ROAD SAFETY AUDIT. Damon Road. City of Northampton. October Prepared for: Massachusetts Department of Transportation

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1 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT Damon Road City of Northampton October 2013 Prepared for: Massachusetts Department of Transportation Prepared by: Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates 38 Chauncy Street Boston, MA 02111

2 Table of Contents Background... 2 Project Data... 2 Project Location Description... 5 Road Safety Audit Observations and Potential Enhancements...10 Location A: King Street at Damon Road, Bridge Road, and Industrial Drive Safety Issue #1: Signal Timing and Delay Safety Issue #2. Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations Safety Issue #3. Access Management Safety Issue #4. Intersection Geometry Safety Issue #5. Pavement Markings Safety Issue #6. Signage Location B: Damon Road at Curve near River Run Road Safety Issue #1. Intersection Geometry Safety Issue #2. Access Management Safety Issue #3. Vehicle Speeds Safety Issue #4. Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations Recommendations List of Appendices Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data Appendix D. Speed Regulations List of Figures Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 3. Locus Map... 4 Location A: North King Street and King Street (U.S. 5 and S.R. 10) at Damon Road, Bridge Road, and Industrial Drive... 7 Location B: Damon Road at Curve near River Run Road... 8 List of Tables Table 1. Table 2. Participating Audit Team Members... 3 Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements Page 1

3 Background The intersection of North King Street and King Street (U.S. Route 5 and State Route 10) at Damon Road, Bridge Road, and Industrial Drive is identified as a high crash location by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The Damon Road corridor is also included in the study area due to its location between Exits 19 and 20 of Interstate 91 (I-91). A curved section of Damon Road, along this corridor, at its intersection with River Run Road is identified as a location of concern that is included in the study area. Reconstruction of Damon Road between North King Street (U.S. 5 and S.R. 10) and the vicinity of Old Water Street is a MassDOT design contract that has been evaluated since MassDOT has determined that Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding would be allowed for reconstruction of the intersection if a Road Safety Audit (RSA) were conducted and a proposed design incorporated the safety improvements identified in the RSA. The corridor is currently identified as a proposed project (MassDOT Project #180525) and is currently at 25% Design. The project is listed on the 2016 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), but construction is not yet scheduled. In general, the RSA is intended to identify potential safety improvements that can be evaluated and included as part of the design process for the future reconstruction of the area. The short-term, low-cost potential improvements could be considered by the responsible agency for immediate implementation prior to reconstruction, as appropriate. The RSA study area is illustrated in Figure 1. Project Data The audit team conducted an RSA for the intersection of North King Street and King Street (U.S. 5 and S.R. 10) at Damon Road, Bridge Road, and Industrial Drive, and the intersection of Damon Road at a curve near River Run Road. The RSA agenda appears in Appendix A. Table 1 lists the audit team members and their affiliations. Appendix B provides contact information for all team members. Page 2

4 Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members Audit Team Member Agency/Affiliation Ned Huntley David Veleta Wayne Feiden Russ Sienkiewicz Khyah Parmar Lisa Schletzbaum Corey O Connor Laurie Scarbrough Bao Lang Greg Russell David Matton James Turnbull Northampton Department of Public Works Northampton Department of Public Works Northampton Planning Northampton Police Department Pioneer Valley Planning Commission MassDOT Headquarters - Highway Safety MassDOT Headquarters - Highway Safety MassDOT District 2 Office MassDOT District 2 Office Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. Howard/Stein-Hudson (HSH) Howard/Stein-Hudson (HSH) Page 3

5 Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc. Figure 1. Locus Map RSA Study Area NORTH KING STREET (U.S. 5/S.R. 10) RIVER RUN ROAD BRIDGE ROAD DAMON ROAD INTERSTATE 91 L o c a tion B INDUSTRIAL DRIVE DAMON ROAD OLD WATER STREET KING STREET (U.S. 5/S.R. 10) L o c a tion A BRIDGE STREET (RTE. 9) NORWOTTUCK RAIL TRAIL INTERSTATE 91 Not to scale.

