Study of state route 156 from east of I-75 to SR 61/US 411, Gordon County

Study of State Route 156 from east of I-75 to SR 61/US 411 Gordon County
March 2002
Prepared for Office of Planning Georgia Department of Transportation by Annette Eason

Table of Contents
Background ............................................................................................................................ .1 Demographic Information .................................................................................................... 2-4 Physical Characteristics........................................................................................................ 4-5 Traffic Characteristics .......................................................................................................... 6-7 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 8 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 9 Appendix.................................................................................................10

Background

Study of State Route 156 from I-75 to SR 61/US 411, Gordon County
Study Area

The Department of Transportation's District 6 Office in Cartersville submitted a project to the SHIP (now PNRC) committee that would add passing lanes on SR 156 in Gordon County between I-75 and Redbud. Traffic volumes indicated that passing lanes might not meet the future needs of the area, so the Office of Planning recommended that a more detailed study be conducted. Since the initial study request, a new landfill has opened with access off SR 156, affecting traffic flows, and particularly trucks, in the area. In order to look at the new traffic flows in the area, the study was extended to the intersection of SR 61/US 411. The study area is shown on the above map.
Page 1

Study of State Route 156 from I-75 to SR 61/US 411, Gordon County
Demographic Information

Population

Gordon County has experienced strong population growth over the pass thirty years. The table below shows population growth for Gordon County and Georgia:

Gordon Georgia

1970
23,808 4,589,575

1980
30,179 5,463,195

Population

1990 35,205

2000 42,474

% Change 70-80
12.6

6,478,149 7,917,682 19.0

% Change 80-90 16.6
18.6

% Change 90-00 20.6
22.2

Population for 2000 shows continued growth for the county. The 2000 population for Gordon County is 42,474, which is a 20.6% increase over the 1990 population. This compares to a 22.2% increase statewide. Based on the information contained in the 1990 Census, less than 20% of the population lives below the poverty level and less than 50% are minority.

Labor Force Activities
There are 20,077 residents of Gordon County that are working or seeking work. Approximately 74% of the workforce in Gordon County stays within the county for employment. Unemployment for 1999 shows a low unemployment rate of 5.1% for Gordon County and a 4.0% overall rate for Georgia.

Page 2

Study of State Route 156 from I-75 to SR 61/US 411, Gordon County

New Echota Historical
Site
Tom B. David Airpor

Landfill

Land Use
Land use along SR 156 is residential, with some manufacturing industries near I-75. Also located along this route are the New Echota Cherokee Indian Historical Site, Tom B. David Airport, CSX rail crossing, and the new landfill. (See location map above.)
Residential areas and manufacturing industries are continuing to develop in Gordon County. Residential housing permits are increasing. The units permitted in Gordon County in 1999 totaled 434, similar to 423 housing units permitted in 1997. The leading industry is manufacturing. The five largest employers in the county consist of four carpet manufacturers and the Outboard Marine Corporation, which produces boats and boating equipment.
The New Echota Cherokee Indian Historical Site is located north of SR 156. This historical site was the headquarters of a small, independent Indian nation established in 1825. Several original and reconstructed buildings still stand today.
Page 3

Study of State Route 156 from I-75 to SR 61/US 411, Gordon County

Gordon County has a general public aviation airport, the Tom B. David Airfield, managed by the Calhoun-Gordon County Airport Authority. The airport has two 5000-foot runways, and is planning a runway expansion that is part of the Governor's Regional Airport Expansion Program. The airport is located west of I-75 and north of SR 53 just south of the City of Calhoun.

The CSX rail line running north-south parallels SR 61 at the eastern end of the study corridor. There is currently a grade separation at SR 156 over the rail line. A total of 38 trains per day use the CSX rail line.

Day Thru 16

Day Switching
4

Night Switching
0

Night Thru 18

The county operates a landfill off of CR 237, and currently has 100-150 trucks per day using SR 156 to access the landfill. Gordon County does not foresee any increase in the number of trucks that will use the landfill.

Physical Characteristics

Corridor Description
Currently, SR 156 between I-75 and SR 61 has two-lanes with a pavement width of 25 feet west of Salacoa Creek, and a pavement width of 27 feet east of Salacoa Creek. The shoulders are paved and are typically three feet wide. There are no turn lanes at most of the side streets, and many tire skid marks are visible where vehicles have experienced difficulty stopping for turning vehicles. This corridor is not located on the Statewide Bicycle Network and is classified as a rural major collector.

