When vehicular access and traffic circulation at a site work well, we don’t pay attention. But what happens when there needs to be a change? How do you ensure that site access and traffic circulation continue to work?
Getting vehicular access and circulation correct isn’t always simple. In many cases, visualizing potential changes makes all the difference before you commit to the changes.
Recently, we were contacted by Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to help them assess such a situation. Due to upcoming construction at Justice High School that would require the relocation of the previous drop-off area, FCPS needed to pull together a simulation of a new drop-off area within 24 hours. This traffic simulation model showed how school buses would enter, stack, and leave the high school bus zone, while also including a circulation plan for pick-up and drop-off vehicles.
Fortunately, we were able to develop and deliver a video simulation that FCPS could share with the Justice High School community so they could visualize how the proposed school bus pick-up/drop-off area would work. The video, developed by our senior engineer John Cavan, was created to present the plan to school/community meetings shortly before the changes were to go into effect so that community members would understand the new scheme.
We are grateful for FCPS’s trust in our ability to deliver these plans and simulations to them.