6 Prior to the RSA, in order to begin assessing possible safety issues, the audit team reviewed collision diagrams and a crash detail summary for the intersections of North King Street and King Street (U.S. 5 and S.R. 10) at Damon Road, Bridge Road, and Industrial Drive; and Damon Road at a curve near River Run Road based on crash records supplied by the Northampton Police Department to the MassDOT Registry of Motor Vehicles. From , 69 police documented crashes were reported at the intersection of North King Street and King Street (U.S. 5 and S.R. 10) at Damon Road, Bridge Road, and Industrial Drive. Of those crashes, 28 (or 41%) were angle-type crashes, 25 (36%) were rear-end crashes, nine (13%) were sideswipes in the same direction, three (4%) were head-on crashes, three (4%) were single vehicle crashes, and one (1%) was a sideswipe in the opposite direction. The crashes mostly occurred during daylight conditions (63 or 91%) and on dry pavement (52 or 75%). Twenty-six (37%) of the crashes occurred during cloudy or rainy conditions with 16 (3%) involving wet roadway surfaces. Of the 69 crashes, 18 (26%) resulted in personal injury, including one crash (1%) involving a pedestrian and one crash (1%) involving a cyclist. A high percentage of motorists involved in 35 of the 69 crashes (51%) were between the ages of 15-29, and 18 crashes (26%) occurred during the months of September and October. The age group of motorists and the months that many of the crashes occur may be attributed to the proximity of the intersection to nearby universities, and students who are unfamiliar with the area. From , 23 police documented crashes were reported on Damon Road at a curve near River Run Road. Of those crashes, nine (or 39%) were rear-end crashes, six (26%) were angle-type crashes, four (18%) were single vehicle crashes, two (9%) were head-on crashes, one (4%) was a sideswipe in the same direction, and one (4%) was a sideswipe in the opposite direction. The crashes mostly occurred during daylight conditions (17, or 74%) and on dry pavement (17, or 74%). Nine (41%) of the crashes occurred during cloudy or rainy conditions, with four (17%) citing wet roadway surfaces. Two crashes (8%) cited icy or slushy roadway surface conditions. Of the 23 crashes, four (17%) resulted in personal injury, including one crash (4%) involving wildlife. Appendix C provides the detailed crash data for the area. Speed regulations for North King Street and King Street (U.S. 5 and S.R. 10) and Damon Road are presented in Appendix D. Project Location Description The RSA focused on the Damon Road corridor as two abutting study areas in the City of Northampton. North King Street and King Street (U.S. 5 and S.R. 10) at Damon Road and Bridge Road is a signalized intersection with four approaches. The Bridge Road eastbound approach consists of a left-turn lane, a through lane, and a right-turn lane. The North King Street southbound approach consists of a shared leftturn/through lane and a shared right turn/through lane. The Damon Road westbound approach consists of an exclusive left-turn lane, a through lane, and an exclusive right-turn lane. The King Street northbound approach consists of a shared left-turn/through lane and a shared right-turn/through lane. A CSX railroad crossing is located about 300 feet east of the intersection of King Street and Damon Road with a crossing signal that is coordinated with the intersection. Pedestrian sidewalks are only provided on a portion of the Page 5

7 southerly side of Bridge Road and Damon Road, and on either side of King Street. No ADA-compliant wheelchair ramps or crosswalks are provided at this intersection. The pavement is in fair condition, while the lane markings are faded due to queuing. There are no marked bicycle accommodations at the intersection. Damon Road at Industrial Drive is a stop-controlled T-intersection with three approaches. The Damon Road eastbound approach consists of a single travel lane. The Damon Road westbound approach consists of a left-turn lane and a through lane. The Industrial Drive northbound approach consists of a single travel lane for left and right turns. Pedestrian sidewalks, ADA-compliant wheelchair ramps, and crosswalks are not provided at this intersection. The pavement is in fair condition the lane markings are faded due to turning trucks onto Industrial Drive and is in need of restriping. There are no marked bicycle accommodations at the intersection. Since the intersection of Damon Road and Industrial Drive is located just 500 feet east of the intersection of North King Street and King Street (U.S. 5 and S.R. 10) at Damon Road and Bridge Road, this report will discuss this area as a single intersection. These intersections are shown in Figure 2. Damon Road at curve near River Run Road is a section of Damon Road with one eastbound travel lane and one westbound travel lane. River Run Road intersects Damon Road on the northerly side of the curve at a non-stop controlled intersection. On the southerly side of the curve in Damon Road lies a strip mall with three main driveways which produce a significant amount of left turns entering and exiting on the apex of the curve. Damon Road is superelevated through the curve and the pavement and lane markings appeared to be in fair condition. These intersections are the junctions of the following roadways, which are categorized according to MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning functional classifications: North King Street and King Street (U.S. 5 and S.R. 10) is classified as an urban minor arterial and falls under MassDOT jurisdiction on North King Street, and City jurisdiction on King Street. The portion of U.S. Route 5 that runs through Massachusetts is a north-south roadway that originates at the Connecticut border to the south, runs alongside I-91 up the Connecticut River, and terminates near the Vermont state line to the north. Route 10 is a north-south roadway that also originates at the Connecticut border to the south, runs concurrently with Route 5 from Northampton to Bernardston, before crossing the Connecticut River and terminating near the New Hampshire state line to the north. Within the study area, Route 5 and Route 10, locally referred to as King Street, consists of two travel lanes in each direction, and the speed limit is 40 miles per hour (mph). King Street is an accessible roadway, where pedestrians and bicyclists are allowed. Sidewalks are discontinuous along King Street, and bicycle accommodations are limited to a paved shoulder in most areas. Page 6

8 Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc. Figure 2. Location A: North King Street and King Street (U.S. 5 and S.R. 10) at Damon Road, Bridge Road, and Industrial Drive INTERSTATE 91 NORTH KING STREET (U.S. 5/S.R. 10) S t e v e L e wis Subar u Dealership W ebb er & G rinnell I nsur anc e DAMON ROAD INDUSTRIAL DRIVE Ca r Dealership B R I D G E R O A D CSX RAILROAD CROSSING D A ngelo s KING STREET (U.S. 5/S.R. 10) P ride G as S ta tion Not to scale. C VS

9 Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc. Figure 3. Location B: Damon Road at Curve Near River Run Road RIVER RUN ROAD D A M O N R OAD Residen tial/retail INTERSTATE 91 NORTHBOUND DAMON ROAD INTERSTATE 91 SOUTHBOUND Not to scale.

