ROAD SAFETY AUDIT. Route 27 (Crescent Street)/Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard. City of Brockton. July 24,2013

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1 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT Route 27 (Crescent Street)/Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard City of Brockton July 24,2013 Prepared for: Massachusetts Department of Transportation Prepared by: Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates 38 Chauncy Street Boston, MA 02111

2 Table of Contents Background... 2 Project Data... 2 Project Location Description... 5 Road Safety Audit Observations and Potential Enhancements...7 Safety Issue #1. Access Management... 8 Safety Issue #2. Intersection Control and Geometry Safety Issue #3. Sight Distance Safety Issue #4. Pavement Condition and Drainage Safety Issue #5. Signage Safety Issue #6. Pavement Markings Safety Issue #7. Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations Safety Issue #8. Education Recommendations 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. Figure 2. Locus Map... 4 Route 27 (Crescent Street) at Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard... 6 List of Tables Table 1. Table 2. Participating Audit Team Members... 3 Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements Page 1

3 Background The intersection of Route 27 (Crescent Street)/Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard in Brockton, Massachusetts, was listed in the Top 5% of High Crash Locations within the Old Colony Planning Commission (OCPC) in The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has determined that Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding would be allowed for reconstruction of the intersection if a Road Safety Audit (RSA) were conducted and a proposed design incorporated the safety improvements identified in the RSA. The intersection is currently identified as a proposed project (#606143) with a scheduled advertising date of October 2018; however, it is not currently under design. Route 27 is a primary east-west route through the City of Brockton. The intersection of Route 27 (Crescent Street)/Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard experiences regular emergency vehicle traffic due to its proximity to Brockton Hospital, located north of the intersection on Route 123 (Centre Street). Massasoit Boulevard, which intersects Route 27 from the south, is an entrance driveway to Massasoit Community College. An RSA team member stated that, although the main entrance to Massasoit Community College is located on Thatcher Street, most traffic accesses Massasoit Community College using Massasoit Boulevard because it is more easily accessed from regional roadways. Representatives from Massasoit Community College attending the RSA also stated that, in addition to Massasoit Community College-related deliveries, heavy vehicle traffic often uses Massasoit Boulevard to access the used auto parts junkyard on Thatcher Street. In general, an RSA is intended to identify potential safety improvements that can be evaluated and included as part of the design process for a future reconstruction project. The short-term, low-cost potential improvements could be considered by the responsible agency for immediate implementation prior to reconstruction, as appropriate. The RSA study area is illustrated in Figure 1. Project Data The audit team conducted an RSA for the intersection of Route 27 (Crescent Street)/Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard on Monday, June 17, The RSA agenda appears in Appendix A. Table 1 lists the audit team members and their affiliations. Appendix B provides contact information for all team members. Page 2

4 Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members Audit Team Member Agency/Affiliation Linda Balzotti Mayor, City of Brockton Mike Mullen City of Brockton Mayor s Office Michael Curtin City of Brockton DPW Jacques A. Borges City of Brockton DPW Ernie Bethoney City of Brockton DPW James Donovan City of Brockton Fire Department Jeffrey A. Gillpatrick City of Brockton Fire Department Steven Williamson City of Brockton Police Department George A. Riddell Brockton Area Transit Charles Kilmer Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) Ray Guarino Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) Pat Ciaramella Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) Bill McNulty Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) Phil Sheppard Massasoit Community College Bill Mitchell Massasoit Community College Pamela Haznar MassDOT District 5 Project Development Allyson Wheelwright MassDOT, Highway Division Qing Qing You MassDOT, Highway Division Corey O Connor MassDOT, Highway Division Safety Section Lisa Schletzbaum MassDOT, Highway Division Safety Section Keri Pyke Howard/Stein-Hudson (HSH) Mike Tremblay Howard/Stein-Hudson (HSH) Page 3

5 QUINCY STREET Road Safety Audit Figure 1. Locus Map BROCK T ON HOSPIT AL ROUTE 123 ( CENTRE STREET) ROUTE 27 ( CRESCENT STREET) RD MASSASOIT BOULEVA ROUTE 27 ( CRESCENT STREET) ROUTE 14 (ALGER STREET) M ASSASOIT C OMMUNIT Y C OLLEGE Not to scale. Source: MassGIS Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.

6 QUINCY STREET Road Safety Audit Figure 1. Locus Map BROCK T ON HOSPIT AL ROUTE 123 ( CENTRE STREET) ROUTE 27 ( CRESCENT STREET) RD MASSASOIT BOULEVA ROUTE 27 ( CRESCENT STREET) ROUTE 14 (ALGER STREET) M ASSASOIT C OMMUNIT Y C OLLEGE Not to scale. Source: MassGIS Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.

