ROAD SAFETY AUDIT. West Central Street (Route 140) at Franklin Village Drive. Town of Franklin. February 03, 2016

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1 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT West Central Street (Route 140) at Franklin Village Drive Town of Franklin February 03, 2016 Prepared for: Massachusetts Department of Transportation Prepared by: Howard Stein Hudson 11 Beacon Street, Suite 1010 Boston, MA 02108

2 Table of Contents Background... 2 Project Data... 4 Project Location Description... 5 Road Safety Audit Observations...7 Safety Issue #1. Congestion and Driver Frustration... 8 Safety Issue #2. Intersection Geometry Safety Issue #3. Traffic Signal Phasing Safety Issue #4. Limited Pedestrian Accommodations Safety Issue #5. Bicycle Accommodations Safety Issue #6. Signage and Pavement Markings Safety Issue #7. Signal Equipment Potential Safety Enhancements...19 List of Appendices Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data List of Figures Figure 1. Locus Map... 3 Figure 2. West Central Street (Route 140) at Franklin Village Drive... 6 List of Tables Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members... 4 Table 2. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements Table 3. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements (continued) Page 1

3 Background The Road Safety Audit (RSA) focused on the intersection of West Central Street (Route 140) at Franklin Village Drive and Old West Central Street. From 2011 to 2014, 29 crashes were reported at the intersection. The intersection was identified by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) as a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) High Crash Cluster from , indicating that the location falls within the top 5% of High Crash Locations within the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) area. The West Central Street (Route 140) corridor from Franklin Village Drive to Forge Parkway is also being evaluated by MassDOT District 3 for any low cost and signal improvements that can be implemented. In general, the RSA is intended to identify potential safety improvements that can be evaluated and included as part of future design efforts for reconstruction. The short-term, low-cost potential improvements could be considered by the responsible agency for implementation prior to reconstruction, as appropriate. The study area is shown in Figure 1. Page 2

4 POND STREET ROAD SAFETY AUDIT, MA Figure 1. Locus Map 495 TRI-COUNTY REGIONAL VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL EXIT 17 OLD WEST C ENTRAL ST. STUDY AREA HORACE MANN MIDDLE SCHOOL WEST CENTRAL STREET (ROUTE 140) FRANKLIN VILLAGE WEST CENTRAL STREET (ROUTE 140) EXIT Not to scale. HOWARD STEIN HUDSON

5 Project Data The audit team conducted the RSA for the intersection of West Central Street (Route 140) at Franklin Village Drive and Old West Central Street on Thursday, January 7, The RSA agenda can be found in Appendix A. Table 1 lists the audit team members and their affiliations. Appendix B provides contact information for all team members. Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members Audit Team Member Mike Maglio Bryan Taberner Deacon Perrotta Jeff Nutting Gary McCarraher Steve Semerjian Miriam Goodman Sally Winslow Seth Asante John Mastera Michelle Deng Mohammad AbuArja Lori Shattuck Lola Campbell Joe SanClemente Alex Siu Jessica Lizza Agency/Affiliation Franklin Town Engineer Franklin Planning Department Franklin Department of Public Works Franklin Town Administrator Franklin Fire Department Franklin Police Department Franklin Schools Franklin Schools Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) MassDOT Highway Safety MassDOT Highway Safety MassDOT Highway Safety MassDOT D3 Traffic MassDOT D3 Traffic Howard Stein Hudson Howard Stein Hudson Howard Stein Hudson Prior to the RSA, in order to begin assessing possible safety issues, the team reviewed collision diagrams and crash detail summaries based on crash records supplied by the state and the Town Police Department. From , 29 crashes were reported at the intersection with 4 (or 14%) resulting in personal injury. Of these crashes, 17 (or 59%) were rear-end crashes, 5 (17%) sideswipe crashes, 4 (14%) were angle crashes, 2 (7%) were single vehicle crashes, and one (3%) was a head-on crash. One of the reported 29 crashes involved a cyclist. Of the 29 crashes, 15 (52%) occurred during daylight hours, 11 (38%) occurred during dark-lighted conditions, and 3 (10%) occurred during other/unknown conditions. Of the 29 crashes, 17 (59%) occurred during clear weather and 20 (69%) occurred on dry pavement. Appendix C provides the detailed crash data for the study area. Page 4