10 Damon Road is classified as an urban minor arterial and falls under City of Northampton jurisdiction. Damon Road runs northwest from Bridge Street (Route 9) to King Street. Within the study area, Damon Road consists of one travel lane in each direction and the speed limit is 30 miles per hour (mph) near populated areas and 35 miles per hour (mph) in rural areas. Damon Road is currently used as the connecting road between Interchange 19 on it easterly end, which services an I-91 northbound off-ramp and a southbound on-ramp, and Interchange 20 on its westerly end, which services an I-91 southbound off-ramp and a northbound on-ramp. The RSA team identified Damon Road is currently listed and used as a urban minor arterial, but it lacks the infrastructure and appears as a local road to motorists. Damon Road is an accessible roadway, where pedestrians and bicyclists are allowed. The Norwottuck Rail Trail lies south of the study area on Damon Road in the vicinity of Old Water Street and provides an important mixed-use path connection between Northampton, Hadley, and Amherst Sidewalks are not provided along Damon Road, and bicycle accommodations are limited to a paved shoulder in most areas. Bridge Road is classified as an urban minor arterial and falls under City of Northampton jurisdiction. Bridge Road runs east to west from North Main Street (Route 9) to King Street. Within the study area, Bridge Road consists of one travel lane in each direction and the speed limit is 30 miles per hour (mph) near populated areas and 35 miles per hour (mph) in rural areas. Bridge Road is an accessible roadway, where pedestrians and bicyclists are allowed. Sidewalks are not provided along Bridge Road near the study area, and bicycle accommodations are limited to a paved shoulder. Page 9

11 Road Safety Audit Observations and Potential Enhancements Based on RSA team discussions on Monday, October 21st, 2013 the RSA team determined that intersections of North King Street and King Street (U.S. 5 and S.R. 10) at Damon Road, Bridge Road, and Industrial Drive and Damon Road at a curve near River Run Road have the following issues that affect safety: Location A: King Street at Damon Road, Bridge Road, and Industrial Drive 1. Signal Timing, Queuing, and Delay; 2. Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations; 3. Access Management; 4. Intersection Geometry; 5. Pavement Markings and Lane Use; and 6. Signage. Location B: Damon Road at Curve near River Run Road 1. Intersection Geometry 2. Vehicle Speed; 3. Access Management; and 4. Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations. The following sections describe in more detail the safety issues and enhancements determined during the RSA. Several of these issues require further study and engineering judgment to determine the feasibility of implementing enhancements to address them. Page 10

12 Location A: King Street at Damon Road, Bridge Road, and Industrial Drive Safety Issue #1: Signal Timing and Delay Observations: Of the 69 crashes analyzed at the intersection of King Street at Damon Road and Bridge Road, 25 (or 36%) involved rear-end crashes. 21 (or 30%) of these rear-end crashes specifically cited failure to stop in queued traffic or driver inattention. This data suggests that driver inattention may be a result of delay at the intersection. According to RSA team members, delay occurs frequently on the Damon Road westbound and the Bridge Road eastbound approaches to the intersection. Vehicles queuing on Damon Road westbound; both the westbound-left and westbound-right turning lanes are inaccessible. According to an RSA team member, during the morning peak, the primary movements at the intersection are the Bridge Road eastboundthrough movement and the North King Street southbound-left movement heading onto the Damon Road corridor. During the evening peak, the opposite occurs; the primary movements are the Damon Road westbound through movement to Bridge Road and the Damon Road westboundright movement to North King Street. A Bridge Road eastbound-left-turn lane and a Damon Road westbound-left turn lane are provided with leading protected phases that run concurrently with one another, followed by a permitted left-turn phase. Due to the volume of traffic making the through movement at the intersection, the Bridge Road eastbound-left turn lane and the Damon Road westbound-left turn lane are frequently obstructed by the queued through vehicles. In turn, Bridge Road eastbound-leftturning vehicles and Damon Road westbound-left-turning vehicles are not able to enter the left-turn lane during the dedicated left-turn phase. The Damon Road westbound queuing is extensive; it blocks turning lanes, a railroad crossing, driveways, and traffic exiting Industrial Drive. Page 11

13 A similar situation occurs with Damon Road westbound protected right-turns. The Damon Road westbound-right turn phase runs concurrently with the North King Street southbound split phase, while the Damon Road westbound through movement has a red indication. The Damon Road westbound through movement queue renders this protected right turn green time very ineffective, as the right-turn lane is usually blocked by queues in the through lane during the evening peak. An analogous situation occurs during the morning peak on Bridge Road. During the protected right A Damon Road westbound ambulance crosses onto eastbound side during an emergency vehicle preemption phase. turn phase, which runs concurrently with the King Street northbound split phase, Bridge Road eastbound through traffic blocks the right turn lane, resulting in unused green time for the rightturn lane. Queues on the Damon Road westbound approach frequently extend past the CSX railroad crossing to the east of the King Street intersection causing a safety issue. There is a direct connection between the railroad crossing and the signal located at the King Street intersection. North King Street southbound left turns onto Damon Road gridlock the intersection when the railroad crossing is active. An RSA member noted that railroad crossings would become more frequent during peak hours due to planned improvements for a commuter rail line along the north-south running Knowledge Corridor. Increased railroad crossings may increase delay overall at the King Street and Damon Road intersection. Emergency vehicle preemption during the morning and evening peak periods is also a safety concern. There is frequent ambulance traffic on Damon Road westbound through the intersection towards the Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton. The ambulances have preemption through the intersection, which gives a red signal to all other approaches and maintains a green for Damon Road westbound through traffic. Due to the single traffic lane queuing on Damon Road westbound, ambulances frequently have to cross the double yellow centerline into the eastbound lane, go around the splitter island, and through the intersection. King Street northbound queuing and an obstructed signal face. The King Street northbound approach and the North King Street southbound approach each experience significant queuing. The road is classified as an urban minor arterial, and no left turn Page 12