Page 4

Study of State Route 156 from I-75 to SR 61/US 411, Gordon County

Bridges

There are five bridges along this corridor (see table below and Map 4). According to Department of Transportation (DOT) policy 2405-1, a bridge with a sufficiency rating less than 50 and a design live load of H-15 should be replaced. These bridges are required to be a minimum width of 38 to 44 feet in compliance with DOT policy 4265-10. These bridges do not meet this width requirement. Salacoa Creek, Redbud Creek, and CSX Railroad Bridges have a design live load of H 15.

Bride Location
Newtown Creek Crane Eater Creek Salacoa Creek Redbud Creek CSX Railroad

Width
25 25 30 27 27

Design Live Load Sufficiency

Rating

H 20

100

H 20

97

H 15

64

H 15

92.5

H 15

65.3

A project has been programmed to replace a Salaco Bridge (See Future Improvent Projects). Projects should be programmed to replace or improve the other bridges.
Future Improvement Projects
There are two programmed projects within the project limits. Project IM75-3(189) will replace the existing I-75/SR 156 overpass with a longer and wider structure (124'x 156'). This project will incorporate the widening of SR 156, beginning on the west side of the I-75 interchange and extending in an easterly direction, under I-75, to Newtown Church Road intersection. SR 156 widening will provide two 12-foot lanes and two turn lanes in each direction with a variable width median for a total of 8 lanes. Sidewalks will be provided on both sides of SR 156 through the limits of the project. Construction is scheduled for 2007. The second project is a bridge replacement over Salacoa Creek. The Salacoa Creek Bridge, west of Fairmont, is scheduled for construction in 2003 under Projects BRST-0652 (19).

Page 5

Study of State Route 156 from I-75 to SR 61/US 411, Gordon County

Traffic Characteristics

Accident Rate Calculation

Accidents in the area were reviewed to see if this route had accident rates higher than the statewide average for this facility's functional class, rural major collector. The Accident Rate Calculations included in the Appendix were reviewed for 1995, 1996 and 1997, the latest years that full data is available. There were a total of 38 accidents in 1995, 46 in 1996, and 36 in 1997. In 1995 and 1996, the accident rates were 248 and 260 (respectively) accidents per 100 million vehicle miles of travel (100 mvmt), which is slightly higher than the statewide rate of 193 and 201 accidents per 100 mvmt.

Accidents Statewide Averages

1995 Number
38

Rate
248 193

1996 Number
46

Rate 1997 Number

260

36

201

Rate
171 194

Most of the accidents were rear end and angle intersect types, indicating a need to separate turn movements from through movements. Between 1995 and 1996, about 25 percent of the accidents were rear end type and 36 percent were angle intersect type.

Traffic Volume

State Route 156 serves local traffic traveling east and west across north Gordon County. Traffic volumes in 2000 range from 1,800 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) at the eastern end of the route, to a high of 13,600 AADT just east of I-75. Traffic along this roadway is growing steadily near I-75, but experiencing low growth further east of the Interstate. Projected volumes show moderate growth, and will range between 2,700 AADT and 20,300 AADT in 2020. A map of Traffic Counts and Stations is attached as Map 2.

Passing opportunities are very limited for trucks and other type vehicles. There are no separate passing lanes, only short areas of striped passing (80% no passing zones). Currently, there are 10.5 % truck along this roadway.

Page 6

Station 217 12,000 13,500 13,600 (20,300)

TRAFFIC COUNT STATION
Station 222 5,000 3,700 4,600 (6,800)

Study of State Route 156 from I-75 to SR 61/US 411, Gordon County

Station 226

L

1,500

1,200

1,800

(2,700)

Station 219 8,000 6,800 9,800 (14,600)

Page 7

Station 224 3,100 3,000 3,400 (5,100)

