Responding to a professional critique of Wal-Mart’s plan to mitigate traffic from a proposed Bel Air Supercenter, a spokesman for Wal-Mart said on Wednesday that the critique contained statements that were outdated and/or incorrect.
The critique of Wal-Mart’s traffic mitigation plan was issued in a June 7th technical memorandum from Century Engineering, Inc., of Hunt Valley that was reportedly commissioned by business interests opposed to the store. Harford County Councilman James “Capt’n Jim” McMahan later presented findings from the memorandum in letters to the state and county authorities responsible for approving the traffic plan.
Rebutting two statements in the Century Engineering memorandum, Harry Hammel of Sandy Hillman Communications, a Baltimore public relations firm representing Wal-Mart, wrote in an August 21 e-mail to The Dagger:
“I wanted to quickly bring to your attention two statements that were made in Century Engineering’s technical memorandum and addressed in your recent ‘Wal-Mart Submits Updates to Traffic Plan for Proposed Bel Air Supercenter; Opponents Unveil Professional 2nd Opinion’ article. Toward the middle of the piece, the article states:
• Traffic generated by the Wal-Mart Supercenter will be substantially greater than projected. Trip generation analysis provided to the county by The Traffic Group was based on the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) classification for a “Retail Store”, rather than a “Free-Standing Discount Superstore”, which is associated with increased trips. Additional studies addressing pass-by trips and peak-hour traffic generation rates have found that Supercenters, which combine general merchandise with a full grocery department, generate an average of 42% more traffic than the rate listed for Free-Standing Discount Superstores in the ITE Trip Generation Manual. The average Wal-Mart Supercenter generates nearly 10,000 car trips per day, and an average of 7 – 9 tractor-trailer deliveries per day, according to the memorandum.
o I just wanted to make you aware that this comment made by Century Engineering is actually incorrect, as The Traffic Group DID USE the “Free-Standing Discount Superstore” Category as required and APPROVED by Harford County so they could submit their studies.
• Proposed traffic signals surrounding the site are too close together, violating applicable spacing guidelines from the State Highway Administration of 1900 ft. In particular, the proposed signal at the site access point at MD 924 and Bright Oaks Drive is located 810 ft. north of an existing signal at MD 924 and Bel Air South Parkway, and 950 ft. south of an existing signal at MD 924 and Plumtree Rd.
o The information used in the above comment was obtained from a 2002 SHA produced brochure. The updated traffic signal brochure (http://www.roads.maryland.gov/Index.aspx?PageId=275) describes the methodology in which traffic signals are approved within the SHA. The SHA reviews many different criteria, not only signal spacing, when determining the need for a traffic signal.
– Intersection design
– Accident history and potential
– Vehicle traffic volumes and gaps in traffic approaching the intersection
– Turning traffic and pedestrian crossings
– Approach speeds and sight distances
– Locations of nearby signals
– Characteristics of the area and adjacent land use
– Projected and planned growthJust wanted to make you aware of the above comments as Century Engineering’s memorandum included some facts which were outdated and incorrect.”
Hammel declined to comment on the rest of the memorandum.
Century Engineering has not returned calls regarding their memorandum, which according to the memorandum was based on public reports and relevant data through May 24, 2013.
However, Pete Gutwald, director of planning and zoning for Harford County, confirmed on Friday that Wal-Mart did use the ITE land use code for a Free-Standing Discount Superstore in their proposed traffic plan. Wal-Mart’s overall traffic plan for the Supercenter is still under review by Gutwald’s department.
Regarding the spacing of traffic signals, which must be approved by State Highway Administration (SHA), Gutwald wrote in an email: “…one of the many comments from staff was to study and analyze the “system” of signals and intersections and how they work in concert with each other.”
Gutwald also said that as far as he was aware, SHA had not yet made a decision on the traffic signals or on the proposed site access from MD 924 at Bright Oaks Drive. The Harford County Council urged SHA in October to deny access to the store site from MD 924, echoing concerns from hundreds of area residents who have been fighting the store, saying the added traffic will overwhelm roadways and create unsafe conditions. /
Asked whether Wal-Mart had been asked by county or state authorities about the Century Engineering memorandum, Hammel provided the following statement:
“We will continue to work with the local and state traffic reviewers to ensure all needs are met, and we look forward to moving along in the approval process.”
