September 11, 2024 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

19 of 71 sheets Page 73 to 76 of 180 09/27/2024 06:14:01 AM 73 professionals, all transportation review agencies and1 engineers to prepare estimates of the level of traffic2 that may be generated by a project and it is accepted as3 such. We then utilize that data and assign those4 traffic projections to the road system on top of the5 existing traffic volumes and use a series of modeling6 analysis also established and accepted by the7 transportation industry to evaluate and model the8 operation of the road system and roads, and from that we9 were able to evaluate and determine the need for traffic10 control lane arrangements and so forth. And all of that11 is documented in the Traffic Impact Study.12 As you are aware access to this property is13 basically from Eagle Rock Avenue utilizing Oval Road and14 Warner Road, extending up into the project site. Warner15 Road and Oval Road are both existing established16 roadways. They have a cartway width of approximately 4017 feet and basically provide one wide lane of travel in18 each direction. Oval Road and Warner Road service as19 access to the adjacent developments, The Grand, the20 Chateau and also our neighbors in the Highlands that21 Warner Road travels through.22 Eagle Rock Avenue is a county road under the23 jurisdiction of Essex County. It's a four lane roadway24 providing two lanes in each direction. There's traffic25 74 signalization located at Laurel Avenue just to the west1 of the, of Oval Road and further to the east at Pleasant2 Valley Way.3 Oval Road itself, as everybody is aware, is a4 T-intersection. It has a one lane approach, a wide5 approach, and operates under a stop sign control today.6 As I indicated, one of tasks that I am involved7 with is the result of the Stipulation Agreement, the8 design of an installation of a traffic signal at Oval9 Road and Eagle Rock Avenue. That signal falls under the10 jurisdiction of Essex County. It will be designed and11 is being designed to the standards of Essex County, as12 well as the State of New Jersey. And quite frankly the13 installation of the traffic signal will provide a14 substantial safety and operational improvement at that15 intersection accommodating both the existing traffic,16 alleviating the existing concerns and constraints at17 that intersection and certainly accommodating the18 additional traffic that was utilized at that19 intersection to

g both the existing traffic,16 alleviating the existing concerns and constraints at17 that intersection and certainly accommodating the18 additional traffic that was utilized at that19 intersection to access this new, this new community.20 The intersection itself when completed based upon21 our analysis is anticipated to operate what's known as22 overall A level of service. For the purposes of the23 public, I know this board has certainly heard traffic24 engineering in the past. At the end of the day traffic25 75 engineers try to boil down the results of our modeling1 analysis into a simplified system of ratings. Basically2 a rating of A through F, not unlike a grade school3 report card. A, being fairly free flow conditions, good4 levels of service, good operations. And F, obviously5 being failing conditions at a traffic signal. What that6 means, since we all experience F levels of service every7 day in our travels, is that you might arrive at the8 traffic signal at the end of a queue and not get through9 the green light and have to wait until it turns green10 again. It doesn't mean grid lock, it doesn't breakdown11 conditions, it just means longer travel times through12 the intersection. So that's basically the13 differentiations in ratings.14 In terms of Oval Road and Warner Road, as I15 indicated they are wide roads, they're actually16 accessibly wide and built beyond the standard that we17 would build today. They have the capacity to18 accommodate the additional traffic generated by this19 project at good levels of service. And in fact no20 widening, no additional lanes are required on those21 roads providing the additional capacity for this22 project.23 I will note separate from this project in the24 Settlement Agreement, anyone that's reviewed the25 76 Settlement Agreement, the applicant has worked, has1 agreed to work with the Highlands Association as they go2 through construction to actually implement some, what I3 would call, traffic calming features, on those cartways4 to tighten them up a little bit. Those features from my5 understanding include an entry treatment gatehouse, for6 want of a better word. Potentially tightening up the7 cartways by reducing a boulevard type design, all of8 which are good elements that would be beneficial to both9 the existing residents as well as the future residents10 of this community. And as I said, that's a

reducing a boulevard type design, all of8 which are good elements that would be beneficial to both9 the existing residents as well as the future residents10 of this community. And as I said, that's a separate11 process that the applicant has agreed to work with12 during construction with the homeowners association.13 We have a process to go through outside of this14 board with Essex County in terms of design of the15 intersection of Eagle Rock and Oval Road as a traffic16 signal. It will include some widening of Eagle Rock17 Avenue providing a separate turn lane into Oval Road.18 Again, a safety improvement along Eagle Rock Avenue,19 benefiting the existing residents as well as the future20 residents of this community. And as I said, it will21 result in a safe and efficient operation of that22 intersection. It will overcome the delays and23 difficulties making a left turn out and it will overcome24 some of the site distance issues that exist there today25