CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION

Transcription

1 CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION Minutes of February 11, 2015 Meeting Held at the Offices of the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC), 2 Washington Square, Union Station, Worcester ATTENDANCE: MPO Members 1. Arthur Frost, MassDOT Highway Division District #3 office, designee to MassDOT Secretary Stephanie Pollack 2. Joe Borbone, Worcester DPW&P, designee to City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. 3. Ann Sullivan, MassDOT Highway Division District #3 office, designee to MassDOT Highway Division Administrator Francis DePaola 4. John Hebert, Sutton, Southeast Subregion Representative 5. Kathlyn Inman, Barre, North Subregion Representative 6. Phil Joinville, Auburn, CMRPC Transportation Planning Committee, designee to CMRPC Commission Chair Howard Drobner 7. Stephen O Neil, WRTA Administrator CMMPO Signatories not present: 1. David Delanski, Warren, West Subregion Representative 2. Maurice DePalo, Shrewsbury, Northeast Subregion Representative 3. Dennis Lamarche, Oxford, Southwest Subregion Representative Guests of the MPO 1. Patricia Austin, MassDCR 2. Richard Ayer, Town of New Braintree 3. Brian Brosnan, VHB Inc. 4. Amanda Gregoire, City of Worcester 5. Paul Guertin, CHA Consultants 6. William McGrath, Beta Group Inc. 7. Kevin Mizikar, Town of Leicester 8. John Morgan, CHA Consulting 9. Mike Putnam, Town of Paxton 10. Carol Riches, Town of Paxton 11. Blythe Robinson, Town of Upton 12. John Scannell, MassDCR 13. Jessica Strunkin, 495/Metrowest Partnership 14. Johanna Swain, Town of West Brookfield 15. Anthony Sylvia, West Boylston, CMMPO Advisory Committee 16. Steve Tyler, Spencer, CMMPO Advisory Committee 17. Karin Valentine Goins, WalkBike Worcester 1

2 18. Brandon Wilcox, FHWA MassDOT Staff 1. Sarah Bradbury, MassDOT Highway Division District #3 office 2. Heather Hannon, MassDOT OTP MPO Liaison 3. Bryan Pounds, MassDOT OTP MPO Liaison CMRPC Staff 1. Mary Ellen Blunt, Transportation Program Manager 2. Dan Daniska, Associate Transportation Planner 3. Kevin Krasnecky, Principal Transportation Planner 4. Sujatha Mohanakrishnan, Transportation Project Manager 5. Rob Raymond, Assistant Transportation Planner 6. Rich Rydant, Transportation Project Manager 7. Nicholas Burnham, Assistant Transportation Planner Agenda Item #1 Around the Room Introductions The meeting began at 4:35 PM. As requested by MPO Chair Arthur Frost, those present introduced themselves. Mr. Frost announced that Heather Hannon would no longer be the MPO Liaison, as she is leaving MassDOT. He introduced Bryan Pounds as the new MPO Liaison to the CMMPO. He thanked Ms. Hannon for her service. Agenda Item # 2 Approval of the January 14, 2015 Meeting Minutes Minutes from the January 14, 2015 meeting of the MPO were considered for approval. Steve O Neil motioned to accept the minutes and was seconded by John Hebert. All members voted unanimously to approve the minutes. Agenda Item #3 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Potential Action Item: Vote to Endorse Amendment #1 to the Highway project listing for the FY15 TIP Rich Rydant reviewed the proposed amendment for project # Northborough/Marlborough Interstate Maintenance and Related Work on I-290. The updated project cost would be $ million with increases from Interstate Maintenance and Statewide Stormwater funding. Mr. Rydant stated no public comments were received during the abbreviated twenty day public comment and review period. He added that a public meeting was held, with no one in attendance and no comments submitted. The CMMPO Advisory Committee voted for a favorable recommendation to the amendment. 2