Ha! Has anyone tried turning left out of Bright Oaks now without a super store? Good luck with that one! We already have overwhelmed roadways and unsafe conditions in this entire county.
So with the already existing conditions being impossible and Walmart wanting to add a light where you can’t presently turn and in general improve the traffic flow are you for or against building?
It improves entrance/exit for Bright Oaks. It also gives people a reason to cut through the street to Walmart.
The problem with the signal there is that it creates problems on the main road, 924, being so close to the other two intersections, and having left turns makes the signals take longer, lengthens the queing of the cars, etc etc.
Having a right in/right out only there into Walmart would keep traffic on 924 flowing better, but Walmart won’t do it because they would have to spend more money on the project.
An entrance at Bright Oaks should not — cannot— be allowed! Bright Oaks was never made to be an access road for a store the type and size of a Super Walmart. Houses and cars line all the roads. Children play in the yards right next to the street! The speed limit is 25mph. How many people trying to cut through will pay attention to a 25mph speed limit when they are in a rush to get to where they are going? The lives of our children playing in those yards will be at risk. Whether the Walmart goes in or not, an entrance at Bright Oaks Drive should not be allowed!
Bright Oaks Drive has speedbumps to boot. A person coming from Laurel Bush will need to make two additional stops to get to a light to cross 924. To me, that detour doesn’t make sense.
If traffic becomes a problem, the neighborhood should get the County (or Walmart) to install more speed bumps. In the meantime, the residents could clog the roads with their biggest trucks and set out some barricades. Be sure to drive extra slow if you’re driving on the cut-thru roads.
There are plenty of neighborhoods where 25mph signs are posted that border businesses. Yours will be no different.
Emotional hysteria isn’t going to work for this solution.
So what you are saying is you can not currently turn left. Sine Wal-mart only has to keep the impact back to the current level they do not need to make it possible to turn left there.
It’s a joke that Walmart takes their time in answering the county’s and state’s concerns from their traffic study so they can use traffic recounts taken over the summer when traffic is less and the Wheel road detour is in place (we all saw the counters). Walmarts PR is, however, very quick to try to refute what they claim to be 2 inaccuracies in a very long list of failures in their traffic study by an outside traffic firm.
Now that school sports have started the roads are gridlocked at drive time. Monday starts a new school year and we will deal with an area with drive time and school time gridlock from now until December 26th. Besides the gridlock there are other unsafe conditions such as sidewalks directly on the road, busy crosswalks without proper crossing signals, and frequent accidents (the area is known as accident alley) to only list a few.
And Walmart, if you are truly working with everyone until all needs are met then I would like to remind you that the community needs you to not build at that location for traffic and safety reasons. We would encourage you to take the community’s input and expand at your current location and put your improvements around the 26 million dollar intersection our state tax dollars already built in Abingdon at your request. That is what we need.
It is not Walmart’s fault that the current traffic conditions are not satisfactory, and such conditions cannot be used against them due to how the review process is structured. If you do not want to live near a Walmart and you’re currently living in that area, sell your house because Walmart is coming.
Walmart’s summer traffic study is highly biased due to the closure of Wheel Rd. It does not correctly reflect the normal traffic situation in that area. The County must refute it and allow Walmart time to do another traffic study when Wheel Rd. re-opens during the winter.
Walmart did not choose to close Wheel Road, they cannot be punished becuase of it. The surveyor’s responsibility is to study the traffic as it exists, not the hypothetical. Requiring a 6+ month delay due to Wheel Road being closed is unnecessary and inappropriate.
It is completely appropriate and extremely important to complete an accurate traffic study. Using the results of the Walmart summer traffic study, which provide inadequate assessments of road load, would result in deficient changes to roads and signals if the project is approved.
So is every other activity that requires a traffic survey in the entire Abingdon/Bel Air South area being put on hold until Wheel Road is reopened? Were they put on hold when Wheel Road was closed a few months ago, or when W Ring Factory (or was it Plumtree?) was closed prior to that? Waiting until Wheel Road reopens will be a significant delay to construction, which would be quite expensive, and who is to say another construction project within several miles would not occur that could again delay the study yet again?