6 Project Location Description The RSA focused on the intersection of West Central Street (Route 140) at Franklin Village Drive in Franklin, as shown in the aerial image in Figure 2. West Central Street (Route 140) at Franklin Village Drive and Old West Central Street is a signalized intersection with four approaches and is owned and maintained by MassDOT. The West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound and westbound approaches each have one left-turn lane, two through lanes, and one right-turn lane. The directions of travel along West Central Street (Route 140) are divided by a raised concrete median. The Franklin Village Drive northbound approach has one left-turn lane, one through lane, and one channelized right-turn lane. The approach lanes and receiving lanes on Franklin Village Drive are separated by a raised concrete median. The Old West Central Street southbound approach has one left-turn lane, one through lane, and one right-turn lane. Crosswalks with wheelchair ramps are provided across the channelized right-turn lane of Franklin Village Drive, the east leg of West Central Street (Route 140), and Old West Central Street. Only one of the wheelchair ramps, at the southeast corner of the intersection, is equipped with a detectable warning panel. This intersection is the junction of the following roadways, which are categorized according to MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning functional classifications: West Central Street (Route 140) is classified as an urban principal arterial and falls under the jurisdiction of MassDOT. West Central Street (Route 140) runs east-west through Franklin from East Central Street (Route 140) to Mechanic Street (Route 140) in Bellingham and generally consists of two lanes in each direction within the vicinity of the intersection. Shoulders are provided along both sides of the roadway, but are generally insufficient in width to serve as an on-street accommodation. Sidewalks are provided on both sides of the roadway to the east of the intersection and on the north side of the roadway only to the west of the intersection. East of the I-495 interchange, West Central Street (Route 140) has frequent driveways to retail and restaurant locations. The speed limit within the vicinity of the intersection is posted at 40 miles per hours (mph) and is consistent with the speed regulations. Franklin Village Drive is a driveway that provides access to the Franklin Village Shopping Center. A sidewalk is provided along the east side of Franklin Village Drive that provides connection between Route 140 and the eastern side of the shopping plaza. Within the Franklin Village Shopping Center are several shops and restaurants, a bank, and a grocery store. Old West Central Street is an urban minor arterial under the jurisdiction of the Town of Franklin. Old West Central Street runs north-south from West Central Street (Route 140) then curves west where it becomes Pond Street. Old West Central Street generally consists of one lane in each direction but the southbound approach widens to three lanes at the intersection with West Central Street (Route 140). Shoulders are provided along both sides of the roadway and a sidewalk is provided along the east/north side. Tri-County Drive, which provides access to the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School, intersects Old West Central Street approximately 175 feet north of West Central Street (Route 140). The posted speed limit along Old West Central Street is 25 mph. Page 5

7 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT, MA Figure 2. West Central Street (Route 140) at Franklin Village Drive STUD Y AREA INTERSEC TION POND STREET TRI-COUNTY DRIVE STRE E T CENTRAL OLD WEST W WEST CENTRAL STREET (ROU UT TE 140) FRANKLIN VILLAGE DRIVE WEST CENTRAL STREET (ROUTE 140) FRANKLI N VILL AG E 495 Not to scale. HOWARD STEIN HUDSON

8 Road Safety Audit Observations Based on field observations on Thursday, January 7, 2016, the RSA team determined that the study area intersection has the following issues that affect safety: Congestion and driver frustration; Intersection geometry; Traffic signal phasing; Limited pedestrian accommodations; Bicycle accommodations; Signage and pavement markings; and Signal equipment. The following sections describe in more detail the safety issues and potential enhancements determined during the RSA. Several of these issues require further study and engineering judgment to determine the feasibility of implementing the improvements to address them. Page 7

9 Safety Issue #1. Congestion and Driver Frustration Observations: The interchange for I-495 at exit 17 is located just 1,000 feet west of the intersection. The high traffic volumes coming from I-495 during the evening peak hours create heavy congestion at the intersection and along the West Central Street (Route 140) corridor. Review of the crash data indicates that a majority of the crashes reported at the intersection occurred during the evening peak hours when motorists are commuting home from work and the shopping center is more active. The West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound left-turn volume is high during the weekday evening peak hours (approximately 360 vehicles/hour) because many people coming from I-495 turn left onto Old West Central Street that are destined for Pond Street, a major north-south connection to residential areas. An audit team member noted that during the p.m. peak hours, the West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound left-turn lane experiences significant queuing and exceeds the storage capacity provided, spilling back into the through travel lanes. In addition, West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound left turning vehicles have to merge across two lanes to get into to the left-turn lane which spills back to I-495 during peak hours. The spillback from the eastbound left-turn lane creates conflicts with through and right-turn movements along West Central Street (Route 140). The existing eastbound left-turn lane storage is approximately 175 feet long, which accommodates only approximately 8 to 9 vehicles. Two of the 29 crashes were sideswipe collisions along the West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound approach. These collisions are most likely the result of vehicles trying to maneuver around the left-turn queue that had spilled back into the through lanes. Team members commented that the green time for the left-turn seemed too short to accommodate the demand. An audit team member also mentioned that the Town is considering the potential of developing a large parcel of land along Pond Street. Any future improvements to the West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound left-turn lane will need to take into consideration the additional demand and queue storage needs beyond what is already needed at this approach. Meanwhile, team members commented that the West Central Street (Route 140) westbound leftturn lane queue also tends to spillback into the through lanes due to traffic heading to the Franklin Village Shopping Center, particularly during the weekday evening and Saturday mid-day peak periods. The West Central Street (Route 140) westbound left-turn lane volume is approximately 200 to 240 vehicles during the p.m. and Saturday peak hours. Eight of the 29 collisions reported were rear-end crashes that occurred along the West Central Street (Route 140) westbound approach. Two of the reported collisions involved vehicles that disobeyed a red light traveling from the West Central Street (Route 140) westbound approach. The westbound left-turn lane is approximately 200 feet in length and provides storage for only approximately 8 to 10 vehicles. Team members commented that the limited storage length combined with the short green time Page 8

10 results in longer vehicles queues and increased driver frustration, which may contribute to the occurrence of rear-end crashes and those involving red light violations. Team members commented that solar glare did not seem to be a significant issue at the intersection and backplates are currently provided on all signal indications that help to improve their visibility. Potential Enhancements: 1. Evaluate the signal timings and coordination along Route 140, with specific attention to the left-turn phases on Route 140, to help reduce intersection delay and queuing conditions. 2. Consider geometric changes along West Central Street (Route 140) to extend the left-turn lane storage along both approaches and explore the potential of providing dual left-turn lanes along the West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound approach. 3. Evaluate all clearance intervals. Page 9

