Traffic study finds State Road 7 would meet FDOT LOS standards with proposed developments; consultants recommend targeted lane-storage and signal changes

A traffic consultant told the Lauderhill City Commission workshop on June 16 that a traffic analysis covering State Road 7 from Sunrise Boulevard to Northwest 20th Street projects acceptable levels of service in 2030 even after four proposed developments come online.

The study, presented by Yashwant of PCC Engineering, analyzed eight signalized intersections and divided the corridor into six roadway segments. It assumed a 2030 build year and compared a “no‑build” future to a “build” scenario that adds traffic from four proposed projects, including a mixed‑use redevelopment called The Hill (about 400 dwelling units and roughly 70,000 square feet of commercial space), a 358‑unit residential project, a mixed‑use Lauderdale Mall Apartments project, and the Art House (about 246–248 residential units).

The consultant said the analysis used FDOT’s Level of Service (LOS) methodology, which classifies intersections from A (best) to F (worst), and that FDOT considers LOS A–D acceptable. “Even in the PM peak, all the intersections are D or better,” Yashwant said. He recommended several location‑specific changes, including extending eastbound left‑turn storage at Northwest 12th Street (from about 250 feet to roughly 350 feet), increasing southbound left‑turn storage to about 350 feet in one location, and adjusting westbound alignment to accommodate longer storage. He also suggested evaluating changing a southbound left movement from a protected‑only phase to a protected‑permissive phase but recommended conducting a safety study before making that signal change.

City Manager Kylie Hobbs told the commission staff had incorporated all four developments into the city’s comprehensive study because developer‑submitted traffic studies may not account for other nearby future projects. “We incorporated all 4 developments into the study because, again, hearing from the commission, that's what the concern from the public is. But based on the study, it does not have any significant impact and only at 2 lights, it truly has any impact,” Hobbs said.

Public commenters raised local concerns the study should address. Varian Harris, president of the United Lauderhill Community Association, said vehicles approaching the Art House from the north may be forced to make U‑turns at NW 201st because FDOT would not permit a dedicated northbound turn lane; he said that maneuver could materially change traffic patterns the study did not reflect. Resident Sam Wilkerson asked whether the study accounted for nearby schools, special events and accident history; staff said the AM/PM peak counts are standard but that special‑event effects would require separate analyses or an event‑specific assessment.

Commission discussion emphasized two points: (1) Lauderhill can require developers to provide traffic impact studies as part of site plan review and may require mitigation at site‑plan stage, and (2) funding for any recommended roadway work will need to be determined. Staff said impact fees (now under review) would be the primary mechanism to fund lane extensions or signal work but that costs have not yet been estimated; other potential sources include county roadway funds and local sales‑tax dollars earmarked for road improvements.

The presentation also listed two small intersection downgrades in future background growth (shifts such as A→B or B→C at two signals), but no corridor‑wide failures were shown under the build scenario with the consultant's assumptions. Staff said they will cost the consultant’s recommendations and return with financing options and a list of recommended near‑term safety studies.

Next steps identified by staff: cost the recommended improvements, seek potential county or sales‑tax funds as needed, require developer traffic studies at the site plan stage, and return to the commission with funding and implementation options. City staff also agreed to evaluate the public commenter’s U‑turn concern for the Art House intersection and report back at a future workshop.