Memorandum
City of Lawrence
Planning & Development Services
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TO: |
Lawrence City Commission |
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FROM: |
Planning Staff |
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Date: |
June 11, 2015 |
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RE: |
Langston Heights Temporary Construction Road |
Introduction
The subdivision known as Langston Heights was zoned and preliminarily platted in early 2013 (map of area). The City Commission approved multiple zoning districts for the development on February 12, 2013 with a condition that a temporary construction road, extending approximately ½ mile from Bob Billings Parkway north into the development, be installed and signed so as to reduce traffic conflicts with the existing neighborhood, known as Diamondhead, to the east (see minutes).
Details for the design and use of the temporary construction road were not discussed at the February 12, 2013 Commission meeting. For example, was the temporary construction road to provide all weather access? Was it to be used only for large trucks and not for smaller vehicles such as workers’ personal vehicles? Was it to be used only for initial street and utility infrastructure and not for the construction of individual homes? Staff advised the Commission that it would be a challenge to monitor the use of the construction road and at some point there would be a mix of sub-contractors working on the new development and within the existing Diamondhead neighborhood and so it may be a challenge to distinguish between the two (a few homes are/were being constructed in the Diamondhead subdivision as this area builds out).
Staff did meet with the development group after the Commission meeting of February 12, 2013 to better define the expectations and agreed that the road needed to be available for infrastructure installation and the construction of individual homes, but did not reach conclusions on its final design or how or if the developer would manage the contractor/laborer traffic to the site.
Timeline for Temporary Construction Road
The temporary construction road in use throughout most of 2014 was approximately ½ mile long and was located on the west side of the property. It was essentially a graded dirt road (no gravel or other improvements) and was used to accommodate the completion of the infrastructure from April 2014-October 2014, weather permitting. Permits for individual homes were issued beginning in September 2014. As reflected on the attached map, individual lot development is occurring at a steady pace and the subdivision will remain under development for an unknown timeframe.
KDOT completed the Langston Way concrete approach to what will be the permanent street access to Bob Billings Parkway on December 8, 2014. During construction of this approach during the Fall of 2014 the road was unavailable for construction traffic.
In April 2015, the neighborhood submitted complaints regarding the lack of use of the temporary road as homes were being constructed in the neighborhood. The development group provided information to the city regarding how they intended to address the neighborhood’s concerns, including posting signs to direct contractors to the temporary construction road and conveying to contractors the need to use the temporary road. This information was provided to the neighborhood in an April 20, 2015 email from the Public Works Director. This appeared to satisfy the neighborhood’s concerns.
According to recent discussions with the development group, the developer immediately went to work on repairing the temporary construction road to address the neighborhood’s concerns brought forth in April. It was apparent to the group that to bring the road to a condition suitable for increased traffic, immense effort and expense was required.
In the course of the work and assessing what would be effective, the general contractor for the infrastructure suggested that the developer build a new temporary construction road on the alignment of Silver Rain Road and Langston Way, thereby abandoning the original alignment, which was on the Renaissance Drive extended alignment. The new temporary construction road is being cut in and compacted but will essentially remain a dirt road. Such a road can accommodate large trucks (dump trucks, cement trucks, etc.) and most passenger vehicles under dry conditions if the road is maintained in a rut-free fashion. The signs the developer made to direct construction traffic have not been installed because the temporary road has not been ready and able to support vehicles.
The development group has further reported that work has happened incrementally due to schedules and equipment being disrupted by weather. The temporary construction road has been impassible since April and has triggered recent complaints from neighbors. The completion of the new temporary construction road is expected to occur within days. It will be available for use until the final Langston Way street is constructed, which is projected to begin in the Fall of 2015 and last until the Spring of 2016. During the time that Langston Way is being constructed, construction vehicles will need to use the streets within Diamondhead. After Langston Way is constructed, all vehicles, including Diamondhead residents, will be able to use the entirety of the public street system.
Discussion
Staff believes the City Commission expected that the developer install a temporary construction road capable of accommodating heavy trucks and equipment primarily for the installation of infrastructure (streets and utilities), but also for the dump trucks and cement trucks as individual houses are constructed within Langston Heights. The dirt road does not provide such accommodation when muddy and the cost to construct a ½ mile all-weather temporary road could be cost prohibitive. It appears that the time required to rebuild the temporary construction road on its permanent alignment on Langston Way, along with rainy weather, has severely hampered the ability to use the temporary construction road and construction trucks have used the streets of Diamondhead to access the site.
The opportunity to provide a temporary construction road is a unique and fortunate happenstance in this instance. Most developments have no option but to travel through existing neighborhoods with heavy trucks and equipment. The Diamondhead neighborhood to the east, for example, has been under construction for years with only the local roads to serve contractors. Because the same development group was working to develop the area from Bob Billings Parkway to the subject property, the opportunity for the temporary road presented itself and the developer agreed to install and use it. It was used for most of the development in 2014, but the decision to locate it on the alignment of Langston Way has presented issues during the rainy season.
The developer may have additional information to present to the Commission related to how they have attempted to meet the intent of using the temporary construction road and address the neighbor’s concerns.
Conclusion
Staff believes the developer should complete the temporary construction road on the permanent Langston Way alignment as soon as practically possible, but by June 19, 2015 at the latest. The new road should be maintained in a rut-free way so that the majority of contractor traffic is able to use the road. This would accommodate large trucks and smaller contractor trucks as the Langston Heights subdivision builds out, but not passenger vehicles typical of laborers needing to reach the house sites. The developer should also be required to maintain signs as reflected in the development group’s memo of April 17, 2015 to direct heavy construction traffic to the temporary construction road. Lastly, the developer should maintain a program of advising contractors and sub-contractors to use the temporary construction road. This program to address the neighborhood’s concerns should be completely implemented by June 19, 2015. If not, the Commission may wish to consider implementing measures to ensure compliance with their original condition such as stopping work temporarily on the homes until the road is drivable.
The Diamondhead neighborhood should expect passenger vehicle traffic through the neighborhood even with the use of the temporary construction road and also that the temporary construction road would be available only until the time that construction of Langston Way commences.