Proposed Rezoning Q&A Part II

For the next few weeks, the Town of Abingdon will be publishing several posts regarding the concerns of the proposed rezoning of the CEMA Corporation property. The staff has received several questions and wants to provide information by disseminating informational bulletins.

The second set of questions addresses safety issues related to traffic on Green Spring Road, safety issues for the Virginia Creeper Trail, the proposed sports complex, and the role that VDOT will play in the proposed development:

1.      How does the town plan to address safety issues relative to vehicle traffic coming in and out of the proposed development should the re-zoning be approved?  How will the Cook Street extension and the road into the proposed development improve safety on Cummings Street?

The Traffic Impact Analysis for the proposed development on CEMA Corporation property is being finalized and reviewed by VDOT and the Town of Abingdon. Since January 2000, there have been forty-eight (48) crashes within the 400 block of Green Spring Road which causes a safety concerns. This area includes the S-curve, which is the site of the majority of the crashes.

Of the forty-eight (48) crashes:

•       42 crashes involved a single vehicle, and 6 involved two vehicles

•       30 of the crashes were in/at the S-curve, 11 were in front of the property at 410 Green Spring Road, and 7 occurred between the properties located at 430 – 492 Green Spring Road

•       26 crashes occurred while the drivers were northbound, 22 occurred involving southbound traffic

•       27 were on wet pavement, while 21 were under dry conditions

•       36 occurred during dawn/daylight hours, while 12 occurred under dusk/dark conditions

•       41 involved NO alcohol use by the drivers, 7 were alcohol related

If the re-zoning is approved, the Town will address safety issues relative to vehicle traffic entering and exiting the proposed development. The town will require the realignment of Green Spring Road to be in place before any businesses open. Realigning Green Spring Road, from its current intersection with Cummings Street to the Cummings/Cook signalized intersection will be a major improvement. Currently, the Green Spring/Cummings Street intersection is controlled by a stop sign. This intersection is prone to angle collisions as drivers enter Cummings Street, from Green Spring Road, attempting to beat on-coming traffic as it approaches the intersection. This is a considerable challenge given the traffic volume on Cummings Street. The site distance, due to the angle of the intersection, and the uphill grade on Green Spring Road, also presents a challenge for motorists attempting to enter Cummings Street. 

The realignment of Green Spring Road with Cook Street will force traffic to one intersection, providing motorists with a safer controlled entry on to Cummings Street. Additionally, the realignment will reduce the number of intersections with Cummings Street, thus lessening the chance of crashes related to left hand turns and creating a more efficient flow of traffic.

Since January 2000, there have been fifty-three (53) crashes at the intersection of Green Spring Road and Cumming Street.

Of the fifty-three (53) crashes:

•       37 (69.8 %) involved vehicles making left turns at the intersection; either from Green Spring Road on to Cummings Street, or from Cummings Street on to Green Spring Road.

o   25 (67.6 %) of the crashes were caused by vehicles making left turns from Green Spring Road.

o   12 crashes were the result of vehicles making left turns from Cumming Street on to Green Spring Road.

•       16 (30.2 %) were either rear-end or side-swipe collisions.

The data shows that driver actions during left turns are the greatest contributor to crashes. These crashes will be significantly reduced by funneling traffic to the signalized intersection at Cummings and Cook Street.

2.      How is this development going to impact Washington Crossings Shopping Center from a safety standpoint?

The existing entrance to Cummings Street from Washington Crossings Shopping Center is uncontrolled.  It appears that Washington Crossings would benefit from the development because of the required realignment of Green Spring Road.  By creating a new access road from the Washington Crossings Shopping Center to Green Spring Road, traffic will have a direct entry and meet at a controlled intersection.

An analysis of crash data from the intersection of Cummings Street and the Washington Crossing Shopping Center entry revealed similar traffic concerns to the intersection of Green Spring Road and Cummings Street. Since January 2000, there have been twenty-five (25) crashes at this location.

Of the twenty-five (25) crashes:

•       19 (76 %) involved vehicles making left turns at the intersection; either from Washington Crossing on to Cummings Street, or from Cummings Street in to Washington Crossings Shopping Center.

o   15 (79 %) of the crashes were caused by vehicles making left turns from Washington Crossings Shopping Center on to Cummings Street.

o   4 (21 %) crashes were the result of vehicles making left turns from Cumming Street in to Washington Crossings Shopping Center. 

