ROAD SAFETY AUDIT. Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street. Town of Wakefield. September Prepared For: MassDOT

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1 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street September 2017 Prepared For: MassDOT Massachusetts Department of Transportation Prepared By: WorldTech Engineering

2 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Table of Contents Background... 1 Project Data... 1 Project Location and Description... 2 Audit Observations and Potential Safety Enhancements... 5 Observations... 5 Safety Issue #1: Pedestrian and Bicyclist Accommodations... 5 Safety Issue #2: Access Management... 8 Safety Issue #3: Roadway Geometry... 9 Safety Issue #4: Missing/Obstructed Signage Safety Issue #5: Inattentive Drivers Safety Issue #6: Ineffective Drainage Safety Issue #7: Ineffective Signal Equipment and Phasing Safety Issue #8: Proposed Rail Trail Concerns Summary of Road Safety Audit List of Appendices Appendix A. Appendix B. Appendix C. Appendix D. Appendix E. RSA Meeting Agenda RSA Audit Team Contact List Detailed Crash Data Additional Information Road Safety Audit References List of Figures Figure 1: Locus Map... 4 List of Tables Table 1: Participating Audit Team Members... 2 Table 2: Estimated Time Frame and Costs Breakdown Table 3: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary... 15

3 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Background The FHWA, Federal Highway Administration, defines a Road Safety Audit, RSA, as the formal safety examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team. The purpose of a RSA is to identify potential safety issues and possible opportunities for safety improvements considering all roadway users. The intersection of Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street has previously been identified as a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Pedestrian cluster in. An HSIP-eligible location is a crash cluster that ranks within the top 5% of each Regional Planning Agency, based on the Equivalent Property Damage Only (EPDO) index, where Property Damage Only crashes = 1 point; Injury crashes = 5 points; Fatal crashes = 10 points. The EPDO rating during for the project location was 56. For this RSA, the safety audit team included representatives from the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS), the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), WalkBoston, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) District 4 and Safety Division, the Police, Department of Public Works, and WorldTech Engineering (WorldTech). WorldTech s role was to facilitate the RSA. The group identified existing safety issues and the potential safety enhancements that can potentially be included in the future design. The RSA ran as follows: pre-site visit; site visit; post-site visit. The pre-site visit consisted of discussing safety issues from member s experience and based on collision diagram materials. The site visit consisted of identifying actual roadway conditions and operations as well as identifying issues that weren t recorded during the pre-site visit session. The post-site visit involved identifying potential safety enhancements for each issue that was identified during the previous phases. The pre- and post-site visits were located at the Town Hall. Project Data The RSA focused on the intersections of Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street and Water Street (Route 129) at Crescent Street in the. The RSA was initiated through WorldTech, the, and MassDOT. The invitation and agenda are included in Appendix A. The participating team members and their affiliations are listed in Table 1, and their contact information is provided in Appendix B. Crash records were provided by the Police Department and were then used to compile the collision diagrams and crash data summary information. These materials were distributed to the audit team members. Appendix C provides the detailed crash data for the study area. Page 1

4 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Table 1: Participating Audit Team Members Audit Team Member Agency/Affiliation Elsa Chan Kush Bhagat Anissa Benzaid Timothy Paris Jeff Gomes David Loutzenheiser Casey Claude Stacey Beuttell Rick Stinson Michael Collins Steve Skory Steve Maio Adam Prichard MassDOT Traffic Safety MassDOT Traffic Safety MassDOT Traffic Safety MassDOT District 4 Projects MassDOT District 4 Traffic MAPC CTPS (Boston Region MPO) WalkBoston DPW DPW Police Department WorldTech Engineering During the five-year study period from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2014, the Police Department (WPD) reported a total of 28 crashes at the audit location. Of these 28 crashes, 12 (43 percent) were angle crashes, and 9 crashes (32 percent) were rear-end crashes. Fourteen (14) crashes (50 percent) occurred from 12 pm to 4 pm. The majority of crashes occurred under daylight conditions (21 crashes, 75 percent), with clear weather (19 crashes, 68 percent), and with a dry road surface (19 crashes, 68 percent). No fatal injuries occurred during the study period, but 7 crashes (25 percent) involved an injury or possible injury. Project Location and Description The study location is shown on the locus map in Figure 1. Water Street (Route 129) Water Street (Route 129) is a bi-directional roadway extending in a generally east-west direction from Main Street in to the west and across the Saugus town line to the east. The roadway consists of one travel lane in each direction separated by a double yellow centerline. At the intersection with Vernon Street, eastbound Water Street consists of a through lane and an exclusive left turn lane, while westbound Water Street consists of a through lane and an exclusive right turn lane. At the intersection with Crescent Street, both eastbound and westbound Water Street has one lane in each direction. Water Street has a parking lane on the north side of the street in between Vernon Street and Crescent Street. Throughout the audit location, the roadway width of Water Street is approximately 44 feet. Water Street (Route 129) is classified as an urban principal arterial. Land use along Water Street near the project location is mostly commercial with some residential units scattered throughout. Water Street is under the s jurisdiction. Page 2