11 Safety Issue #2. Intersection Geometry Observations: During the audit, team members observed vehicles turning right from West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound onto Franklin Village Drive at high speeds and often crossing over the scored concrete island. The higher turn speeds are likely a result of the large corner radius combined with the width of the entrance lane. One of the 29 crashes involved a vehicle that turned right from West Central Street (Route 140) onto Franklin Village Drive and skidded into a steel sign post on the median; however, it was reported that pavement conditions were wet and the vehicle may have had mechanical problems. Scored concrete island at the entrance to Franklin Village Plaza. The West Central Street (Route 140) right-turn lane merges with the other receiving lane just past the scored concrete island. Since no yield line or sign is present at the channelized right-turn and the right-turn movement is able to proceed when the southbound through lane or the westbound left-turn lane is going, it may be unclear to drivers which movement has the right of way. Combined with the high right-turning speeds from West Central Street (Route 140) onto Franklin Village Drive, the lack of guidance could create potential conflicts. The intersection of the two exits from the Franklin Village Shopping Center. Two of the 29 crashes that occurred at the intersection were sideswipe collisions that involved vehicles weaving along the Franklin Village Drive approach. The geometry of the approach creates a weaving condition between the two shopping center exits that intersect from the east and west. During the audit, a team member observed that the large width of the Franklin Village Drive right-turn lane allows vehicles to create two lanes which could also contribute to the sideswipe collisions. Two rear-end crashes and one sideswipe crash occurred while vehicles attempted to turn right out of Franklin Village Drive onto West Central Street (Route 140). The acute angle of the Franklin Village Drive channelized right-turn lane makes it difficult for motorists to see oncoming traffic along Route 140 eastbound. No traffic signal indications are provided for the Franklin Village Drive channelized right-turn lane and the Page 10

12 movement operates under assumed yield conditions however there is no yield line or regulatory sign. During the audit, vehicles were observed to stop once before the span pole to look for oncoming traffic and then pulled past the span pole and stopped again to look for eastbound traffic. During the audit, team members observed that the Franklin Village Drive northbound and Old West Central Street southbound approaches have an offset geometry which could lead to potential conflicts for left-turning vehicles. Potential Enhancements: 1. Consider widening the scored concrete median at the West Central Street (Route 140) rightturn to create a smaller turning radius and help lower turning speeds. 2. Consider installing a yield line and corresponding yield sign at the West Central Street (Route 140) channelized right-turn lane to establish right of way. 3. Consider signalizing the Franklin Village Drive northbound right-turn lane so that it has a red light while the West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound phase is green to eliminate the sight distance issues and provide a signalized pedestrian crossing. 4. Consider working with the Franklin Village Plaza owner to close the eastern internal connection to the parking area (in front on Chipotle) to reduce the weaving condition at the northbound exit lanes. 5. Consider geometric improvements to the channelized islands on the Franklin Village Drive northbound approach to help correct the northbound and southbound offset and improve visibility. 6. Consider installing left-turn tracking lines for the northbound and southbound approaches to provide guidance and directions for vehicles and help reduce potential conflicts. Page 11

13 Safety Issue #3. Traffic Signal Phasing Observations: The Franklin Village Drive northbound and Old West Central Street southbound approaches operate on the same signal phase, which allow for permissive left-turns. Two of the 29 crashes involved vehicles a northbound left-turning vehicle with an oncoming vehicle traveling southbound through the intersection towards the plaza.. The Franklin Village Plaza northbound left-turn is offset slightly east of the Old West Central Street southbound left-turn lane. Team members commented the offset geometry makes it difficult for northbound left-turners to see on-coming through vehicles which are obscured by southbound left-turning vehicles. During field observations it was also noted that motorist occasionally make left-turns from the Franklin Village Plaza northbound through lane. Potential Enhancements: 1. Evaluate the operational and safety benefits of implementing protected-permissive phasing with flashing yellow arrow signal indications or split phasing for the Franklin Village Drive northbound approach and the Old West Central Street southbound approach to reduce driver conflicts. Page 12

14 Safety Issue #4. Limited Pedestrian Accommodations Observations: Sidewalks are provided along both sides of West Central Street (Route 140) to the east of the intersection and on the north side of West Central Street (Route 140) to the west of the intersection. Sidewalks are provided along the eastern sides of Franklin Village Drive and Old West Central Street. Crosswalks with Audible Pedestrian Signal (APS) push-button actuation are provided across the eastern and northern legs of the intersection and allow for concurrent crossings. Team members noted that it is challenging to cross the intersection due to the wide cross section and conflicts created by the left- and right- turning vehicles. During field observations team members observed that the pedestrian clearance interval seemed short and that pedestrian count down signal indications are not provided making it difficult for pedestrians to know how much time they have to safely cross the intersection. While pedestrian volumes are typically fairly low at this intersection throughout the day, team members noted that students from the nearby Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School, and the and Franklin High School, often access the restaurant and retail uses at Franklin Village Shopping Center after school hours which can increase pedestrian activity. During the low volume periods, motorists may not be accustomed to having to yield to pedestrians during a concurrent phase when turning at the intersection. Similarly, pedestrians may not realize that they need to watch for turning vehicles during the pedestrian phase. A crosswalk is also provided across the Franklin Village Drive northbound channelized rightturn; however, it is not incorporated into the traffic signal. While pedestrians cross under an assumed yield condition, no pedestrian warning signage is provided to alert motorists to watch for crossing pedestrians. Additionally, landscaping located along the inside of the curve, east of the driveway, limit sight lines between the crosswalk and approaching vehicles. Wheelchair ramps are provided at each of the crosswalks, but the wheelchair ramp at the east side of the crosswalk across Franklin Village Drive is the only ramp equipped with a detectable warning panel and it is in poor condition. Page 13

