ROAD SAFETY AUDIT. Route 114 (Winthrop Av. And Parker St.) at Andover St. City of Lawrence. October 14, Prepared For: MassDOT

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1 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT Route 114 (Winthrop Av. And Parker St.) at Andover St. City of Lawrence October 14, 2011 Prepared For: MassDOT Prepared By: Merrimack Valley Planning Commission

2 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Table of Contents Background... 1 Project Data... 2 Project Location and Description...3 Audit Observations and Potential Safety Enhancements...15 Summary of Road Safety Audit List of Figures Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 3. Site Locus Map (Source: USGS)... 4 Aerial Orthogonal Photo of Route 114 at Andover Street (Source: Pictometry, 11/07)... 5 Existing Weekday Morning and Evening Peak Hour Traffic Volumes... 8 List of Tables Table 1. Table 2. Table 3. Table 4. Table 5. Table 6. Table 7. Table 8. Participating Audit Team Members... 2 Traffic Volume Summary... 7 Intersection Crash Summary ( )... 9 Intersection Operations Analysis Results Existing Conditions Intersection Operations Analysis Results Recommended Short-Term Improvements Intersection Operations Analysis Results Recommended Mid-Term Improvements Intersection Operations Analysis Results Recommended Mid-Term Improvements Alt. 14 Potential Safety Enhancement Summary List of Appendices Appendix A. Appendix B. Appendix C. Appendix D. Appendix E. Appendix F. Appendix G. Appendix H. RSA Meeting Agenda RSA Audit Team Contact List Detailed Crash Data Roadway Speed Data Daily and Peak Period Traffic Count Data Crash Rate Calculation Intersection Operations Analysis Methodology and Results Road Safety Audit References

3 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Background A Road Safety Audit (RSA) as defined by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is the formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team. An RSA qualitatively estimates and reports on all safety issues and identifies opportunities for safety improvements for all roadway users. The conducting of RSAs at high-crash locations throughout the Commonwealth is one of the many strategies noted in the state s Strategic Highway Safety Plan, which was developed in an effort to reduce the number of crash-related fatalities and incapacitating injuries on roadways within Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission (MVPC) have known that the intersection of Route 114 and Andover Street in Lawrence has been a location of concern with regards to safety for some time. In 2010, MassDOT published its latest Top Crash Locations Report, which listed the top 200 high crash intersection locations within Massachusetts using crash data from 2006 to 2008, which was supplied by the Registry of Motor Vehicles. For this report, MassDOT not only reported the frequency of crashes occurring at each location, but also on the severity. To compare crashes at locations on an equivalent basis, MassDOT uses a weighting scale, known as the Equivalent Property Damage Only (EPDO), where fatal crashes are weighted by 10, injury crashes are weighted by 5, and property damage only crashes are weighted by 1. The report showed this intersection as having 50 crashes and, in terms of EPDO, being at number 185 overall statewide, and at number 8 for the Merrimack Valley region. The intersection also has one of the highest frequencies of crashes occurring at a location on Route 114, according to MVPC in its Route 114 Corridor Study. According to the Merrimack Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization s (MPO s) 2007 Regional Transportation Plan, the intersection is also shown as being one of the highest crash intersection locations within the region. Because the intersection is within the top five percent of crash clusters in the Merrimack Valley region, it is eligible for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). MassDOT incorporated the RSA as a requirement for securing Federal funding (HSIP funds) for safety projects. For these reasons, this intersection was chosen as the site of an RSA by MassDOT and the Merrimack Valley MPO to help identify potential short-term and long-term safety improvements that could be made if HSIP funding is received. Page 1

4 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Project Data The Road Safety Audit was conducted on September 22, 2011 for the intersection of Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street in Lawrence. As shown in Table 1, the audit team was comprised of federal, state, regional, and local agencies and included professionals from emergency response, engineering, and planning. Prior to this meeting, MVPC gathered, reviewed, and summarized the most recent pertinent available information, including: crash data, traffic volume data, and traffic speed data. In addition to the crash data summaries obtained from the MassDOT Statewide database/rmv, MVPC also collected the actual crash reports, which show the narratives and crash diagrams, from the Lawrence police department. With input and assistance from Lawrence officials, MVPC selected the RSA team and chose a location in South Lawrence that was close to the intersection to meet. At the pre-audit meeting, MVPC discussed the process and goals for the RSA, provided handouts of all pertinent information, presented the existing traffic, speed, and crash data, and discussed any known related planned projects to the participants in order to provide an introduction to project. The team then began to provide comments on the safety issues, based on their knowledge of the intersection. MVPC recorded the comments. Following the pre-audit meeting, the team conducted a site visit/audit, during which the previous specific safety issues and concerns were pointed out by the RSA team and MVPC. Additional safety issues were identified at the site and recorded by MVPC. After the site visit, the RSA participants met in a post-audit meeting and the group discussed potential countermeasures that had been identified during the RSA and any new countermeasures that could be thought of during the meeting. The countermeasures, which were recorded by MVPC, included short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term improvements. The City was identified at this meeting as the responsible party for the improvements and any necessary designs. Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members Audit Team Member Dan McCarthy Andrew Wall Promise Otaluka Bud Dorgan Jack Bergeron Eugene Scanlon Lisa Schletzbaum Tony Komornick Jim Terlizzi Agency/Affiliation City of Lawrence Planning Department City of Lawrence DPW, City Engineer Federal Highway Administration, MA Division Lawrence Fire Department Lawrence Fire Department Lawrence Police Department MassDOT Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Page 2

5 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Project Location and Description MVPC conducted an inventory of the existing intersection geometry and traffic volumes in October of Below is a detailed discussion of the intersection geometrics and traffic control features, a discussion of the daily and peak hour traffic volumes, a review of the crash data, and an analysis of the existing operations as well as the operations resulting from recommended short-term and mid-term improvements. Geometrics and Traffic Control Route 114 Route 114 has terminals in Lawrence to the northwest and in Marblehead to the southeast and traverses Essex County with an almost perfect northwest/southeast alignment on an old turnpike for nearly its entirety between Lawrence and Salem. Within Lawrence, Route 114 is routed along the City streets of Merrimack Street, Parker Street, and Winthrop Avenue. Route 114 changes in name from Parker Street to Winthrop Avenue at its intersection with Andover Street. Winthrop Avenue runs northwest to southeast through South Lawrence and connects the City to Interstate Route 495 at Exit 42. It then continues southeast to the commercial areas in North Andover where it becomes Turnpike Street. Parker Street carries Route 114 to the north to its terminus along Merrimack Street. Parker Street and Winthrop Avenue, between Andover Street and the Interstate 495 interchange, are under jurisdiction of the City of Lawrence. Winthrop Avenue is designated as being part of the National Highway System (NHS) and is functionally classified as an urban principal arterial. Parker Street carries one travel lane in each direction, while Winthrop Avenue carries two in each direction. The speed limit is 25 miles per hour for all of Parker Street and a short distance of Winthrop Avenue past Andover Street, and 30 miles per hour for all the rest of Winthrop Avenue. The speed limit signs are posted on the sides of Winthrop Avenue, approximately 200 feet southeast of Andover Street. These are the same speed limits that are noted in Special Speed Regulation #59B for the City of Lawrence. At its signalized intersection with Andover Street, Winthrop Avenue has its inside travel lane change in lane use to become an exclusive left turn lane on its approach. Andover Street Andover Street is an east/west two lane roadway, 2.1 miles in length, which traverses South Lawrence from the Andover town line to the west (where the roadway changes in name to River Road) to Shawsheen Road, which parallels the Shawsheen River Park, to the east. To the west, Andover Street is functionally classified as an urban minor arterial and connects the principal arterial of South Broadway (Route 28) with the Lawrence Industrial Park and the large industrial and office park employment area located near the River Road/Interstate Route 93 interchange in Andover. A section of Andover Street, between the two principal arterials of South Broadway (Route 28) and Winthrop Avenue (Route 114), provides a connection between these two NHS roadways and is itself functionally classified as an urban principal arterial that is also an NHS Page 3

6 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission roadway. East of Route 114, Andover Street is a local roadway. All of Andover Street is locally owned and maintained. Route 114 at Andover Street intersection Parker Street and Winthrop Avenue, both of which are signed as Route 114, intersect Andover Street from the north and southeast, respectively to form this four legged intersection under traffic signal control. Figure 1 presents the intersection s location in relation to the regional and interstate highways within South Lawrence. Parker Street has one very wide (22 to 23-feet wide) lane on its approach to the intersection. However, there are side by side loop detectors in the road on this approach, which indicates that this approach may have been striped for two lanes at one time; a left-turn/thru lane and a thru/right turn lane (as it is used every so often) or an exclusive right turn lane. When the approach is used as two lanes, most of the through traffic generally tends to stay near the roadway centerline on this approach, thereby allowing rightturning vehicles and even some through vehicles to bypass the through traffic that is queued on the inside at a red light. There are two receiving lanes on Winthrop Avenue opposite this approach. As mentioned before, Winthrop Avenue has two lanes on its approach: one 11-foot wide exclusive left-turn lane and one 12-foot wide through lane. Figure 1. Site Locus Map (Source: USGS) Because of the angle in which Winthrop Avenue meets Parker Street at the intersection, vehicles traveling through the intersection must either travel on the inside of the Winthrop Avenue through lane or make a slight turn to stay in the lane on Parker Street. Traveling on the inside of Page 4