5 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Vernon Street Vernon Street is a bi-directional roadway extending in a generally north-south direction from Interstate 95 to the north and terminates at Water Street to the south. The roadway consists of one travel lane in each direction separated by a double yellow centerline. Vernon Street is functionally classified as an urban minor arterial. The roadway width of Vernon Street is approximately 33 feet. Land use along Vernon Street near the audit location is mixed commercial and residential. Vernon Street is under the s jurisdiction. Crescent Street Crescent Street is a bi-directional roadway extending in a generally north-south direction from Water Street to the south and to Main Street to the north. The roadway consists of one travel lane in each direction which is not formally separated by markings. Crescent Street is functionally classified as an urban minor arterial. The roadway width of Crescent Street is approximately 30 feet. Land use along Crescent Street is mostly residential. Crescent Street is under the s jurisdiction. Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street The intersection of Water Street at Vernon Street is a signalized T-intersection. At the intersection, the Water Street approaches connect to form an oblique angle. This intersection provides for two crosswalks, one across Water Street on the west side of the intersection, and on the north side of the intersection. An exclusive pedestrian phase is provided at this location. Pedestrian ramps, pushbuttons and signals are also provided at this location, except for the northeast corner where curbing and ramps are not provided. The signals are owned and maintained by the. The traffic signals have video detection. Water Street (Route 129) at Crescent Street and #27/37 Driveway The intersection of Water Street at Crescent Street and the #27/37 driveway is a signalized 4-way intersection. The Crescent Street and commercial lot approaches are offset by 30 feet. The width of the commercial opening is approximately 19 feet. There are crosswalks provided across both Crescent Street on the north side of the intersection and across Water Street on the west side of the intersection. Pedestrian ramps, pushbuttons and signals are also provided at this location. The signals are owned and maintained by the. The total distance in between the intersections of Vernon Street at Water Street and Crescent Street at Water Street is approximately 250 feet. The signals along the Water Street corridor are designed to be coordinated. Bicycle facilities are not provided throughout the project location. Proposed Rail Trail The proposed rail trail converts the former Newburyport railroad bed into a recreational trail that provides connection between and Lynnfield. In the vicinity of the audit location, the rail trail runs parallel with Vernon Street to the east side and crosses Water Street (Route 129) on the east side of the intersection with Vernon Street. The rail trail would potentially extend from the existing train crossing with Main Street at the Galvin Middle School in from the south and into Lynnfield to the north. The railbed right of way is under MBTA s jurisdiction, who has leased the property to the. Page 3

6 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Figure 1: Locus Map Page 4

7 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Audit Observations and Potential Safety Enhancements During the RSA, the audit team identified safety issues and discussed potential safety enhancements that would address each issue. Observations The RSA team identified the following safety issues: Substandard Pedestrian and Lack of Bicyclist Accommodations Access Management Roadway Geometry Missing/Obstructed Signage Inattentive Drivers Ineffective Drainage Ineffective Signal Equipment and Phasing Rail Trail Development Concerns Safety Issue #1: Substandard Pedestrian and Lack of Bicycle Accommodations Audit team members noted that while crosswalks are available, the locations of pedestrian pushbuttons in relation to ramps are not ADA compliant. The audit team identified four pushbutton locations (northeast corner of Vernon Street at Water Street, northwest corner of Vernon Street at Water Street, northwest corner of Crescent Street at Water Street, and south side of Crescent Street at Water Street) where the distance from ramp to post was greater than allowed for MUTCD compliance, either five feet from edge of crosswalk or six feet from edge of curb. During the five-year analysis, there were two pedestrian crashes (#3, #18) that occurred in the study area. It was noted Image 1: Distance from pushbutton to crosswalk that a neighboring property (Horizon House) generates a substantial amount of foot traffic that moves back and forth from Main Street, which has two MBTA bus stops, to the west. In addition, with the proposed rail trail, pedestrian volumes will potentially increase. Page 5

8 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, At the northeast corner of the intersection of Vernon Street at Water Street, there is no formal curb or ramp provided as well as a lack of a defined sidewalk. There are currently bollards in place to maintain separation of roadway. While there are no related crashes at this location, there is a safety concern for pedestrians due to the lack of facilities. In addition, on the east side of Vernon Street, there is a gravel area used for parking. An audit participant mentioned that Vernon Street is set to be repaved in the near future. It was mentioned that during the repaving of Vernon Street, formal accommodations (curbing and ramps) could be put in place at the northeast corner of Vernon Street at Water Street. On the southern side of Water Street, the curb reveal is approximately 1 and there are no defined sidewalks other than the bituminous parking lots for the commercial properties. A curb reveal helps to separate motorists on the road from pedestrians on the sidewalk. In addition, at the northwest corner of Water Street at Crescent Street resides a gas station. The gas station s driveway overlaps with the crosswalk ramp across Crescent Street. The curb ramp is located within the gas station s driveway. The distance across Water Street throughout the audit location is approximately 45 feet. This requires a pedestrian clearance time of approximately 13 seconds using 3.5 feet per second based on MUTCD guidance. Having a longer distance to cross for pedestrians means having a longer pedestrian phase included in the cycle. A long-unprotected crosswalk is a safety concern for pedestrians, especially in a congested setting near the downtown area. Image 2: Northeast corner condition It was noted that there are no bicycle accommodations throughout the Water Street corridor. During the five-year Image 3: Curb Reveal analysis, there was one crash (#13) that involved a bicycle. During the site visit, team members noticed at least two cyclists throughout the location. It was also noted that an increase in cyclists are expected with the introduction of the rail trail and the close proximity to the downtown area. This location sees a large heavy vehicle right-turning movement with a Concrete Plant located north of the Vernon Street intersection with Water street. On the southern leg of the Crescent Street at Water Street intersection is a driveway for #27/37 complex. At the approach, stop line markings are not provided as well as no crosswalk markings or continuation of a sidewalk for pedestrians. It was noted during the audit that there are crosswalks in close proximity to one another in the study location. The crosswalk in front of the Bowladrome is approximately 200 feet from the proposed rail trail crossing and the existing crosswalk at the Vernon Street intersection. There is also crosswalk 100 feet west of the crosswalk in front of the gas station at the Crescent Street intersection. Both of these crosswalks are unprotected, compared to the Vernon Street intersection as well as the Crescent Street intersection which have pedestrian signals. Having multiple crossings in a short distance from each other could potentially go unnoticed by motorists. Page 6