15 Potential Enhancements 1. Install/replace detectable warning panels at all wheelchair ramps. 2. Consider installing new pedestrian signal indications equipped with countdowns so pedestrians know how much time they have to cross. 3. Re-evaluate pedestrian clearance intervals to ensure that they are timed appropriately. 4. Consider providing leading pedestrian intervals (LPI) or an exclusive pedestrian phase to help protect pedestrians from potential conflicts with turning vehicles. 5. Evaluate the feasibility of widening the median along the eastern leg of West Central Street (Route 140) to provide a pedestrian refuge. 6. Consider using the ladder crosswalk pavement parking to increase crosswalk visibility. Page 14

16 Safety Issue #5. Bicycle Accommodations Observations: There are currently no dedicated bicycle accommodations provided at the intersection. Shoulders are limited in width and cyclists ride in mixed traffic or, as observed in the field, ride on the sidewalk. Shared lane markings or signage are not provided. One of the 29 crashes involved a southbound cyclist on Old West Central Street that got hit by a southbound right turning vehicle. Potential Enhancements: 1. Consider widening the roadway shoulders to provide adequate space to safely accommodate cyclists as part of long-term improvements to the intersection. Page 15

17 Safety Issue #6. Signage and Pavement Markings Observations: Two of the reported crashes involved vehicles that made a U-turn at the West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound approach. A U-turn prohibition sign is provided on the median of the approach but once a vehicle has reached the stop line the sign is no longer visible and supplemental signage is not provided on the opposite median. During the audit, two eastbound vehicles were observed executing U-turns, one of which was trying to reach the Starbucks on the north side of West Central Street (Route 140). A team member noted that the Starbucks is relatively new and many patrons do not know that you can access Starbucks from Old West Central Street and West Central Street (Route 140). U-turn prohibition sign posted on the West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound approach. One sideswipe crash was reported along the West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound approach that involved a vehicle attempting to maneuver from the right-turn lane into the through lane. The numerous lane use (R3-7) signs along this approach are difficult to see due to sign clutter along the roadway and could contribute to driver confusion. Two of the left lane must turn left and right turn lane must turn right (R3-7) signs are located at the stop line so by the time motorists see the signs it is too late to change lanes. R3-7 signs blocked by guide signs along the eastbound approach of West Central The Old West Central Street southbound pavement Street (Route 140). markings are worn and difficult to see when approaching the intersection which adds to driver confusion when the roadway changes from one to three lanes approaching the intersection. Pavement markings along West Central Street (Route 140) are also worn. The sign post with the left-lane must turn left sign (R3-7L) and keep right (R4-7) signs located on the West Central Street (Route 140) westbound median appears to have been hit and is bent over preventing drivers from seeing the signs. Broken sign post on the West Central Street (Route 140) westbound approach. Page 16

18 The eastern Franklin Village Shopping Center exit has a stop-sign that is posted back to back with a Do Not Enter (R5-1) sign. The Do Not Enter sign obscures the octagonal shape of the Stop sign and is does not meet current standards per MUTCD section 2A.16. Guide signs saying Pond Street Next Signal are provided along both West Central Street (Route 140) approaches which could be confusing to drivers because there are no street signs at the intersection and Old West Central Street does not turn into Pond Street until approximately 0.2 miles northwest of the intersection. An audit member stated that the sign could have been added when Pond Street was reconstructed to no longer intersect with West Central Street (Route 140) and may help drivers looking to reach the Tri-County Regional Vocational High School which has a Pond Street address. Potential Enhancements: 1. Consider moving the existing U-turn prohibition (R3-4) sign on the West Central Street (Route 140) approach closer to the stop line and/or provide a supplemental sign on the far side of the intersection. 2. Consider installing a guide signage for Starbucks at the entrance to Old West Central Street directing patrons to the entrance on Old West Central Street to help prevent additional U- turns. 3. The stop sign for the eastern Franklin Village Shopping Center exit is post-mounted with a Do Not Enter sign on the back side. Consider moving or consolidating signs so that the stop sign is not posted with any other signs and the octagon shape is clearly visible. 4. Consider refreshing the pavement markings along the West Central Street (Route 140) approaches and the Old West Central Street southbound approach. 5. Consider consolidating the regulatory lane-use signs (R3-7) along the West Central Street (Route 140) approaches and replace with advanced intersection lane control (R3-8) signs. 6. Replace bent sign post on the West Central Street (Route 140) westbound approach. 7. Consider replacing the Pond Street Next Signal guide signs with a sign for the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School. Page 17

