TRANSPORTATION

The objective of this Interchange Operational Analysis Report (IOAR) is to provide technical documentation for review and approval of the proposed improvements at the I-95/LPGA Boulevard interchange located in Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida. The interchange is a partial cloverleaf type and has a total of six ramps with two off and four on. Both the northbound and southbound off-ramp have a free-flow right-turn movement onto LPGA and have signalized dual left-turn lanes.

The I-95/LPGA Boulevard interchange serves as an access point for heavy directional business rush hour traffic during the a.m. and p.m. peak-hours. Land in the directly adjacent area of the interchange is currently semi-developed with an auto mall to the southwest, two office buildings to the southeast, an animal shelter to the northwest, and two food establishments, a bank, and a gas/convenience store to the northeast.

I-95 currently experiences an average annual daily traffic (AADT) of 76,800 north of LPGA Boulevard and an AADT of 74,400 south of LPGA Boulevard. The southbound off-ramp is currently experiencing an AADT of 5,700, the largest out of all ramps. Growth within the interchange is expected due to population increase as well as an addition of primarily large retail and commercial establishments in the immediate eastern quadrants of the interchange.

The proposed off-ramp improvement is recommended due to the anticipated inadequate merge condition for the free-flow northbound off-ramp movement onto eastbound LPGA Boulevard resulting from the planned signal at Technology/Outlet Boulevard. In particular, the a.m. peak-hour queues will stack back along LPGA Boulevard in the eastbound approach, reducing the available merge distance below safe levels for traffic entering LPGA Boulevard from the off-ramp. Therefore, the free-flow merge is being eliminated, causing the need to accommodate the movement as dual right-turns at the off-ramp signal. This IOAR has been conducted per Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) request with the intention of documenting and ensuring that the proposed improvement will not create operational deficiencies or safety concerns. The proposed improvement is the removal of the free-flow northbound right-turn at the northbound off-ramp. This movement will be relocated to the existing traffic signal and will utilize proposed dual right-turn lanes.

In accordance with the proposed improvement to the northbound off-ramp, there will be two alternatives studied in this IOAR. The two alternatives will be referred to as the No-Build Alternative and the Build Alternative. The No-Build Alternative will be analyzed as representative of build-out conditions without the northbound off-ramp improvements. The Build Alternative will be analyzed as representative of buildout conditions with the northbound off-ramp improvement in place. These alternatives have been evaluated in an Opening Year of 2016 and a Design Year of 2026.

Merge and weave conditions were modeled for the No-Build Alternative at the northbound off-ramp freeflow movement. These analyses showed primarily level of service (LOS) C and B for a.m. and p.m. peak hours, respectively. However, a.m. queue analyses conducted show that downstream from the free-flow movement, the eastbound through 95th percentile queues at Technology/Outlet Boulevard are significant and can block merging or weaving traffic.