9 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, It was asked during the audit if the town had standardized templates for crosswalks. It was mentioned that having a design template in the town could potentially create familiarity for drivers in the area and be able to identify design features and possible conflicts. Enhancements Upgrade existing pedestrian signal equipment to provide accessible pedestrian signals (APS) with pushbuttons and countdown signal heads that are MUTCD compliant with respect to location. Consider implementing concurrent pedestrian phases throughout audit location. Concurrent pedestrian phases, rather than exclusive phases, allow for cycle lengths to be shortened and wait times to be shortened for all users. Further analysis of right turn on red and ability to use leading pedestrian intervals (LPI) is required. Coordinate with town to implement if concurrent phases are allowed under the existing standards. Consider reconstructing the northeast corner of Water Street at Vernon Street to include curbing, sidewalks, and ramps. Coordinate with the Town s pavement program to include this area in the upcoming repaving of Vernon Street. Consider realigning northern leg crosswalk at Water Street at Vernon Street to be closer to pedestrian button at northeast corner of intersection. Consider the installation of ADA-compliant concrete sidewalks throughout the audit location, specifically adjacent to the commercial properties on the south side of Water Street. Incorporating sidewalks could potentially delineate the parking areas from pedestrian facilities. Consider adjusting curbing to provide an adequate curb reveal in front of commercial properties. Higher curb reveals provide an additional barrier to protect pedestrians on sidewalks. A defined curb separation will encourage drivers to use appropriate driveways to visit establishments. Consider the repositioning or consolidation of crosswalks in the area. The rail trail is expected to be the major access point for pedestrians and bicyclists. Consolidating the crosswalks has a possible positive impact of encouraging pedestrians to use the safest facilities to avoid dangerous situations. This specifically refers to the mid-block crosswalk adjacent to Avenue as well as the mid-block crosswalk that is located 100 feet to the west of Crescent Street. Consider adding a curb extension at the southwest corner of Water Street at Crescent Street, adjacent to the no parking lane. Including a curb extension will shorten the crosswalk distance. Consider the installation of bike lanes and other bicycle accommodations (sharrows) to better serve the cycling community and to increase driver awareness to their potential presence. It was mentioned that the Water Street westbound approach after the Vernon Street intersection allows for parking. It was mentioned that this area could potentially turn into a bike lane that would be a connection from the rail trail and downtown. Consider creating a standardized crosswalk template for the. Having a design standard that is recognized throughout the town could potentially help to make facilities more easily recognizable. Consider using ladder style crosswalk markings instead of transverse lines. This would enhance the visibility of crosswalks. Consider separating the pedestrian ramp and curb cut to the driveway of the gas station. Currently, the gas station has a wide curb cut that overlaps with the pedestrian crosswalk and ramp. A formal separation should be created to prohibit vehicles from driving on a protected pedestrian facility. Consider adding stop bar, crosswalk, or implementing defined sidewalk across the #27/37 driveway at the intersection of Crescent Street at Water Street. This would potentially increase safety for pedestrians by delineating the areas for motorists and pedestrian use. Page 7

10 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Safety Issue #2: Access Management During the audit, team members noted that courtesy crashes seem to be prevalent in this area. During the five-year analysis, three crashes (#9, #10, and #23) showed a vehicle either attempting to make a left to enter or exit the businesses on Water Street. A courtesy crash indicates that a vehicle waves an opposing left-turn vehicle to turn when that vehicle does not have the right-of-way. Upon advancing, other vehicles from the adjacent oncoming lane are unaware of the courtesy given and strike the turning vehicle. It was noted during the audit that to the east of the intersection of Vernon Street at Water Street, there are driveways that cause conflicts with the intersection. 78 Water Street s (Horizon House) driveway is located at 10 feet from the stop bar on Water Street. Vehicles entering or exiting from this location have potential conflicts with any vehicle operating in the intersection since no movements from this driveway are protected. One crash (#27) occurred at this driveway. In addition, the Town owns a parcel that is currently slated to become parking for the rail trail. This parcel is located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Water Street at Vernon Street. This lot is accessed in the middle of the intersection but is not governed by the Image 4: Crossing and Gas Station Driveway signal. Vehicles entering or exiting the gravel lot or Horizon House are potential conflicts with the operations of the signal at this intersection. During the site visit, team members noted that at 30 Water Street (Gas Station) that the crosswalk is located within the driveway opening on the southeast corner of the gas station parcel. Opposite of Crescent Street is a two-way driveway that provides access to lots for #27/37 Water Street. During the audit, team members noticed that it is difficult for two vehicles to travel through the driveway. The size of the driveway does not allow for opposite use vehicles. Vehicles will get caught at the opening of the driveway and must tightly maneuver around the opposing vehicle, potentially causing sideswipes in the driveway. This driveway is offset from Crescent Street, but is given the same phase as opposing vehicles, meaning that vehicles entering the intersection from either Crescent Street or the #27/37 driveway could potentially be unaware of an opposing vehicle. There were three crashes (#11, #15, and #16) that occurred where a vehicle was entering or leaving this driveway. It was noted that there are planned future developments, and will utilize the existing driveway. Image 5: Vehicles entering and exiting at #27/37 Water Street Enhancements Consider consolidating the curb cuts and driveways to the businesses on Water Street. Discuss with property owners the possibility of eliminating a curb cut or alternatively converting the driveways Page 8