19 Safety Issue #7. Signal Equipment Observations: The red traffic signal indications along West Central Street (Route 140) westbound and Old West Central Street southbound were observed to have sections of LEDs that were not working, making the signals less visible to drivers. The traffic signals at the intersection are mounted on a span wire with one large span pole on each side of the intersection. During the field visit, the team noted that the concrete foundation of the span pole on the south side of the intersection is in poor condition. Red signal indication with burned out LEDs at the Old West Central Street southbound approach. Potential Enhancements: 1. Replace the burned out LEDs in the red traffic signal indications. 2. Check the condition of the southern span pole foundation and perform any repairs necessary. Page 18

20 Potential Safety Enhancements Based on its observations and discussions, the RSA team identified the issues and possible enhancements that could improve safety at the intersection of West Central Street (Route 140)/Franklin Village Drive. Short-term enhancements include, but are not limited to: Evaluate the signal timings and coordination along Route 140, with specific attention to the leftturn phases on Route 140. Evaluate all clearance intervals. Consider widening the scored concrete median at the West Central Street (Route 140) right turn. Consider installing a yield line and corresponding yield sign at the West Central Street (Route 140) channelized right-turn lane to establish right of way. Consider installing left-turn tracking lines for the northbound and southbound approaches. Consider signalizing the Franklin Village Drive northbound right-turn lane so that it has a red light while the West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound phase is going. Consider working with the Franklin Village Plaza owner to close the eastern internal connection to the parking area (in front on Chipotle). Consider safety benefits of implementing protected-permissive or split phasing for the Franklin Village Drive northbound approach and Old West Central Street southbound approach. Install/replace detectable warning panels at all wheelchair ramps. Consider installing new pedestrian signal indications equipped with countdowns and APS pushbuttons. Consider using the ladder crosswalk pavement parking to increase crosswalk visibility. Re-evaluate pedestrian clearance intervals to ensure that they are timed appropriately. Consider providing leading pedestrian intervals (LPI) or an exclusive pedestrian phase Replace burned out LEDs in the red traffic signal indications. Check the condition of the southern span pole foundation and perform any repairs necessary. Page 19

21 The stop sign for the eastern Franklin Village Shopping Center exit is post-mounted with a R5-1 sign on the back side. Consider moving or consolidating signs so that the stop sign is not posted with any other signs and the octagon shape is clearly visible. Refresh worn pavement markings. Signage consolidation and enhancements. To enhance the safety of the corridor, the long-term enhancements are to: Consider geometric changes along West Central Street (Route 140) to extend the left-turn lane storage along both approaches and explore the potential of providing dual left-turn lanes along the West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound approach. Consider geometric improvements to the channelized islands on the Franklin Village Drive northbound approach to help correct the northbound and southbound offset and improve visibility. Evaluate the feasibility of widening the median along the eastern leg of West Central Street (Route 140). Consider widening the roadway shoulders to provide adequate space to safely accommodate cyclists. Page 20

22 Table 2 summarizes these safety issues, possible enhancements, estimated safety payoff, time frame, cost, and responsibility. Safety payoff estimates are based on engineering judgment and are categorized as low, medium, and high. The time frame is categorized as short-term (<1 year), mid-term (1 to 3 years), or long-term (typically >3 years). Long-term improvements are typically considered to be substantial improvements with an expected time frame for implementation of greater than 3 years. The costs are categorized as low (<$10,000), medium ($10,000 to $50,000), or high (>$50,000). 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 efforts. The short-term low-cost improvements should be considered by the responsible agency for immediate implementation, as appropriate. Page 21

23 West Central Street (Route 140) at Franklin Village Drive, Frankli n Table 2. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements Safety Issue Congestion and Drive Frustration Intersection Geometry Traffic Signal Phasing Pedestrian Accommodations Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Party Evaluate the signal timings and coordination along Route 140, with specific attention to the left-turn phases on Route 140. Medium Short-Term Low MassDOT Consider geometric changes along West Central Street (Route 140) to extend the left-turn lane storage along both approaches and explore the Mid/Long- High potential of providing dual left-turn lanes along the West Central Street Term High MassDOT (Route 140) eastbound approach. Evaluate all clearance intervals. High Short-Term Low MassDOT Consider widening the scored concrete median at the West Central Street (Route 140) right-turn. Low Mid-Term Medium MassDOT Consider installing a yield line and corresponding yield sign at the West Central Street (Route 140) eastbound channelized right-turn lane. Low Short-Term Low MassDOT Consider signalizing the Franklin Village Drive northbound right-turn lane. Medium Mid-Term Medium/ High MassDOT Consider working with the Franklin Village Plaza owner to close the eastern internal connection to the parking area (in front on Chipotle). Consider installing left-turn tracking lines for the northbound and southbound approaches. Consider geometric improvements to the channelized islands on the Franklin Village Drive northbound. Evaluate the operational and safety benefits of implementing protectedpermissive with flashing yellow arrow or split phasing for the Franklin Village Drive northbound and Old West Central southbound approaches. Low Short-Term Low MassDOT/ Town of Franklin/ Franklin Village Plaza Owner Low Mid-Term Low MassDOT Medium Long-Term High MassDOT High Mid-Term Medium MassDOT Install/replace detectable warning panels at all wheelchair ramps. Low Mid-Term Medium MassDOT Consider installing new pedestrian signal indications equipped with countdowns. Consider providing leading pedestrian intervals (LPI) or an exclusive pedestrian phase. Low Mid-Term Medium/ High MassDOT Medium Mid-Term Low MassDOT Page 22