7 Prior to the RSA, in order to begin assessing possible safety issues, the audit team reviewed collision diagrams and a crash detail summary for the intersection of Route 27/Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard based on crash records supplied by the Brockton Police Department. Between January 2010 and April 2013, 33 crashes were reported at the intersection. Of those crashes, 19 (or 58%) were angle-type crashes, nine (27%) were rear-end crashes, three (9%) were sideswipe crashes, and two (6%) were singlevehicle crashes. Twenty-one crashes (64%) occurred on dry pavement, 11 (33%) occurred on wet pavement, and one (3%) occurred on an icy roadway surface. Crashes generally occurred in the daylight hours (76%). Nine crashes (27%) resulted in personal injury, and no fatalities were reported. Appendix C provides the detailed crash data for the intersection. Project Location Description The RSA focused on the intersection of Route 27/Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard in the City of Brockton, as shown in the aerial image in Figure 2. Route 27 (Crescent Street)/Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard is a signalized intersection with four approaches. The Route 27 eastbound approach consists of a left-turn lane and a shared through/right-turn lane. The Route 27 westbound approach consists of a shared left-turn/through lane and an exclusive right-turn lane. The Massasoit Boulevard northbound approach consists of a single travel lane. The Quincy Street southbound approach consists of an exclusive left-turn lane and a shared through/right-turn lane. Sidewalks are provided along the north side of the intersection, but are not provided along the south side of the intersection. A crosswalk is not provided across the Route 27 westbound approach; however, crosswalks are provided across the other three approaches. Pedestrian indications are provided across the Route 27 eastbound approach, but are not provided for the other two crosswalks. Pedestrian ramps are not provided. During the RSA, which took place during midday hours, the Route 27 eastbound and westbound phases operated concurrently, while the Massasoit Boulevard northbound approach and Quincy Street southbound approach operated under split phasing. This intersection is the junction of the following roadways, which are categorized according to MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning functional classifications: Route 27 (Crescent Street) is classified as an urban principal arterial and falls under the City of Brockton s jurisdiction. Route 27 is a north-south roadway that originates at Route 106 in Kingston to the south and terminates in Chelmsford at Route 110 to the north. Within the study area, Route 27 runs in an east-west direction and typically consists of one travel lane in each direction. Therefore, throughout this report, Route 27 northbound will be referred to as Route 27 westbound, and Route 27 southbound will be referred to as Route 27 eastbound. East of Quincy Street, sidewalks are generally provided along the north side of Route 27 and are generally provided along the both sides of Route 27 west of Quincy Street. Bicycle accommodations are not provided on Route 27 near the study area. Page 5

8 Road Safety Audit Figure 2. Route 27 at Quincy Street and Massasoit Boulevard S QUINCY TREET SPEEDEE OIL CHANGE MASSASOIT CONFERENCE CENTER CHRISTO S SCENT (CRE UTE 27 RO STREE RAINBOW SQUARE T) MAHER BROS. AUTOMOTIVE RO UT E2 7( CR ES CE NT ST RE ET ) MA SS AS OI TB OU LE VA RD MASSASOIT PLAZA Not to scale. Source: MassGIS Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.

9 Quincy Street is classified as an urban minor arterial and falls under the City of Brockton s jurisdiction. Quincy Street runs in a north-south direction, running between Court Street to the north, where it becomes North Quincy Street, and Route 27 to the south. Sidewalks are generally provided along both sides of the roadway, and no bicycle accommodations are provided. Massasoit Boulevard is a local, private roadway. Massasoit Boulevard runs in a north-south direction, between Route 27 to the north and Thatcher Street to the south. Massasoit Boulevard serves as an entrance to Massasoit Community College. The roadway consists of one travel lane in each direction. Sidewalks and bicycle facilities are not provided. Road Safety Audit Observations and Potential Enhancements Based on RSA team discussions on Monday, June 17, 2013, the RSA team determined that the intersection of Route 27/Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard has the following issues that affect safety: 1. Access management; 2. Intersection control and geometry 3. Sight distance; 4. Pavement condition and drainage; 5. Signage; 6. Pavement markings; 7. Pedestrian and bicycle accommodations; and 8. Distracted Driving. The following sections describe in more detail the safety issues and enhancements determined during the RSA. Several of these issues require further study and engineering judgment to determine the feasibility of implementing enhancements to address them. Page 7

10 Safety Issue #1. Access Management Observations: Six of the 33 crashes that were reported at Route 27/Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard were courtesy crashes, where, contrary to the rules of the road, a motorist yielded to a vehicle entering a driveway, which was subsequently hit by a vehicle in an adjacent lane. Five of these courtesy crashes occurred when a Route 27 eastbound vehicle stopped to allow a vehicle to exit Massasoit Plaza, located at the southwest corner, which was subsequently hit by an unsuspecting Route 27 eastbound vehicle in the left-turn lane. The Massasoit Plaza exit driveway is located just 60 feet west of the intersection, so left-turning vehicles exiting the plaza must find a gap in two lanes of Route 27 eastbound traffic and one lane of Route 27 westbound traffic. A sixth courtesy crash occurred between a Route 27 eastbound vehicle and a Massasoit Boulevard northbound vehicle. Three of the six crashes resulted in personal injury. RSA team members stated that a small curb cut located on the northwest corner of the intersection is used by customers of Christo s to pick up take-out orders. The driveway is located 35 feet west of the intersection along Route 27 westbound. Motorists may not expect vehicles to be entering this driveway, particularly Route 27 eastbound vehicles, which would enter the driveway from the left-turn lane. One crash involved a vehicle turning left into the driveway and a vehicle traveling along Route 27 westbound. Team members also noted that any vehicle parked in this driveway would need to back out of their parking space and into traffic. The driveway is not deep enough to accommodate both parked cars and pedestrian travel along the sidewalk. The Christo s driveway on the northwest corner of the intersection is informally used for take-out orders. There is no curbing between the Christo s parking lot and the Quincy Street southbound approach. At the northwest corner of the intersection, there is no vertical barrier delineating the edge of Quincy Street and providing separation from the Christo s parking lot. Vehicles are not prevented from entering or exiting the parking lot by anything aside from pavement markings. Parking spaces are striped up to the edge of the roadway, and a sidewalk is not present along the parking lot. Team members suggested that a portion of the parking lot is most likely within the City layout. Due to the layout of the parking lot, the row of parking spaces adjacent to Quincy Street is only accessible by entering directly from Quincy Street if the adjacent row of parking spaces were occupied. It was also stated that vehicles often encroach into the parking lot in order to enter the Quincy Street southbound Page 8