The study occurs based on current conditions, and Walmart will be moving.
SEA, actually Wheel road being closed made things better for you. If it had been openand traffic was worse that condition would be what Wal-mart has to make happen!!!!!
An accurate traffic study is not a matter of “better for you” or “better for me”. It’s what’s best for all tax-paying residents of Harford County. An objective study is needed to realistically assess road conditions. If traffic is underestimated it will result in less than adequate changes. That means you and I will pay for needed upgrades to roads and signals after the initial project is completed.
Kharn is correct in that the county planners and SHA look at each development in a vacuum. For example, they cannot take into account the extra traffic from any new apartments, houses, parks, and/or commercial buildings that are being developed at the same time along the 24 and 924 corridors, hence the rush to be the first to develop. The 2nd and 3rd major development will have to worry even more about traffic abatement issues because of this failure to see the big picture.
It will be curious to see how many people on this site in favor of the new Walmart location will be the first to complain about taxes being taken to pay for road improvements. Any road improvements not paid for by Walmart will come from the taxpayers. Yes, the roads will be improved at some point. The only questions left are when and how much will it cost the public.
Hey Patricia, if you (and your whining neighbors) don’t want the new Walmart close to your neighborhood, then WHEN they build it…..don’t shop there….it’s that simple. You “stand your ground”, AND by not shopping there, it reduces the volume of traffic to and from the same! Now THAT’S the American way! 🙂
Justin
Ur a twit
Tom 🙂
While I appreciate your sentiments, the traffic study was conducted in the Spring of 2012, prior to school getting out. There are problems with the study– that’s not one of them.
Looking forward to the new Super Wal-Mart, This will be a great addition to the area. I hope Home-Depot considers either opening another location in Bel air or expanding the existing store to a mega home depot, this store is always crowded. I would also like to see a Sam’s club in bel air as well, there’s plenty room for all this so stop complaining.
The small Home Depot is quite annoying, at least their website lets me check stock levels before I drive over there so I know if I have to go to Edgewood or Aberdeen without even stopping in Bel Air.
Sam’s Club is owned by Walmart so they don’t compete with each other, just snarl traffic, make the area unsafe, and cause others businesses to close. It’s not even a zero-sum situation, fiscally, safety-wise, or QOL.
Keep in mind, when a Sam’s club opens there is a BJ’s or Costco not too far behind to give them competition, great for prices and more jobs. Great source of tax revenue, good help with pay to play.
Costco’s not interested in Bel Air, their acceptable driving time is one hour to the nearest store and we have both White Marsh and Christiana within that window.
BJ’s is already down the road from Walmart.
How about if the level RockField Manor, Sam’s club would work great their, or a new Home Depot. Than they can put a strip mall where Home Depot currently exist.
10,000 comedians out of work and we’re stuck with you Bozo’s. As I take started taking Physical Therapy at ATI in that area I realized how congested that area has become. Try driving around noon and add 10 min to your commute.
The new Wal-Mart in Fallston has not created any traffic problems. It’s not really that crowded.
If the Fallston store is being underutilized, as you say, it does make one wonder about its longevity, especially with it being relatively close to the proposed Bel Air store.
Let’s see..
10,000 visitors a day ( their number ) VS. a handful of vocal people complaining about the move.
Oh…and Walmart has more than enough money to pay lawyers for eternity. How long do they plan to fight this?
Hmmm. I wonder what will happen.
The Wal-mart will be built, of that there is little doubt. So, let’s use it to our advantage. Make it the central depot stop for all magnet schools in the county. That way, when 600 students show up at 2:30 in the afternoon, they can spend the afternoon doing their homework spread out in the aisles.
I thought the “retail store” refutation was incorrect, but I hadn’t checked on it myself. The problem with Walmart’s argument is that while they did use “free standing discount store”, that designation DOES NOT include any groceries. Groceries are one of the highest trip generators, and if you look at the ITE manuals you’ll see the grocery stores draw more trips than “free standing discount store”. Yes the designation they chose may have been approved by the County– that’s an issue– but it’s also very convenient for Walmart. If they had included Grocery store in their calculations the trips would be substantially higher. The basic fundamental problem is that their study is NOT representative of their project, and they know it, and they don’t care.