14 lanes are provided on either approach. The King Street northbound through and northbound-left movements run on a split phase independent of a separate split phase for the North King Street southbound through and southbound-left turn movement. According to RSA team members, the existing conditions and Right of Way have limited the provision of marked turning lanes with corresponding protected left-turn phases on North King Street and King Street. Team members noted that signal mast arms and posts are provided, which increase visibility. However, on the King Street northbound approach, there is a signal head located on a mast which is not visible due to encroaching vegetation. Retro reflective signal back plates are also not provided on all of the signal faces at the intersection. The delay and subsequent queuing on Damon Road westbound carry over to the intersection of Industrial Drive and Damon Road. Industrial Drive is a stop-controlled intersection that primarily services heavy vehicles. Trucks use Damon Road for access to I-91 from the industrial park located on Industrial Drive. A Damon Road westbound left turn storage lane is provided at Industrial Drive for vehicles to queue. Short headway between cars on Damon Road eastbound during the morning peak delay Damon Road westbound left-turns and Industrial Drive northbound left-turns, especially for heavy vehicles. Queuing on Damon Road in the westbound direction during the evening peak causes delay for the Industrial Drive northbound left-turns and the Damon Road westbound left-turn storage lane is regularly blocked by queued through vehicles. Enhancements: 1. Increase police enforcement for distracted driving and driver inattention during peak hours to help prevent rear-end accidents in the large eastbound and westbound queues. 2. Install a Variable Message Sign on Damon Road and Bridge Road to remind drivers No Texting While Driving. or Heavy Traffic, Stay Alert., etc. Variable Message Signs can act as an additional measure combined with enforcement to reduce driver inattentiveness. 3. Increase visibility of signal heads from the westbound approach of Damon Road and the northbound approach of King Street by removing brush and tree branch obstructions. 4. In the long term, analyze the capacity of turning lanes on the Bridge Road eastbound and Damon Road westbound approaches. Consider updating the loop detectors and adjusting split time for primary turning movements during peak hours. 5. Evaluate the capacity of the Bridge Road eastbound through movement during a.m. peak and the Damon Road westbound through movement during p.m. peak. Dedicating more split time to concurrent through movements may result in smaller vehicle queues. Page 13

15 Smaller vehicle queues on these through movements will allow better access to the turning lanes already provided on Bridge Road and Damon Road. 6. Capacity analysis of the Bridge Road eastbound approach and Damon Road westbound approach may warrant geometric improvements at the intersection. Consider providing dual through lanes or two-receiving lanes for Bridge Road eastbound and dual through lanes or two receiving lanes for Damon Road westbound. Evaluate lengthening the Bridge Road eastbound left and right-turn lanes and the Damon Road westbound left and right-turn lanes to increase queued vehicle storage space. 7. Evaluate the effectiveness of signal coordination between the CSX railroad crossing signal and the signalized intersection of King Street and Damon Road. Consider restricting North King Street southbound left-turns onto Damon Road when the railroad crossing signal is active. Coordination of the two signals may reduce vehicle queues on the Damon Road westbound approach and reduce gridlock. 8. Emergency vehicle preemption can be improved by reducing vehicles queued in the Damon Road westbound through lanes. Consider widening the shoulder width to allow queued vehicles more space to pull over in an emergency situation. 9. Reevaluate the existing split phase turning movements on the King Street northbound and North King Street southbound approaches. Consider the addition of left turn lanes and a protected left turn phase to extend green time for concurrent northbound and southbound through movements. 10. Evaluate the safety benefits of providing a traffic signal at the intersection of Damon Road at Industrial Drive, which should be coordinated with the intersection of Damon Road at King Street. 11. Provide retro reflective back plates on all existing signal faces at the intersection of King Street and Damon Road and the CSX railroad crossing signals. 12. Consider relocating existing signal indications on the mast arms at the King Street and Damon Road intersection to align with the center of each corresponding receiving lane. Page 14

