After opponents of the future parking garage at Emmet Street and Ivy Road questioned the accuracy of a University-sponsored traffic study, preliminary results are in from a second study.
"I'm encouraged that they're doing a new study," said Julie Gronlund, vice-president of the Lewis Mountain Neighborhood Association, which has voiced its opposition to the project.
An original University-sponsored traffic study did not adequately assess potential traffic problems, according to those who oppose the construction of the new garage.
"The first study had quite a few flaws in it," Gronlund said.
The current study, conducted by the consulting firm Kimley-Horn and Associates, is being paid for by the University and managed jointly by the City of Charlottesville and the University.
The previous traffic study was conducted by an outside consultant hired by the University, without involvement of city officials.
The Kimley-Horn study showed the delay at Emmet and Ivy to be an average of 66.5 seconds between 5 and 6 p.m., compared to the previous study's results of 52.4 seconds. A 52.4-second delay is considered acceptable, but a 66.5-second delay is not, University Architect Mary Hughes said.
Since the Kimley-Horn study uses more recent data and involves both the city and the University, "everyone is counting on this study to be more reliable," Hughes said.
Hughes noted that so far "analysis of existing conditions did not vary tremendously from previous studies."
Traffic at the intersection of Emmet and Ivy appeared "slightly worse" in the new study than the previous one, but traffic at other intersections, like the Rt. 250 ramp on Ivy Road, appeared better than officials first thought, according to Hughes.
"We'll know in early February whether there are significant differences," between the studies, Hughes added.
The project manager for the new study, Carl Tewksbury, said results of his study were recorded differently than in the previous one.
In the newest study, traffic flow in individual lanes was reported.
"There were some intersections that were worst-case scenario," Tewksbury said.
The southbound lane of Emmet Street at the Emmet and Ivy intersection received the lowest grade possible during both morning and evening rush hour.
The preliminary results are for existing conditions only, Tewksbury said.
The next phase of the study is to factor in the new basketball arena and other future building projects in the area.
"We're shooting for the middle of February to wrap things up," Tewksbury said. At that time Kimley-Horn will provide recommendations for alleviating traffic problems caused by the parking garage.
Hughes said changes at the Emmet and Ivy intersection and the surrounding area could include limiting parking in the garage or changing traffic patterns and synchronizing the lights.
"It is extremely unlikely that there will be any changes in the design of the garage," since construction is already underway, Hughes said.
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