7 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission the lane is challenging when done so side by side with left-turning vehicles in the adjacent lane. Andover Street has one 16-foot wide lane on both of its approaches that is used by all turning movements. Intersection curb corner radii are 30 feet on the northwest corner, 25 feet on the southwest corner, 15 feet on the southeast corner, and 35 feet on the northeast corner. Figure 2 presents an aerial orthogonal photograph of the intersection and its existing geometry and traffic lane configuration. Figure 2. Aerial Orthogonal Photo of Route 114 at Andover Street (Source: Pictometry, 11/07) The traffic flow at the intersection is controlled by a two-phase fully actuated signal. During peak periods, the signal operates on a 70- to 90-second cycle and the Andover Street phase reaches its maximum allotted green time of 25 seconds most every call. During the weekday morning peak period, the Route 114 phase only exceeds its minimum allotted green time of 35 seconds on rare occasions, while during the weekday evening peak period, the minimum is exceeded many more times. Signal heads are suspended from a mast arm assembly support (with a 20 foot high mast and a 35 foot long arm), located on the northeast corner as well as post supports on the southeast and southwest corners. Just the base of a signal post remains on the northwest corner. Pedestrians can also activate an exclusive, dedicated pedestrian phase at the Page 5

8 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission intersection (which follows the Route 114 traffic phase) by pushing a button on the assembly mast or one of three remaining posts that support the pedestrian signal heads. For the traffic phases of the traffic signal cycle, a change and clearance interval of 7 seconds is granted: 3 seconds of yellow and 4 seconds of all-red time. For the pedestrian phase, there is an interval of 13 seconds given to the flashing DON T WALK portion of the phase. Portland cement concrete sidewalks exist along both sides of Route 114 and Andover Street. Crosswalks, 8- to 9-feet in width, are striped across all legs of the intersection. The crossing distance is approximately 60 feet across Winthrop Avenue, 50 feet across Parker Street and approximately 45 feet across both legs of Andover Street. The concrete walks along all corners of the intersection are in good condition. Land use in the immediate vicinity of the intersection consists of an approximate 3,000 square foot (sf) donut shop on the southwest corner, a small neighborhood retail plaza (8,000 sf in size) on the northwest corner, and residential units on the northeast and southeast corners. Driveways to the retail plaza, donut shop, and residential unit on the northeast corner are onto both Route 114 and Andover Street, while the driveway to the residential unit on the southeast corner is exclusively onto Route 114. Traffic Volumes Traffic volume data was gathered for the study in October of 2010 by means of turning movement and vehicle classification counts (TMCs) conducted at the Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street intersection. The TMCs were conducted during the weekday morning commuter peak period (7:00 to 9:00 AM) and the weekday evening commuter peak period (4:00 to 6:00 PM). Additionally, automatic traffic recorders (ATRs) were placed on Winthrop Avenue, Parker Street, and Andover Street, west of Route 114. A review of the traffic count data indicates that traffic volumes increase on Route 114 and Andover Street throughout the day until the mid to late afternoon and then gradually decrease thereafter. Peak turning volumes occur at the intersection between 7:15 and 8:15 in the morning and between 4:15 and 5:15 in the evening. The greatest volume of truck traffic traveling through the intersection is turning to and from Andover Street to the west. The weekday morning peak hour is the heavier of the two peak hours for truck flow. Table 2 presents a summary of the daily and peak hour traffic volumes on roadways at the intersection. As shown in Table 2, on Route 114, there are approximately 20,900 vehicles per day (vpd) immediately southeast of Andover Street, and 15,400 vpd north of Andover Street. Andover Street, west of Route 114, carries a large volume of traffic turning to and from Winthrop Avenue, which explains the difference in volumes on Route 114 immediately north and southeast of the intersection. Andover Street, west of Route 114, carries approximately 12,400 vpd. During both of the commuter peak hours, the flow of traffic is somewhat evenly distributed by direction as shown in Table 2. Page 6

9 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Table 2. Traffic Volume Summary Average Weekday Peak Daily Hour Traffic Peak Traffic K- Directional Location Volume a Hour Volume b Factor c Distribution Route 114 (Parker Street), 15,400 Morning % northbound north of Andover Street Evening 1, % northbound Route 114 (Winthrop Ave.), 20,900 Morning 1, % westbound southeast of Andover Street Evening 1, % westbound Andover Street, 12,400 Morning % eastbound west of Route 114 Evening % eastbound Andover Street, NA Morning 275 NA 56% westbound east of Route 114 Evening 259 NA 56% eastbound a Average Weekday Daily Traffic (AWDT) volume in vehicles per day (vpd). NA = data not available. b Peak hour traffic volume in vehicles per hour (vph). c K-Factor is the percent of daily traffic occurring during the peak hour; expressed as a percentage. Figure 3 presents the weekday morning and evening peak hour turning movement counts. Traffic count data is also provided in the Appendix of this study. As shown in Figure 3, most traffic on Andover Street is originating from or destined to Winthrop Avenue. Additionally, the traffic volumes for the left turns onto Andover Street from Winthrop Avenue and the right turns onto Winthrop Avenue from Andover Street are nearly identical during both peak hours. The greatest traffic volume between two conflicting movements at the intersection is the Winthrop Avenue left turn movement conflicting with the Parker Street southbound through movement. Page 7

10 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Weekday Morning Peak Hour N Not to Scale Weekday Evening Peak Hour N Not to Scale Figure 3. Existing Weekday Morning and Evening Peak Hour Traffic Volumes Page 8

11 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Crash History Historical traffic crash data was obtained for the study intersection from MassDOT s statewide crash database that was built with crash reports filed by police officers and vehicle operators between 2007 and 2009 and sent to the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). That data was supplemented with data from the actual crash reports during that same period that were obtained from the Lawrence Police Department. The data was reviewed over this three-year period to determine crash trends for the intersection. Table 3 presents a summary of the crash report data. Table 3. Intersection Crash Summary ( ) Type a Severity b Condition c Condition d Crash Road Light Time of CM RE SV SS Ped Un PD PI F Un Dry Wet Ice Day Dusk Lit AM PM # % 44% 44% 4% 4% 2% 2% 61% 30% 2% 7% 52% 39% 9% 78% 5% 17% 39% 61% Source: MassDOT and the Lawrence Police Department. Un = Unknown in all sections. a Crash Type: CM = cross movement; RE = rear-end; SV = single vehicle; SS = side swipe, same direction; Ped = pedestrian. b Severity of Crash: PD = Property Damage Only; PI = Personal Injury; F = Fatality. c Road Condition is the condition of the roadway surface. (Ice = snowy or icy road surface). d Light Condition is the ambient light. Lit = Times of darkness with the roadway lit. According to the review of the data, there were a total of forty-six crashes over the three-year period, or an average of approximately fifteen per year. Even though there appears to be a high frequency of crashes occurring at this location, the number of crashes at the intersection should also be reviewed against traffic volumes using the intersection and then compared to the rate of crashes for other signalized intersections. MassDOT reports that for the year 2010, the latest year available, there is a statewide average rate of 0.82 crashes per million entering vehicles (mev) for signalized intersections. The intersection of Route 114 (Parker Street and Winthrop Avenue) at Andover Street has a crash rate of 1.62 crashes/mev, which is a rate that is nearly double that of the statewide average rate. Nearly half of the crashes occurred on wet or icy roads. This could possibly be a contributing factor to the collisions between vehicles operating in close proximity to one another within the limited space of this compact urban intersection. Fourteen of the forty-six crashes (or approximately 30 percent) involved personal injury and there was one crash involving a fatality. The predominant types of collision occurring at the intersection were angle or cross-movement type collisions between two vehicles and rear-end collisions, of which there were twenty-two and eighteen of each type, respectively (accounting for 87 percent of all crashes). Severity of the crashes depends on the type of collisions occurring. The single collision of a vehicle with a pedestrian involved a fatal injury. Only about nearly one third of the rear-end type and angle type collisions involve injury. Page 9