11 through/right-turn lane at the intersection. This, according to team members, discourages users of the parking lot from using the spaces adjacent to Quincy Street. Three crashes involved vehicles exiting the Christo s parking lot and vehicles traveling along Quincy Street southbound. The Speedee Oil Change has four driveways; one of which is located along the Route 27 westbound approach just 30 feet from the intersection. The Speedee Oil Change, located on the northeast corner of the intersection, has four driveways. Two driveways are located along Route 27, including one driveway located approximately 30 feet east of the intersection, and two on Quincy Street, including one driveway located approximately 35 feet north of the intersection. Vehicles entering or exiting the driveways along Route 27 may conflict with two lanes of queued vehicles. One crash involved an exiting vehicle turning left onto Route 27 eastbound that was struck by a Route 27 westbound vehicle. Maher Bros. Automotive, located on the southeast corner of the intersection, has two driveways on Route 27, including one driveway located 10 feet east of the intersection. Although not reflected in the crash data, left-turning vehicles from the Maher Bros. Automotive west driveway may conflict with two lanes of queued traffic. Page 9

12 Enhancements: 1. In order to reduce the occurrence of courtesy crashes, consider restricting left turns from commercial driveways located close to the intersection, including left turns from Massasoit Plaza, the southern driveway from Speedee Oil Change onto Quincy Street, the western driveway from Speedee Oil Change onto Route 27, and the western driveway from Maher Bros. Automotive onto Route To help prevent courtesy crashes, work with the owner(s) of Massasoit Plaza and the adjacent property to determine whether consolidating commercial driveways to the west of the existing Massasoit Plaza driveway is possible in order to reduce the number of travel lanes that left-turning vehicles must cross when exiting a driveway. 3. Consider adding an entrance driveway from Massasoit Plaza onto Massasoit Boulevard, in conjunction with restricting left turns into Massasoit Plaza from Route 27, to allow vehicles exiting Massasoit Plaza to access Route 27 westbound using the traffic signal at the intersection. 4. Close the existing Christo s driveway on Route 27 westbound on the northwest corner of the intersection to eliminate the occurrence of unexpected vehicles turning left into this area from Route 27 eastbound. 5. Add curbing and a sidewalk along the Christo s parking lot on the west side of Quincy Street. Reconfigure the Christo s parking lot so that it functions using the defined driveways onto Quincy Street. Review whether these changes would require changes to the drainage system. 6. At the Speedee Oil Change, in order to prevent entering and exiting vehicles from conflicting with queued vehicles or vehicles traveling through the intersection, consider closing the southern driveway onto Quincy Street and the western driveway on Route 27, if they are determined to be unnecessary for deliveries. Turning radii should be checked to ensure that fuel deliveries are not impacted. 7. Consider the feasibility of closing the western driveway at Maher Bros. Automotive, located on the southeast corner of the intersection, in order to prevent vehicles from entering or exiting the driveway close to the intersection. Page 10

13 Safety Issue #2. Intersection Control and Geometry Observations: The Route 27 eastbound and westbound approaches operate using permissive left turns. The Route 27 eastbound approach has an exclusive left-turn lane, but the Route 27 westbound approach has a shared left-turn/through lane. An RSA team member stated that it is sometimes difficult for Route 27 westbound left-turning traffic to see Route 27 eastbound through traffic due to vehicles waiting in the Route 27 eastbound left-turn lane. Three angle crashes involved vehicles turning left from Route 27 westbound onto Massasoit Boulevard and through traffic on Route 27 eastbound. Because the Route 27 westbound approach has a shared left-turn/through lane, vehicles waiting to turn left feel pressure from queued through vehicles behind them, causing them to take more risks when turning. A left-turn lane is provided on the Route 27 eastbound approach, but there is no protected signal phase. RSA team members noted that all the approaches to the intersection had one or more lanes that appear to be too narrow for comfortable travel. Team members stated that vehicles often encroach into the Christo s parking lot in order to enter the Quincy Street southbound through/right-turn lane. RSA team members noted that there is no overhead signal indication facing the Route 27 westbound approach to the intersection. Team members also observed that some of the Quincy Street southbound signal indications are smaller than 12 inches. There is no overhead signal provided on the Route 27 westbound approach. An RSA team member stated that, while the signal is actuated and coordinated with the nearby signals to the west, the coordination is based on timing, the intersections have separate controllers, and there is no direct communication between the signals. Route 27 serves as a major east/west corridor through the City of Brockton, which results in high volumes of traffic using Massasoit Boulevard to access and egress Massasoit Community College. This causes long delays on Massasoit Boulevard. RSA team members stated that motorists on Massasoit Boulevard often get distracted by electronic devices while waiting at the signal. While there is significant emergency vehicle activity at the intersection due to its proximity to the Brockton Hospital, there is currently no emergency vehicle preemption at the intersection. Page 11

14 Enhancements: 1. Consider the feasibility of adding a left-turn storage lane at the Route 27 westbound approach to the intersection to allow Route 27 westbound left-turning vehicles to wait for an acceptable gap. Consider the impact on turning radii of heavy vehicles turning right from Route 27 westbound onto Quincy Street. 2. If unable to create a left-turn storage lane on the Route 27 westbound approach, consider converting the existing shared left-turn/through lane to an exclusive left-turn lane, and converting the existing exclusive right-turn lane to a shared through/right-turn lane. 3. In order to reduce angle crashes involving Route 27 left-turning vehicles, consider adding protected/permissive left-turn phasing at the Route 27 eastbound approach and on the Route 27 westbound approach if an exclusive left-turn lane is provided. 4. Evaluate all approaches and individual lanes to determine if additional width is necessary for queuing and turning vehicles. If necessary, consider widening the roadway to provide additional capacity. 5. Provide an overhead signal for the Route 27 westbound approach to improve the visibility of the signal. 6. Replace the existing 8-inch signal heads for the Quincy Street southbound approach with standard 12-inch signal heads, per Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) requirements. 7. Consider updating the coordination system between the intersection and the two nearby intersections at the Brockton East Shopping Plaza to the west in order to improve the flow of traffic through the Route 27 corridor. 8. Consider implementing adaptive signal control at the intersection in order to improve signal performance at the intersection. 9. Consider adding advance loop detectors on Massasoit Boulevard to reduce instances of the signal gapping out due to driver inattention. 10. Provide emergency vehicle preemption at the intersection. Page 12