16 Safety Issue #2. Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations Observations: Sidewalks and ADA-compliant pedestrian ramps are not consistently provided at the intersection of King Street at Damon Road and Bridge Road. One crash (1%) involved a pedestrian at the intersection, and one crash (1%) involved a cyclist, from During the RSA, the Northampton Chief of Police noted that there was a pedestrian fatality near this location that was not included in the crash data. RSA team members noted that there is a clear pedestrian desire line going eastbound from Bridge Road through the intersection to Damon Road. During the RSA site visit, pedestrians were seen running east across King Street through queued traffic to the Gas An inaccessible sidewalk is installed at the intersection of U.S. 5 and S.R. 10 at Damon Road and Bridge Road. There are no crosswalks or ADA-compliant wheelchair ramps. Station/Dunkin Donuts on the southeast corner of the intersection. To the west of the intersection, there are multiple apartment complexes and schools on Bridge Road, which would indicate a need for adequate pedestrian accommodations at the intersection. Meanwhile, there are multiple retail business developments being constructed along the easterly side of King Street, which may contribute to the increased pedestrian presence at this intersection. Northampton Planning and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) also have planned bicycle connectivity from Bridge Road eastbound along Damon Road to the Norwottuck Rail Trail. Currently, no adequate shoulder or painted bicycle lanes exist on Bridge Road or Damon Road to provide accommodation to cyclists in the eastbound and westbound directions to make this connection. A cyclist negotiates Damon Road eastbound at Industrial Drive. Page 15

17 Enhancements: 1. Conduct pedestrian counts at the intersection to determine volume of pedestrians and what facilities are required. A lower volume of pedestrians may easily be served in this area by a push button pedestrian signal running north/south across Bridge Road and east/west across King Street. On the contrary, a large volume of pedestrians may require the installation of a four-way pedestrian signal with concurrent phasing. 2. Consider the safety benefits of providing a traffic officer or crossing guard at the intersection in the short-term to help pedestrians cross during peak hours. 3. Provide ADA-compliant sidewalks and wheelchair ramps as part of long-term design and reconstruction efforts in order to improve accessibility for pedestrians. Ensure that all pedestrian facilities are continuous and connecting. 4. Consider implementing concurrent pedestrian crossings, where possible, to increase pedestrian convenience. If possible, allow for concurrent crossings across all intersection approaches so that the exclusive pedestrian phase may be removed from the signal cycle entirely, which would decrease overall delay for all users of the intersection. 5. Identify locations where bicycle facilities, such as bike boxes, bicycle lanes, and shared lane markings, can be added to improve cyclist safety and comfort. Prioritize bike lane placement on inclines to create climbing lanes, which allow cyclists to travel more comfortably while allowing faster-moving vehicles to pass. Page 16

18 Safety Issue #3. Access Management Observations: Of the 69 crashes analyzed at the intersection of King Street at Damon Road, Bridge Road and Industrial Drive, 19 crashes (28%) referenced turning into, or out of, a nearby driveway. Of those, 10 crashes (15%) were specifically referred to as courtesy crashes. A courtesy crash is a term used to describe a crash that occurs when a non-involved mainline motorist gives the right of way, contrary to the rules of the road, to another vehicle entering or exiting a side street or driveway, and that vehicle is hit by another, unsuspecting vehicle in the adjacent lane. Courtesy crashes typically occur in A vehicle turning left out of the northerly D Angelo s curb cut through queued easterly traffic on Bridge Road. locations where there is a large queue of vehicles in multiple lanes of traffic. An operator s line of sight can be obstructed when entering or exiting a driveway that is located in the queuing area of an intersection. Seven angle crashes occurred at the northerly driveway for D Angelo s in the Bridge Road eastbound queuing area, with one resulting in personal injury. Eight angle crashes occurred at the westerly driveway for Pride Fuels in the King Street northbound queuing area, with one resulting in personal injury. Finally, five angle crashes also occurred at the northerly driveway for Pride Fuels in the Damon Road westbound queuing area. It should be noted that Pride Fuels also shares space with a Dunkin Donuts drive-thru window, which generates considerable traffic entering the westerly driveway on King Street and exiting via the northerly driveway on Damon Road. During the RSA site visit, which occurred during the morning peak, operators were observed incorrectly yielding right of way to those making turns in and out of these driveways. Some operators were also observed making left turns into and out of these driveways by intentionally obstructing oncoming through traffic. Vehicles exiting the drive-thru at Dunkin Donuts into queued traffic. Page 17

19 Enhancements: 1. Determine the effectiveness of placing No Left Turn (R3-2) signage at the curb cuts for Pride Fuels and the Dunkin Donuts drive-thru to reduce the occurrence of courtesy crashes. Restricting left-turns in and out of the Pride Fuels and Dunkin Donuts curb cuts may simply move the increased occurrence of angle-type crashes to another location where these turns are permitted, evaluate locations where this may occur. 2. Evaluate the feasibility of extending the splitter islands on the King Street northbound approach past the westerly driveway for Pride Fuels, and on the Damon Road westbound approach past the driveway exit for the Dunkin Donuts drive-through, to physically limit the driveways to right-in/right-out turning movements. 3. Work with property owners to eliminate the northerly curb cut for D Angelo s located in the Bridge Road eastbound queuing area to eliminate the occurrence of courtesy crashes. On the easterly side of the property, there are two other curb cuts that are accessible by King Street southbound. Page 18