12 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission More crashes occur after noon than in the morning. Fourteen of the crashes (or 30 percent) occurred during the weekday peak periods of 7:00 to 9:00 AM and 4:00 to 6:00 PM; six during the morning and eight during the evening. Twenty-seven of the forty-six crashes (or approximately 59 percent) occur at one of three locations involving specific types of collisions between two vehicles either making opposing or the same vehicle movements. Referring to the collision diagram within the Appendix, one will see that the most frequent type and location of collisions is angle type collisions occurring between the Winthrop Avenue left-turning vehicles with the Parker Street through traveling vehicles, of which there were eleven over the three-year period. (There were only two angletype collisions that occurred in the opposite direction.) In nearly all cases, the collisions occurred because the left-turning vehicles failed to yield the right-of way to the through traveling vehicles, according to the crash reports. The next highest frequency of collisions are the nine rear-end collisions on the Winthrop Avenue approach, followed by the seven rear-end collisions on the Andover Street eastbound approach. The two side swipe collisions involved vehicles both traveling in the northwestbound direction on Route 114. One crash occurred on the Winthrop Avenue approach, when a through traveling vehicle was behind a vehicle queue in the left turn lane and moved over to the through lane, striking the side of a vehicle. The other crash occurred in the receiving lane on Parker Street when a through traveling vehicle used the left-turn lane as a through lane and ended up side swiping a through traveling vehicle coming from the through lane. There were two incidents that involved single vehicles departing the roadway and colliding with a fixed object on the side of the road. Both of these collisions involved a vehicle traveling southbound on Parker Street and departing Winthrop Avenue at the intersection corner; one striking a utility pole and the other a fence line. There were two incidents involving a vehicle that entered the intersection on a red light and collided at an angle with another vehicle. Both of the collisions were between eastbound travelers on Andover Street and Winthrop Avenue through traveling vehicles. One of the crashes involved an Andover Street vehicle running a red light and the other involved a Winthrop Avenue vehicle running a red light. Page 10

13 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Operations Analysis The operation of the signalized intersection of Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street was analyzed with the SYNHRO micro simulation computer model, which follows the methodology presented in the Transportation Research Board s (TRB s) latest Highway Capacity Manual. A summary of the methodology can be found in the appendix of this study. Existing Conditions Table 4 presents the analysis results for the existing operations of the signalized intersection of Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street. Operations analysis sheets are provided in the Appendix of this study. Table 4. Intersection Operations Analysis Results Existing Conditions Peak Hour Lane Movement/Total a V/C b AD c LOS d Queue e Length f Weekday Morning Winthrop Av WB LT Winthrop Av WB TH/RT Parker Street SB LT/TH Parker Street SB RT Andover Street EB Andover Street WB Intersection A B A A B B B Weekday Evening Winthrop Av WB LT Winthrop Av WB TH/RT Parker Street SB LT/TH Parker Street SB RT Andover Street EB Andover Street WB Intersection A B B A B B B a NB = Northbound; SB = Southbound; EB = Eastbound; WB = Westbound; LT = Left-Turn; TH = Through; RT = Right Turn. b Volume to Capacity ratio. c Average Control Delay is in seconds per vehicle. d Level of Service. e 95 th percentile queue is in vehicles. f Length of queue is in feet; assumes 25 feet per vehicle. As shown in Table 4, the critical movements at this signalized intersection operate overall well within capacity at level-of-service (LOS) B during both the weekday morning and evening commuter peak hours. Through traffic on the Route 114 approaches operates well at LOS A and traffic turning left onto Andover Street operates at LOS B during the weekday morning and evening peak hours. Page 11

14 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Recommended Improvements Some of the safety enhancements recommended by the RSA team were analyzed for their impact to operations of the intersection. Some short-term recommendations included striping the Parker Avenue approach so that it is used as one lane and shortening the clearance intervals for the signal phases. Table 5 presents the results of the analysis for those improvements to the intersection. Table 5. Intersection Operations Analysis Results Recommended Short-Term Improvements Peak Hour Lane Movement/Total a V/C b AD c LOS d Queue e Length f Weekday Morning Winthrop Av WB LT Winthrop Av WB TH/RT Parker Street SB Andover Street EB Andover Street WB Intersection A B A B B B Weekday Evening Winthrop Av WB LT Winthrop Av WB TH/RT Parker Street SB Andover Street EB Andover Street WB Intersection A B A B B B a NB = Northbound; SB = Southbound; EB = Eastbound; WB = Westbound; LT = Left-Turn; TH = Through; RT = Right Turn. b Volume to Capacity ratio. c Average Control Delay is in seconds per vehicle. d Level of Service. e 95 th percentile queue is in vehicles. f Length of queue is in feet; assumes 25 feet per vehicle. As shown in Table 5, with the identified short-term safety improvements, there are hardly any impacts to the operations of the intersection. It will still operate at LOS B during the peak hours, with a slight decrease in average delay, due to the shortening of the clearance intervals. During the weekday morning peak hour, the queues will remain the same on the Parker Street approach with the recommended striping of one lane. The 95 th percentile queue will increase by nearly one car during the weekday evening peak hour. Page 12

15 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Some of the mid-term safety recommendations included the short-term improvements of striping the Parker Avenue approach for one lane and the shorter clearance intervals plus adding protected/permissive or protected only phasing for the Winthrop Avenue left turning vehicles. Table 6 presents the results of the analysis for the mid-term improvements of protected/permissive phasing for the Winthrop Avenue left-turning vehicles. Table 6. Intersection Operations Analysis Results Recommended Mid- Term Improvements Peak Hour Lane Movement/Total a V/C b AD c LOS d Queue e Length f Weekday Morning Winthrop Av WB LT Winthrop Av WB TH/RT Parker Street SB Andover Street EB Andover Street WB Intersection B A B C B B Weekday Evening Winthrop Av WB LT Winthrop Av WB TH/RT Parker Street SB Andover Street EB Andover Street WB Intersection B B B C B B a NB = Northbound; SB = Southbound; EB = Eastbound; WB = Westbound; LT = Left-Turn; TH = Through; RT = Right Turn. b Volume to Capacity ratio. c Average Control Delay is in seconds per vehicle. d Level of Service. e 95 th percentile queue is in vehicles. f Length of queue is in feet; assumes 25 feet per vehicle. As shown in Table 6, with the mid-term improvements of protected/permissive phasing for the Winthrop Avenue left-turning vehicles, the intersection continues to operate at LOS B during the both peak hours. The 95 th percentile queue on the Parker Street approach will increase by nearly three vehicles during the weekday morning peak hour and by approximately two vehicles during the weekday evening peak hour. This is due to the shortened amount of green time given to Parker Street. On the Andover Street eastbound approach, there are slight increases in average delay and the maximum queues also increase two to three vehicles during the commuter peak hours. Table 7 presents the results of the analysis for the alternative mid-term improvements of protected only phasing for the Winthrop Avenue left-turning vehicles. Page 13

16 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Table 7. Intersection Operations Analysis Results Recommended Mid- Term Improvements Alt. Peak Hour Lane Movement/Total a V/C b AD c LOS d Queue e Length f Weekday Morning Winthrop Av WB LT Winthrop Av WB TH/RT Parker Street SB Andover Street EB Andover Street WB Intersection C A C C C C Weekday Evening Winthrop Av WB LT Winthrop Av WB TH/RT Parker Street SB Andover Street EB Andover Street WB Intersection C A C D C C a NB = Northbound; SB = Southbound; EB = Eastbound; WB = Westbound; LT = Left-Turn; TH = Through; RT = Right Turn. b Volume to Capacity ratio. c Average Control Delay is in seconds per vehicle. d Level of Service. e 95 th percentile queue is in vehicles. f Length of queue is in feet; assumes 25 feet per vehicle. As shown in Table 7, with the alternative mid-term improvements of protected only phasing for the Winthrop Avenue left-turning vehicles, the intersection overall operates below capacity at LOS C during both peak hours. Additionally, the average delay for the Winthrop Avenue leftturners and the Parker Street through vehicles will increase slightly and operate at LOS C, since both of these movements are operating in their own protected and separate phases. The average delay to Winthrop Avenue left-turners will increase by approximately 22 seconds and to Parker Street will increase by approximately 19 to 21 seconds, during the peak hours. The 95 th percentile queue on the Parker Street approach will increase by approximately five to seven vehicles during the peak hours. These queues, which will occur two to three times during the peak hours, will extend slightly beyond Farnham Street. However, the average queue does not extend to Farnham Street. The maximum queue in the Winthrop Avenue left turn lane will increase approximately four vehicles to nine during the weekday morning peak hour and approximately five vehicles to ten during the weekday evening peak hour. Page 14