15 Safety Issue #3. Sight Distance Observations: Horizontal curves along the Route 27 westbound approach and the Massasoit Boulevard northbound approach may impact the sight lines to the signal. Similarly, a crest vertical curve on the Quincy Street southbound approach may impact sight lines of the intersection. Maher Bros. Automotive, which is located on the southeast corner of the intersection, parks cars close to the edge of Massasoit Boulevard. These vehicles may impact the sight lines to the west of the intersection. Enhancements: A horizontal curve on Route 27 to the east of the intersection may obscure sightlines. 1. Provide intersection warning signage (W2-1) along all approaches to the intersection. 2. Provide curve warning signage (W1-2) in advance of the horizontal curves on Route 27 westbound and Massasoit Boulevard northbound. Provide chevrons (W1-8) along both horizontal curves. 3. Evaluate sight lines to determine if alignment or profile changes are necessary to improve sight distance at the intersection. 4. Determine if the presence of parked cars at Maher Bros. Automotive presents sight distance limitations or if vehicles are parked on City right-of-way. If necessary, work with Maher Bros. Automotive to reach an acceptable layout for parking within the property. Page 13

16 Safety Issue #4. Pavement Condition and Drainage Observations: RSA team members observed that the pavement at the intersection is in poor condition, and that the pavement has rutted in some locations. This may be the result of poor drainage and significant heavy vehicle volume. Eleven of the 33 crashes occurred on wet pavement, and one crash occurred on icy pavement. Three crashes that occurred on wet pavement were reported to involve skidding vehicles. RSA team members stated that ponding occurs at the southwest corner of the intersection. The pavement is in poor Team members also observed catch basins that were condition, and is rutting in some locations. blocked by debris; this indicates the need for additional maintenance of drainage structures to ensure adequate drainage at the intersection. Enhancements: 1. Improve drainage and the occurrence of crashes on wet pavement by maintaining existing drainage structures. 2. Resurface the intersection and surrounding approaches in order to improve drainage and vehicle traction on wet pavement. 3. Evaluate the placement of the existing catch basins at the intersection. Consider the need for additional catch basins and/or resizing of drainage pipes at the intersection, particularly at the southwest corner of the intersection, to prevent pooling of storm water and rutting pavement. 4. As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider the significant heavy vehicle volume that would impact the pavement design for the intersection to improve future performance of pavement. Page 14

17 Safety Issue #5. Signage Observations: There is no lane use signage along any of the approaches to the intersection. Lane use signage may prevent sideswipe crashes that occur when a motorist changes lanes suddenly. One sideswipe crash occurred along the Route 27 westbound approach to the intersection. RSA team members noted that there are no street name signs at the intersection, which may cause confusion and hesitation at the intersection. Enhancements: 1. Add lane use signage along the Route 27 eastbound, Route 27 westbound, and Quincy Street southbound approaches to help motorists to enter the appropriate lane in advance of the intersection. 2. As discussed in Safety Issue #3: Sight Distance, provide intersection warning signage (W2-1) along all approaches to the intersection, and provide curve warning signage (W1-2) ahead of the horizontal curves on the Route 27 westbound approach and the Massasoit Boulevard northbound approach to the intersection. 3. Add street name signage to improve clarity at the intersection. Page 15

18 Safety Issue #6. Pavement Markings Observations: RSA team members observed that the lane line separating the Route 27 westbound shared left-turn/through lane and exclusive right-turn lane is relatively short. A longer lane line would allow vehicles to queue in their respective lanes and reduce confusion. Team members also noted that most of the longitudinal pavement markings along the intersection approaches are faded. There is currently no edge line along Massasoit Boulevard. The lane line between the shared left-turn/through lane and rightturn lane is very short, and pavement markings are faded. Enhancements: 1. Consider the feasibility of extending the lane line along Route 27 westbound within the existing layout to increase the amount of vehicles that may queue in separate lanes along the approach. 2. Update all longitudinal pavement markings with retroreflective thermoplastic for increased visibility and clarity at the intersection. 3. Provide an edge line along Massasoit Boulevard for increased visibility, particularly in dark or inclement conditions. Page 16