20 Safety Issue #4. Intersection Geometry Observations: The lengths of both the Damon Road eastbound rightturn lane and the Damon Road westbound left-turn lane are limited to about 75 feet. Consequently, queues in the Damon Road eastbound through lane can block the Damon Road eastbound right-turn lane, and queues in the Damon Road westbound through lane can block the Damon Road westbound left-turn lane, in the evening peak period. This can create longer queues, as vehicles intending to enter the left-turn or right-turn lane must wait for the through lane queue to clear. It can also cause Damon Road westbound motorists to cross the centerline to enter the left-turn lane. A three-axle truck occupies most of the Damon Road westbound left-turn lane and needs to encroach on the westbound through lane to make the turn. Six (or 9%) of the 69 crashes compiled were sideswipes on the Damon Road westbound approach that cited entering the left-turn, through, and rightturn lanes as a point of contact. This approach is about feet wide at the stop line; which provides insufficient width for the frequent heavy vehicle traffic observed on the Damon Road westbound approach. The sideswipe crashes at this location may also be attributed to lane use issues, which are a product of insufficient storage lane length and advanced lane designation signage. Due to the length of queuing observed by the RSA team on the Damon Road westbound through movement, it appears that a single through lane and receiving lane are inadequate. There also is no presence of a usable shoulder on the Damon Road westbound approach. Two buildings on the northerly side of Damon Road limit the right of way that is currently available for the westbound approach. As previously stated, a similar queuing situation occurs on the Bridge Road eastbound through movement during the morning peak. The Bridge Road eastbound left and right-turning lanes are blocked by the queuing for the through lane until it clears. No sideswipe accidents occurred on this approach during the study period; however four (6%) rear end crashes occurred in queued through lane traffic. The width of the eastbound approach is also about feet at the stop line and the length of the turning lanes are about 75 feet. RSA members observed a single eastbound through lane and receiving lane for this approach also appears to be inadequate for the amount of queued traffic during the morning peak. Right of way on the north and south side of Bridge Road does not appear to be as limited as Damon Road. The medians along all of the approaches appear to extend past the stop line and into the intersection. The length of the medians causes heavy vehicles to make sweeping left turns. This may prevent the North King Street southbound left-turn split phase, which is one of the major movements during the morning peak, from running concurrently with the King Street northbound left turn-movement. Page 19

21 Industrial Drive northbound right-turns have an obstructed sightline while stopped. Right-turning heavy vehicles are also impeded by an acute angle with a small curb radius. Industrial Drive intersects the southern side of Damon Road on an angle about five-hundred feet east of King Street. Industrial Drive has significant heavy vehicle traffic entering and exiting the industrial park to access nearby businesses and a Coca-Cola plant. Damon Road eastbound right-turn movements onto Industrial Drive are provided a large turning radius on an obtuse angle. Industrial Drive northbound right-turn movements onto Damon Road are inhibited by an obstructed sightline and an acute turning angle. The RSA team observed Industrial Drive northbound right-turning trucks encroaching over the double yellow centerline, and mounting the asphalt curbing to make the turn. Enhancements: 1. Evaluate safety benefits of lengthening the Damon Road westbound left turn-lane and the Damon Road westbound right-turn lane at King Street. Longer storage lanes for turning movements on Damon Road westbound would allow more vehicles to clear from the Damon Road westbound through queue. Consider current lack of right-of-way and the possible need for permanent takings from adjacent properties if turning lanes are extended. 2. Examine the safety benefits of adding an additional Damon Road westbound through lane or an additional westbound receiving lane on Bridge Road. Reducing the delay caused by the Damon Road westbound through movement queuing during the evening peak would improve signal performance. 3. Examine the safety benefits of adding an additional Bridge Road eastbound through lane or an additional westbound receiving lane on Damon Road. Reducing the delay caused by the Bridge Road eastbound through movement queuing during the morning peak would improve signal performance. 4. Evaluate the existing lane widths along the Bridge Road eastbound approach and Damon Road westbound approach to determine if they are wide enough to accommodate existing heavy vehicle traffic. Widening the shoulder may also aid emergency vehicles during the preemption phase, by giving queued vehicles more room to pull over. Consider current lack of right-of-way and the possible need for permanent takings from adjacent properties if approach is widened. Page 20

22 5. Consider reducing the lengths of the medians at all approaches at the intersection of Damon Road/Bridge Road/King Street to increase capacity at the intersection and allow for concurrent protected left-turn phasing on the King Street northbound and North King Street southbound approaches. This would require the addition of exclusive left-turn lanes to both approaches. 6. Consider widening the existing medians to six feet or wider, where possible, to provide a refuge area for pedestrians to safely wait for a gap in traffic. 7. Remove excess vegetation on the Industrial Drive northbound approach to allow for adequate sight distance for exiting vehicles. 8. At the stop-controlled Industrial Drive northbound right-turn movement, determine the feasibility of providing a larger turning radius appropriate for trucks turning on an acute angle. An RSA member also stated that the industrial park entrance sign and vegetation obstructing the sightline for this movement was within the Right of Way for Industrial Drive. The existing entrance sign should be relocated and vegetation should be removed or cut back. Page 21