•       6 (24 %) were either rear-end or side-swipe collisions.

Again, the best solution to the issue of left turn crashes is to move the traffic to a controlled intersection; thus allowing left turns to be managed by a traffic signal.

3.      How will this development impact the Creeper Trail from a safety standpoint?

From a vehicular standpoint, it is anticipated that the development would increase traffic on Green Spring Road. This could create safety concerns for the pedestrian crosswalk located between the Creeper Trail parking lot and Trestle #1. However, with a relatively low speed limit, and good visibility from both approaches, the crosswalk is more than adequate to provide safe access to the trail.

From a law enforcement perspective, the Creeper Trail is relatively crime free.  When crime occurs in relation to the trail, it is usually at the designated parking areas. The tables below depict crimes that have occurred in relation to the parking areas since 2003.  Data indicates that crime is more likely to take place in the most secluded parking area, Watauga Road, as opposed to the parking areas within the territorial limits of Abingdon.  

Kings Mountain Parking Area
Date	Theft from Vehicle	Property Damage	Hit and Run	Public Intoxication
2003			1
2005	1	1		1
2011	1
Total	2	1	1	1

Green Spring Parking Area
Date	Theft from Vehicle		Property Damage
2010	3
2014			1
Total	3		1
Watauga Parking Area
Date	Theft from Vehicle	Drug Violation		Property Damage
2007	4
2008	1
2009	2	1
2010	3			1
2011	2			1
2015	2
Total	14	1		2

4.      The concept plan for the proposed development currently shows a sports complex.  Why is this property the best alternative for the sports complex and is the facility adequate enough to meet the needs of town residents?  

•   In 2006, the Town Council appointed a three (3) member team, with knowledge and expertise in local sports, to review properties inside and outside of the town limits as potential sites for a multi-use sports facility.

•   The review team rated the properties based on criteria including, adequate amount of acreage, slope of the land, access to water for irrigation, accessibility, and site preparation relative to rock and dirt removal.

•   The team reported to Council that they had reviewed numerous sites and the property currently owned by CEMA Corporation, and the subject of rezoning, was the most desirable site as it most closely met the criteria for a multi-use sports facility.

•   Prior to the current proposed development, the Town Manager had been in negotiations with CEMA Corporation to purchase the entire 70 acre tract for use as both a sports complex and for a multi-use development that would generate enough revenue to pay for the build out of the sports complex.

•   The Council has affirmed their commitment to see the development of a sports facility in the town through its capital improvement plan and comprehensive plan for over seven (7) years. Both of those plans can be accessed on the town's website at www.abingdon-va.gov or through the following links: http://bit.ly/1YumXZu and http://bit.ly/1kTBcsI

•   The 70 +/- acres owned by the CEMA Corporation, less the 33.189 acres that is subject to re-zoning, is the most suitable site because of its proximity to I-81, the demonstrated suitability of the land for a sports facility, the opportunity to develop a public/private partnership that will work together to develop a site that will improve road accessibility and safety, provide revenue for the town through collection of local taxes i.e. meals and lodging; but most importantly it is a solid opportunity to provide a multi-use sports facility that will meet a long standing for the youth of the community. Further, the Town possesses power, once it secures the 43.27 acres for the Sports Complex, to control the use of this land in perpetuity by possibly granting a conservation easement on the property that would limit all future development.  The Town has done this elsewhere, for the perpetual preservation of property, most notably on the Historic Muster Grounds property that it previously purchased.

5.      What role does the Virginia Department of Transportation play in this proposed development?

The Virginia Department of Transportation will provide the following for the proposed development:

•       Guidance on state and federal funding for a project of this type 

•       Review and approval/disapproval of Revenue Sharing Program fund application

•       Conduct their SERP (State Environmental Review Process) for the project

•       Review engineering plans and specifications at different stages of design

•       When deemed appropriate and all Local Administered Project requirements have been met, authorize the Town to advertise the project for bid

•       Perform occasional inspections as deemed appropriate during construction (in addition to Town's full-time inspection)

•       Review requests for reimbursement under the Revenue Sharing program

Please feel free to contact the Town Hall at 276-628-3167 if you have more questions and ask to speak with the Town Manager’s Office or the Office of Planning.