17 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Audit Observations and Potential Safety Enhancements The RSA team identified safety issues at the pre-meeting and also out at the audit site. Potential safety enhancements were discussed out at the site and at the post audit meeting. Following is a summary of the identified safety issues and the potential safety enhancements. Conflict Management Between Winthrop Avenue Left Turning Vehicles and Parker Street Through Traveling Vehicles The greatest traffic volumes for any two conflicting movements within the intersection belong to the vehicles in the Winthrop Avenue leftturning and the Parker Street through traveling movements. In fact, nearly a quarter of all crashes at this intersection occur between these two movements. Currently, left-turning vehicles are permitted to go while Parker Street vehicles are going, however, they must yield the right-of-way to the opposing Parker Street through traffic at all times, due to the signal phasing programmed into the controller and the signal indications facing Winthrop Avenue. Vehicles waiting for a gap in opposing traffic to turn left onto Andover Street must do so in close proximity to those vehicles traveling south on Parker Street, by virtue of the way that Winthrop Avenue aligns itself with Parker Street. An adequate view of the gap can be blocked at times by Winthrop Avenue through traveling vehicles because of the skewed alignment. Some operators of the vehicles waiting to turn left from Winthrop Avenue may not be able to see the signal indications because of their position relative to the signal heads directly above them. Also, the very wide lane on the Parker Street approach is used on many occasions as two lanes: a left/through lane on the inside and as an exclusive right-turn lane or even a through/right turn lane on the curb side. This forces many through vehicles on Parker Street to travel near the centerline and also through the intersection in very close proximity to the vehicles waiting to turn left from Winthrop Avenue. Perhaps the greatest way to enhance safety for this issue is to protect the left-turning vehicles from the opposing through vehicles with their own dedicated signal phasing. This can be done in the mid-term with some expense to the City by reprogramming the signal controller for either ideally protected only phasing or alternatively protected/permissive phasing for the Winthrop Avenue left-turning vehicles. With protected only phasing, the existing signal head suspended on the mast arm above the left turn lane must be replaced with a head/face Page 15

18 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission that has three lens indications: a green left arrow, a yellow left arrow, and a circular red. If the protected/permissive phasing alternative is desired, then the existing signal head must be replaced by a doghouse arrangement signal head with five indications: a circular red lens above a yellow left arrow lens and green left arrow lens on the left side and a circular yellow lens and circular green lens on the other side. Additionally, a LEFT TURN YIELD ON GREEN O [ball] sign (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) R10-12 sign) should be mounted on the mast arm next to the signal head to alert left turning vehicle operators to yield the right of way to Parker Street through vehicles during the permissive portion of the signal phase. In the short term with the existing signal phasing still in use, a far side signal head facing Winthrop Avenue should be mounted on a post when the missing signal post is reinstalled on the northwest corner in its relocated position. While little can be practically done to change Winthrop Avenue s alignment with Parker Street, changes can be made to guide through traveling vehicles from Parker Street onto Winthrop Avenue. Another potential safety improvement in the short term and at low cost to the City could be the striping of the Parker Street approach for one lane that is much narrower than it is today. A retro reflective, single white solid edge line should be painted or set, approximately six feet from the curb, which will make the approach lane only 16 feet at its widest point. This one lane will discourage right turning vehicles from forming their own lane and pushing through vehicles to the inside of the approach. Through vehicles from Parker Street can instead travel closer to the curb and farther away from the Winthrop Avenue vehicles waiting to turn left in the middle of the intersection. This lane configuration should guide through traveling vehicles to the middle of the two receiving lanes of Winthrop Avenue instead of just the inside lane. Winthrop Avenue Lane Drop West of Interstate Route 495, Winthrop Avenue has two travel lanes in each direction and Parker Street has one travel lane in each direction for its entirety. However, many new travelers on Route 114 in the City do not know this. Those traveling westbound on Winthrop Avenue are unaware that the inside travel lane suddenly drops to become an exclusive left-turn lane at its intersection with Andover Street. Some first become aware of this change in lane usage only 200 feet prior to the intersection s STOP bar by the first of two LEFT LANE MUST TURN LEFT signs posted. During times of congestion in both lanes, a lane change is not easily made and this traps some through traveling vehicles in the left turn lane. Others are only made aware when they are trapped behind a queue of vehicles waiting to turn left with their left turn signals flashing. In both cases, the operators of these vehicles must either cross the Page 16

19 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission solid white lane line near the intersection on the approach to get in the proper lane, sometimes in haste, or must use the left-turn lane as a through lane and merge with the through vehicles using the proper lane in the receiving lane of Parker Street. Both of these maneuvers can lead to rear-end and side swipe collisions. In the short term, the City can perform a study of the best ways to merge the two lanes of Winthrop Avenue westbound through traffic into the single curbside lane in advance of the intersection. This can best be accomplished by pavement markings that have a centerline taper with diagonal crosshatching to guide the vehicles into the merge and then a reverse taper near the intersection to allow left-turning vehicles to access the exclusive left-turn lane. The MUTCD must be consulted as part of this study. In the event that the pavement markings do not happen in the mid-term, the City should install overhead advance lane control signs (MUTCD R3-8 series signs) that indicate the coming change in lane usage in advance of the intersection. These signs should face the westbound traffic and be posted directly over the lanes, perhaps supported on a mast arm assembly, with a left arrow over the inside lane and a straight arrow over the curb lane. The signs should be placed approximately 350 feet in advance of the intersection s STOP bar, near Boxford Street. These signs will be very conspicuous and double the time in which drivers are made aware of the change in lane use. Winthrop Avenue Lane Usage Confusion Even as drivers approach the intersection westbound on Winthrop Avenue, there is some confusion as to what the two lanes are used for. There are two principal reasons for this: (1) the adjacent sign clutter and (2) the faded pavement markings. There are so many signs adjacent to the travel way that drivers can get distracted and lose the most pertinent information, which is that the LEFT LANE MUST TURN LEFT that is indicated by two signs that are Page 17

20 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission posted. Some of the adjacent signs that distract from those two signs are a Route 114 WEST guide sign, a NO PARKING ANY TIME sign, a BLIND DRIVEWAY sign, a SPEED LIMIT 25 sign, and TRUCK DETOUR signs. Not only that, but there are two real estate signs as well that are placed in front of the homes for sale on the block leading up to the intersection. Also, the left turn arrow and the ONLY legend on the pavement in the left turn lane are extremely faded, which can lead to some drivers that miss seeing the mandatory movement control signs into thinking that the inside lane can be used as a through lane. The inside lane usage confusion can also cause, as with the previous safety issue, the operators of these vehicles to cross the solid white lane line on the intersection approach to get in the proper lane. As with the lane drop safety issue, both of these maneuvers can lead to rear-end and side swipe collisions. In the short term, the City can do some safety enhancements at very little cost. While the real estate signs that are posted adjacent to Winthrop Avenue will be moved by private owners once the residential properties are sold, the City will decide which of its signs can be removed or relocated. The SPEED LIMIT 25 sign must stay due to the speed regulations, however the NO PARKING ANY TIME sign could be removed if people do not park curb side during off peak periods. The City could instead show the No Parking zone by painted yellow curbing, if City regulations permit this. The BLIND DRIVEWAY sign should be relocated, perhaps to the post that supported the No Parking sign that will be removed. The City should remove the TRUCK DETOUR signs if this information is no longer valid. If it is, the signs might be moved to the same sign post as the Route 114 West guide sign (as supplemental plaques). Also, the City can either contract someone or use DPW staff to paint using stencils a left turn arrow and an ONLY legend on the pavement in the left turn lane. At the site visit, City officials of the team also discussed using retro reflective thermoplastic striping in place of paint. There was some discussion as to it costing more than paint, however, it will last longer and demand less maintenance by City staff. In the mid-term, the installation of overhead advance lane control signs for the previously mentioned safety issue will also help to enhance the safety due to this issue. Page 18

21 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Alignment of Winthrop Avenue with Parker Street State Route 114 is routed on the two City streets of Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street, and as mentioned previously, Winthrop Avenue does not align itself tangentially with Parker Street at its intersection with Andover Street. This alignment causes safety issues in both directions of Route 114. As already mentioned, the alignment is one of the contributing factors of Parker Street through traveling vehicles coming close to and colliding with vehicles waiting to turn left in the intersection that are coming from Winthrop Avenue. It has also been a contributing factor to Parker Street through traveling vehicles continuing straight through the intersection and departing the roadway along Winthrop Avenue on the southwest corner and striking fixed objects. In the other direction, Route 114 westbound through travelers must either hug the lane line on the Winthrop Avenue approach or turn the steering wheel in a jog to avoid going over the curb in the northeast corner. Because some westbound through travelers hug the lane line, it pushes over the vehicles in the adjacent left turn lane even closer to the opposing Parker Street through traveling vehicles. As previously mentioned, the City can at little cost in the short term restripe the Parker Street approach for one lane, which will help to keep Parker Street through travelers from coming so close to left-turning vehicles waiting in the intersection. The City should also post a horizontal alignment change through an intersection warning sign (MUTCD R1-10a) on Parker Street at a minimum distance of 100 feet in advance of the intersection. A retro reflective warning sign will help to alert even night time travelers on Parker Street of the upcoming roadway curve. In the long term, the City should redesign the layout of the intersection so that Route 114 westbound through traffic can flow much more easily from Winthrop Avenue to Parker Street. This will involve creating a larger corner curb radius on the northeast corner and providing a transitional taper on Parker Street. The relocated curb will require a taking of all or part of the property on the northeast corner, which may be costly. Page 19