11 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, to a one-way traffic pattern. Sonny Noto s two curb cuts could be consolidated into one driveway. This would potentially reduce the number of conflicts between driveways with Water Street traffic. Consider restricting left turns into and out of the unsignalized driveways on Water Street. This could potentially reduce the number of courtesy crashes and potential conflicts by forcing vehicles to make a right turn into and out of the business parking lots. Discuss with the property owners the possibility of providing internal connections/circulation for adjacent properties. Consider restricting the drive opposite of Crescent Street to One-Way access. Consider a one-way loop around the Horizon House and into the Bowladrome parking lot. Safety Issue #3: Roadway Geometry During the audit, it was noted that Vernon Street intersects Water Street at a skew for approaching vehicles and might cause vehicles to not properly align in appropriate lane to travel through the intersection. The eastbound approach of Water Street forms two lanes, a through and an exclusive left lane. Audit team members noticed that while vehicles have a desire to continue eastbound, many of the arriving vehicles would be positioned in the exclusive left turn lane or straddle both lanes after passing the Crescent Street intersection. This movement seems to be occurring due to the alignment of the upstream lane alignment. This type of vehicle movement has the potential to cause sideswipe crashes, of which there were three (#6, #20, and #28) at this location. The eastbound approach at the Crescent Street intersection is approximately 17 feet from center line to shoulder line. South of the eastbound approach lane is a no parking area that is 9 feet wide. After passing the intersection, the double yellow line in between Crescent Street and Vernon Street provides a 5-footwide delineator before providing an exclusive turn lane. The intent of the delineator is to encourage vehicles to align into the right-hand travel lane before the intersection. It was noted that the pavement markings in the area, while visible, might not provide the best guidance for vehicles. Southbound left turning vehicles from Vernon Street often cross the double yellow center line. The stop bar is aligned as a T-intersection. Audit team members noted that the position of stop bars could be set back further on the Vernon Street approach, as well as the westbound Water Street approach. Repainting the stop bars to accurately reflect the skewed angled intersection could help to deter vehicles from crossing the centerline during the turn. Enhancements Consider increasing the diagonal crosshatch marking area on the double yellow center line for the Water Street eastbound approach to the Vernon Street intersection. This could potentially default drivers to be lined up in the through lane, instead of drivers straddling the through lane and exclusive left-turn lane. Consider offsetting the double yellow line, west of Water Street at Crescent Street, to the south. This could potentially encourage motorists to align in the through lane downstream on Water Street. Consider moving the stop lines back on both the Vernon Street approach and Water Street westbound approach. The Vernon Street approach appears to have a less than four-foot offset from the crosswalk, which is not MUTCD compliant. The westbound Water Street approach might consider moving the stop line back in order to accommodate the space for the rail-trail crosswalk. Consider modifying the geometry of the Vernon Street at Water Street intersection to provide a more perpendicular angle to increase sight lines. Consideration would need to be given to the turning radii needed for the truck traffic in the area. Page 9

12 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Consider hatching out the No Parking Area and/or minimize width of lane to deter travel along this section. Consider advanced signage for lane usage. This would encourage drivers to align in proper lane for next intersection. Safety Issue #4: Missing/Obstructed Signage While on the site visit, it was noted that the westbound approach at Vernon Street does not have a Left Lane Must Turn Left sign (R3-7), based on historic Google StreetView, the sign exists. Speed Limit sign (R2-1 (20)) along westbound Water Street approaching Crescent Street is obstructed by a tree. This sign is necessary to designate the beginning of the downtown central business district and potential increased pedestrian activity. There are two mid-block crosswalks approaching the audit location from both the east and west directions, 150 feet west of Crescent Street and directly in front of the Bowladrome. The Bowladrome location is lacking an in-street pedestrian sign (R1-6) and both locations are lacking advanced crosswalk signage (W11-2) including crosswalk with arrow signage (W16-7P). One crash (#14) occurred at the midblock crosswalk. Image 6: Obstructed Speed Limit Sign Enhancements Replace missing Left Lane Must Turn Left sign (R3-7) at eastbound Water Street approach. Clear vegetation that is obstructing Speed Limit sign (R2-1(20)) on Water Street westbound. Add pedestrian crossing signage (R1-6, W11-2, W16-7P) at the two mid-block crossings. This will help to notify motorists of the mid-block crosswalks and the potential conflicts. Safety Issue #5: Inattentive Drivers It was noted during the RSA that inattentive and distracted drivers are a problem throughout the Town. There were nine rear-end crashes, which have been known to be due to inattention, in the area during the five-year analysis. There were also two red-light running crashes. In addition, there were five crashes that were contributed to Inattention. Enhancements Consider providing local driver education classes through public involvement. Consider including fines on signage for running red lights. Evaluate visual clutter, such as utility poles, business signage and streetscape features. Page 10