19 Safety Issue #7. Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations Observations: While no crashes were reported to have involved pedestrians or bicyclists, RSA team members noted that pedestrian and bicycle accommodations are missing at the intersection. In the vicinity of the intersection, sidewalks are provided along the north side of Route 27 and along the east side of Quincy Street. However, the sidewalk along Route 27 may be blocked by vehicles in the Christo s Route 27 driveway. The sidewalk along the west side of Quincy Street ends at the Christo s parking lot, and vehicles sometimes encroach into this parking lot to enter the Quincy Street southbound through/right-turn lane queue. This presents a safety issue to pedestrians who would not expect a southbound vehicle to enter the parking lot area. There are no bicycle facilities or curb ramps at the intersection, and pedestrian signals are present at only one of the three crosswalks. A crosswalk is provided across the west leg of Route 27 and across Massasoit Boulevard, despite the lack of sidewalks on the south side of Route 27. A crosswalk is also provided across Quincy Street. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant pedestrian ramps and push buttons are not provided. Pedestrian indications are provided across the Route 27 western crosswalk, but not at the Quincy Street or Massasoit Boulevard crosswalks. Team members noted that the pedestrian walk time may need to be extended. On the morning of the audit, RSA team members observed several pedestrians crossing approximately 50 away from the intersection, between queued vehicles, but not in the crosswalk. There are no bike lanes, shoulders, designated shared lanes, or bicycle detection present at the intersection. Quincy Street does have placards posted by the Massachusetts Department of Public Works indicating that Quincy Street is a bicycle route. The Claire Saltonstall Bicycle Route, which extends from Boston to Provincetown, runs along Quincy Street and Massasoit Boulevard through the Massasoit Community College campus to Thatcher Street. Page 17

20 Enhancements: 1. Continue the existing sidewalks on the north side of Route 27 and the west side of Quincy Street through the intersection. 2. Consider the feasibility of providing a crosswalk across the Route 27 east leg of the intersection. 3. Upgrade pedestrian ramps and pedestrian push buttons to ADA standards. 4. Confirm that the existing pedestrian walk and flashing don t walk timings meet MUTCD standards. 5. Update the signal to include bicycle detection and MUTCD-compliant pedestrian signals at all crosswalks. 6. As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider the feasibility of providing sidewalks along Massasoit Boulevard and along the south side of Route As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider providing bicycle accommodations along the intersection approaches, particularly along the Saltonstall Bicycle Route, including bike lanes, a paved shoulder, or shared lane markings. Safety Issue #8. Distracted Driving Observations: RSA team members noted that the Massasoit Boulevard northbound approach to the intersection has long queues, sometimes into the Massasoit Community College parking lots, during midday periods after classes are over. An RSA team member said that delays can be exacerbated by inattentive or distracted motorists. Enhancements: 1. Work with Massasoit Community College to educate students about laws that prohibit text messaging while driving and other methods to help improve traffic flow on Massasoit Boulevard. 2. Massasoit Community College should consider ways to encourage students to use the Thatcher Street egress from campus. Page 18

21 Recommendations Based on its review of data, on-site field observations and group discussion, the RSA team identified the following possible enhancements that could improve safety at the intersection of Route 27 (Crescent Street)/Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard. Further study and design work will need to be conducted to determine the feasibility of making some of the improvements. Table 2 summarizes the 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), midterm (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 greater than 3 years. The costs are categorized as low (<$10,000), medium ($10,001 to $50,000), or high (>$50,000). Short-term enhancements include, but are not limited to: Restrict left turns out of commercial driveways close to the intersection; Add a left-turn storage lane on Route 27 westbound; Provide intersection warning signage and street name signs; Remove obstructions to sight lines; Maintain existing drainage structures; and Restripe longitudinal pavement markings. To enhance the safety of the corridor, the long-term enhancements are to: Close, relocate, or consolidate commercial driveways; Increase intersection capacity; Use curbing to define the edge of roadway on Quincy Street; Update signals with new equipment and coordination; Improve drainage; Provide curb ramps and consistent sidewalks; and Provide bicycle accommodations. Page 19

22 The RSA is intended to identify potential safety improvements that can be evaluated and included as part of the design process for a reconstruction project. The short-term, low-cost potential improvements could be considered by the responsible agency for immediate implementation, as appropriate. Page 20

23 Route 27 (Crescent Street) at Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard, Brockton, MA Table 2. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements Safety Issue Access Management Safety Enhancement In order to reduce the occurrence of courtesy crashes, consider restricting left turns from commercial driveways located close to the intersection, including from Massasoit Plaza, the southern driveway from Speedee Oil Change onto Quincy Street, the western driveway from Speedee Oil Change onto Route 27, and the western driveway from Maher Bros. Automotive onto Route 27. To help prevent courtesy crashes, work with the owner(s) of Massasoit Plaza and the adjacent property to determine whether consolidating commercial driveways to the west of the existing Massasoit Plaza driveway is possible. Consider adding an entrance driveway from Massasoit Plaza onto Massasoit Boulevard, in conjunction with restricting left turns into Massasoit Plaza from Route 27, to allow vehicles exiting Massasoit Plaza to access Route 27 westbound using the traffic signal at the intersection. Close the existing Christo s driveway on Route 27 westbound on the northwest corner of the intersection to eliminate the occurrence of unexpected vehicles turning left into this area from Route 27 eastbound. Add curbing and a sidewalk along the Christo s parking lot on the west side of Quincy Street. Reconfigure the Christo s parking lot so that it functions using the defined driveways onto Quincy Street. Review whether these changes would require changes to the drainage system. In order to prevent entering and exiting vehicles from conflicting with queued vehicles or vehicles traveling through the intersection, consider closing the southern driveway onto Quincy Street and the western driveway on Route 27 at the Speedee Oil Change, if they are determined to be unnecessary for deliveries. Turning radii should be checked to ensure that fuel deliveries are not impacted. Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Party Medium Short-term Low City of Brockton High Long-term Medium Medium Long-term Medium Low Mid-term Medium Medium Mid-term Medium Medium Mid-term Medium City of Brockton/Property owners City of Brockton/Massasoit Plaza owner City of Brockton/ Christo s City of Brockton/Christo s City of Brockton/Speedee Oil Change Page 21