22 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Parker Street Approach Wide Lane As mentioned earlier, the very wide lane on the Parker Street approach is used on many occasions as two lanes: as a left/through lane on the inside and as an exclusive right-turn lane or even as a through/right turn lane on the curb side. This approach may have been striped at one time for two lanes as evidenced by the two loop detectors that exist side by side near the STOP bar. Even though a lane line does not exist, the approach is often used today as two lanes and this forces many through vehicles on the approach to travel near the centerline. When the through vehicles finally do travel through the intersection, they do so in very close proximity to the Winthrop Avenue vehicles waiting to turn left. They complete their journey through the intersection to the inside of the two receiving lanes on Winthrop Avenue. A low cost potential safety improvement in the short term could be the striping of the Parker Street approach for one through/general purpose turning lane, which is 16 feet wide at its widest point. This can be accomplished by painting or setting a retro reflective, single white solid edge line, six feet from the curb. The one lane delineated by the edge line will discourage right turning vehicles from forming their own lane near the curb and pushing through vehicles to the inside of the approach and traveling close to opposing left turning vehicles. The lane configuration and edge line should guide through traveling vehicles to the middle of the two receiving lanes of Winthrop Avenue and further away from the left-turning vehicles. Andover Street Westbound Approach Signal Indications There is only one signal head facing traffic traveling westbound on Andover Street on the approach to the intersection. The signal head is located overhead and is mounted on a mast arm support. Its visibility is obstructed by the foliage and branches of a tree growing nearby in the northeast corner of the intersection. According to the City, there used to be another signal head facing Andover Street that was mounted on a post and located on the northwest corner of the intersection. However, the City states that this post was knocked down recently by a turning truck. Page 20

23 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission In the short term, the City should trim back the branches that obscure the only available signal head to the Andover Street westbound travelers. Because there should be a minimum of two signal faces on every approach to a signalized intersection, the City should also in the short-term reinstall that missing signal post on the northwest corner of the intersection with a far side signal head facing Andover Street. The post should be installed in a relocated position so as to avoid being struck by turning trucks, but still within the cone of vision for the operators of vehicles on the Andover Street approach. Pedestrian Crossing Signal Heads During the site visit, it was noted that all of the pedestrian push button detectors that are out there work, however, one of the pedestrian heads mounted on one of the posts on the southeast corner was rotated and facing the wrong way. Pedestrians walking west on Andover Street across Winthrop Avenue are the ones that miss the pedestrian walk indication when facing west at the crossing. Additionally, because there is the missing signal post in the northwest corner, there are also two missing pedestrian signal heads that were supported on that post as well as a push button detector. This means that pedestrians walking from this corner do not have the ability to call the exclusive pedestrian phase to stop all traffic when making their crossing. Pedestrians walking to this corner do not have WALK indications to guide them. In the short term, the City should rotate the pedestrian signal head on the southeast corner to face the correct way. (Following the RSA, on Monday, September 26, 2011, the City s signal maintenance group with the Lawrence fire department made that corrective action.) Also in the short-term, the signal post on the northwest corner should be reinstalled with two pedestrian signal heads mounted along with the two vehicular signal heads. The post should be relocated to the back of the walk where there is a less likely chance that it will be struck by a turning truck. Page 21

24 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Pedestrians Crossing Against Traffic or Outside of the Crosswalks It was observed during the RSA that some pedestrians cross against vehicular traffic at the intersection, when the traffic is given a green light. Some pedestrians will also make crossings outside of the crosswalks near the intersection. The operators of vehicles, however, recognize that these behaviors often occur and will yield to the crossing pedestrians. If pedestrians continue to make crossings without activating the exclusive pedestrian phase, then in the mid-term, the City should evaluate the use of concurrent pedestrian phasing that comes up every signal cycle without activation or the use of a short (exclusive) leading pedestrian interval before the concurrent pedestrian phasing. An evaluation should also be made of the length of time given to the existing flashing DON T WALK interval for the pedestrian phase. The interval was measured as being 13 seconds long, which may be too short for the slowest (15 th percentile) pedestrians to cross Winthrop Avenue. Respect of the Red Light Indications During the Signal Phase Clearance Intervals It was noticed during the RSA that some vehicle operators traveling through the intersection know that there is a significant length of time at the end of each signal phase in which red light indications face every direction. The all red clearance portion of the signal change and clearance intervals for both signal phases was measured as being 4 seconds long. Those operators that have made many trips through the intersection know of this and some will enter and travel through the intersection for the few moments at the end of their signal phase when there is that red indication. However, this becomes a dangerous guessing game as to when the green indications are finally given to the vehicles on the other intersection approaches for the next signal phase and if guessed wrong, collisions may occur. From the crash reports, it was found that a couple of eastbound travelers on Andover Street have collided with Winthrop Avenue through traveling vehicles because one of the vehicles traveled through on a red light while the other had a green light. The City should reprogram the controller with appropriate clearance intervals as soon as possible. According to calculations from the Insitute of Transportation Engineer s Traffic Engineering Handbook, the 3 second yellow change portion of the change and clearance interval appears to be appropriate for both signal phases. However, the 4 second red clearance portion of the interval is too long and should be shortened to 2.5 to 3 seconds for both phases. The resulting operations of the intersection, from a change to 3 seconds for the clearance interval, is presented previously in Table 5. As shown in that Table, there is a slight decrease to the average vehicle delay at the intersection during the peak hours because there is less time given to the red indications and more to the green. Page 22

25 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Andover Street Approach Sun Glare City officials have noted that during the evening, the sun setting in the west can cause glare to westbound travelers on Andover Street and adversely affect their visibility of the overhead signal head on the intersection approach. The inverse is most likely true during the morning with the rising sun for eastbound travelers on Andover Street. Visibility of the overhead signal heads, which are supported on the mast arm assembly, can be enhanced during the morning and evening with backplates. The mast arm foundation should be able to support this additional load. The City should do this in the short-term with little cost. Emergency Vehicle Signal Preemption City officials have noted that the Opticom emergency vehicle signal preemption system at the intersection is missing a confirmation beacon. The signal maintenance group can install this in the short-term. Heavy Trucks Turning To and From Andover Street Andover Street to the west of the intersection provides access to many industrial uses within the City. A high percentage of trucks were observed during the RSA to turn to and from Andover Street. It was also observed that right turning tractor trailer trucks from Andover Street must cross the centerline of Winthrop Avenue and into an opposing traffic lane to complete their maneuver. The same is true for long wheel based trucks coming from Parker Street turning right and crossing the centerline of Andover Street. City officials noted that a turning truck from Parker Street, most likely looking to avoid crossing the centerline of Andover Street, had jumped the curb in the northwest corner and knocked down the signal post. In the short-term, the City will reinstall that signal post in a relocated postion farther back from the curb so as to minimize the likelihood of it being struck again. In the long-term, larger corner curb radii can be incorporated into a intersection layout redesign by the City. Ideally, a minimum 50 foot radius curb is large enough to handle 50 foot long wheel base trucks turning at roads intersecting at right angles. However, to determine the necessary curb radii for the intersection geometry, a WB-50 truck turning template was overlaid on top of a scaled photograph of the intersection. Because of the way that Andover Street aligns itself obliquely with Winthrop Avenue and because of the wide approach lane on Andover Street and the two receiving lanes on Winthrop Avenue, it was determined that the existing southwest corner curb only needs to be widened from its existing 25 foot radius to 30 feet to handle (WB-50) trucks turning right. This may or may not necessitate a taking of a very small portion of the southwest corner parcel property, depending on the extent of the roadway layout limits. Because of the position of the centerline on Parker Street and Andover Street, the existing northwest corner curb radius needs to be widened from its existing 30 foot radius to 45 feet to handle turning trucks. The widening of the radius of the northwest corner will involve a taking of a small portion of the property on the corner, resulting in the loss of one parking space for the existing commercial use. Page 23