3 Phil Joinville stated that the Transportation Planning Committee, at the time of their January meeting, did not have enough information to make a proper decision, and thus could not support the amendment. Subsequent to that, information was made available to the public. On a motion from Steve O Neil and a second from John Hebert and with all members in favor, except for Phil Joinville, the CMMPO voted to endorse Amendment #1 to the Highway project listing for the FY15 TIP. Agenda Item # 4 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Presentations Rich Rydant introduced the communities in attendance to present their projects. He outlined the TIP presentation process guidelines and provided background information on the development of the TIP. He said that the CMMPO is seeking projects to be programmed in FY19, as part of the FY16-FY19 TIP, and all projects are eligible as candidates. He added that Oxford was unable to attend the meeting and would present their project at the March CMMPO meeting. Upton #606125: Hartford Avenue North/High Street/Hopkinton Road reconstruction Blythe Robinson presented the Hartford Avenue North/High Street/Hopkinton Road reconstruction project in Upton, an estimated cost of $8.695 million. The project limits begin at the intersection of Hartford Avenue North and Route 140 (Main Street) and continues the length of the roadway until the Hopkinton Town Line. The project would upgrade the traffic signal at said intersection, add a southbound left-turn lane, and resurface the area. Additionally, the project would add a new sidewalk on the southern side of Hartford Avenue North/High Street until the intersection with Pratt Pond at North Main Street/Westboro Road. At the Pratt Pond intersection, a new traffic signal with geometric improvements would be installed. From this intersection to the Hopkinton Town Line, the roadway would undergo a full depth reconstruction and pavement reclamation. Ms. Robinson reported that the project would seek a waiver from MassDOT, regarding the Healthy Transportation Policy Directive that states sidewalks are to be installed on both sides of the road for a project in an urbanized area. A 25% design public hearing would be forthcoming. She said the right-of-way issues are minor and Upton has appropriated funding for the project design. Bill McGrath displayed pictures of the existing pavement conditions and revised designs of typical sections. He said the design had been modified to include five-foot shoulders, instead of four-foot, to meet the Healthy Transportation Policy Directive. The Pratt Pond intersection design had been revised and Mr. McGrath reviewed the new proposed design. He stated that the project could be phased into three parts: Pratt Pond intersection, Hartford Avenue North/High Street corridor, and the Hopkinton Road corridor. Ms. Robinson said the Town held a meeting of the residents who live along the roadway and the residents were excited about the improvements 3

4 and sidewalk access to the West Upton center. Rich Rydant asked Mr. McGrath to provide staff with cost estimates of each phase of the project. Ann Sullivan inquired about the average daily traffic (ADT) figures and if the roadway was considered regionally significant. Mr. McGrath replied 14,000 ADT and the roadway is regionally significant due to the Grafton and Upton Railroad yard located just south of the Hartford Avenue North/Route 140 intersection, and a main route to access communities in the Blackstone Valley and Interstate 495. Ms. Robinson added that there is a large percent of truck traffic, due to the railroad, and a 120-unit subdivision is planned to be built off the roadway. Arthur Frost questioned if the Pratt Pond intersection was eligible for CMAQ funding and if it was an area with crash clusters. Mr. McGrath answered that the intersection has a higher accident rate than the average accident rate in Massachusetts. He was unsure if the Hartford Avenue North/Route 140 intersection qualified, but the signal upgrade and additional turning lane would decrease delaying and queueing. Mr. Rydant said that the project has CMAQ and HSIP elements and would need to be qualified to access such funding. Millbury #605377: Reconstruction of McCracken Road and Greenwood Street Brian Brosnan presented the reconstruction of McCracken Road and Greenwood Street project in Millbury, an estimated cost of $7.1 million. The project would redesign the intersection of both streets with the construction of a roundabout, improve the sight distance at the intersection of McCracken Road and Laura Lane, and widen the bridge at the intersection of McCracken Road and Route 146 ramp/blackstone Valley Shoppes. He said there are significant right-of-way and environmental impacts involved and Millbury is committed to working through the issues. The 25% design plans were submitted in September 2014 and is currently under review by MassDOT. Mr. Brosnan stated that a waiver from the Healthy Transportation Policy Directive would be required because the project would only provide a sidewalk on one side of the road. He added that the roadway could not accommodate sidewalks on both sides, but would include fivefoot shoulders for bicycle accommodations. He stated that a structural report had been submitted to MassDOT bridge engineers and recommendations were made to VHB. Mr. Brosnan said that a 25% design public hearing would be held once the design plans and comments had been approved. Joe Borbone commented about the number of commercial properties along McCracken Road and asked if the roundabout would be sufficient for WB-50 trucking traffic. Mr. Brosnan said the roundabout design would allow WB-67 trucking to travel through. Arthur Frost added that WB- 67 trucks are larger vehicles than typical trucks. Mary Ellen Blunt asked if the right-of-way takings are commercial or residential. Mr. Brosnan replied that the project may take a home and the homeowner is willing to cooperate. Ms. Blunt questioned if there was adequate sight distance for those traveling southbound on Greenwood 4