24 Route 27 (Crescent Street) at Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard, Brockton, MA Table 2. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements (continued) Safety Issue Access Management Intersection Control and Geometry Safety Enhancement Consider the feasibility of closing the western driveway at Maher Bros. Automotive, located on the southeast corner of the intersection, in order to prevent vehicles from entering or exiting the driveway close to the intersection. Consider the feasibility of adding a left-turn storage lane at the Route 27 westbound approach to the intersection to allow Route 27 westbound left-turning vehicles to wait for an acceptable gap. Consider turning radii of heavy vehicles turning right from Route 27 westbound onto Quincy Street. If unable to create a left-turn storage lane on the Route 27 westbound approach, consider converting the existing shared left-turn/through lane to an exclusive left-turn lane, and converting the existing exclusive right-turn lane to a shared through/right-turn lane. In order to reduce angle crashes involving Route 27 leftturning vehicles, consider adding protected/permissive leftturn phasing at the Route 27 eastbound approach and on the Route 27 westbound approach if an exclusive left-turn lane is provided. Evaluate all approaches and individual lanes to determine if additional width is necessary for queuing and turning vehicles. If necessary, consider widening the roadway to provide additional capacity. Provide an overhead signal for the Route 27 westbound approach to improve the visibility of the signal. Replace the existing 8-inch signal heads for the Quincy Street southbound approach with standard 12-inch signal heads, per Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) requirements. Consider updating the coordination system between the intersection and the two nearby intersections to the west in order to improve the flow of traffic through the Route 27 corridor. Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Party Medium Mid-term Medium Medium Short-term Low Medium Short-term Low City of Brockton High Mid-term Medium City of Brockton Low Short-term Low City of Brockton Medium Mid-term Medium City of Brockton Low Mid-term Low City of Brockton Medium Long-term Medium City of Brockton Page 22

25 Route 27 (Crescent Street) at Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard, Brockton, MA Table 2. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements (continued) Safety Issue Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Party Consider implementing adaptive signal control at the intersection in order to improve signal performance at the intersection. Medium Long-term High City of Brockton Consider adding advance loop detectors on Massasoit Intersection Boulevard to reduce instances of the signal gapping out due to Low Mid-term Medium City of Brockton Control and driver inattention. Geometry Provide emergency vehicle preemption at the intersection. Medium Mid-term Medium City of Brockton Provide intersection warning signage (W2-1) along all approaches to the intersection. Low Short-term Low City of Brockton Provide curve warning signage (W1-2) in advance of the horizontal curves on Route 27 westbound and Massasoit Boulevard northbound. Provide chevrons (W1-8) along both Low Short-term Low City of Brockton horizontal curves. Evaluate sight lines to determine if alignment or profile changes Sight Distance are necessary to improve sight distance. Medium Long-term High City of Brockton Determine if the presence of parked cars at Maher Bros. Automotive presents sight distance limitations or if vehicles are parked on City right-of-way. If necessary, work with Maher Bros. Automotive to reach an acceptable layout for parking within the property. Improve drainage and the occurrence of crashes on wet pavement by maintaining existing drainage structures. Low Short-term Low City of Brockton/Maher Bros. Automotive Low Short-term Low City of Brockton Pavement Condition and Drainage Resurface the intersection and surrounding approaches in order to improve drainage and vehicle traction on wet pavement. Evaluate the placement of the existing catch basins at the intersection. Consider the need for additional catch basins and/or resizing of drainage pipes at the intersection, particularly at the southwest corner of the intersection, to prevent pooling of storm water and rutting pavement. As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider the significant heavy vehicle volume that would impact the pavement design for the intersection to improve future performance of pavement. Medium Mid-term High City of Brockton Medium Long-term High City of Brockton Medium Long-term High City of Brockton Page 23

26 Route 27 (Crescent Street) at Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard, Brockton, MA Table 2. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements (continued) Safety Issue Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Party Add lane use signage along the Route 27 eastbound, Route 27 westbound, and Quincy Street southbound approaches to help motorists to enter the appropriate lane in advance of the Low Short-term Low City of Brockton intersection. As discussed in Safety Issue #3: Sight Distance, provide Signage intersection warning signage (W2-1) along all approaches to the intersection, and provide curve warning signage (W1-2) ahead of the horizontal curves on the Route 27 westbound approach Low Short-term Low City of Brockton and the Massasoit Boulevard northbound approach to the intersection. Add street name signage to improve clarity at the intersection. Low Short-term Low City of Brockton Consider the feasibility of extending the lane line along Route 27 westbound within the existing layout to increase the amount of vehicles that may queue in separate lanes along the approach. Low Short-term Low City of Brockton Pavement Markings Update all longitudinal pavement markings with retroreflective thermoplastic for increased visibility and clarity at the Low Short-term Low City of Brockton intersection. Provide an edge line along Massasoit Boulevard for increased visibility, particularly in dark or inclement conditions. Low Short-term Low City of Brockton Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations Continue the existing sidewalks on the north side of Route 27 and the west side of Quincy Street through the intersection. Upgrade pedestrian ramps and pedestrian push buttons to ADA standards. Consider the feasibility of providing a crosswalk across the Route 27 east leg of the intersection. Confirm that the existing pedestrian walk and flashing don t walk timings meet MUTCD standards. Medium Mid-term Medium City of Brockton/Christo s Medium Mid-term Medium City of Brockton Low Short-term Low City of Brockton Low Short-term Low City of Brockton Update the signal to include bicycle detection and MUTCDcompliant pedestrian signals at all crosswalks. Medium Mid-term Medium City of Brockton Page 24