13 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Safety Issue #6: Ineffective Drainage An audit team member noted that a catch basin was located in an area where it might not be the most effective. While it is not known if ponding exists or represents a problem at this location (northeast corner of Vernon Street at Water Street), a wet weather crash condition was noted for eight crashes (29 percent). Enhancements Consider locating catch basin uphill on Vernon Street, adjacent to curb. The MassDOT Project Development & Design Guide recommends placing catch basins uphill of intersections and pedestrian crosswalks. This improvement should be considered with the reconstruction of the northeast corner of the intersection. Safety Issue #7: Ineffective Signal Equipment and Phasing It was noted that the sees a considerable amount of commuter traffic during the peak hours with I-95 being the most sought-after destination for drivers. It was also noted that the two intersections of Water Street at Vernon Street and Water Street at Crescent Street are designed to be coordinated signals. An audit team member noted that the coordination for the signals was not working at the time of the site visit. The audit team member also noted that the local controller could be updated to provide more reliable service. The intersections are roughly 250 feet apart. Due to the close nature of the signals, there is a potential for rear-end crashes to be caused if the signals are not coordinated properly. As noted earlier, there were nine rear-end crashes in the audit location during the five-year period. It was identified that fourteen (14) crashes (50 percent) occurred during the early afternoon period (12 pm to 4 pm). While there is no direct correlation, this period was identified as coinciding with the school s release period. There is a potential that these intersections are not appropriately timed (phases/cycle) for the volumes that exist during this period. The higher volumes during this period could potentially create large backups on the network, which could increase driver frustration and could possibly be a factor for an increase in crashes during this period, specifically rear-end crashes. The signals currently provide backplates, however, they do not have retroreflective borders. Solar glare was noted as an issue for one crash (#18). Signal visibility could potentially be an issue along this corridor, especially with respect to rear-end crashes. Image 7: Signals The eastbound Water Street approach at Crescent Street provides for two overhead signals. The location of the left most signal head is placed upstream of the diagonal crosshatch marking area between Crescent Street and Vernon Street. The current setup indicates to motorists that there are two lanes at this location, when this location is currently striped for one lane. An issue that was talked about previously was the sideswipe crashes that occur at the next intersection which potentially be caused by having vehicles expect to have two lanes at this location. Page 11

14 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Enhancements Check the coordination between the signals and update if necessary to improve the operation between the two intersections. Evaluate the existing timings and update if necessary, taking into consideration the high-volume early afternoon period that coincides with the neighboring school s release. This is the time period where the majority of crashes occur. Consider adding retroreflective borders to existing backplates. The addition of retroreflective borders could potentially reduce the number of rear-end collisions at the intersection by increasing visibility of the signals. Consider adding a flashing yellow arrow for the left-hand turn from Water Street onto Vernon Street. A flashing yellow arrow has potential to reduce left turn crashes. While this location does not currently have any left turn crashes, it is important to continue to avoid this type of crash. Consider removing the signal head on the right on eastbound Water Street at Crescent Street to deter drivers from traveling in the No Parking area. Safety Issue #8: Proposed Rail Trail Concerns During the audit, team members expressed concerns with respect to the proposed rail trail. With the introduction of the rail trail, pedestrian and bicyclist volume should see an increase in the area. Current pedestrian and bicycle accommodations will not be adequate in the future. Audit team members expressed concern over the crossing of the rail trail with Water Street. Team members detailed that there should be advanced warnings on both Water Street and the trail to highlight to both pedestrians/cyclists and motorists of the potential conflict to each other. Team members also were concerned about the interaction of pedestrians and cyclists at the Water Street crossing. There is a potential of disorganized crossing and queuing of pedestrians and cyclists at this location, if volumes and wait times are high for trail users. On the southeast corner of the Water Street at Vernon Street intersection is a gravel lot owned by the. This lot is proposed to be turned into a parking Image 8: Proposed Parking Area lot for the rail trail. Audit members noted that the Water Street access from the parking lot needs to be carefully managed since even more conflicts will be created after completion of the rail trail and the potential improving of the gravel lot. Enhancements Consider advanced warning signs for combination bike and pedestrian crossing (W11-15) and intersection warning (W2-1) of the approaching intersection. Consider a large waiting/storage area for pedestrian and bicycle traffic at the northeast corner of the crossing. A large area has the potential to encourage users to wait for their specified crossing phase, rather than attempting to cross the intersection when it is unsafe. Page 12

15 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Consider separated crossings for different modes, i.e. cyclists and pedestrians, at the proposed rail trail crossing. Having separated facilities for pedestrians and cyclists could potentially increase awareness for all users and help to identify where each mode should travel when crossing Water Street. Consider installing bicycle indications with a separate phase across the shared use path. This could potentially encourage bicyclists to wait for their specific phase for the crossing as well as reduce the conflict between pedestrians and bicycles. A bicyclist desire study will need to be completed to determine feasibility. Consider signalizing the gravel lot driveway on the southeast corner of Water Street at Vernon Street. Consideration should be given to existing traffic volumes and turning movements that utilize this area. Consider restricting left turns in to and out of the gravel lot on the southeast corner of the proposed rail trail. Limiting the access to this location has the possibility of mitigating potential angle crashes. Page 13

16 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Summary of Road Safety Audit Each safety issue and potential safety enhancement discussed during the audit has been listed on the following Table 3. For each safety issue, the potential safety enhancement is described; its potential safety payoff is estimated based on groupings shown below, as are the estimated time frame for completion, the estimated construction cost, and the agency responsible for implementing each improvement. Safety payoff estimates are subjective and may be based on the relative percent of crashes that may be reduced by the enhancement based on known and documented crash reduction factors, if available, or estimated crash reduction based on a stated source [for example, low (less than 30%), medium (31% to 70%), and high (greater than 71%)]. The time frame is categorized as short-term (less than 1 year), midterm (1 to 3 years), or long-term (greater than 3 years). The costs are categorized as low (less than $10,000), medium ($10,001 to $50,000), or high (greater than $50,001). The RSA is intended to identify potential safety improvements that can be evaluated and included as part of the design process for safety improvements. Table 2: Estimated Time Frame and Costs Breakdown Time Frame Costs Short-Term <1 Year Low <$10,000 Mid-Term 1-3 Years Medium $10,001-$50,000 Long-Term >3 Years High >$50,000 Page 14

