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Heartland

HEARTLAND MASTER PLANNED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
Community Plans / Kaufman County, Texas

DeShazo Group conducted a traffic impact analysis for a proposed development referred to as the Heartland Master-planned Development, which is projected to be completed by 2032.  The project consisted primarily of residences, schools and neighborhood commercial uses.  The subject site is located on approximately 1,665.7 undeveloped acres on FM‑741 between IH‑20 and US‑175 in the city of Crandall ETJ, Kaufman County, Texas, .

DeShazo provided a traffic operational analysis for the City of Crandall/Kaufman County and TxDOT for review and approval of the proposed development and used in determining what roadway and intersection improvements are recommended with the addition of the proposed development.

The day-to-day traffic operational conditions were analyzed that were anticipated to be the most critically impacted by the background traffic growth and by the proposed development.  Current traffic volume data was collected throughout the study area and growth factors were applied to these volumes to project future 2032 site build-out and background traffic.  Full build-out, site-generated traffic was distributed and assigned to the study area roadway network (primarily using the future FM‑741 alignment) based upon the site access layout and the anticipated distribution and orientation of site-related traffic.  Intersection levels of service were determined for buildout conditions.

Key Findings:

•  The Heartland Master Planned Development includes 5,375 single-family homes.
•  The proposed development at buildout is expected to generate approximately 51,384 trips daily: 4,003 during the AM and 4,716 during the PM peak hours.
•  The proposed site intersections with FM‑741 are expected to operate well during both the AM and PM peak hours with the addition of the project and recommended improvements.
•  The existing roadway cross-sections and unsignalized intersections operate at acceptable service levels.  It is expected that most of the roadways near major arterials/freeways will operate at low service levels (unacceptable) for the 2032 background conditions.
•  The proposed site driveways meet TxDOT’s Access Management Manual criteria for intersection spacing.
•  At or about 40 percent completion of the total development program (approximately 2,000 single-family DU and 75,000 SF commercial development), a section of FM‑741 from North Heartland Parkway to FM-2757 will need to be widened to a four-lane, divided facility.
• Realignment of FM‑741 would be beneficial to the project and all stakeholders involved.
•  FM‑741 from Sunnybrook Drive to FM-2757 needs to have a minimum four-lane, divided section with exclusive left- and right-turn lanes by 2032 to accommodate the projected site-generated traffic.

DeShazo recommended that the realignment of FM‑741 be finalized and widening of FM‑741 and other improvements be completed at completion of approximately 40 percent of total development.  All improvements recommended should be completed prior to full build-out of the development.

The proposed site currently shows five major access roadways on FM‑741.  The proposed roadways met TxDOT’s criteria for roadway spacing and median opening requirements.

The current study area roadway network generally does not provide sufficient capacity to accommodate the increase in traffic volumes and maintain acceptable levels of service.  Geometric improvements were recommended where appropriate to minimize operational impact.

It was concluded that traffic impacts associated with the proposed project can be mitigated with the proposed improvements and that the site plan be approved with the FM‑741 realignment as shown with the development program and site roadways.