Raising the standards for design

Neighborhood residents want their communities to function efficiently. They also wish for them to be aesthetically pleasing. Along Overton Park Drive East, adjacent to Fort Worth’s Trinity Trail system, Lee Engineering teamed with City staff to design 38 decorative Washington steel streetlight poles with LED luminaires and underground electric spanning 5,400 feet.

This project provided the residential street and adjacent park with lighting, while adding an aesthetic accent. The project involved public outreach to two active neighborhood associations, as well as detailed coordination with Lee’s subsurface utilities engineering sub-consultant, the electric utility provider, and City staff from the Water Department and Parks Department to avoid impacts to existing utilities and trees.

Lee Engineering worked as part of a consultant team to evaluate the feasibility of a mini-roundabout at the intersection of West Street and Arrowhead Avenue to assist in minimizing right-of-way acquisition and create a safe and efficient intersection. Lee Engineering provided a technical memo to document the baseline traffic operations, design alternatives considered for the intersection, and comparative analysis that was performed.

Lee Engineering, in conjunction with Kiewit and Bohannan Huston, was awarded the reconstruction of I-25 and Paseo del Norte Interchange Design-Build Project. As an integral part of the team, Lee Engineering completed the interchange operations analysis in VISSIM, designed the ITS infrastructure, and designed five signalized intersections. Lee designed the relocation of the City of Albuquerque and NMDOT ITS fiber line from the east side of the freeway to the Westside. Included in the design for the City of Albuquerque were 96 strand single-mode fiber optics and CCTV cameras.

*Photo courtesy of the NMDOT

As a sub-consultant to TYLin, Lee prepared signing and pavement marking plans, traffic signal design plans, fiber optic designs, and ITS plans for the final design of the Osuna Road Reconstruction project on the two mile stretch between I 25 and Edith Boulevard. Osuna Road is planned to be widened from four-lanes to six-lanes with bike lanes. Five signalized intersections on the project segment required modifications to bring the design up to 2009 MUTCD and City standards for a number of signal heads, type of signal heads, signal head placement, pedestrian signals, and ADA compliance.

Lee Engineering has prepared concept design plans for four roundabouts in the City of Southlake. Operational analysis of each intersection was performed using HCM methodologies in Sidra. Designs were developed to best accommodate city’s expected design vehicles along with a balance of speed and capacity at each location.

One intersection received an ACEC Texas Gold Medal as an award-winning transportation project.

Lee Engineering prepared design plans for modification of the existing traffic signal at Clubhouse Road and SH 20 and the installation of a new traffic signal at Trailwood Drive and SH 20 in Claremore. Signing, striping, and school zone flashers along with pedestrian crossings for nearby Westside Elementary were also included in the design. AM and PM peak period signal timing plans included the time of day schedule were developed and provided to the contractor for implementation.

Funded through the City of Oklahoma City MAPS3 Sidewalk Improvements program, this project consisted of preparing pedestrian signal crossing plans for eight signalized intersections located in the northwest quadrant of Oklahoma City for Project 1, eight signalized intersections located in the southwest quadrant of Oklahoma City for Project 2, and 13 signalized intersections located in the north part of Oklahoma City for Project 3.

The MAPS3 Sidewalk Improvements program continues the City of Oklahoma City’s efforts to create a more walkable community. Each sidewalk improvement is ideally located near an Oklahoma City elementary school.

Plans included traffic signal layouts, phase diagrams, and wiring details. Lee staff worked closely with the civil prime consultant in determining the location and alignment of sidewalks in restrictive areas. In addition to preparing design plans, field reconnaissance was performed and construction cost estimates for pedestrian signal improvements were prepared.

Lee Engineering provided the civil design for this project which allowed for increased capacity at the intersection of FM 2499 and Lakeside Parkway in Flower Mound, TX. Roadway improvements at this intersection included the addition of left turn lanes for the northbound and southbound approaches, as well as a right turn lane on the southbound approach. Design plans included paving plan and profile sheets, intersection geometric layout, paving cross sections, pavement marking and signing sheets, traffic control plans, traffic signal modification plans, and standard details. Additional services provided included preparation of standard and special specifications, cost estimates, RAS review, and utility coordination.

Lee Engineering prepared design plans to provide safety improvements at the intersection of President George Bush Turnpike Northbound Frontage Road and Harborview Boulevard in Rowlett, TX. This project included design of a channelizing curb line and island for the northbound approach of the intersection and the replacement of the existing striped shoulder with a raised curb and concrete paving which could be removed in the future. Services included the preparation of design plans, specifications, and cost estimates. Design plans included plan and profile sheets, pavement marking and striping sheets, traffic control plans, and standard details.

As a subconsultant, Lee provided a study to review and evaluate the signing and striping and assessed signal equipment changes needed for the 32nd Street Bike Lane (Road Diet) project from SR 51 to Bell Road (4.5 miles).  32nd Street was built prior to SR-51 and formerly was the primary access from northeast Phoenix into Central Phoenix. It was built with a 2-1-3 lane configuration and at one time there were triple left-turn lanes from westbound Shea Blvd to southbound 32nd Street to accommodate the high traffic volumes. After SR-51 was completed to the Outer Loop, traffic volumes decreased substantially along 32nd Street which provided an opportunity to reallocate one of the travel lanes for purposes, such as on-street bike lanes. A separate study was conducted for the intersection of 32nd Street and Shea Boulevard to assess the ability to narrow and remove one of the westbound left-turn lanes at the intersection while still maintaining an acceptable level of service.

Lee Engineering provides Traffic Control Plans for both public and private agencies as stand-alone projects or in conjunction with roadway design projects. We are especially sought after for preparation of TCPs involving routes under TxDOT jurisdiction because of our experience and understanding of the requirements of the area districts and area offices.