17 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Table 3: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Jurisdiction Outdated / Missing Pedestrian Accommodations Outdated / Missing Pedestrian Accommodations Outdated / Missing Pedestrian Accommodations Outdated / Missing Pedestrian Accommodations Outdated / Missing Pedestrian Accommodations Outdated / Missing Pedestrian Accommodations Outdated / Missing Pedestrian Accommodations Upgrade existing pedestrian signal equipment to provide ADA compliant APS pushbuttons and countdown signal heads. Locate upgraded equipment in compliance with MUTCD standards. Consider implementing concurrent pedestrian phases throughout audit location. Concurrent pedestrian phases allow for shorter cycle lengths and wait times for all users. Consider reconstructing northeast corner of Water Street at Vernon Street to include curbing, sidewalks, and ramps. Coordinate with the Town s pavement management program for the upcoming repaving of Vernon Street. Consider realigning the northern leg crosswalk at Water Street at Vernon Street to be closer to pedestrian button at northeast corner of intersection. Consider installing concrete sidewalks throughout the audit location adjacent to commercial parking lots on Water Street. This could help to delineate parking and pedestrian facilities in corridor. Consider the repositioning or consolidation of crosswalks in the area. Consolidating the crosswalks has a possible positive impact of encouraging pedestrians to use the safest facilities to avoid dangerous situations. This also refers to the mid-block crosswalk adjacent to Avenue. Develop standards for crosswalks in town. Having a defined design standard could potentially help drivers to familiarize the facilities that are located in the town. Low Mid-term High Low Short-term Low Medium Mid/Long-term High Low Short-term Short Low Mid-term Medium Low Mid-term Low Low Short-term Low Page 15

18 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Jurisdiction Outdated / Missing Pedestrian Accommodations Outdated / Missing Pedestrian Accommodations Outdated / Missing Pedestrian Accommodations Outdated / Missing Pedestrian Accommodations Outdated / Missing Pedestrian Accommodations Outdated / Missing Pedestrian Accommodations Access Management Access Management Consider resetting curbing to provide an adequate curb reveal in front of commercial properties. Higher curb reveals provide an additional barrier between pedestrians and motorists. Consider adding a curb extension at the southwest corner of Water Street at Crescent Street, adjacent to the no parking lane. This would shorten the crosswalk length. Consider using ladder style crosswalk markings instead of transverse lines. This would enhance the visibility of crosswalks. Consider separating the pedestrian ramp and curb cut to the driveway of the gas station. Currently, the gas station has a wide curb cut that overlaps with the pedestrian crosswalk and ramp. A formal separation should be created to prohibit vehicles from driving on a protected pedestrian facility. Consider adding stop bar, crosswalk, or implementing defined sidewalk across the #27/37 driveway at the intersection of Crescent Street at Water Street. This would potentially increase safety for pedestrians by delineating the areas for motorists and pedestrian use. Consider installing bike lanes or sharrows to better serve the cycling community and to increase driver awareness of their potential presence. Coordinate with businesses to consolidate curb cuts and driveways on Water Street. This could potentially reduce the number of conflicts with Water Street traffic. Consider restricting left turns from the unsignalized drives on Water Street. This could potentially reduce the number of courtesy crashes and potential conflicts by only allowing right turns. Low Mid-term Medium Low Mid-term Medium Low Mid-term Medium Low Mid-term Medium Low Mid-term Medium Low Short-term Low Low Mid-term Low Medium Mid-term Low Page 16

19 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Jurisdiction Access Management Roadway Geometry Roadway Geometry Roadway Geometry Roadway Geometry Roadway Geometry Roadway Geometry Missing/Obstructed Signage Missing/Obstructed Signage Discuss with property owners the possibility of internal circulation in parking areas. Consider restricting drive opposite of Crescent Street to one-way access. Consider increasing the lateral buffer space (diagonal crosshatch marking area) on double yellow line for Water Street eastbound approach at Vernon Street intersection. The idea is to align drivers in the through lane, rather than the exclusive left-turn lane. Consider offsetting double yellow line, west of Water Street at Crescent Street, to the south. This could potentially encourage motorists to align in the through lane downstream on Water Street. Consider setting stop lines back on both Vernon Street approach and Water Street westbound approach. There should be an appropriate space (4 feet) between crosswalks and stop lines. Consider modifying the geometry of the Vernon Street at Water Street intersection to provide a more perpendicular angle to increase sight lines. Consideration would need to be given to the turning radii needed for the truck traffic in the area Consider hatching out the No Parking Area and/or minimize width of lane to deter travel along this section. Consider advanced signage for lane usage. This would encourage drivers to align in proper lane for next intersection. Replace missing Left Lane Must Turn Left (R3-7) sign at eastbound Water Street approach. Clear vegetation that is obstructing Speed Limit sign (R2-1(20)) on Water Street westbound. Medium Mid/Long-term Low Medium Short-term Low Medium Short-term Low Low Short-term Low Medium Long-term High Low Short-term Low Low Short-term Low Low Short-term Low Low Short-term Low Page 17