27 Route 27 (Crescent Street) at Quincy Street/Massaso it Boulevard, Brockton, MA Table 2. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements (continued) Safety Issue Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cos t As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider the feasibility of providing sidewalks along Massasoit Boulevard and High Long -term along the south side of Route 27. Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodati ons Distracted Driving As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider providing bicycle accommodations along the intersection approaches, particularly along the Saltonstall Bicycle Route, including bike lanes, a paved shoulder, or shared lane markings. Work with Massasoit Community College to educate students about laws that prohibit text messaging while driving and other methods to help improve traffic flow on Massasoit Bo ulevard. Massasoit Community College should consider ways to encourage students to use the Thatcher Street egress from camp us. Responsible Part y High City of Brockt on Medium Long -term Low City of Brockt on Low Short-te rm Low Short-te rm Low Low City of Brockton/Massasoit Comm unity College Massasoit Comm unity College Page 25

28 Route 27 (Crescent St)/Quincy Street/Massasoit Boulevard, Brockton, MA Meeting Location: Massasoit Conference Center 770 Crescent Street, Brockton, MA Monday, June 17, :00 AM 12:00 noon Type of meeting: Attendees: Please bring: High Crash Location Road Safety Audit Invited Participants to Comprise a Multidisciplinary Team Thoughts and Enthusiasm!! 10:00 AM Welcome and Introductions 10:15 AM Discussion of Safety Issues 11:00 AM Site Visit Crash history Existing Geometries and Conditions Walk to the intersection of Route 27/Quincy Street/Massasoit Blvd. As a group, identify areas for improvement 11:30 AM Discussion of Potential Improvements Discuss observations and finalize safety issue areas Discuss potential improvements and finalize recommendations 12:00 noon Adjourn for the Day but the RSA has not ended Instructions for Participants: Before attending the RSA on June 17th, 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.

29 Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List

30 Participating Audit Team Members Date: Monday, June 17, 2013 Location: Massasoit Conference Center, 770 Crescent Street, Brockton, MA Audit Team Members Agency/Affiliation Address Phone Number Linda Balzotti Mayor, City of Brockton Mike Mullen City of Brockton Mayor s Office mmullen@cobma.us Michael Curtin City of Brockton DPW mcurtin@cobma.us Jacques A. Borges City of Brockton DPW jborges@cobma.us Ernie Bethoney City of Brockton DPW ebethoney@cobma.us James Donovan City of Brockton Fire Department jdonovan@cobma.us Jeffrey A. Gillpatrick City of Brockton Fire Department jgillpatrick@cobma.us Steven Williamson City of Brockton Police Department swilliamson@brocktonpolice.com George A. Riddell Brockton Area Transit griddell@ridebot.com Charles Kilmer Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) ckilmer@ocpcrpa.org Ray Guarino Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) rguarino@ocpcrpa.org Pat Ciaramella Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) pciaramella@ocpcrpa.org x202 Bill McNulty Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) wmcnulty@ocpcrpa.org Phil Sheppard Massasoit Community College x1106 Bill Mitchell Massasoit Community College wamitchell@massasoit.mass.edu x1510 Pamela Haznar MassDOT District 5 Project Development Pamela.haznar@state.ma.us Allyson Wheelwright MassDOT, Traffic allywheel@gmail.com Qing Qing You MassDOT qingqing.you@state.ma.us Corey O Connor MassDOT, Highway Division Safety Section corey.oconnor@state.ma.us Lisa Schletzbaum MassDOT, Highway Division Safety Section lisa.schletzbaum@state.ma.us Keri Pyke Howard/Stein-Hudson (HSH) kpyke@hshassoc.com Mike Tremblay Howard/Stein-Hudson (HSH) mtremblay@hshassoc.com