5 Street from Worcester at the T-intersection of the continuation of McCracken Road, just south of the roundabout. Mr. Brosnan said that the grade would be raised five feet to improve sight distance. Phil Joinville inquired about project phasing and the estimated construction schedule. He noted that the roadway is a popular route during the holiday season for access to the Blackstone Valley Shoppes. Mr. Brosnan said that the design is for a one complete project approach, but could be phased if needed. Rich Rydant asked Mr. Brosnan to provide staff with cost estimates of the bridge portion of the project. Mr. Frost asked if there is a commitment from Millbury regarding the right-of-way issues and project design cost. Mr. Brosnan answered that Millbury understands the full cost of significant right-of-way work, environmental permitting, and an amendment to the design contract. Anthony Sylvia asked about the predicted level of service and estimated traffic volumes accessing Greenwood Street from Route 20 in Worcester. Mr. Brosnan did not have the information on hand, but said that the roundabout design was based on safety issues versus traffic issues. He described examples of sight distance and safety hazards with the current road layout. Mr. Frost added that MassDOT traffic engineers have reviewed the roundabout to determine level of service and projected traffic volumes. West Boylston #607734: Route 12/140 (Sterling Street) rehabilitation and stormwater improvements at Wachusett Reservoir John Scannell of MassDCR presented the Route 12/140 rehabilitation and stormwater improvements at Wachusett Reservoir project in West Boylston, an estimated cost of $2 million. The project would construct an enclosed drainage system to take stormwater runoff from the roads surrounding the reservoir to treatment basins. The treatment basins would be built on one side of the roadway with berms installed. Currently, there are no drainage structures and stormwater is discharged directly into the reservoir. Mr. Scannell said that a study identified fifty locations where there is direct discharge into the reservoir and three areas were selected for further study. He stated that the Route 12/140 causeway in West Boylston is the highest priority. A rendering of the causeway illustrated the proposed improvements and completed project. Mr. Scannell said that 25% design plans were submitted and that MassDCR has allocated funding for the full project design cost. He stated that there is currently no sidewalk, but the project would construct a sidewalk on one side of the roadway. He added that the project is within MassDCR land and have committed the space needed for right-of-way. Upon project completion, MassDCR would inherit maintenance of the drainage structures and treatment basins. 5