26 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Summary of Road Safety Audit All of the safety issues and their potential safety enhancements were discussed in the previous section. Table 8 provides a summary of the potential safety recommendations that were discussed by the audit team. The recommendations are categorized in order of safety payoff with their associated cost, time frame and responsible agency. Safety payoff estimates are subjective and may be based on the relative percent of crashes that may be reduced by the enhancement; for example, low (<30%), medium (31% to 70%), and high (>71%). The time frame is categorized as short-term (<1 year), mid-term (1 to 3 years), or longterm (>3 years). The costs are categorized as low (<$10,000), medium ($10,001 to $50,000), or high (>$50,001). Page 24

27 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Table 8. Potential Safety Enhancement Summary Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Agency Conflict management between Winthrop Avenue left-turning vehicles and Parker Street through traveling vehicles Winthrop Avenue westbound lane drop Winthrop Avenue approach lane usage confusion Alignment of Winthrop Avenue with Parker Street Install far side signal post (with existing phasing) for increased visibility to left-turners.(1) Provide either protected only or protected/permitted phasing for Winthrop Av. left-turning vehicles with associated signal heads. Stripe Parker Street approach for one lane to move through traveling vehicles away from left-turners. (2) Provide advance signing for Winthrop Avenue lane control. (3) Perform a study of the merging of the two westbound travel lanes to one by striping. Provide advance signing for Winthrop Avenue lane control. (3) Repaint faded left turn arrow and ONLY markings in left turn lane. Remove sign clutter on Winthrop Avenue approach so left turn lane signs stand out. Redesign intersection; take all or part of property on northeast corner to widen the edge of roadway for a larger corner curb radius and transitional taper on Parker Street. Stripe Parker Street approach for one lane of traffic, rather than the current use as two lanes. (2) Post a Curve Ahead warning sign on the Parker Street approach. Medium Short-Term Medium City High Mid-Term Medium City Medium Short-Term Low City Medium Mid-Term Medium City Medium Short-Term Low City Medium Mid-Term Medium City Medium Short-Term Low City Medium Short-Term Low City High Long-Term High City Medium Short-Term Low City Medium Short-Term Low City Page 25

28 Road Safety Audit Route 114 (Winthrop Avenue and Parker Street) at Andover Street Lawrence, MA Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Agency Parker Street approach wide lane Andover Street westbound approach signal indication Pedestrian crossing signal heads Pedestrians crossing against traffic or outside of the crosswalks Respect of the red light indications during the signal phase clearance intervals Andover Street approach sun glare Emergency Vehicle Signal Preemption Heavy trucks turning right to and right from Andover Street Stripe Parker Street approach for a narrower lane and a wide shoulder separated by and edge line. (2) Trim tree branches to increase visibility of mast arm signal head. Install signal post with second head on northwest corner. (1) Rotate pedestrian head on the southwest corner post to face east. Install signal post supporting two vehicle heads and two pedestrian heads and push buttons on the northwest corner. (1) Evaluate the use of concurrent pedestrian phasing or LPI that does not require activation. Revise clearance interval times to the amount required based on ITE. Install back plates on the signal heads Andover Street. Install confirmation beacon to Opticom system already in place. Reinstall signal post in relocated position at the back edge of walk on the northwest corner to minimize likelihood of collision. (1) Widen northwest and southwest corner curb radii to handle turning trucks. Medium Short-Term Low City Medium Short-Term Low City Medium Short-Term Medium City Medium Short-Term Low City Medium Short-Term Medium City Medium Mid-Term Low City Medium Short-Term Low City Low Short-Term Low City Low Short-Term Low City Low Short-Term Medium City Low Long-Term High City Repeat potential safety improvements include: (1) Install signal post on northwest corner in relocated position with two signal heads and two pedestrian heads. (2) Stripe Parker Street approach for one lane and a wide shoulder separated by an edge line. (3) Provide advance signing indicating lane usage for Winthrop Avenue westbound vehicles. Page 26

29 Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda

30 Road Safety Audit LAWRENCE Rt. 28 at Water & Canal/Rt. 114 at Andover Meeting Location: St. Patrick s Parish Hall 118 South Broadway, Lawrence, MA Thursday, September 22, :00 AM 12:00 noon Type of meeting: Attendees: Please bring: High Crash Location Road Safety Audit Invited Participants to Comprise a Multidisciplinary Team Thoughts and Enthusiasm!! 10:00 AM Welcome and Introductions 10:15 AM Review of Site Specific Material 10:45 AM Visit the Sites Crash, Speed & Volume Summaries provided in advance Existing Geometries and Conditions Drive to the intersections As a group, identify areas for improvement 11:30 AM Post Visit Discussion / Completion of RSA Discuss observations and finalize findings Discuss potential improvements and finalize recommendations 12:00 noon Adjourn for the Day but the RSA has not ended Instructions for Participants: Before attending the RSA on the 22nd, participants are encouraged to drive through the intersection and complete/consider elements on the RSA Prompt List with a focus on safety. All participants will be actively involved in the process throughout. Participants are encouraged to come with thoughts and ideas, but are reminded that the synergy that develops and respect for others opinions are key elements to the success of the overall RSA process. After the RSA meeting, participants will be asked to comment and respond to the document materials to assure it is reflective of the RSA completed by the multidisciplinary team.

31 Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List

32 Participating Audit Team Members Date: Sept. 22, 2011 Location: St. Patrick s Parish Hall, 118 S. Broadway, Lawrence, MA Audit Team Members Agency/Affiliation Address Phone Number Dan McCarthy Lawrence Planning dmccarthy@cityoflawrence.com (978) Andrew Wall Lawrence Engineering awall@cityoflawrence.com (978) Promise Otaluka FHWA MA Division promise.otaluka@fhwa.dot.gov (617) Eugene Scanlon Lawrence Police Dept. escanlon@lawpd.com (978) ext. 584 Bud Dorgan Lawrence Fire Department mdorgan@cityoflawrence.com (978) Chief Jack Bergeron Lawrence Fire Department jbergeron@cityoflawrence.com (978) Lisa Schletzbaum MassDOT lisa.schletzbaum@state.ma.us (617) Tony Komornick MVPC akomornick@mvpc.org (978) Jim Terlizzi MVPC jterlizzi@mvpc.org (978)

33 Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data

34 SUMMARY OF POLICE AND OPERATOR REPORT CRASH NARRATIVES Intersection crashes involving Left-Turning traffic and Route 114 through traffic: Angle/ (Northbound Left turn onto Andover Street with Southbound Through) (8/11): 708: Operator of Parker Street through traveling vehicle struck a Winthrop Avenue left-turning vehicle and fled the scene. 710: Operator of Parker Street through traveling vehicle was struck by a Winthrop Avenue left-turning vehicle. Police report indicates that the left-turning vehicle did not yield the right of way. 808: In police report, witness states that left-turning vehicle turned in an unsafe manner (failing to yield ROW). 812: Police report indicates that the operator of Parker Street through traveling vehicle struck a Winthrop Avenue left-turning vehicle, however, the Parker Street vehicle operator indicates that the left-turning vehicle swerved into the through lane to make the turn. 817: Operator of Parker Street southbound traveling was initially planning to take a left (with a turn signal indication), but instead went straight and collided with a Winthrop Avenue left-turning vehicle. 818: Operator of one vehicle arrested for DUI. 905: Left-turning vehicle struck in rear passenger side. Operator of left-turning vehicle left before police arrived. 906: Operator of Parker Street southbound traveling collided with Winthrop Avenue left-turning vehicle. Angle/ (Andover Street eastbound through with Northwestbound Through) (2/3): 801: Winthrop Avenue through vehicle operator claims to have green light and Andover Street through vehicle operator went through intersection on red. 803: According to the police report, a witness corroborates the Winthrop Avenue through vehicle operator claims that he had a green light and Andover Street through vehicle operator went through intersection after the Andover Street indication had just turned red. Winthrop Avenue (northwestbound) Approach: Rear-ends (8/9): 805: Car was rear-ended in the left-turn lane. 814: Operator of trailing car was distracted by a bee and rear-ended leading vehicle in the left turn lane. 820: Vehicle rear-ended another vehicle in the through lane when the lead vehicle stopped to allow a police car, with its emergency lights flashing, to proceed through the intersection coming from Andover Street. 901: Vehicle rear-ended another vehicle in the left-turn lane. 904: Vehicle rear-ended another vehicle in the left-turn lane. Lead vehicle stopped to allow an unmarked police cruiser, with its emergency lights flashing, to proceed through the intersection coming eastbound from the westbound departure lane. 908: Car was rear-ended in the curb/through lane. 909: Vehicle rear-ended another vehicle in the left-turn lane. 912: Vehicle rear-ended another vehicle in the left-turn lane. Lead vehicle was stopped at a red light and the rear- ending vehicle operator tried to stop, but could not. Side swipe (1/1): 810: Operator of vehicle in left-turn lane on the Winthrop Avenue approach was behind three cars queued and waiting to turn left and went into the through lane to go around, striking the side of a through traveling vehicle in the curb lane/through lane. (Left lane driver confused and initially thought the left turn lane was a through lane?) Parker Street (northbound) Receiving: Side swipe (1/1): 813: Operator of vehicle in left-turn lane on the Winthrop Avenue approach traveled straight through and struck the side of a bumper of a through traveling vehicle in the curb lane/through lane. Winthrop Avenue Southbound Departure Lanes: Ran Off Road (2/2): 903: Vehicle ran off the road and hit a utility pole. 907: Vehicle avoided drag racing vehicles and ran off the road and went through a fence at Top Donut. Andover Street eastbound Approach: Rear Ends (2/7): 807: Vehicle following too close. 911: Vehicle in front stopped for traffic and got rear-ended.