20 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Jurisdiction Missing/Obstructed Signage Inattentive Drivers Inattentive Drivers Inattentive Drivers Ineffective Drainage Ineffective Signal Equipment and Phasing Ineffective Signal Equipment and Phasing Ineffective Signal Equipment and Phasing Ineffective Signal Equipment and Phasing Ineffective Signal Equipment and Phasing Add pedestrian crossing signage (R1-6, W11-2, W16-7P) at the two mid-block crossings. This will help to notify motorists of the mid-block crosswalks and the potential conflicts. Consider providing local driver education classes through public involvement. Consider including fines on signage for running red lights. Evaluate visual clutter, such as utility poles, business signage and streetscape features. Consider locating catch basin uphill on Vernon Street, adjacent to curb. Currently, the catch basin does not appear to be located appropriately for the current setup. Check coordination between signals and update if necessary. Consider re-timing the traffic signals that would take into consideration nearby School s release period. Consider adding retroreflective borders existing backplates. The addition of retroreflective borders could potentially reduce the number of rear-end collisions at the intersection by increasing visibility of the signals. Consider adding flashing yellow arrow at left-hand turn from Water Street onto Vernon Street. This treatment has shown to reduce left turn crashes by 20 %. Consider removing the left signal head on eastbound Water Street at Crescent Street and centering the right signal head over the travel lane. This could potentially encourage drivers to align into appropriate lane for downstream travel. Low Short-term Low Low Short-term Low Low Short-term Low Low Short-term Low Low Mid/Long-term High Low Short-term Low Low Short-term Low Low Mid-term Low Low Mid-term Medium Medium Mid-term High Page 18

21 Road Safety Audit Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street, Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Jurisdiction Proposed Rail Trail Concerns Proposed Rail Trail Concerns Proposed Rail Trail Concerns Proposed Rail Trail Concerns Proposed Rail Trail Concerns Proposed Rail Trail Concerns Consider advanced warning signs for both rail trail traffic (W11-15) and vehicle (W2-1) traffic of the approaching intersection. Consider providing a large waiting/storage area for shared use traffic on the northeast corner of the crossing. A large area could potentially encourage users to wait for their appropriate crossing phase. installing bicycle indications with a separate phase across the shared use path. This could potentially encourage bicyclists to wait for their specific phase for the crossing as well as reduce the conflict between pedestrians and bicycles. A bicyclist desire study will need to be completed to determine feasibility. Consider separated crossings for different modes, i.e. cyclists and pedestrians, at the proposed rail trail crossing. Having separated facilities for pedestrians and cyclists could potentially increase awareness for all users and help to identify where each mode should travel when crossing Water Street. Consider restricting left turns out of the proposed parking lot exit. Limiting the access out of this location could potentially mitigate crashes. Right in / Right out. Consider signalizing the gravel lot on the southeast corner of the proposed rail trial. Consideration should be given to existing traffic volumes and turning movements that utilize the area. Medium Mid-term Low Medium Mid-term Medium Medium Mid-term Medium High Long-term High Medium Short-term Low Medium Mid-term High Page 19

22 Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda

23 Road Safety Audit, MA Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street Rails-to-Trails Project Meeting Location: Town Hall 1 Lafayette Street,, MA Thursday, August 10, :30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Type of meeting: Attendees: Please bring: 9:30 AM 9:45 AM High Crash Location Road Safety Audit Invited Participants to Comprise a Multidisciplinary Team Thoughts and Enthusiasm!! Welcome and Introductions Review of Site Specific Material Crash, Speed & Volume Summaries Existing Geometries and Conditions 10:30 AM 11:15 AM 12:00 PM Visit the Site Drive to the identified area. As a group, identify areas for improvement Post Visit Discussion / Completion of RSA Discuss observations and finalize findings Discuss potential improvements and finalize recommendations Adjourn for the Day but the RSA has not ended Instructions for Participants: Before attending the RSA on August 10, 2017, participants are encouraged to drive through the area 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.

24 Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List

25 Date: August 10, 2017 Participating Audit Team Members Location: Town Hall,, MA Audit Team Members Agency/Affiliation Address Phone Number Elsa Chan MassDOT Traffic Safety Kush Bhagat MassDOT Traffic Safety Anissa Benzaid MassDOT Traffic Safety Timothy Paris MassDOT District 4 Projects Timothy.paris@state.ma.us Jeff Gomes MassDOT District 4 Traffic Jeffrey.r.gomes@state.ma.us David Loutzenheiser MAPC dloutzenheiser@mapc.org Casey Claude CTPS (Boston Region MPO) cclaude@ctps.org Stacey Beuttell WalkBoston sbeuttell@walkboston.org Rick Stinson DPW rstinson@wakefield.ma.us x4120 Michael Collins DPW mcollins@wakefield.ma.us Steve Skory Police Department sskory@wakefieldpd.org Steve Maio smaio@wakefield.ma.us Adam Prichard WorldTech Engineering aprichard@worldtech.eng.com x230

26 Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data

27 COLLISION DIAGRAM SYMBOLS TYPES OF CRASH SEVERITY Moving Vehicle Backing Vehicle Pedestrian Bicycle Animal Parked Vehicle Fixed Object Rear End Head-On Turning Movement Angle Sideswipe Out-of-Control Night Time Crash Injury Fatal Crash Summary Number, MA Water Street (Route 129) at Vernon Street Time Period Analyzed: 1/1/2010 to 12/31/2014 Source of Crash Reports: Police Department Date Prepared: 7/24/ Lynnfield Rail Trail Crescent Street Pitstop BBQ #10 Vernon Street Horizon House #78 Bowladrome #92 Water Street (Route 129) Water Street (Route 129) Avenue #27/37 Sonny Noto's #49 Omelette HQ #57 Auto Gallery #79