23 Safety Issue #5. Pavement Markings Observations: The RSA team observed that the pavement markings on all approaches to the King Street at Damon Road and Bridge Road were partially faded and in need of restriping. On the Bridge Road eastbound approach, left and right turn lane directional legends were faded as well as the solid white lane lines. No marked lane designation text (e.g. left turn arrow legend with ONLY ) accompanied the turning lane directional legends in the eastbound-left and eastbound right-turn lanes. Solid white lane lines are also not long enough to effectively store more than three car lengths. No solid white edge line is provided on this approach due to the lane limited widths. On the Bridge Road eastbound approach, turning arrow legends and lane markings were partially faded. The Damon Road westbound approach has similar issues with the way turning lanes are marked. No lane designation text accompanies any of the turning lane legends. The solid white lane lines are not long enough to be effective in queued traffic, and no solid white edge line is provide due to the lack of a usable shoulder. At the intersection of King Street at Damon Road and Bridge Road, the stop lines on all approaches appeared to be too far into the intersection to provide crosswalks and pedestrian improvements. The stop line location paired with the median geometry appeared to make many vehicles take sweeping left turns. At the intersection of Industrial Drive and Damon Road, on the Industrial Drive northbound approach, the stop line is located about fifty feet behind where vehicles need to be to have a clear line of sight for merging into traffic. Presumably, this is to accommodate heavy vehicles in the Damon Road westbound leftturning movement. The Industrial Drive northbound right-turn stop line is located about fifty feet back from where most vehicles actually stopped. No crosswalk markings are provided at the King Street at Damon Road and Bridge Road intersection or the Industrial Way at Damon Road intersection. Bicycle lane markings are not currently on any of the approaches. Page 22

24 Enhancements: 1. In general, restriping longitudinal lane markings on all approaches to the King Street intersection may increase driver compliance. 2. Consider developing longer turning lane markings in association with geometric changes to the Damon Road westbound approach and the Bridge Road eastbound approach to increase queued vehicle storage. 3. Lane designation text ONLY is a feasible addition on the Damon westbound approach and the Bridge Road eastbound approach if the lengths of turning movement storage lanes are increased. 4. Evaluate adding a usable shoulder to the roadway for emergency use. A usable shoulder also provides space for cyclist use. 5. Consider pulling the stop lines back on all approaches from within the intersection at King Street to provide easier left-turn movements. This enhancement will also provide space for pedestrian crosswalks. 6. At the Industrial Drive and Damon Road intersection, adjust the stop line in unison with any geometric improvements made to the Industrial Drive northbound approach. 7. Add MassDOT standard crosswalk markings with the installation of ADA-compliant wheelchair ramps and sidewalks to improve pedestrian safety at the intersection. 8. Evaluate the feasibility of adding bike lane markings to the Damon Road eastbound and westbound lanes to encourage the planned bicycle connection previously mentioned in the RSA. Page 23

25 Safety Issue #6. Signage Observations: The RSA team noted at Location A that warning signage is obstructed and regulatory signage is inconsistent. The team made the following observations with respect to signage: Guide Signage On the Damon Road westbound approach, guide signs for King Street (U.S. 5 and S.R. 10) and for I-91 are partially obstructed by tree branches. On the King Street northbound approach, guide signs for I-91 are partially obstructed by overgrown vegetation. No guide signage is provided opposite vehicle operators on the northbound Industrial Drive approach. Damon Road westbound guide signage for King Street (Route 5/10) and I-91 is obstructed by tree limbs. Warning Signage A warning sign is provided on the Damon Road westbound approach stating a No Passing Zone (W14-3) located on the southerly side of Damon Road out of view to most vehicle operators. This sign is unnecessary as there are not any permitted passing zones on any part of Damon Road. No other advanced warning signagefor the railroad crossing or the signal is provided at any of the approaches. Warning signage for No Passing Zone (W14-3). Page 24

26 Regulatory Signage A Left Lane Must Turn Left (R3 7l) lane designation sign appears to be missing. In general, graphic lane use signage (R3-8 series) in the intersection is lacking. Lane designation signage is present but appears to be incomplete. Enhancements: 1. In the short term, reduce operator confusion by clearing overgrown vegetation from obstructing guide signage on the Damon Road westbound approach and the King Street northbound approach. 2. Consider installing I-91 guide signage opposite the Industrial Drive northbound approach for added clarity. 3. Remove unnecessary W14-3 signage on the south side of Damon Road at Industrial Drive. Consider installing signal and railroad crossing warning signage such as (W3-3, W3-4, and W10-1) on the northerly side of the Damon road westbound approach. 4. Install a Left Lane Must Turn Left (R3-7l) in the splitter island on the Bridge Road eastbound left-turn approach. 5. Install graphic lane use signs (R3-8 series) in unison with the existing lane use signage (R3-7 series) on all approaches. Page 25

27 Location B: Damon Road at Curve near River Run Road Safety Issue #1. Intersection Geometry Observations: East of the intersections of Damon Road at King Street and Damon Road at Industrial Drive, lays a large radius horizontal curve in the alignment of Damon Road. On the southerly side of the curve, or the Damon Road eastbound side, lies a residential and retail development with three driveways. On the northerly side of the curve, or the Damon Road westbound side, lay four driveways and River Run Road. 18 (or 77%) of the crashes at this location were rear-end or angle-type crashes. 10 (43%) of these crashes specifically cited one of the vehicle operators making a turn into East of the King Street intersection, Damon Road is a two lane road with superelevation. Parked cars can obstruct horizontal sight distance on Damon Road eastbound. or out of one of these driveways. 5 (22%) of the rear-end crashes cited failure to stop for queued traffic that was residually backed up from the King Street at Damon Road and Bridge Road intersection. This crash data suggests that there may be a horizontal sight-distance issue at this curve in Damon Road. In some instances, Damon Road westbound through traffic is not able to see queued traffic backed up from the King Street intersection, or vehicles exiting driveways and River Run Road with enough distance to stop safely. A similar situation occurs with Damon Road eastbound through traffic not always being able to see vehicles turning into and out of the residential/retail driveways on the southerly side of the curve in Damon Road. This usually occurs when there is a sight obstruction between a horizontal curve and its geometrical chord. The RSA team observed that parked cars in the retail/residential development may be obstructing driver sight lines on the southerly apex of the curve in Damon Road. The RSA team also noted that brush encroached on the Damon Road westbound lane leading into the curve. River Run Road intersects Damon Road westbound at the point of tangency of the curve. The curve in Damon Road is also designed with a significant superelevation. This may encourage higher vehicle speeds and the driver misconception that the speed limit is higher than the posted 35 mph. RSA team members noted that this section of Damon Road, from a driver s perspective, looks like a rural local road. Meanwhile, its functional classification is Page 26

