Current Issue:
Proposed Argyle Street, One Way Traffic Flow
[March 2006]
A new proposal to make Argyle Street one way (toward Maryland Ave.) has replaced the original proposal to apply turn restrictions at the Argyle/Monroe St. intersection (see below). This new proposal is made by City of Rockville, Transportation Dept. staff as a follow-up to public discussion of the earlier proposal.
Click here for the full text of the staff report with their recommendations and new proposal.
Concurrent with the proposed traffic flow change are streetscape upgrades including narrowing the street and installing a sidewalk on the west/south side. Parking on the street will also be limited to one side.
Click here for detailed plans of the proposed streetscape upgrades/changes [in .pdf format].
[Nov. 23, 2005]
This proposal is superceded. See above.
At the November 22 meeting, Rockville City transportation staff presented their findings on the traffic circumstances relating to Argyle Street and explained their recommendation, proposing right turn restrictions from and onto Argyle and Monroe Streets. The link below is a condensed version of slides from the staff presentation. The images below are representations of AM and PM peak hour traffic movements identified in traffic study.
Click here to view a summary selection of slides from the staff presentation
A second meeting will be held (Thrus.) December 1, in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 7:00 pm. This meeting is ostensibly a repeat of the November 22 meeting to accommodate community members that could not attend the earlier meeting.
[Nov. 11, 2005]
Meeting to Discuss Traffic Diversion at Argyle St. and Monroe St.
Tuesday,
Nov. 22 at 7:00 P.M.
City
Hall Mayor and Council Chambers
111
Maryland Avenue
Traffic
and Transportation staff met with the City Manager today to share data on 1)
traffic counts conducted over the past two weeks, 2) impacts to travel time if
turn restrictions are implemented at E. Argyle St. and Monroe St., and 3) cost
estimates to relocate the existing traffic signal on Maryland Ave. from E.
Argyle St. to S. Washington St. Staff also shared a recommended measure which
serves to decrease daily traffic volumes on Argyle St. while maintaining access
to nearby neighborhoods.
NEXT STEPS:
The
City Manager has deferred a decision to implement any diversion measures until
hearing from the community at a meeting scheduled for November 22nd at 7:00 PM
at City Hall in the Mayor and Council Chambers. You are invited and encouraged
to attend this meeting if possible. Staff will be available to share traffic
count data details and answer questions.
1.
TRAFFIC COUNTS:
Traffic
counts were conducted on Monroe St., Cabin John Parkway, Blandford St., Mount
Vernon Place, W. Lynfield Drive, Lynn Manor Court, S. Washington St., and E.
Argyle St. If a diversion measure is implemented at E. Argyle St. and Monroe
St., counts will be conducted at these locations again to determine any changes
in traffic volumes on these streets. The counts would be conducted no sooner
than three
months
after the diversion is implemented, to allow time for a typical travel pattern
to be established. Currently none of the streets listed above, except for E.
Argyle St., experience volumes of traffic that warrant traffic diversions
according to the Guidelines for Neighborhood Traffic Management.
2.
TRAVEL TIME IMPACTS AND SIGNAL TIMING:
Staff
conducted travel time studies to determine the potential change in
travel time if turn restrictions are implemented (i.e., to compare differences
in the time it takes to travel from Monroe St. to Maryland Ave. via Argyle St.
compared with traveling to Maryland Ave. via Monroe and Fleet Streets during the
AM peak period). Similar studies were conducted during the PM peak period to
compare differences in the time it takes to travel in the opposite direction
(from Maryland Ave. to Monroe St. via Argyle St. or via Fleet and Monroe
Streets). The maximum amount of time increase to travel between Monroe St. and
Maryland Ave. with the turn restrictions in effect is 95 seconds. On average,
the turn restriction creates a maximum of 64 more seconds of travel time.
The
current signal timing at the intersection of Fleet/Monroe has a cycle length of
90 seconds, which means that a full cycle of red, yellow and green for all
directions is 90-second long. The signal provides traffic on Fleet Street with
more green time than traffic on Monroe St. (for example a ratio of 58/42 during
the AM peak period). This should allow traffic on Fleet St. to clear the
intersection within each cycle. Staff does not recommend changing the current
signal timing if turn restrictions are implemented. Staff will monitor queuing
and time impacts with turn restrictions in effect, and modify the signal timing
at this intersection and at the intersection of Fleet/Maryland, if needed.
3.
RELOCATION OF TRAFFIC SIGNAL:
Staff
explored cost estimates to relocate the traffic signal currently located at E.
Argyle St. and Maryland Ave to the intersection of S. Washington St. and
Maryland Ave. The cost estimate for the relocation is approximately $60,000.
Staff does not recommend this option because it is not a cost-effective option.
4.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
To
achieve a balanced solution that eases congestion on Argyle St. and minimizes
impacts of a diversion on surrounding neighborhoods, staff recommends the
implementation of one right-turn restriction at the intersection of E.
Argyle St. and Monroe St. This restriction will be for vehicles heading
southbound on Monroe St. and turning right onto E. Argyle St. The restriction is
recommended for twenty-four hours and is expected to reduce the traffic volume
on E. Argyle St. to a level below the threshold of 2000 vehicles per day during
both weekdays and weekends.
[late Oct. 2005]
HCA is aware of proposed turn restrictions and pending implementation at the corner of Argyle and Monroe Streets. The restrictions are posted signage prohibiting right turn onto or from Argyle Street where it meets Monroe Street. The objective is to reduce traffic volume on Argyle Street. Residents on the street petitioned for a change and negotiated this solution with traffic staff. The picture below portrays this implementation. The proposed restrictions, as currently intended, would be in affect all the time.
[Note: handwritten numbers: 2000 on Argyle and 800 on S. Washington Sts., indicate roughly peak hour traffic volumes as recently measured.]
The initial implementation of this new traffic pattern is approved and was scheduled soon for posting. However, notice of this posting has raised objection among nearby associations and residents (whom were not consulted in this planning). A general meeting of stake holders was convened Friday morning, Oct. 28th to discuss resolving objections with the intended implementation. Based on quick feedback from members (all of which was skeptical and negative), HCA officers expressed general dissatisfaction with this plan at that meeting, on behalf of our neighborhood. Reasons for and against were discussed. On the "for" side is the basic objective of reducing traffic volume on Argyle Street. It is classified a secondary street. Current measured traffic volumes exceed its rating, notwithstanding various recent traffic calming features lately tried (such as choke curbing and speed bumps). On the "against" side are restriction to traffic flow in this area, likely alternative routing that will appear and the effects (such as shifting traffic to Blandford and E. Lynfield which appear ill-equipped for it), and mixing of neighborhood traffic with intersections designated in Town Center that are likely to become more congested than already. Alternative options proposed in this meeting included: making turn restrictions time specific (such as rush hour only), posting for limited gross vehicle weight (limiting heavy vehicles on the street), moving the traffic light at Maryland Ave. and Argyle Street to make this a less attractive route option, adding a "hot-right" turn lane from Fleet Street onto Monroe Street to mitigate alternate route delays, and adjusting the timing of Fleet/Monroe and Fleet/Maryland traffic lights. No definitive decision was made in this meeting, either for any option or whether the implementation would go forward as scheduled.
We will relate more information as it becomes available to us.
Copyright © 200
6, Hungerford Civic Assoc.
Feedback
Last updated: April 6, 2006.