Virginia Law

A. A VDOT traffic impact statement (VTIS) assesses the impact of a proposed development on the transportation system and recommends improvements to lessen or negate those impacts. It shall (i) identify any traffic issues associated with access from the site to the existing transportation network, (ii) outline solutions to potential problems, (iii) address the sufficiency of the future transportation network, and (iv) present improvements to be incorporated into the proposed development.

If a VTIS is required, data collection shall be by the locality, developer, or owner, as determined by the locality and the locality shall prepare or have the developer or owner prepare the VTIS. If the locality prepares the VTIS it shall provide a copy of the complete VTIS to the applicant when one is provided to VDOT. The completed VTIS shall be submitted to VDOT.

The data and analysis contained in the VTIS shall be organized and presented in a manner acceptable to VDOT and consistent with this regulation.

B. Scope of work meeting.

1. For proposals that generate less than 1,000 vehicle trips per peak hour of the generator representatives of the locality, the applicant, or the locality and the applicant may request a scope of work meeting with VDOT to discuss the required elements of a VTIS for any project and VDOT shall reply to such request within 30 days of its receipt of such a request and provide a date that is no more than 60 days from such receipt, time and location for such a scope of work meeting to both the locality and the applicant, if applicable.

2. For proposals that generate 1,000 or more vehicle trips per peak hour of the generator representatives of the locality and applicant, if applicable, shall hold a scope of work meeting with VDOT to discuss the required elements of a VTIS. Once a locality or applicant has contacted VDOT regarding the scheduling of a scope of work meeting, VDOT shall reply to both the locality and the applicant, if applicable, within 30 days of such contact and provide a date that is no more than 60 days from such contact, time and location for such a meeting.

At a scope of work meeting pursuant to this section, the locality, the applicant and VDOT shall review the elements, methodology and assumptions to be used in the preparation of the VTIS, and identify any other related local requirements adopted pursuant to law. The results of the initial scoping meeting may be adjusted in accordance with sound professional judgment and the requirements of this regulation if agreed upon by VDOT, the locality, and applicant, if applicable.

C. Required elements. The required elements and scope of a VTIS are dependent upon the scale and potential impact of the specific development proposal being addressed by the VTIS as determined by VDOT in its sole discretion.

1. At a minimum, the VTIS shall include the elements shown in the table below. The site generated peak hour trips in the table below shall be based upon the gross vehicle trip generation of the site less internal capture and mode split reductions, if applicable. When the type of development proposed would indicate significant potential for walking, bike or transit trips either on-site or off-site, the VTIS shall estimate multimodal trips. All distances in the table below shall be measured along roads or streets.

Notwithstanding the geographic scope noted above, the geographic scope of the study noted above may be reduced or enlarged based upon layout of the local transportation network, the geographical size of the development, and the traffic volume on the existing network, as determined by VDOT in consultation with the locality and the applicant, if applicable. Typically, analysis will be conducted for any roadway on which the additional trips generated by the proposal have a materially detrimental impact on traffic conditions. The analysis presented in the VTIS need not include all roadway and roadway segments located within the geographic scope of the study as determined by VDOT.

2. A VTIS for a development proposal that only meets the low volume road submission criterion (24VAC30-155-40 A 3) shall, at a minimum, consist of the following elements, unless otherwise directed by VDOT.

a. All elements contained in the Background Information portion of the above table, except the geographic scope/limits of study area is limited to the highway fronting the proposed development and the closest intersection, in each direction if applicable, of that highway with a highway that has an average daily traffic volume higher than the fronting highway.

b. A roadway safety inventory study of the roadway segment or segments between the site entrance to the nearest intersections with the higher traffic volume highways, to include such elements as, but not limited to, speed limit, existing warning signs, pavement and shoulder type, pavement and shoulder width, intersection sight distances, and safe horizontal curve speeds.

c. Daily and peak hour traffic volumes presented on diagrams, with counts provided in an appendix, for the fronting highway at the site, at the highway's intersections with the higher volume highway, and for the higher volume highways at their intersection with the fronting highway.

d. All relevant elements contained in the Trip Generation portion of the above table.

e. Projected daily and peak hour of the generator traffic volumes assuming build-out of the proposal, presented on diagrams for the receiving highway at the site, at the highway's intersection with the higher volume highways, and for the higher volume highways at their intersections with the receiving highway.

f. Delay and level of service analysis for the intersections of the receiving highway with the higher volume highways.

g. A comparison of the existing geometrics of the fronting highway under proposed build-out traffic conditions with the geometric standards, based upon functional classification and volume, contained in the Road Design Manual, 2011 (VDOT).

