TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW FOR 

UPLIFT LUNA PRIMARY CHARTER SCHOOL 

DALLAS, TEXAS 

DeShazo Project No. 14186 

Prepared for: 

PMSI 1822 W. Barker Lane, #81734 Austin, Texas  78708‐1734 

Prepared by: 

DeShazo Group, Inc. Texas Registered Engineering Firm F-3199

400 South Houston Street, Suite 330 Dallas, Texas  75202 

214.748.6740 

October 13, 2015 

Z145‐181(OTH) 

Traffic. Transportation Planning. Parking. Design.

400 S. Houston Street, Suite 330 Dallas, TX  75202 ph. 214.748.6740 deshazogroup.com

Uplift Luna Primary Charter School Traffic Management Plan Review 

Page 1 

Technical Memorandum To:  Eric Goodloe  PMSI 

From:  David Nevarez, P.E.  DeShazo Group, Inc. 

Date:  October 13, 2015 

Re:  Traffic Management Plan Review for Uplift Luna Primary Charter School in Dallas, Texas 

DeShazo Project Number 14186;  Z145‐181(OTH) 

INTRODUCTION The services of DeShazo Group, Inc.  (DeShazo) were retained by PMSI on behalf of the Uplift Education to provide a requisite review of the traffic management plan (TMP) for the Uplift Luna Primary Charter School campus  located at 2020 N. Lamar Street  in Dallas, Texas.   The original TMP was completed by DeShazo on March 1, 2013.  As a condition of the approval of the project, submittal of a bi‐annual review of the TMP was required, which is the purpose of this study.  DeShazo is an engineering consulting firm based in Dallas, Texas providing licensed engineers skilled in the field of traffic/transportation engineering. 

A  Traffic  Management  Plan  (TMP)  is  important  to  safely  achieve  an  optimum  level  of  traffic  flow  and circulation during peak traffic periods associated with student drop‐off and pick‐up.   By properly managing the vehicular traffic generated during the critical periods, the safety and efficiency of other modes of travel – including  walking  –  will  also  inherently  improve,  and  the  operational  impact  on  the  public  street  system should also be minimized.  The TMP should not be considered a comprehensive set of instructions to ensure adequate safety; however, it should be used as a tool to facilitate a safer and more efficient environment. 

This  report contains DeShazo’s  review of  the current  traffic conditions on and around the campus and  the school’s efforts  to comply with the TMP.   As appropriate,  recommendations are  listed at  the conclusion of this report to modify the previous TMP strategies to improve effectiveness and/or identify action items that the  school  should  consider.    A  concerted  effort  and  full  participation  by  the  school  administration,  staff, students, and parents are encouraged to provide and maintain safe and efficient traffic operations. 

[NOTE:    In  this  report  the  term  “parent”  refers  to  any  parent,  family  member,  legal  guardian,  or  other individual who is involved in the pick‐up or drop‐off of one or more students at the school.] 

Z145‐181(OTH) October 13, 2015 

Uplift Luna Primary Charter School Traffic Management Plan Review 

Page 2 

SCHOOL OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS Table  1  presents  a  summary  of  the  operational  characteristics  for  the Uplift  Luna  Primary  Charter  School assumed in this analysis: 

Table 1. Operational Characteristics 2013 Conditions  2014 Conditions  2015 Conditions 

Enrollment (by grade):  K – 4th:  243 students

Total: 243 students 

K – 2nd:  234 students 3rd – 5th:  182 students 

Total: 416 students 

K – 2nd:  225 students3rd – 5th:  225 students 

Total: 450 students 

Daily Start/End Schedule: (all grades) 

   Start:  7:55 AM   End:   3:40 PM * 1:50 PM on Wednesdays

  Start: 7:55 AM   End:   3:30 PM * 2:00 PM on Wednesdays

   Start:  7:55 AM   End:   3:30 PM * 2:00 PM on Wednesdays

NOTE #1:  To the highest degree practical, the accounts of “existing conditions” presented in this report were based upon actual on‐site observations conducted  by  DeShazo  during  typical  school  day(s)  conditions  and  from  personal  interviews  of  school  representatives.    The  analyses  and recommendations presented  in  this  report  for “future” conditions are based upon evaluations of existing conditions and may be  supplemented by DeShazo’s professional judgment and experience. 

REVIEW OF PREVIOUS TMP STRATEGIES A copy of the prior TMP traffic circulation plan is attached at the beginning of this report.  DeShazo observed traffic  characteristics  on‐site  and  surrounding  the  site  on  October  30,  2014.    It  was  generally  noted  that traffic was being managed in accordance with the TMP.  The following is a list of notable observations: 

Off‐duty  police  officers  are  present  at  the  intersections  of  Munger  Ave.  and  Laws  St.  as  well  asMunger Ave. and N. Griffin St. during the afternoon pick‐up period.  Police officers direct parents tothe  site  in accordance with  the circulation pattern noted  in Exhibit 2.   Vehicles are not allowed  toenter  the  site  until  the  authorized  time  for  their  respective  “carline”.    Vehicles  circulate  alongMunger Ave. and N. Griffin St. and may extend back to Hord St.