24 West Central Street (Route 140) at Franklin Village Drive, Frankli n Table 3. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements (continued) Safety Issue Pedestrian Accommodations Bicycle Accommodations Traffic Sign and Pavement Markings Signal Equipment Safety Enhancement Re-evaluate pedestrian clearance intervals to ensure that they are timed properly. Evaluate the feasibility of widening the median along the eastern leg of West Central Street (Route 140). Consider using the ladder crosswalk pavement parking to increase crosswalk visibility. Consider widening the roadway shoulders to provide adequate space to safely accommodate cyclists. Consider moving the existing U-turn prohibition sign (R3-4) on the West Central Street (Route 140) approach closer to the stop line and/or provide a supplemental sign on the far side of the intersection. Consider installing guide signage for Starbucks at the entrance to Old West Central Street. Consider moving or consolidating signs at the eastern Franklin Village Shopping Center exit so that the stop sign is not posted with any other signs and the octagon shape is clearly visible. Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Party Low Short-Term Low MassDOT Medium Long-Term High MassDOT Low Short-Term Low MassDOT High Long-Term High MassDOT Low Short-Term Low MassDOT Low Short-Term Low MassDOT/ Starbucks/ Town of Franklin Low Short-Term Low MassDOT Consider refreshing the pavement markings along the West Central Street (Route 140) approaches and the Old West Central southbound Low Short-Term Low MassDOT approach. Consider consolidating the regulatory lane-use (R3-7) signs along the West Central Street (Route 140) approaches and replace with Low Short-Term Low MassDOT advanced intersection lane control (R3-8) signs. Replace bent sign post on the West Central Street (Route 140) westbound approach median. Low Short-Term Low MassDOT Consider replacing the Pond Street Next Signal guide signs with a MassDOT/ Low Short-Term Low sign for the Tri-County Regional Vocational High School. Town of Franklin Replace all dead LEDs in the red traffic signal indications. Low Short-Term Low MassDOT Check the condition of the southern span pole foundation and perform any repairs necessary. Low Short-Term Low MassDOT Page 23

25 Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda

26 Franklin, MA West Central St. (Route 140) at Franklin Village Dr. Meeting Location: Franklin Department of Public Works 257 Fisher Street, Franklin, MA Thursday, January 7, :30 AM 12:00 PM Type of meeting: Attendees: Please bring: High Crash Location Road Safety Audit Invited Participants to Comprise a Multidisciplinary Team Thoughts and Enthusiasm!! 9:30 AM Welcome and Introductions 9:45 AM Discussion of Safety Issues Crash history, Speed Regulations provided in advance Existing Geometries and Conditions 10:00 AM Site Visit Drive to the intersection of West Central Street (Route 140) at Franklin Village Drive As a group, identify areas for improvement 11:00 AM Discussion of Potential Improvements Discuss observations and finalize safety issue areas Discuss potential improvements and finalize recommendations 12:00 PM Adjourn for the Day but the RSA has not ended Instructions for Participants: Before attending the RSA on January 7, 2016, participants are encouraged to drive/walk 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.

27 Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List

28 West Central Street (Route 140) at Franklin Village Drive, Frankli n Participating Audit Team Members Date: Thursday, January 7, 2016 Location: Franklin Department of Public Works (257 Fisher Street, Franklin, MA) Audit Team Members Agency/Affiliation Address Phone Number Mike Maglio Franklin Town Engineer mmaglio@franklin.ma.us Bryan Taberner Franklin Planning Department btaberner@franklin.ma.us Deacon Perrotta Franklin Department of Public Works dperrotta@franklin.ma.us Jeff Nutting Franklin Town Administrator jnutting@franklin.ma.us Gary McCarraher Franklin Fire Department gmccarraher@franklin.ma.us Steve Semerjian Franklin Police Department ssemerjian@franklinpolice.com Miriam Goodman Franklin Schools goodmanm@franklin.ma.us Sally Winslow Franklin Schools winslows@franklin.ma.us Seth Asante Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) sasante@ctps.org John Mastera MassDOT Highway Safety john.mastera@state.ma.us Michelle Deng MassDOT Highway Safety michelle.deng@state.ma.us Mohammad AbuArja MassDOT Highway Safety mohammad.abuarja@state.ma.us Lori Shattuck MassDOT D3 Traffic lori.shattuck@dot.state.ma.us Lola Campbell MassDOT D3 Traffic alolade.campbell@dot.state.ma.us Joe SanClemente Howard Stein Hudson jsanclemente@hshassoc.com Alex Siu Howard Stein Hudson asiu@hshassoc.com Jessica Lizza Howard Stein Hudson jlizza@hshassoc.com

29 Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data

30 Collision Diagram - West Central Street (Route 140) at Old West Central Street and Franklin Village Drive, Franklin, MA A D , E 18 C 7 B , A Crash location ~475' West of intersection. B Crash location ~850' East of intersection. C Crash location ~700' East of intersection. D Crash location ~260' West of intersection. E Crash location ~550' East of intersection. Key Rear-End Overturned Turning Movement Pedestrian/Bicyclist Fatal Accident ## Head-on Fixed-Object I.D. Number ## Out of Control Sideswipe Angle Injury Accident ##