3. A VTIS for a rezoning proposal may be prepared in accordance with the "Less than 500 Site Generated Peak Hour Trips" category in the table in this section, regardless of actual projected trip generation, provided that:

a. The rezoning proposal is in conformance with a locality's adopted comprehensive plan that was reviewed in accordance with 24VAC30-155-30; and

b. The review of the comprehensive plan included the submission to VDOT of a technical evaluation of the traffic impacts for anticipated development based on the future land use policies and map.

D. Methodology and standard assumptions. A VTIS shall be prepared based upon methodology and assumptions noted below or as may be agreed upon by VDOT based upon the results of a scope of work meeting held by VDOT pursuant to this section.

1. Data collection. Preparers shall collect traffic data in accordance with the identified study area. The count data shall include at a minimum, weekday 24-hour counts, and directional turning movement counts during AM and PM peak times of the day. The 24-hour counts shall include vehicle classification counts. With approval of VDOT, data collected by the transportation professional preparer within the last 24 months may be used, likewise for data from the VDOT count program.

The preparer shall monitor traffic operations during data collection to ensure extraneous events such as vehicle crashes or special event traffic do not affect integrity of count data. Preparers collecting data for utilization in traffic impact studies shall normally avoid data collection during the following instances:

a. Holidays or times of the year when the traffic patterns are deemed to be unrepresentative of typical conditions, unless required by VDOT or the locality, or both.

b. Summer months if school or schools in proximity.

c. Fridays and weekends unless required by VDOT or the locality, or both.

d. Other times of the year contingent upon existing adjacent land use activities.

e. During times of inclement weather.

2. Trip generation. Estimates of trip generation by a proposed development shall be prepared using the Institute of Transportation Engineers Trip Generation, 8th Edition, 2008, unless VDOT agrees to allow the use of alternate trip generation rates based upon alternate published guides or local trip generation studies. VDOT shall at all times after July 1, 2011, have at least one non-ITE trip generation methodology or alternative rate approved for the use in preparation of small area plan traffic impact statements pursuant to 24VAC30-155-30 C that recognizes the benefits of reduced vehicle trip generation and vehicle miles traveled from developments that meet the criteria for a small area plan pursuant to this regulation. Such alternate methodology or rate can be modified based upon local factors if agreed to at a scoping meeting. Rezoning proposals shall assume the highest vehicle trip generating use allowable under the proposed zoning classification. In determining which trip generation process (equation or rate) may be used, the preparer shall follow the guidance presented in the Trip Generation Handbook, Second Edition – an ITE Recommended Practice, 2004, which is summarized here, except rates may be utilized if the criteria for the use of regression equations are not met. Regression equations to calculate trips as a result of development shall be utilized, provided the following is true:

a. Independent variable falls within range of data; and

b. Either the data plot has at least 20 points; or

c. R² is greater than 0.75, equation falls within data cluster in plot and standard deviation greater than 110% of weighted average rate.

If the above criteria are not met, then the preparer can use average trip rates, though if the following do not apply a rate based upon the study of similar local sites should be considered:

d. At least three data points exist;

e. Standard deviation less than 110% of weighted average rate; and

f. Weighted average rate falls within data cluster in plot.

3. Internal capture and pass-by trips.

a. Internal capture rates consider site trips "captured" within a mixed use development, recognizing that trips from one land use can access another land use within a development without having to access the adjacent street system. Mixed use developments include a combination of residential and nonresidential uses or a combination of nonresidential uses only. Internal capture allows reduction of site trips from adjacent intersections and roadways. For traffic impact statements prepared for small area plans pursuant to 24VAC30-155-30 C the internal capture rate or rates may be based on the non-ITE trip generation methodology approved by VDOT. For ITE-based methodologies, unless otherwise approved by VDOT, the following internal capture rates should be used if appropriate:

(1) Residential with a mix of nonresidential components - use the smaller of 15% of residential or 15% nonresidential trips generated.

(2) Residential with office use - use the smaller of 5.0% of residential or 5.0% of office trips generated.

(3) Residential with retail use - for AM peak hour, use the smaller of 5.0% residential or 5.0% retail trips generated; for PM peak hour, use the smaller of 10% residential or 10% retail trips generated; for 24-hour traffic, use the smaller of 15% residential or 15% retail trips generated.

(4) Hotel/motel with office use - use 15% of hotel/motel trips, unless the overall volume of the office traffic is more than the overall volume of hotel/motel traffic use in which case use the smaller of 10% of the hotel/motel traffic or the office traffic.

(5) Multiuse development with more than five million square feet of office and retail - internal capture rate should be determined in consultation with and approval of VDOT.

(6) Office with retail use – use the smaller of 5.0% office or retail trips generated.