6 Mary Ellen Blunt questioned if the project would need a waiver from the Healthy Transportation Policy Directive. Arthur Frost replied that the project would be exempt because it is dedicated to stormwater improvements. Kathlyn Inman inquired about the timeframe needed to complete the project. Mr. Scannell replied that the project could be completed in less than a year. Leicester #606346: Route 56 (Paxton Street) resurfacing and related work between Main Street and Hyland Avenue Kevin Mizikar introduced the Route 56 resurfacing and related work between Main Street and Hyland Avenue project in Leicester, an estimated cost of $2.3 million. He said the Town is committed to the project, allocated funding for the project design, and is prepared for right-ofway issues. He stated that the Town views the project as pedestrian safety improvements due to the schools and amount of students that walk on Paxton Street. Leicester does not provide bussing services to students who reside within one mile radius of the schools. He added that the 25% design public hearing was held in January 2015 with no adverse comments. John Morgan reviewed the project limits; the.7 mile long project would begin at the intersection of Main and Paxton Street and end at the intersection of Paxton Street and Hyland Avenue. He said that Paxton Street has 7,600 ADT, varies in width from 24 to 30 feet wide, and a sidewalk exists on only one side of the road, with no sidewalk in front of the schools. He highlighted the design goals of the project that would include a sidewalk for the length of the project on one side of the road that will switch sides of the street at Winslow Avenue, better define a bicycle lane between roadway and school bus drop off area, and add a sidewalk directly in front of the schools. Mr. Morgan stated that the 25% design plans have been submitted and the 75% design plans would be submitted in the spring. He said right-of-way issues are mainly temporary construction easements, no land takings, and permanent easements that are located on Town property. Steve Tyler questioned if the project would impact any stream crossings or public watersheds. Mr. Morgan replied that there may be water quality improvements to one channel, but there would be no fillings. Mr. Tyler asked if Leicester is a member of the Safe Routes to School program and if there are possibilities for funding as a member. Mr. Mizikar answered that Leicester is not a member and Rich Rydant commented that bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects are eligible for TAP funding and Leicester could qualify. Mary Ellen Blunt inquired if the project has been Complete Streets approved or if it would require a waiver from the Healthy Transportation Policy Directive. Mr. Morgan said that the project was approved by the MassDOT Complete Streets engineer and was provided with said documentation. Phil Joinville questioned the number of students who walk to and from school. Mr. Mizikar replied that he did not have specific numbers, but it is a significant portion of students, due to the 6

7 proximity of the schools to Leicester Center. Joe Borbone asked about handicapped accessibility at Washburn Square and if there is a sidewalk on only one side of the road and a crosswalk constructed, to the other side of the street with no sidewalk. Ann Sullivan replied that MassDOT design standards state to install a handicap accessible ramp on both sides of the street, even if a sidewalk existed on only one side of a roadway. New Braintree #605035: Reconstruction of Ravine and Hardwick Roads John Morgan presented the reconstruction of Ravine and Hardwick Roads project in New Braintree, an estimated cost of $2.2 million. The 2.6 mile pavement reclamation project would begin at the Ware River Bridge at the Hardwick Town Line and end at the intersection of Route 67 (Barre Road). Additionally, the project would replace two culverts and safety improvements at the intersection of Ravine and Barre Roads. Mr. Morgan said there is 1,500 ADT with no sidewalks, and the width of the road varies. He added that the project would be exempt from the requirement to add sidewalks because it is in a rural area, but the design would widen the travel lanes from eleven to fourteen-feet each to create shared lanes with bicycles. Mr. Morgan stated that 25% design plans were submitted in November 2012 and a design public hearing is awaiting authorization from the results of a utility coordination meeting. He anticipated that the design public hearing would be scheduled in the spring. He added that the 75% and 100% design plans would be combined and likely submitted in the late spring/early summer. The project would establish missing roadway layout, no land takings, two temporary construction easements, and one permanent utility easement. Rich Rydant inquired about specific details of the replacement of two culverts. Mr. Morgan confirmed one culvert would have sixty-foot pipes, and the other culvert would have two sixtyfoot pipes. Steve Tyler questioned the potential project timeline that displayed the design public hearing in March. Mr. Morgan replied that it is an estimated date and does not have an official meeting date set. Arthur Frost commented that the funding source for the project would likely be Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds. Paxton #607250: Route 31 (Holden Road) resurfacing and related work Mike Putnam introduced the Route 31 resurfacing and related work project in Paxton, an estimated cost of $3.5 million. He said that the roadway has limited drainage structures, poor pavement condition, and is dangerous for bicycles and pedestrians. The project would add sidewalks on the roadway and connect to sidewalks on an access road to an adjacent senior housing complex. He added that two public hearings were conducted and residents were receptive to the proposed project design. John Morgan highlighted the design goals of the project: intersection safety improvements at Grove Street, roadway widening for bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, pavement rehabilitation, stormwater drainage system improvements, and culvert replacement. Mr. Morgan 7