Traffic Count Station Legend 1998 AADT 1999 AADT 2000 AADT (2020 AADT)
Map 2

Study of State Route 156 from I-75 to SR 61/US 411, Gordon County
Evaluations/Analysis
Using current traffic volumes, the Level-of-Service was calculated for each traffic section on SR 156 between I-75 and SR 61/US 411. With the lack of passing opportunities, SR 156 currently operates at Level-of- Service "E" near I-75, improving to Level-of-Service "B" at the eastern end of the corridor. The corridor was then re-evaluated using the existing conditions with future traffic volumes. Using future projected volumes, the Level-ofService ranges from "F" to "B". Areas that have a Level-of-Service below "C", the lowest that is acceptable in a rural area, indicate a need for improvements. Current and future Levels-of-Service are shown on Map 3. Approximately 30% of the corridor is operating at unacceptable levels. By the year 2020, 80% of the route will be at unacceptable levels.
An evaluation of the addition of passing lanes was conducted, using both current and projected traffic volumes, to see if additional passing opportunities will allow the corridor to function at an acceptable Level-of-Service in the future. The addition of passing lanes will not improve the operating characteristics of the section of SR 156 from I-75 east to CR 475 to an acceptable Level-of-Service "C"or greater. In order to improve the section of roadway from CR 475 to CR 481 to a Level of Service C, a passing lane would be required along almost the entire section of roadway. Less than 1 mile of passing lane is required for the section of roadway from CR 481 to CR 252. Traffic volumes along this section of the route would have to increase to 7500 AADT before this passing lane would become ineffective, which is not expected to take place within the next 30 years.
A planning analysis was then conducted to see if multi-laning this road to four-lanes would meet the future needs. The projected traffic volumes were analyzed, and it was found that a four-lane section would allow the areas that indicated a need for improvement to operate at an acceptable Level-of- Service "A and B" for the next 20 years.
Page 8

Station 217

LOS E F F B

LEVEL OF SRVIECE (LOS)

Station 222

LOS C D C A

Study of State Route 156 from I-75 to SR 61/US 411, Gordon County
Station 226 LOS B B
N/A No improvements recommended

Station 219 LOS E E E B

Page 9

Station 224

LOS C D C A

Traffic Count Station Legend LOS (2000) LOS (2020)
Passing Lanes (2020) 4 lane Multilane (2020)
Map 3

Study of State Route 156 from I-75 to SR 61/US 411, Gordon County

Conclusions

Traffic and population in the SR 156 area exhibit moderate growth and this growth is expected to continue. Traffic volumes are projected to continue increasing due to the fact that SR 156 is becoming a residential area, and trips will continue to increase. The current roadway configuration is unable to handle this traffic growth. The road has limited passing opportunities and increasing volumes that lead to an unacceptable Levelof-Service from I-75 easterly to CR 252.
Based on the evaluations and analyses, adding a passing lane would improve the section of roadway from CR 481 to CR 252 to an acceptable future Level of Service. Only a one-mile passing lane is required to improve this section of roadway. Also, it was determined that a passing lane would improve the future Level of Service of SR 156 from CR 475 to CR 481; however, the passing lane is required along most of the route. Additional passing lanes would improve the route's future Level of Service to C, but widening the roadway to four-lanes would improve the future Level of Service to A. Widening to four-lanes, the section beginning at the I-75 interchange improvement project (Project IM-75-3 (189), PI 610750) easterly to CR 475, would improve the route's future Level of Service to B.
Bridges along this facility should be improved to meet DOT policy 2405-1. Salacoa Creek, Redbud Creek, and CSX Railroad Bridges have a design live load of H-15, which is not in compliance with DOT policy.

Page 10

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE PROJECTS

Study of State Route 156 from I-75 to SR 61/US 411, Gordon County

I-75 /SR 156 Interchange Project IM-75-75-3(189), PI 610750

Salacoa Creek Bridge Project BRST-0827(5), PI 642390

Newtown Creek Proposed Bridge Widening

Proposed Passing Lane Project, from CR 232 to a point 1 mile east of the route.
Estimate Cost $1,510,000

Redbud Creek Proposed Bridge Replacement Project
Estimate Cost $140,000

Begins Proposed SR 156 Widening Project
Estimate Cost $15,200,000 (Cost includes the two bridges)

Crane Eater Creek Proposed Bridge Widening

Page 11

End Proposed SR 156 Widening Project

CSX Railroad Proposed Bridge Replacement Project
Estimate Cost $610,000
RECOMMENDATION
Map 4

Study of State Route 156 from I-75 to SR 61/US 411, Gordon County
Recommendations
It is recommended that the sections of SR 156 be widened to four-lanes beginning at I-75 interchange improvement project (project IM-75-3 (189), PI 610750-), easterly to CR 481. Newtown Creek and Crane Eater Creek Bridges would be widened as a result of this project. Traffic volumes along SR 156 decrease east of CR 481, and it is recommended that only a onemile passing lane be added from CR 232 to a point one mile east of the county road. Traffic volumes remain low east of the proposed passing lane project, and only proposed bridge replacement projects are recommended. Redbud Creek and CSX Railroad Bridges should be replaced. A project has been programmed to improve Salacoa Creek Bridge. The Office of Planning will submit to the PNRC (formerly SHIP) committee proposed projects to widen this corridor, add a passing lane, and improve/replace the bridges. The estimated cost of the new projects, including the bridges, is approximately $17,460,000. PE should be scheduled in approximately five years. These costs are for estimating purposes only. The recommendations are shown on the attached Map 4.
Page 12