(7) Some combination of the above, if approved by VDOT.

b. Pass-by trip reductions consider site trips drawn from the existing traffic stream on an adjacent street, recognizing that trips drawn to a site would otherwise already traverse the adjacent street regardless of existence of the site. Pass-by trip reductions allow a percentage reduction in the forecast of trips otherwise added to the adjacent street from the proposed development. The reduction applies only to volumes on adjacent streets, not to ingress or egress volumes at entrances serving the proposed site. Unless otherwise approved by VDOT, the pass-by rates utilized shall be those reported in Trip Generation Handbook, Second Edition – an ITE Recommended Practice, 2004. For traffic impact statements prepared for small area plans pursuant to 24VAC30-155-30 C, the pass-by trip reductions may be based on the non-ITE trip generation methodology approved by VDOT.

4. Trip distribution. In the absence of more detailed information, trip distribution shall be in accordance with logical regional travel patterns as suggested by existing highway directional split and intersection movements or population and destination site distribution and shall recognize the effects of increased street connectivity if such streets meet the requirements of the Secondary Street Acceptance Requirements (24VAC30-92). If more detailed information is available from trip origin/destination studies, marketing studies, or regional planning models, this may be used to distribute trips upon approval of VDOT.

5. Planning horizon. In general, the analysis years shall be related to (i) the opening date of the proposed development, (ii) build-out of major phases of a multiyear development, (iii) long-range transportation plans, and (iv) other significant transportation network changes. The preparer should establish the planning horizon in consultation with and subject to the acceptance of VDOT.

6. Background traffic growth. Unless directed by VDOT, geometric growth (or compound growth), based upon historical growth rates, shall generally be used for determining future background traffic levels where extensive traffic-count history is available and capacity constraint is not appropriate. This growth rate replicates "natural growth" and is typical for projecting urban growth. Natural growth of traffic can be adjusted consistent with traffic forecasts associated with previously submitted local land development projects within the study area.

7. Future conditions. For the purpose of the VTIS, future conditions shall include background traffic and additional vehicle trips anticipated to be generated by approved but not yet constructed or improved projects.

8. Level of service calculation. Level of service (LOS) analysis for highways shall utilize the techniques described in the Highway Capacity Manual, 2010 (TRB). Neither the intersection capacity utilization method nor the percentile delay method may be used in the traffic impact calculations of delay and level of service. Preparers shall consult with VDOT on which traffic analysis software package is to be used to conduct the LOS calculations. The results shall be tabulated and displayed graphically, with levels of service provided for each lane group for each peak period. All data used in the calculations must be provided along with the results of the capacity analysis. Any assumptions made that deviate from the programmed defaults must be documented and an explanation provided as to why there was a deviation. Electronic files used for the analysis shall be provided to VDOT as a digital submission (e.g..hcs,.sy6,.inp,.trf files), along with the printed report. If intersections analyzed are in close proximity to each other so that queuing may be a factor, VDOT may require the inclusion of an analysis with a micro simulation model. Unless actual on-ground conditions dictate otherwise, preparers should use the following defaults when utilizing the Highway Capacity Software (HCS) or other approved programs when evaluating roadway components:

a. Terrain – choose the appropriate terrain type. Most of the state will be level or rolling, but some areas may qualify for consideration as mountainous.

b. Twelve-foot wide lanes.

c. No parking or bus activity unless field conditions include such parking or bus activity or unless the locality has provided VDOT with a written statement of intent for the services to be provided.

d. Peak hour factor by approach – calculate from collected traffic counts (requires at least a peak hour count in 15-minute increments). However, the use of peak hour factors lower than 0.85 shall only be allowed if based upon the average of more than three peak hour counts. For future conditions analysis, unless specific site conditions can be expected to create extreme peak hour factors, default peak hour factors between 0.92 and 1.00 should be used.

e. Heavy vehicle factor – calculate from collected traffic (classification) counts or obtain from VDOT count publications. For future conditions analysis with development traffic, the existing heavy vehicle factor should be adjusted based upon the nature of the traffic being generated by the development.

f. Area type – noncenter of business district.

The VTIS shall identify any existing or proposed bicycle and pedestrian accommodation that would be affected by the proposal. For the purposes of this subsection, a bicycle accommodation is defined as on-street bike lanes, paved shoulders of roadways that are not part of the designated traveled way for vehicles, or exclusive and shared off-street bicycle paths.

For the purposes of this subsection, a pedestrian accommodation is defined as sidewalks, intersection treatments and exclusive or shared off-street trails or paths. If significant potential for bicycle or pedestrian trips exists, the VTIS shall include current and future service level analyses at build-out for existing or proposed bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. When the proposal requires or includes improvements or modifications to the roadway, bicycle or pedestrian accommodations, the VTIS shall analyze the impacts of such improvements and modifications on bicycle and pedestrian accommodations and service levels, and provide recommendations for mitigation of adverse impacts.