RECOMMENDATIONS The following recommendations are provided by DeShazo for the management of vehicular traffic generated by the school during peak traffic conditions.  Recommendations may include items contained in the original TMP and/or new strategies that are proposed based upon DeShazo’s observations: 

1. The City’s directive to all schools is to avoid queuing of parent vehicles within public right‐of‐way if atall possible.  Site constraints preclude the school's ability to accommodate the entire vehicular queueon site. While it may not feasible to eliminate the circulation route on specific public rights‐of‐way,an  option  that  may  reduce  overall  impact  is  to  consider  additional  staggering  dismissal  times  oralternative routes. NOTE: establishing a designated school route on other streets (e.g. Laws Street)may be feasible; however, this option is subject to approval of the City of Dallas]

2. Off‐duty police officers should remain to direct parents along the designated route.

3. Following the most recent communications with the City, Uplift Education plans to provide a stagingarea  for early arrivals at  the parking  lot  located at  the  intersection of Griffin and McKinney with acapacity of approximately 30 vehicles. Off‐duty police officers will then give these vehicles priority asthey direct vehicles towards the school in order to encourage parents to use the parking lot.

4. Uplift Education should continue their communications with the Dallas World Aquarium and the Cityof Dallas Street Services Department to establish a circulation route that works for all parties.

END OF MEMO

up

up

Units

Units

Units

Laws St.

Mu

ng

er A

ve.

N. Lamar St.

McK

in

ney A

ve.

B

Primary Queue Lane--484'

Additional Queue Lane 1--110'

UP UP

DOWN DOWN

Ad

ditio

nal Q

ueu

e Lan

e 2

--1

10

'

A

ON

E W

AY

ON

E W

AY

The purpose of this Traffic Management Plan (TMP) is to evaluate traffic operationsthat promote safety and efficient vehicle circulation. This TMP was developed toprevent queuing of drop-off/pick-up related vehicles within the city rights-of-way. Theschool administration should adhere to this TMP. Any deficiency due to spillover ofqueuing into undesignated areas of the city rights-of-way, including roadway travellanes, should be corrected by the school immediately.

I, David Nevarez, P.E. #106200, certify that site constraints preclude the school's abilityto accommodate the entire vehicular queue on site. While it may not feasible toeliminate queuing in public rights-of-way, an option that may reduce overall impact isto consider additional staggering dismissal times and alternative routes. NOTE:establishing a designated school route on other streets (e.g. Laws Street) may befeasible; however, this option is subject to approval of the City of Dallas Street ServicesDepartment.

Legend

N.T.S.

END OFQUEUE(594 LF, 704 LF)

Queuing Summary

DeShazo Group, Inc.Texas Registered Engineering Firm F-3199

400 S. Houston St. Suite 330Dallas, Texas 75202

(214) 748.6740

START OFQUEUE

GRADES 3-5

Vehicular Traffic DemandStudentGroup CapacityGradesK-2

704 LF(30 cars)

StudentEnrollment

225Students

DismissalTimes

7:55 AM-3:40 PM

Grades3-5

225Students

7:55 AM-3:50 PM

Maximum Surplus

541 LF(23 cars)

163 LF(7 cars)

53 LF(2 cars)

541 LF(23 cars)

EXHIBIT

594 LF(25 cars)

* All grades are dismissed at 2:00 PM on Wednesday.**Vehicular queue calculated at 23.5 feet/passenger car based on field observations.

START OFQUEUE

GRADES K-2

Inbound Circulation Route Outbound Circulation Route

Passenger Vehicle Queue Staff Assistance

Passenger Vehicle Queue (Additional)

Street Level Ramp Queue Police Officer

Drop-off/Pick-up Area (K-2nd Grades)

Drop-off/Pick-up Area (3rd-5th Grades)

**

B

A

*

Z145-181(OTH)

Up ramp from street(does not intersect

Queue)

ONE WAY

EXHIBIT

NNottoScale

2Traffic Circulation RouteUplift Luna Primary Traffic Management Plan in Dallas, Texas.

- Study Site

- Off Duty Police Officer

Legend

- Traffic Circulation Route (Inbound)

- Traffic Circulation Route (Outbound)

- Staging Lot

McKinney Ave

Munger Ave

Lamar S

t

Laws S

t

N G

riffin St

EXHIBIT

NNottoScale

3Uplift Luna Primary Traffic Management Plan in Dallas, Texas.

- School Site

- Off Duty Police Officer

Legend- Traffic Circulation (Priority Route)

- Traffic Circulation Route (Outbound)

Traffic Circulation Route

- Staging Lot

- Traffic Circulation Route (Original)

Staging Lot (30 reserved spaces)