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39 MassHighway Crash Report for LAWRENCE in the year 2007 Crash Date Crash Time Crash Severity Number Total Total Manner of Nonfatal Fatal of Vehicle Action Vehicles Injuries Injuries Collision Prior to Crash Property damage 30-Jan 2007 only (none 10:30 AM injured) Angle 14-Feb :45 AM 20-Mar :00 PM Property damage only (none injured) Angle Property damage only (none injured) Rear-end Property damage 28-Mar 2007 only (none 12:00 PM injured) Angle 03-Apr :00 AM 16-May :40 PM 08-Jul :50 PM Property damage only (none injured) Angle Property damage only (none injured) Angle Non-fatal injury Angle 19-Jul Non-fatal :30 AM injury Angle 26-Aug :55 PM 11-Oct :30 PM 10-Dec :50 PM Non-fatal injury Angle Property damage only (none injured) Rear-end Property damage only (none injured) Angle V1: Turning left / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1: Slowing or stopped in traffic / V2:Slowing or stopped in traffic / V3:Slowing or stopped in traffic / V4:Slowing or stopped in traffic V1: Turning left / V2:Turning left / V3:Slowing or stopped in traffic V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Turning left V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Turning left V1: Turning left / V2:Slowing or stopped in traffic / V3:Not reported V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Turning left V1: Turning left / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1: Slowing or stopped in traffic / V2:Slowing or stopped in traffic V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Turning left Vehicle Travel Directions V1:Westbound / V2:Eastbound V1:Eastbound / V2:Southbound V1:Eastbound / V2:Eastbound / V3:Eastbound / V4:Eastbound V1:Westbound / V2:Westbound / V3:Not reported V1:Southbound / V2:Northbound V1:Southbound / V2:Westbound V1:Northbound / V2:Eastbound / V3:Not reported V1:Southbound / V2:Northbound V1:Westbound / V2:Southbound V1:Eastbound / V2:Eastbound V1:Northbound / V2:Eastbound 16-Dec V1:Not :17 PM Fatal injury Not reportv1: Not reported reported Most Harmful Events V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V3: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V4: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V3: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic Vehicle Configuration Road Surface Ambient Condition Light V1: Passenger car / V2:Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Dry Daylight Clear V1: Passenger car / V2:Passenger car Snow Daylight Snow V1: Bus (seats for more than 15 people, including driver) / V2:Passenger car / V3:Passenger car / V4:Passenger car Dry Daylight Clear V1: Passenger car / V2:Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires / V3:Truck/trailer Dry Daylight Clear V1: Passenger car / V2:Passenger car Wet Daylight Rain V1: Passenger car / V2:Passenger car Wet Dark lighted roadway At Weather Roadway Condition Intersection Cloudy/R ain V1: Not reported / V2: V1: Passenger car Not reported / V3: Not / V2:Passenger car reported / V3:Not reported Dry Daylight Clear V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires / V2:Passenger car Dry Daylight Clear/Cle ar V1: Passenger car V1: / V2:Passenger Lig ht truck( van, car Dry Daylight Clear mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) Dark with only four tires / lighted Rain/Clo V2:Passenger car Wet roadway udy V1: Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires / V2:Passenger car Dry Dusk Cloudy V1: Collision with Not pedestrian V1: Not reported Not reportereported Not Reported PARKER STREET / ANDOVER STREET PARKER STREET / ANDOVER STREET ANDOVER STREET / PARKER STREET Rte 114 PARKER STREET / ANDOVER STREET PARKER STREET / ANDOVER STREET ANDOVER STREET / PARKER STREET WINTHRO P AVENUE / ANDOVER STREET ANDOVER STREET / Rte 114 Distance from Nearest Roadway Intersection ANDOVER STREET / WINTHRO P AVENUE ANDOVER STREET / PARKER STREET 5 WINTHROP AVENUE / ANDOVER STREET PARKER STREET Rte 114 / WINTHROP

40 MassDOT Crash Report for LAWRENCE for the year 2008 Distance from Distance Number Total Total Road Nearest from Crash Crash Crash of Nonfatal Fatal Manner of Vehicle Action Vehicle Travel Most Harmful Vehicle Surface Ambient Weather At Roadway Roadway Nearest Date Time Severity Vehicles Injuries Injuries Collision Prior to Crash Directions Events Configuration Condition Light Condition Intersection Intersection Milemarker PARKER V1: Slowing or STREET stopped in traffic V1: Not reported Rte 114 / 28-Jan Non-fatal / V2:Travelling V1:Eastbound / / V2: Not V1: Passenger car / WINTHROP :00 AM injury Rear-end straight ahead V2:Eastbound reported V2:Passenger car Dry Dusk Clear AVENUE Property damage only 28-Jan 2008 (none 1:45 PM injured) Angle 04-Feb- Not :30 PM Reported Angle 04-Feb :50 PM 07-Mar :15 PM 12-Mar :00 PM Property damage only (none injured) Rear-end Property damage only (none injured) Rear-end Property damage only (none injured) Rear-end 28-Mar 10: PM Unknown Single vehicle crash V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Not reported V1: Turning left / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Slowing or stopped in traffic V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1: Turning left / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1:Eastbound / V2:Northbound V1:Eastbound / V2:Eastbound V1:Northbound / V2:Northbound V1:Westbound / V2:Westbound V1:Eastbound / V2:Eastbound V1:Northbound / V2:Southbound V1: Turning left / V2:Leaving traffic V1:Eastbound / lane V2:Southbound 24-Apr Not :35 AM Unknown reported 12-May 2008 Non-fatal 4:50 PM injury 2 1 V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Travelling 0 Rear-end straight ahead 14-May Non-fatal :15 AM injury Head-on Property damage only 02-Jun 2008 (none 4:07 AM injured) Angle V1: Turning left / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1:Southbound / V2:Southbound V1:Northbound / V2:Southbound V1:Northbound / V2:Northbound V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Not reported V1: Passenger car / V2:Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Snow Other Cloudy/S now V1: Passenger car / V2:Light truck(van, V1: Not reported mini-van, panel, / V2: Not reported pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Dry Daylight Cloudy V1: Collision with motor V1: Passenger car / vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Not reported / V2: Not reported V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Not reported / V2: Not reported V2:Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Dry Daylight Clear V1: Passenger car / V2:Passenger car Wet Dark lighted roadway Rain V1: Passenger car / V2:Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Wet Daylight Rain V1: Single-unit truck (2-axle, 6-tire) / V2:Passenger car Wet Dark lighted roadway Rain V1: Passenger car / V2:Passenger car Dry Daylight Clear V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor V1: Passenger car / vehicle in traffic V2:Passenger car Dry Daylight Clear V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires / V2:Passenger car Dry Clear/Cle Daylight ar V1: Passenger car / V2:Unknown heavy truck, cannot classify Dry Daylight Clear ANDOVER STREET / WINTHROP AVENUE PARKER STREET / ANDOVER STREET WINTHROP AVENUE / ANDOVER STREET WINTHROP AVENUE / ANDOVER STREET ANDOVER STREET / PARKER STREET PARKER V1: Not reported STREET / 03-Jun 12:29 Non-fatal V1: Not reported V1:Northbound / / V2: Not V1: Passenger car / ANDOVER 2008 PM injury Rear-end / V2:Not reported V2:Northbound reported V2:Passenger car Dry Daylight Clear STREET 05-Jun :20 AM Property damage only (none injured) 2 0 V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Travelling 0 Rear-end straight ahead 05-Jun Non-fatal :50 PM injury Rear-end 02-Aug- 10: AM Property damage only (none injured) Angle 24-Aug- Non-fatal :46 PM injury Head-on V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Slowing or stopped in traffic / V3:Slowing or stopped in traffic V1: Turning left / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Travelling straight ahead 07-Dec 2008 Non-fatal 1:20 PM injury 2 1 V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Travelling 0 Rear-end straight ahead V1:Westbound / V2:Westbound V1:Southbound / V2:Southbound / V3:Southbound V1:Northbound / V2:Southbound V1:Southbound / V2:Northbound V1:Northbound / V2:Northbound V1:Not reported 11-Dec Non-fatal V1: Not reported / V2:Not :30 AM injury Rear-end / V2:Not reported reported Property damage only 12-Dec 2008 (none 7:45 AM injured) Angle V1: Entering traffic lane / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1:Eastbound / V2:Northbound V1: Not reported / V2: Not reported V1: Passenger car / V2:Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Wet Daylight Cloudy V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision V1: Light truck(van, with motor mini-van, panel, vehicle in traffic / pickup, sport utility) V3: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic with only four tires / V2:Passenger car / V3:Passenger car Wet Daylight Cloudy V1: Passenger car / V2:Passenger car Dry Daylight Cloudy V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor V1: Passenger car / vehicle in traffic V2:Passenger car Dry Daylight Clear V1: Not reported / V2: Not reported V1: Not reported / V2: Not reported V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires / V2:Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Wet Daylight Cloudy V1: Not reported / V2:Not reported Dry Dark lighted roadway Cloudy V1: Passenger car / V2:Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Wet Rain/Rai Daylight n WINTHROP AVENUE / ANDOVER STREET ANDOVER STREET / PARKER STREET Rte 114 ANDOVER STREET / PARK STREET / PARKER STREET ANDOVER STREET / PARKER STREET PARKER STREET Rte 114 / WINTHROP AVENUE 3 WINTHROP AVENUE PARKER STREET Rte 114 W / WINTHROP AVENUE PARKER STREET Rte 114 / WINTHROP AVENUE PARKER STREET Rte 114 / WINTHROP AVENUE PARKER STREET Rte 114 / WINTHROP AVENUE PARKER STREET Rte 114 / WINTHROP AVENUE WINTHROP AVENUE Rte 114 / ANDOVER STREET 10 feet N from Rte 114 Milemarker 222.0