31 Crash Data Summary Table West Central Street (Route 140) at Old West Central Street and Franklin Village Drive - Franklin, MA January 2011-December 2014 # Crash Date Crash Day Time of Day Manner of Collision Light Condition Weather Condition Road Surface Driver Contributing Code Ages Comments Veh 1 was stopped st the light on West Central Street, when light turned green, traffic had not moved yet and was struck in the rear by 1 3/1/2011 Tuesday 11:38 AM Rear-end Daylight Clear Dry Inattention Veh /18/2011 Wednesday 5:27 PM Rear-end Daylight Cloudy Wet No Improper Driving Veh 1 was stopped in the right hand lane of the eastbound lanes when veh 2 crashed into the rear of veh. 1. Veh 2 then left the scene. 3 8/11/2011 Thursday 6:29 PM Angle Daylight Clear Dry No Improper Driving Veh 1 was traveling on West Central Street crossing over Franklin Village Drive, When Vehicle 2, was exiting the Franklin Village Mall, crashed into each other. Both vehicles were towed from the scene by Grove Street Towing. 4 9/1/2011 Thursday 8:52 PM Rear-end¹ Other Cloudy Dry Followed too closely Veh 1 leaving mall waiting to enter onto Rt 140 when it was collided in the rear by Veh 2 who didn t notice her stopped. 5 10/20/2011 Thursday 6:54 PM Rear-end Dark - Lighted roadway Clear Dry Followed too closely n/a 6 12/1/2011 Thursday 2:29 PM Rear-end Daylight Clear Dry Followed too closely Both vehicles were traveling on West Central Street. Veh 1 stopped for the traffic light, Veh 2 collided into rear of Veh /23/2011 Friday 4:02 PM Rear-end n/a n/a n/a No Improper Driving Vehicle 2 was stopped in heavy traffic when Vehicle 1 attempted to stop but struck the rear of Vehicle 2. Operating defective Vehicle made right turn into entrance of Franklin Village Mall. Operator applied brakes and skidded onto island. Damaged and struck steel sign 8 1/12/2012 Thursday 2:18 PM Single Vehicle Crash Daylight Rain Wet equipment post. Dark - Lighted Disregarded traffic signs, signals, road markings/failed to yield Vehicle 2 was stopped at a redlight on the westbound approach in the left through lane. Vehicle 2 proceed through the intersection when the Vehicle 1 ran the redlight on the northbound approach and collided with 9 2/13/2012 Monday 7:12 PM Angle roadway Clear Dry right of way Vehicle /18/2012 Saturday 8:00 PM Rear-end Dark - Lighted roadway Clear Dry n/a /26/2012 Sunday 10:37 AM Rear-end n/a n/a n/a n/a /29/2012 Tuesday 3:40 PM Rear-end Daylight Clear Dry No Improper Driving /6/2012 Wednesday 3:08 PM Rear-end Daylight Clear Dry n/a Disregarded traffic signs, signals, road Sideswipe, same Dark - Lighted markings/failed to yield direction roadway Cloudy Dry right of way /26/2012 Thursday 8:41 PM 15 9/14/2012 Friday 4:00 PM Rear-end Daylight Clear Dry Inattention /23/2012 Tuesday 6:13 PM Sideswipe, same direction Dark - Lighted roadway Clear Dry Disregarded traffic signs, signals, road markings/other Improper action /4/2012 Sunday 1:22 PM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Failed to yield right of way Vehicle 1 and 2 were taking a left turn out of the village mall. Vehicle 1 stopped for an oncoming vehicle and vehicle 2 struck 1 from behind. Operator 1 stated while sitting on Rt 140, West Central Street, north bound at the intersection of Old West Central Street she was struck in the rear by another vehicle. Operator 1 states that she pulled over upon being struck but the operator of the other vehicle just passed her by and headed off towards Rt Veh 1 was pulling out into traffic on W. Central Street at a yield sign. Veh. 2 rear ended veh 1 causing minor damage. MV #1, #2, and #3 were traveling east on W. Central Street. MV #3 rear ended MV #2, causing MV #2 to rear end MV #1. Veh 1 was on Franklin Village Drive northbound taking a right turn onto West Central Street (eastbound). Veh 2 side swiped Veh. 1. Vehicles 1, 2, and 3 were traveling on the westbound approach and stopped for a redlight. Vehicle 1 rear ended Veh 2 and Veh 2 then reared ended Veh 3. Veh 1 was stopped in traffic at a red light at the intersection of West Central Street and Franklin Village Drive. Veh 1 was in the right/middle lane to proceed straight. Veh 2 attempted to squeeze by Veh 1 to enter the left/middle lane, and made contact with Veh 1. Veh 1was traveling south on Old West Central Street and proceeded straight through the green signal across West Central Street attempting to enter the Franklin Village Mall. Veh 2 was exiting the Mall with a green signal turning left in order to proceed west on West Central Street. 1 of 2