28 actually an urban minor arterial. River Run Road intersects Damon Road westbound at the exit of the curve. An RSA member noted that River Run Road was originally built as a private way for industrial use. Curb radii are large and the intersection is wide to accommodate trucks. Now the road is a publicly used way serving residential and retail use. The large curb radii originally intended for truck traffic allow Damon Road westbound right-turning cars to turn into River Run Road in a fast sweeping motion. River Run Road southbound right-turning cars are not stop-controlled and can turn onto Damon Road westbound in a similar sweeping fashion. The River Run Road southbound approach is wide and not stopcontrolled. Enhancements: 1. In general, reducing queued residual traffic from the King Street at Damon Road and Bridge Road intersection will reduce the frequency of rear end accidents at this location. 2. In the short-term, cut back vegetation from the Damon road westbound lane to increase visibility. 3. Consider restriping parking spaces at the retail/residential development on the southerly side of the curve so parked vehicles do not obstruct horizontal line of site. 4. Consider shortening the length of the horizontal curve and re-grading the superelevation on Damon Road to encourage lower vehicle speeds. 5. Provide a stop line and stop sign on the River Run Road southbound approach. 6. Examine a reduction of the curb radii at the intersection of River Run Road and Damon Road. A smaller curb radius will prevent vehicles from entering River Run Road northbound in a fast sweeping motion. In conjunction, realign the intersection so River Run Road intersects Damon Road perpendicularly. Page 27

29 Safety Issue #2. Access Management Observations: 4 (17%) angle-type crashes involved a vehicle exiting the residential/retail development on the southerly side of the curve in Damon Road. The western-most driveway for this development is not immediately visible to oncoming traffic on the Damon Road eastbound through movement. The RSA team observed that there were no pavement markings or signage to designate a specific entrance or exit for this development from one of the three driveways accessing Damon Road. Enhancements: The residential/retail development on the southern apex of the curve in Damon Road. 1. Consider closing the westernmost driveway at the residential/retail development located on the southerly apex of the curve. Of the remaining two driveways, one can be designated as an entrance and one can be designated as an exit with signage or pavement markings. 2. Evaluate whether providing a left-turn storage lane on Damon Road westbound for leftturning traffic into the residential/retail development entrance is needed. Page 28

30 Safety Issue #3. Vehicle Speeds Observations: The roadway geometric features allow passenger car traffic to maintain speed through the curve in Damon Road. RSA team members observed some vehicles that appeared to be exceeding the posted 35 mph speed limit on this section of Damon Road. 2 (9%) rear end crashes that involved stopped or turning traffic resulted in personal injury, including one crash where a vehicle burst into flames on impact. This type of crash severity does not usually occur unless the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed. Eastbound approach to the curve on Damon Road. Enhancements: 1. In the short-term, post a speed radar trailer near the curve in Damon Road to increase driver awareness. 2. Increase enforcement and post clearer speed-limit signage before the curve on both the eastbound and westbound approach. Page 29

31 Safety Issue #4. Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations Observations: No ADA sidewalks are provided on either side of Damon Road at this curve. This was a concern to RSA team members with the area becoming increasingly more residential. An RSA team member from the Northampton Planning Department noted that there are future developments proposed along River Run Road that would include office and recreational space. An RSA team member from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission also noted that a planned connection to the Norwottuck Rail Trail on the Damon Road westbound (northerly) side of the curve is also located along this route. There are currently no marked bicycle lanes provided, but there is a wide shoulder on the eastbound and westbound sides of Damon Road. Enhancements: A pedestrian walking in the shoulder of Damon Road westbound. 1. Consider providing a sidewalk on the eastbound (southerly) side of Damon Road to provide pedestrian connectivity with the intersection of King Street at Damon Road and Bridge Road. 2. Consider installing a pushbutton signalized crosswalk near the entrance to the residential retail development on the south side of the curve in Damon Road. This would provide pedestrian access to the retail stores and connectivity to the mixed-use path and could be developed in unison with a left-turn lane. If a pushbutton pedestrian signal is not warranted, installation of a rectangular rapid flashing crosswalk beacon (RRFB s) or a High-intensity activated crosswalk beacon (HAWK) should be considered. 3. Evaluate whether painted bicycle lanes or a cycle track are feasible. A pushbutton crossing would also benefit cyclists trying to access the mixed-use path on northerly side of Damon Road. Page 30