31 Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data

32

33 Vehicle 1 was stopped in traffic. Vehicle 2 was unable to stop as it was 23 5/9/12 Wednesday 8:01 AM Rear-end Daylight Rain Wet Other improper action skidding on the wet pavement and then, struck vehicle 1 from behind. 24 6/24/12 Sunday 2:10 PM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Failed to yield to right of way /27/12 Wednesday 10:34 AM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Failed to yield to right of way Vehicle 2 didn't see vehicle 1 while exiting Christo's Restaurant. 26 7/26/12 Thursday 5:32 PM Angle Daylight Cloudy Dry Visibility Obstructed Courtesy crash.* 27 8/14/12 Tuesday 1:16 PM Sideswipe, opposite direction Daylight Clear Dry Failed to yield to right of way Courtesy crash. * 28 8/16/12 Thursday 11:57 AM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Failed to yield to right of way Courtesy crash. * 29 9/18/12 Tuesday 6:54 PM Angle Dark - lighted roadway Cloudy Dry Failed to yield to right of way Courtesy crash.* 30 9/28/12 Friday 1:52 PM Rear-end Daylight Rain Wet Followed too closely Due to rain, vehicle 1 slide into vehicle /30/13 Wednesday 1:31 PM Angle Daylight Cloudy Wet Failed to yield to right of way Vehicle 1 went through red light because driver was arguing with passengers. And then, while vehicle 2 made a left turn, it was struck by 32 4/12/13 Friday 8:03 PM Angle Dark - lighted roadway Rain Wet Distracted vehicle 1 which made right turn. 33 4/18/13 Thursday 5:59 PM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Failed to yield to right of way Summary based on Crash Reports obtained from the Brockton Police Department Crash Data Summary Table Intersection of Quincy St and Massasoit Blvd and Crescent St, Brockton, MA January April 2013 Crash Weather Diagram Crash Date Crash Day Time of Day Manner of Collision Light Condition Condition Road Surface Driver Contributing Code Ages Comments Ref # m/d/y Type Type Type Type Type D1 D2 D3 Vehicle 1 pulled in front of vehicle 2 causing vehicle 2 to swerve out of 1 1/14/10 Thursday 8:09 AM Single Vehicle Crash Daylight Clear Dry Failed to yield to right of way control and hit utility pole. There was no contact between vehicles 2 2/2/10 Tuesday 10:46 AM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Failed to yield to right of way /5/10 Wednesday 11:01 AM Rear-end Daylight Clear Dry Followed too closely unk 4 5/10/10 Monday 1:34 PM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Unknown /31/10 9/11/10 8:44 AM 12:24 PM Rear-end Angle Daylight Daylight Clear Clear Dry Dry Followed too closely Failed to yield to right of way Vehicle 1 pulled out in front of vehicle 2 Heavy rain and slippery roads at time of crash. Both vehicles were in heavy 7 10/1/10 Friday 2:53 PM Rear-end Daylight Rain Wet Unknown stop and traffic. Vehicle 1 struck vehicle 2 in rear end. 8 10/18/10 Monday 8:52 AM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Other improper action Courtesy crash. * Dog in the front passenger seat in vehicle 1 pushed operators arm causing 9 1/14/11 11:25 AM Sideswipe, opposite direction Daylight Cloudy Wet Distracted him to swerve into the oncoming lane /18/11 3/3/11 Friday Thursday 4:58 PM 6:35 PM Angle Rear-end Daylight Dark - lighted roadway Cloudy Other Wet Dry Unknown Inattention Courtesy crash. * 12 4/27/11 Wednesday 7:55 PM Angle Dark - lighted roadway Cloudy Wet Unknown Both drivers stated that they had green light. Driver of vehicle 1 lighted a cigarette and was not paying attention and struck 13 4/30/11 Saturday 10:10 PM Rear-end Dark - lighted roadway Clear Dry Inattention vehicle /11/11 Saturday 8:03 AM Angle Daylight Rain Wet Failed to yield to right of way Vehicle 2 was stopped and waiting to turn left into parking lot while vehicle 1 was taking right turn and struck the rear of vehicle 2. Operator 1 stated that /2/11 8/9/11 Tuesday Tuesday 12:19 PM 5:36 PM Rear-end Angle Daylight Daylight Clear Rain Dry Wet Inattention Failed to yield to right of way she didn't see the vehicle 2 stop. 17 9/17/11 Saturday 6:14 PM Angle Daylight Cloudy Dry Unknown Operator 1 stated unknown vehicle cut her off from parking lot and she 18 11/3/11 Thursday 1:54 PM Rear-end Daylight Clear Dry Followed too closely slammed on the brakes to stop. Vehicle 2 struck vehicle 1 in rear /12/11 Monday 2:08 PM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Failed to yield to right of way Courtesy crash.* 20 12/26/11 Monday 7:20 AM Single Vehicle Crash Dawn Clear Ice No Improper Driving 44 Black ice on road caused vehicle to drive out of control and crash /28/11 Wednesday 5:49 PM Sideswipe, same direction Dark - lighted roadway Clear Dry No Improper Driving /12/12 Thursday 10:54 PM Angle Dark - lighted roadway Rain Wet Failed to yield to right of way *Courtesy Crash - A term used to describe a crash that occurs subsequent to a non-involved mainline driver who gives the right of way, contrary to the rules of the road, to another driver.

34 Crash Data Summary Tables and Charts Quincy St and Massasoit Blvd and Crescent St, Brockton, MA CRASH MONTH 20% 15% 10% 5% 12% 12% 9% 9% 6% 3% 3% 15% 12% 6% 3% 9% 0% J F M A M J J A S O N D 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% CRASH DAY OF WEEK 21% 21% 14% 14% 14% 11% 4% Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 30% 20% 10% 0% 4% 6AM- 8AM 21% 18% 14% 11% 11% 11% 8AM- 10AM 10AM- 12PM CRASH TIME OF DAY 12PM- 2PM 2PM- 4PM4PM- 6PM6PM- 8PM 4% 7% 0% 0% 0% 8PM- 10PM 10PM- 12AM 12AM- 2AM 2AM- 4AM4AM- 6AM 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 27% CRASH MANNER OF COLLISION 58% 6% 3% 6% 0% 0% 0% Single Rear-end Angle Sideswipe, Sideswipe, Head on Rear to Rear Unknown Vehicle same opposite Crash direction direction Crash Summary Data (Brockton)2.0.xlsx 1 of 2 6/5/2013

35 Crash Data Summary Tables and Charts Quincy St and Massasoit Blvd and Crescent St, Brockton, MA 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 76% 3% 0% CRASH LIGHT CONDITION 21% Daylight Dawn Dusk Dark - Lighted Roadway 0% 0% 0% 0% Dark - Roadway not lighted Dark - unknown roadway lighting Other Unknown 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 55% Clear 21% 21% Cloudy CRASH WEATHER CONDITION Rain 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3% 0% Snow Sleet, Hail, Freezing Rain Fog, Smog, Smoke Severe Crosswinds Blowing sand, snow Other Unknown 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 64% 33% CRASH ROAD SURFACE 0% 3% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Dry Wet Snow Ice Sand, mud, dirt, oil, gravel 12% 29% CRASH DRIVER AGES 14% 22% Water (standing, moving) 12% Slush Other Unknown 3% 3% 5% Crash Summary Data (Brockton)2.0.xlsx 2 of 2 6/5/2013

36 Road Safety Audit Figure 2. Route 27 at Quincy Street and Massasoit Boulevard S QUINCY TREET SPEEDEE OIL CHANGE MASSASOIT CONFERENCE CENTER CHRISTO S SCENT (CRE UTE 27 RO STREE RAINBOW SQUARE T) MAHER BROS. AUTOMOTIVE RO UT E2 7( CR ES CE NT ST RE ET ) MA SS AS OI TB OU LE VA RD MASSASOIT PLAZA Not to scale. Source: MassGIS Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.