28 Crash Data Summary Table Vernon Street at Water Street,, MA Crash Diagram Ref # Crash Date Crash Day Time of Day Manner of Collision Light Condition Weather Condition Road Surface Driver Contributing Code D1 Age D2 Age D3 Age Comments # mm/dd/yy Day hh:mm Type Type Type Type Type # # # 1 03/08/10 Monday 2:52 PM Rear end Daylight Clear Dry Unknown MV3 westbound straight when hit MV2. MV2 hit MV /21/12 Saturday 3:29 PM Angle Daylight Snow Snow No improper driving MV1 claims MV2 turned right from left hand lane. MV2 claims they turned from right hand lane and MV1 rear ended them. 3 05/24/12 Thursday 3:12 PM Single vehicle crash Daylight Clear Dry No improper driving MV1 southbound in queue, asked pedestrian for directions. MV1 looked away and let off brake, hitting pedestrian that crossed in front of MV /28/12 Friday 7:30 PM Rear end Dark lighted MV2 claims MV1 abruptly applied brakes. MV2 slid on wet roadway into bumper of Rain Wet No improper driving Unknown Unknown roadway MV /27/12 Saturday 9:49 PM Angle Dark lighted MV1 making U turn in parking lot. MV1 making left hand turn, MV2 travelling Clear Dry Failed to yield right of way roadway westbound. 6 11/20/12 Tuesday 5:49 PM Sideswipe, same direction Dark lighted Failure to keep in proper lane or MV1 and MV2 eastbound on Water Street. MV1 continued straight in left turn lane Clear Dry roadway running off road and sideswiped MV2 in thru lane. 7 12/04/12 Tuesday 4:36 PM Angle Dark lighted roadway Cloudy Wet Failed to yield right of way MV1 pulling out from parking lot. MV2 eastbound, MV1 failed to yield. 8 01/20/13 Sunday 12:26 PM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Disregarded traffic signs, signals, road markings MV1 entering Water from Crescent. MV2 westbound went through red light. 9 01/24/13 Thursday 9:38 AM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Unknown MV3 stopped in left turn lane to allow MV2 to turn left into parking lot. MV1 EB straight. Courtesy Crash 10 04/01/13 Monday 8:19 AM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Unknown MV2 exiting parking lot. Eastbound straight lane stopped. MV in left turn lane continued. Courtesy Crash. MV2 stopped behind MV1 at red light. MV1 turning right into 37 Water, MV /08/13 Monday 6:07 PM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Other improper action thought MV1 was stopped waiting to turn left at Crescent. MV2 attempted to go around MV1 on the right /16/13 Thursday 7:07 PM Rear end Daylight Clear Dry Unknown MV1 (Trailer) slowing for traffic. MV2 claimed Trailer's brake lights were inoperable /13/13 Saturday 1:02 PM Angle Daylight Clear Dry No improper driving MV1 claimed green light, turning west onto Water. Bicyclist WB on Water, following UNK MV, did not know color of light /03/13 Saturday 10:12 AM Rear end Daylight Clear Dry Inattention Pedestrian in crosswalk, crossing northbound. MV1 did not brake and rear ended MV2, who stopped for pedestrian /21/13 Wednesday 1:50 PM Head on Daylight Clear Dry No improper driving MV1 making left onto Water. MV2 exited driveway across the street /05/13 Saturday 12:35 PM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Unknown MV1 WB on Water. MV2 exiting parking lot. Both claimed had green traffic light /14/13 Monday 6:22 PM Single vehicle crash Dark lighted roadway Clear Dry No improper driving /28/13 Monday 8:32 AM Head on Daylight Clear Dry Glare MV1 WB on Water. MV2 exited from Vernon Street and cut off MV1. MV2 veered right into curb/sidewalk. MV1 turning left from Crescent. Pedestrian crossing Water Street not at a crosswalk. MV1 claimed solar glare, didn't see Pedestrian during turn /09/13 Monday 3:41 PM Rear end Dusk Rain Wet Distracted MV1 stopped at red light. MV2 reached for phone on floor. MV2 rear ended MV /10/13 Tuesday 8:44 AM Sideswipe, same direction Daylight Clear Wet Failure to keep in proper lane or MV1 EB approaching intersection. MV2 EB changed into left turn lane. MV running off road claimed didn't see MV1 in fogged side view mirror /24/13 Tuesday 9:49 PM Rear end Dark lighted MV1 stopped at red light heading WB. MV2 westbound as well, unable to stop, not Cloudy Dry Inattention roadway sure what happened. Operating vehicle in erratic, 22 01/04/14 Saturday 1:39 PM Rear end Daylight Clear Dry reckless, careless, negligent, or MV1 and MV2 stopped at intersection. MV3 struck rear of MV2 which hit MV1. aggressive manner 23 04/30/14 Wednesday 6:58 AM Angle Daylight Rain Wet No improper driving MV1 EB, MV2 WB turning left into parking lot. MV2 claims to have been waved by other vehicle. Courtesy Crash /16/14 Friday 2:26 PM Rear end Daylight Rain Wet No improper driving MV1 wb on Water stopped at light. MV2 also WB, rear ended MV /09/14 Saturday 2:42 PM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Inattention MV1 WB at intersection. MV2 SB on Crescent, entered intersection for right turn. MV1 proceeded through red light. MV1 claims to be looking at next set of lights /18/14 Saturday 3:31 PM Rear end Daylight Clear Dry Inattention MV1 EB stopped for red light on Water at Crescent. MV2 became distracted and failed to recognize operator of MV1 stopped for red light /26/14 Wednesday 12:10 PM Angle Daylight Rain Wet Inattention MV1 WB on Water. MV2 SB, backing out of parking lot, did not see MV /23/14 Tuesday 2:16 PM Sideswipe, same direction Daylight Rain Wet Unknown MV1 is a trailer being towed EB. MV2 claims MV1 drove left and hit MV2. MV1 claims MV2 struck rear of trailer. Summaries based on crash reports obtained from the Police Department. 1 of 1 7/25/2017