The VTIS shall provide analysis for all bus service with routes that have, or will have a station or stop within 2,000 feet of the proposal. The VTIS shall evaluate and discuss potential for increased demand for bus use due to the proposal, addressing whether such increases will result in longer dwell time at stops or increase the need for buses on a route. The quality of service analysis for bus service shall be determined in accordance with the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual, 2nd Edition, 2003 (TRB). The VTIS shall provide both route and segment quality of service. The VTIS may consider the benefits of dedicated bus lanes for more frequent and rapid service. The VTIS shall provide recommendations for mitigation of adverse impacts where adverse impacts are expected to the quality of service to bus service. If an analysis of pedestrian quality or level of service is required for calculation of the bus quality of service, the preparer shall use a methodology approved by VDOT.

9. Trip reduction, and pedestrian and bicycle accommodations. When a proposal meets the criteria listed below, the preparer of the VTIS may reduce the number of vehicle trips generated by the proposal in the VTIS analysis in accordance with this subsection. Notwithstanding the percentages below, the total number of reductions used by a preparer in accordance with this subsection shall not exceed 500 vehicle trips per peak hour of the generator unless otherwise approved by VDOT. The trip reductions for traffic impact statements prepared for small area plans pursuant to 24VAC30-155-30 C may be based on the non-ITE trip generation methodology approved by VDOT and are not subject to limitations or requirements of this subdivision.

a. Pedestrian accommodations. For the purposes of this subsection, a pedestrian accommodation is defined as a sidewalk, pedestrian path, or multiuse trail. Where a pedestrian service level of A exists, vehicle trips per peak hour of the generator may be reduced by 4.0% for those portions of the development within a 2,000-foot radius of the connections between the proposed development and the adjoining network. Where a pedestrian service level of B exists, vehicle trips per peak hour of the generator may be reduced by 3.0%; where a pedestrian service level of C exists, vehicle trips per peak hour of the generator may be reduced by 1.5% for the portion of the development noted above. These reductions may only be taken if:

(1) Pedestrian facility coverage in a 2,000-foot radius of the connections to the proposed development is on or along at least 80% of the road network;

(2) The pedestrian facilities inside and outside the development provide reasonably direct access to traffic generators; and

(3) There are at least two of the 10 major land use classifications, as defined in ITE Trip Generation, 8th Edition, 2008, within the 2,000-foot radius.

b. Bicycle accommodations. For the purposes of this subsection, a bicycle accommodation is defined as a street with a design speed of 25 MPH or less that carries 400 vehicles per day or less, on-street bike lanes, a pedestrian accommodation, paved shoulders of roadways that are not part of the designated traveled way for vehicles and are at least two feet wide, or exclusive and shared off-street bicycle paths. Where a bicycle service level of A exists, vehicle trips per day may be reduced by 3.0%. Where a bicycle service level of B exists, vehicle trips per day may be reduced by 2.0%. Where a bicycle service level of C exists, vehicle trips per day may be reduced by 1.0%. These reductions may only be taken if:

(1) Bicycle accommodations within a 2,000-foot radius of the connections to the proposed development exist on or along at least 80% of the road network;

(2) The bicycle accommodations inside and outside the development provide reasonably direct access to traffic generators; and

(3) There are at least two of the 10 major land use classifications as defined in ITE Trip Generation, 8th Edition, 2008, within the 2,000-foot radius.

10. Modal split and trip reduction. All vehicle trip reductions used in the VTIS pursuant to this subsection are subject to the approval of VDOT.

a. If a proposal is located within 1/2 mile along roadways, pedestrian or bicycle accommodations of a transit station, excluding bus stops and stations, reasonable vehicle trip reductions of vehicle trips generated by the proposal may be made with approval of VDOT. The preparer shall submit documentation to justify any such vehicle trip reductions used with the VTIS. When a proposal is located more than 1/2 mile but less than two miles from a transit stop, excluding bus stops and stations, with bicycle parking accommodations additional bicycle modal split reductions may be utilized. The analysis of capacity of the parking accommodations shall be included in the VTIS when such trip reductions are used.

b. If a proposal is located within 1/4 mile along roadways, pedestrian or bicycle accommodations of a bus stop or station where the segment and route service levels are C or higher, reasonable vehicle trip reductions of vehicle trips generated by the proposal may be made with the approval of VDOT. The preparer shall submit documentation to justify any such vehicle trip reductions used with the VTIS.

c. Transit and bus modal split data from similar developments within the geographic scope of the VTIS or one mile of the proposal, whichever is greater, shall be collected if the VTIS vehicle trip reductions are used pursuant to this subsection and similar developments exist within the geographic scope of the VTIS or one mile of the proposal, whichever is greater.

11. Signal warrant analysis. Traffic signal warrant analysis shall be performed in accordance with the procedures set out in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 2003, revised 2007, or ITE Manual of Traffic Signal Design, 1998, as determined by VDOT.

12. Recommended improvements. Recommendations made in the VTIS for improvements to transportation facilities shall be in accordance with the geometric standards contained within the Road Design Manual , 2011 (VDOT).