8 said that the roadway is 26-feet wide with 6,000 ADT, 10% trucking traffic, and no sidewalks with safety issues for bicycles and pedestrians. He reviewed the proposed design that would include sidewalks on both sides of the roadway for the first 1000 feet from the intersection of Grove Street, and then a sidewalk would continue on one side of the roadway. He added that the project has received a waiver from the Healthy Transportation Policy Directive. Mr. Morgan stated that 25% design plans were submitted in March 2014 and a design public hearing is anticipated for spring. Steve Tyler questioned if the proposed closed drainage system would discharge directly to the collection basin. Mr. Morgan replied that some of the discharge would drain there, but not all because there are two outlet points. Steve O Neil asked if the project could be phased and if Paxton has allocated funding for the full project design. Mr. Morgan said that the project is 0.8 miles long and there is no logical location to segment the project and should remain as one project. Mr. Putnam added that Paxton would utilize Chapter 90 funding for the remaining project design costs. Arthur Frost inquired if Paxton would be prepared for right-of-way issues. Mr. Putnam replied that funding has been set aside for right-of-way issues. West Brookfield #606517: Route 9 resurfacing and related work between Ware Town Line and Pierce Road Johanna Swain introduced the Route 9 resurfacing and related work between Ware Town Line and Pierce Road project in West Brookfield, an estimated cost of $10 million. She said that the Town is committed to the project and has allocated the funding for project design at Town Meeting. She explained that the roadway is narrow, windy, steep, and lacking signage, which leads to many accidents. She said that because of accidents, the roadway becomes congested and often leads to detouring truck traffic into local neighborhoods and interferes with emergency personnel who need access to Mary Lane Hospital in Ware. John Morgan said that the 2.1 mile segment is part of the National Highway System (NHS) which would require the project design to meet certain requirements. He said there are no sidewalks, steep grades, and an ADT of 5,500. A Road Safety Audit (RSA) identified numerous safety concerns including drainage, snow and ice, shoulder widths and visibility, speeding, and signage/pavement markings. He reviewed the design goals of the project to include safety improvements as part of the RSA, pavement rehabilitation, widen shoulders for safety and bicycle accommodations, and stormwater drainage system improvements. He added that due to the rural nature of the project, the proposed project design does not include sidewalks. The proposed design would widen the roadway to feature 12 foot wide travel lanes with 5 foot wide shoulders. Mr. Morgan stated that the 25% design plans were submitted in June 2012 and revised right-of-way plans in June He said the revised design plans are currently under MassDOT review and pending approval to schedule a design public hearing. He added that there 8

9 are no right-of-way impacts, since most of the land is owned by the Town, and minimal environmental impacts due to the amount of stone walls and slopes existing. Rich Rydant inquired about cost estimates and project phasing. Mr. Morgan replied that the project could possibly be phased in two segments. He added that the Town would like the roadway to be widened because it is difficult for maintenance crews to work in the narrow roadway. Ms. Swain said that it is a safety issue for police and other emergency personnel to assist disabled motorists because of the roadway width. Ann Sullivan questioned if the roadway is State or Town layout. Mr. Morgan answered that the proposed project is a State layout until Route 9 enters West Brookfield center, and becomes a Town layout. Arthur Frost said that the project would utilize STP funds, and in FY18 the STP target funding is slightly over $10 million. He added that since the proposed project cost would exceed the STP target funding, it would likely need to be phased. Dan Daniska inquired if the project would be eligible for rural Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding. Mr. Frost replied that if the project were located in a rural HSIP location, it may qualify for said funding. Agenda Item #5 Next Meetings CMMPO Advisory Committee Meeting Wednesday, February 25 th at 3:00 PM CMMPO Meeting Wednesday, March 11 th at 4:30 PM Agenda Item #6 Adjournment The meeting of the CMMPO adjourned at 6:30 PM on a motion from Steve O Neil and a second from John Hebert with all members in favor. 9