41 MassDOT Crash Report for LAWRENCE for the year 2009 Crash Date 30-Mar 2009 Crash Time 12:45 PM 01-May :00 AM Crash Severity Number Total of Nonfatal Vehicles Injuries Total Fatal Injuries Property damage only (none injured) Rear-end Property damage only (none injured) Rear-end 02-May Non-fatal :45 AM injury May 11: AM Manner of Vehicle Action Collision Prior to Crash Single vehicle crash Property damage only (none injured) Rear-end Property damage 08-Jun 2009 only (none 7:15 AM injured) Angle 22-Sep 12: PM Non-fatal injury Angle Property damage 04-Oct 2009 only (none 1:50 AM injured) Property damage 28-Oct only (none :40 PM Single vehicle crash Vehicle Travel Directions Most Harmful Events V1: Slowing or V1: Collision with stopped in traffic motor vehicle in traffic / V2:Travelling V1:Southbound / V2: Collision with straight ahead / V2:Northbound motor vehicle in traffic V1: Slowing or stopped in traffic / V2:Slowing or stopped in traffic / V3:Travelling straight ahead V1: Travelling straight ahead V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1: Not reported / V2:Not reported V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1: Travelling straight ahead V1: Turning left / V2:Travelling injured) Rear-end straight ahead Property damage 28-Oct 2009 only (none 5:35 PM injured) Angle 16-Nov :19 AM 21-Dec 12: PM Property damage only (none injured) Rear-end Property damage only (none injured) Rear-end V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1: Travelling straight ahead / V2:Travelling straight ahead V1:Eastbound / V2:Eastbound / V3:Eastbound V1:Southbound V1:Northbound / V2:Northbound V1:Westbound / V2:Eastbound V1:Southbound / V2:Northbound V1:Southbound V1:Southbound / V2:Northbound V1:Not reported / V2:Not reported V1:Eastbound / V2:Eastbound Vehicle Configuration Road Surface Ambient Condition Light Weather Condition V1: Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires / V2:Passenger car Wet Daylight Cloudy/Rain V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Passenger car / / V3: Collision with V2:Passenger car / motor vehicle in traffic V3:Passenger car Wet Daylight Rain/Cloudy V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Passenger car Wet V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1: Not reported / V2: Not reported Daylight Clear V1: Passenger car / V2:Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Wet Daylight Rain V1: Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires / V2:Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Dry Daylight Clear V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with V1: Passenger car / motor vehicle in traffic V2:Passenger car Dry Daylight Clear/Clear V1: Collision with overhead sign support V1: Passenger car Wet Dark lighted roadway Clear/Clear V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2: Collision with V1: Passenger car / motor vehicle in traffic V2:Passenger car Wet Daylight Rain V1: Not reported / V2: Not reported V1: Slowing or stopped in traffic / V2:Travelling V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic V1:Northbound / / V2: Collision with straight ahead V2:Northbound motor vehicle in traffic V1: Not reported / V2:Passenger car Wet Daylight Rain/Cloudy V1: Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires / V1: Collision with V2:Light truck(van, motor vehicle in traffic mini-van, panel, / V2: Collision with pickup, sport utility) motor vehicle in traffic with only four tires Dry Daylight Clear V1: Passenger car / V2:Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Dry Daylight Clear At Roadway Intersection ANDOVER STREET / WINTHROP AVENUE PARKER STREET / ANDOVER STREET PARKER STREET / ANDOVER STREET PARKER STREET / ANDOVER STREET ANDOVER STREET / PARKER STREET ANDOVER STREET / PARKER STREET ANDOVER STREET / PARKER STREET WINTHROP AVENUE / ANDOVER STREET Distance from Nearest Roadway Intersection PARKER STREET Rte 114 / WINTHROP AVENUE PARKER STREET Rte 114 / WINTHROP AVENUE PARKER STREET Rte 114 / WINTHROP AVENUE

42 Appendix D. Roadway Speed Data

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45 Appendix E. Daily and Peak Period Traffic Count Data

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55 Appendix F. Crash Rate Calculation

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57 Appendix G. Intersection Operations Analysis Methodology and Results

58 OPERATIONS ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY Level of Service A primary result of capacity analyses is the assignment of level of service to traffic facilities under various traffic flow conditions. Level of service is a qualitative measure describing operational conditions within a traffic stream and the perception of these conditions by motorists and/or passengers. A level of service definition provides an index to the quality of traffic flow in terms of such factors as speed, travel time, freedom to maneuver, traffic interruptions, comfort, convenience, and safety. Six levels of service are defined for each type of facility. They are given letter designations from A to F, with level-of-service (LOS) A representing the best operating conditions and LOS F representing the worst. Since the level of service of a traffic facility is a function of the traffic flows placed upon it, such a facility may operate at a wide range of levels of service, depending on the time of day, day of week, or period of year. Signalized Intersections The six levels of service for signalized intersections may be described as follows: LOS A describes operations with very small delay; most vehicles do not stop at all. LOS B describes operations with relatively small delay; however, more vehicles stop than LOS A. LOS C describes operations with higher delays. Individual cycle failures may begin to appear in this level. The number of vehicles stopping is significant at this level, although many still pass through the intersection without stopping. LOS D describes operations with delay in the range where the influence of congestion becomes more noticeable. Many vehicles stop and individual cycle failures are noticeable. LOS E describes operations with high delay values. Individual cycle failures are frequent occurrences. LOS F describes operations with high delay values that often occur with oversaturation. Poor progression and long cycle lengths may also be major contributing causes to such delay levels.

59 Evaluation Criteria Evaluation criteria used in the capacity analyses are described below. Signalized Intersections Levels of service for signalized intersections are calculated using the operational analysis methodology of the 2000 Highway Capacity Manual. The capacity analyses for these facilities measures the average delay to drivers from signal control. This method assesses the effect of signal type, timing, phasing, progression, vehicle mix, and geometrics on delay. Level-ofservice designations are based solely on the criterion of calculated control delay, also known as signal delay. Control delay includes the initial deceleration delay, queue move-up time, stopped delay, and final acceleration delay. Delay can also be a measure of driver discomfort, frustration, fuel consumption, and increased travel time. Table A-1 summarizes the relationship between level of service and delay. The tabulated delay criterion may be applied in assigning LOS designations to individual lane groups, intersection approaches, or to entire intersections. Table A-1 LEVEL-OF-SERVICE CRITERIA FOR SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS a Level of Service Average Control Delay (seconds per vehicle) A <=10 B >10 and <=20 C >20 and <=35 D >35 and <=55 E >55 and <=80 F >80 a Source: Highway Capacity Manual, HCM 2000; Transportation Research Board; Washington, DC; 2000; Exhibit 16-2, page 16-2.

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