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Bethesda Purple Line Minor Master Plan Appendix - Traffic Analysis

A traffic analysis was conducted for intersections around the Bethesda Purple Line station area. It evaluated existing congestion and projected 2040 congestion under continued development. Two scenarios were considered: assuming development reaches the maximum allowed or is closer to what is currently approved. Three intersections were found to exceed congestion standards under certain scenarios: Wisconsin Ave/E-W Hwy/Old Georgetown Rd, Wisconsin Ave/Bradley Blvd, and Bradley Blvd/Arlington Rd. Potential mitigation measures are identified for each, such as adding turn lanes or converting existing lanes.

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30 views7 pages

Bethesda Purple Line Minor Master Plan Appendix - Traffic Analysis

A traffic analysis was conducted for intersections around the Bethesda Purple Line station area. It evaluated existing congestion and projected 2040 congestion under continued development. Two scenarios were considered: assuming development reaches the maximum allowed or is closer to what is currently approved. Three intersections were found to exceed congestion standards under certain scenarios: Wisconsin Ave/E-W Hwy/Old Georgetown Rd, Wisconsin Ave/Bradley Blvd, and Bradley Blvd/Arlington Rd. Potential mitigation measures are identified for each, such as adding turn lanes or converting existing lanes.

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Bethesda Purple Line Minor Master Plan Appendix Traffic Analysis

Traffic Analysis
A traffic analysis was conducted for the Bethesda Purple Line Station area that focused on five gateway
intersections to Bethesda and two intersections immediately adjacent to the site. The analysis used
traffic counts to evaluate existing congestion and the TRAVEL/3 regional model to evaluate 2040
congestion based on the likely growth under the existing master plan.
Because there are no subzones with a parcel specific evaluation of existing and future land use for the
entire TAZ, we have to make assumptions on the relationship between the existing and approved
development in the TAZ and the Round 8.0 2040 land use forecast. More specifically, we have to give
some thought to what was assumed for the site in the development of the Round 8.0 2040 land use
forecast.
If we assume that the existing and approved land use for the site (Apex, JBG, Federal Realty) is close to
what was assumed in the Round 8.0 2040 land use forecast for development for the site (i.e., there is no
space or room for additional development for the site within the Round 8.0 2040 land use forecast)
and then we add the difference attributable to any master plan build out (the theoretical maximum
under any eventual proposed zoning in this Minor Master Plan Amendment) for the site, we get the
High Estimate (or most traffic) scenario.
If we assume instead that the Round 8.0 2040 land use forecast for the TAZ is more representative of a
scenario where the site develops close to build-out instead of the existing and approved (i.e., there is
space or room for the additional development for the site within the Round 8.0 land use forecast)
and then we add the difference attributable to any master plan build-out (the theoretical maximum
under any eventual proposed zoning in this Minor Master Plan Amendment) for the site, we get the
Low Estimate (or less traffic) scenario.
It should be noted that it is unlikely the eventual development would equate to the theoretical
maximum available under the proposed zoning and that the transit mode share inherent in the trip rates
is representative of the Metro Station Policy Area overall and not a specific development located at the
convergence of the Red Line and Purple Line. For these reasons, it likely the more applicable congestion
results are closer to the lower end of the range provided by this initial analysis. For both scenarios the
additional traffic was then assigned to the road network. The resulting Critical Lane Volume (CLV) and
Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) analysis are shown for each intersection below. Of the seven
intersections evaluated in this plan, three exceed the congestion standards and could require mitigation.
Intersection of Wisconsin Avenue / East-West Highway / Old Georgetown Road
This intersection is below the 1800 CLV standard for the Bethesda CBD in all scenarios, but in the 2040
Master Plan High Estimate scenario it exceeds the 1.13 HCM standard during the AM and PM peak
hours. To bring this intersection within an acceptable level of congestion would require:

Converting the existing northbound left/through lane to a left lane

Bethesda Purple Line Minor Master Plan Appendix Traffic Analysis


Intersection of Wisconsin Avenue / Bradley Blvd
This intersection is below the 1800 CLV standard except in the 2040 Master Plan High Estimate during
the PM peak hour and the 1.13 HCM standard in all future scenarios for the AM and PM peak hours. To
bring this intersection within an acceptable level of congestion would require:

Add a second northbound left turn lane


Converting the existing eastbound through lane to a left/through lane
Converting the existing westbound left lane to a left/through lane

Adding a second northbound left turn lane would require road widening.
Intersection of Bradley Blvd / Arlington Road
This intersection is below the 1800 CLV standard in all scenarios. It exceeds the 1.13 HCM standard for
the PM peak hour in the existing scenario and the AM and PM peak hours in all future scenarios. To
bring this intersection within an acceptable level of congestion would require:

Convert the existing southbound left/through lane into a through lane and add a left
turn lane

In addition, to accommodate traffic forecasts for the Master Plan High Estimate would require dynamic
lane use:

Southbound Direction
o AM peak lane configuration is left, through/right
o PM peak lane configuration is left, through, right
Eastbound Direction
o AM peak lane configuration is left, left, through, through/right
o PM peak lane configuration is left, through, through, through/right

Since we expect the congestion results to be closer to the Low Estimate than the High Estimate,
dynamic lane use is unlikely to be needed.

Bethesda Purple Line Minor Master Plan Appendix Traffic Analysis

Intersection of Wisconsin Avenue / East-West Highway / Old Georgetown Road

Bethesda Purple Line Minor Master Plan Appendix Traffic Analysis

Intersection of Wisconsin Avenue / Bradley Blvd

Bethesda Purple Line Minor Master Plan Appendix Traffic Analysis

Intersection of Bradley Blvd / Arlington Road

Bethesda Purple Line Minor Master Plan Appendix Traffic Analysis

Intersection of Wisconsin Avenue / Montgomery Lane

Intersection of Wisconsin Avenue / Elm Street / Waverly Street

Bethesda Purple Line Minor Master Plan Appendix Traffic Analysis

Intersection of Wisconsin Avenue / Bethesda Avenue / Willow Lane

Intersection of Old Georgetown Road / Woodmont Avenue

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