Low prices, at your expense. You’re going to pay for it one way or another.
You might want to read the article again Noble. Use you finger and move your lips if it helps.
As a courtesy, I did read it again. Please point out the important information I missed.
Geeze do I have to do everything…..
“I just wanted to make you aware that this comment made by Century Engineering is actually incorrect, as The Traffic Group DID USE the “Free-Standing Discount Superstore” Category as required and APPROVED by Harford County so they could submit their studies.”
You said: “Geeze do I have to do everything…..
“I just wanted to make you aware that this comment made by Century Engineering is actually incorrect, as The Traffic Group DID USE the “Free-Standing Discount Superstore” Category as required and APPROVED by Harford County so they could submit their studies.”
I originally said: ” The problem with Walmart’s argument is that while they did use “free standing discount store”, that designation DOES NOT include any groceries. Groceries are one of the highest trip generators, and if you look at the ITE manuals you’ll see the grocery stores draw more trips than “free standing discount store”. ”
So I fail to see your point. Even by using the discount store designation, they are still not truly representing the scope of their project because it does not include groceries, which if you look at the trips generated by a grocery store in the ITE manual, you will see it is higher. A super Walmart is, in reality, discount superstore AND a grocery store– having both is Walmart’s own stated main reason for building a new store, but they didn’t even include this in the impact study.
Just for emphasis, I was at a public meeting where I privately asked a Planning and Zoning staff member how they can get away with that and they basically looked at me and shrugged their shoulders without saying anything.
How would you like it if your neighbor applied for a permit to do something to their property and went and did something else? You’d probably be upset, either with them or the system that approved the permit, or both.
Even if you love Walmart and love the store location, you should be upset by this, because you’re going to end up paying for it.
A “Free-Standing Discount Superstore” does include groceries and that class of Walmart supercenter store generates 10,000 car trips and 9 tractor trailer trips a day.
Century engineering wrongly stated the traffic generated was based on retail store and numbnut McMahon parroted the mistake in his letter to SHA. They made a big deal how ITE trip generation code 813 was the one walmart should have used. Which oddly enough was the code walmart did use. Walmart corrected their error. Unless of course you and Gary Ambridge believe this supercenter will actually not generate 10,000 trips per day but actually 18,000…..
I love this county people like you make me feel like a God.
I’ll make it really simple. A stand alone grocery store (862) is a different code from free standing discount store (813), which has substantially more traffic. A super Walmart includes BOTH a full grocery store AND a full size discount store, not to mention other items like auto service (potentially), fast food, etc– all contained inside this one building.
So to my original point, the traffic study using only a free standing discount store calculation does not truthfully predict the full impact of their project.
This is apparently one of the reasons Wegmans ended up dropping this location, because they had no choice but to use the supermarket code and decided that a Wegman’s wouldn’t work at that location.
Rivan, sorry to hear your in PT, the good thing for you is Wal-Mart has those motorized carts, maybe the store manager will let you rent one to use to speed things up for you to go back and forth to PT
LOL Shoulder not legs but thanks anyway……
I heard that Bel air is going to change it’s name to the “Town of Wal-Mart”, I can see it now, the Bel air town police wearing those awesome blue Wal-Mart vest, and a Big Yellow smiley face on their car. How inviting that would be.
I’ve been waiting for the “Vote no to Bel Air Wal Mart” comment for hours now, I’m getting disappointed.
Because it’s not up for a vote, my friend. Way to stay on top of the issue.
It’s called sarcasm.
Roger that.
Here is an idea. someone with some money should commit environmental sabotage at the proposed location. Buy a crapload of cat tails, some frogs, some fish, a back hoe and bring a big tanker of water. Dig the land out some, plant the cat tails, flood it, release the frogs and fish and have it shut down because it is a wetland.
I also heard that their going to have Wal-Mart shuttle buses running to and from Edgewood so the residents can have access to the new store. The schedule will be every other hour during business hours.
Where is my “Friend” Mark? He is a bad ass, If he tells Wal-Mart he knows people they will not built. He has connections, he has brothers.