32 West Central Street (Route 140) at Old West Central Street and Franklin Village Drive - Franklin, MA January 2011-December /7/2012 Wednesday 10:17 AM Rear-end Daylight Cloudy Dry Inattention Failure to keep in proper Dark - Lighted lane or running off road/ 19 1/17/2013 Thursday 8:33 PM Head-on roadway Clear Dry Illness * 1/18/2013 Friday 12:28 PM Rear-end Daylight Clear Dry n/a /23/2013 Wednesday 11:00 AM Angle Daylight Clear Dry No Improper Driving /31/2013 Thursday 5:10 PM Rear-end 23 5/9/2013 Thursday 5:46 PM Dark - Lighted roadway Cloudy Dry No Improper Driving Sideswipe, same direction Daylight Cloudy Wet No Improper Driving /27/2013 Friday 9:59 AM Single Vehicle Crash Daylight Clear Dry n/a Dark - Lighted 25 12/1/2013 Sunday 4:40 PM Rear-end roadway Clear Wet No Improper Driving /5/2013 Thursday 7:29 PM Rear-end 27 12/9/2013 Monday 6:20 PM 28 12/13/2013 Friday 5:51 PM Sideswipe, same direction Sideswipe, same direction Dark - Lighted roadway Rain Wet Inattention Dark - Lighted roadway Rain, Sleet Wet Inattention Dark - Lighted roadway Clear Dry n/a /23/2013 Monday 1:41 PM Rear-end Daylight Rain Wet n/a Veh 1 was stopped in traffic on West Central St. when it was struck by Veh 2 in the rear, which was traveling east on West Central St.This Crash took place at the back of queue approximately feet from the stop bar. Vehicle 1 was traveling north bound in the area of 550 West Central St when she crossed over the median and struck vehicle 2 head on. Veh 1 was stopped at the light on West Central Street and Village Mall. Veh 2 then struck Veh 1 in the rear. Operator of Veh #2, was responding to an emergency with blue lights and siren activated. He stated he approached the intersection of W. Central St. and Old W. Central St. when he observed traffic in the left lane of Old W. Central St. stop to allow him to pass. As he entered the intersection Veh #1 passed the vehicles that were stopped and traveled in front of Veh #2. VEHICLE 1 AND 2 WERE TAKING A RIGHT TURN FROM OLD WEST CENTRAL ST ONTO WEST CENTRAL ST. VEHICLE 1 PROCEEDED TO TAKE THE RIGHT TURN BUT STOPPED BECAUSE A VEHICLE WAS MAKING A U TURN IN FRONT OF IT. WHEN VEHICLE 1 STOPPED VEHICLE 2 STRUCK VEHICLE 1 FROM BEHIND. VEH 1 TRAVELING EAST ON ROUTE 140. WAS STRUCK BY VEH 2 ATTEMPTING TO SWITCH LANES. Veh 1 was traveling south on Old West Central Street and turned right onto West Central Street, and collided with a bicycle, also traveling south on Old West Central Street. Vehicle #1 and #2 travelling West on West Central Street. Vehicle #2 drove into the rear of vehicle #1. Vehicle 2 was stopped at the traffic light awaiting a green arrow to turn left into the Village Mall shopping center. Vehicle 1 struck vehicle 2 from behind. Operator of vehicle 1 intially stated that he believed a "brake line popped". Veh 1 was attempting to merge onto West Central Street south from the Village Mall. Veh 2 was behind Veh 1. Veh 2 then struck Veh 1 on the side of the car near the gas tank. Veh 1 was making a right turn onto West Central Street, traveling westerly. Veh 2 was making a U-turn on West Central Street from the east to the west. Veh 1 struck veh 2. Veh 1 stated she had the red light. Veh 2 stated she had a green light. MV #1, #2, and #3 were traveling west on W. Central Street ansd stopped at the traffic control signal. MV #1 rear ended MV #2, causing MV #2 to rear end MV #3. Summary based on Crash Reports obtained from the State and Franklin Police Department. * Not enough data obtained to locate crash. ¹ The manner of collision was initially identified as an Angle crash, but based on narratives in the crash data reports, it is determined this crash be indentified as Rear-end. A total of 19 Incident Reports were obtained with insufficient information; therefore, not included in the summary table. 2 of 2

33 Crash Data Summary Tables and Charts 30% CRASH MONTH 24% 20% 17% 10% 0% 10% 10% 10% 7% 7% 3% 3% 3% 3% 0% J F M A M J J A S O N D 40% CRASH DAY OF WEEK 34% 30% 20% 10% 0% 17% 14% 10% 10% 10% 3% Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 40% 30% 24% CRASH TIME OF DAY 38% 34% 20% 10% 0% 3% 0% 0% 6 10 a.m p.m. 2 6 p.m p.m a.m. 2 6 a.m. 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 7% 59% CRASH MANNER OF COLLISION 14% 17% 3% 0% 0% Single Vehicle Rear end Angle Sideswipe, same Sideswipe, Head on Unknown/Other Crash direction opposite direction 1 of 2

34 Crash Data Summary Tables and Charts 80% CRASH LIGHT CONDITION 60% 40% 52% 38% 20% 0% 0% 0% 0% Daylight Dawn Dusk Dark Lighted Dark Roadway Other Unknown Roadway not lighted 3% 7% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 59% 21% 10% CRASH WEATHER CONDITION 0% 3% 0% 0% 0% 0% Clear Cloudy Rain Snow Sleet, Hail, Fog, Smog, Severe Blowing Other Unknown Freezing Smoke Crosswinds sand, snow Rain 7% 80% 60% 69% CRASH ROAD SURFACE 40% 20% 0% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 24% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Dry Wet Snow Ice Sand, mud, Water Slush Other Unknown dirt, oil, (standing, gravel moving) CRASH DRIVERS AGES 24% 19% 19% 15% 12% 10% % 7% 2% 2 of 2