Design Exceptions and Deviations from Standards

• Authored by:  Marc Cote
• Event:  2010 National Conference on Access Management

Traffic Operational Analyses (TOA)

• A TOA will be required for all development projects that are expected to generate 200 or more vehicle trips per day and for which a Traffic Impact Study (TIS) was not completed.
• A TOA will be required for any development project for which changes in land use are intended after the completion of a TIS or TOA, if enough additional vehicle trips are being generated beyond those accounted for in the TIS or TOA, as determined by the County Coordinator.
• The scope of work of a TOA should be jointly agreed to by staff members of the Subdivision and Traffic Sections. In some circumstances, the scope and review of larger scale TOAs will be determined by the County Coordinator.
• The requirement for a TOA may be waived if the project developer agrees to pre-determined traffic improvements as agreed to by both the Subdivision Engineer and Chief Traffic Engineer, or designee.
• Projects that do not meet the above criteria will not be required to complete a TOA.
• The TOA will be reviewed and accepted by the Subdivision and Traffic Sections or by the County Coordinator (see part 3) prior to the issuance of a Letter of No Objection.
• Any project for which construction has not begun within two years of the approval of a TOA may require an updated TOA, and appropriate modifications to the project and project related improvements as determined by the Subdivision and Traffic Sections or by the County Coordinator (see part 3.)
• Other traffic analyses that may be required, in addition to a TOA or TIS, include traffic signal warrant analysis, and the development of a Transportation Management Plan (TMP). A traffic signal warrant analysis will likely be required to be performed by the developer if it is desired or expected that a new traffic signal will need to be installed concurrent with or soon after the opening of a new development.