 5 minutes or less.

: proposed detour is 8,100 feet. It constitutes an additional 3,000 feet of .vel distance. There are four traffic signals on the detour route, the sa~e .ber that would otherwise be encountered on Jackson Street. But, the sig~~ls Jackson Street are coordinated for progressive flow, whereas, the stops C~ tow and Handsell would be strictly random and in at least two cases the its would favor the cross streets, which are considered the main arteria~s.

summary, the detour route would not lessen delay but rather would add stancially to it. It is my estimation that the detour route would ave~a~2
or three minutes longer than waiting fo~ the track and traffic to clear In kson Street. Therefore, it is my recommendation that the propsed detc~r ~e
minated as a possible alternate to grade separation.

3se let me know if there are any questioris.

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