Dartmouth. Faunce Corner Road/Route 6. Congestion Study

Transcription

1 Dartmouth Faunce Corner Road/Route 6 Congestion Study SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT October 2007

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3 Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District 88 Broadway Taunton, MA Tel: Fax: Administration: Dr. Susan Peterson, SRPEDD Chairperson Stephen C. Smith, Executive Director Roland J. Hebert, Transportation Planning Manager, Deputy Director Principal Contributors: Adam Recchia, Transportation Planner James C. Hadfield, Director of Highway Planning Other Contributors: Paul Mission, Transportation GIS Specialist Lisa Estrela-Pedro, Principal Transportation Planner Lilia Cabral, Transportation Planner Jennifer Chaves, Transportation Planner Jacqueline Schmidt, Transportation Intern Christopher Cardaci, Transportation Intern This report was prepared under SRPEDD s contract with the Massachusetts Highway Department in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration.

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5 Table of Contents Executive Summary i-ii Introduction 1 Existing Conditions 1 24-Hour Traffic Volumes 2 Intersection Volumes/Level of Service 2 Crashes 2 Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations 3 Public Transportation 3 Land Use 4 Major Intersection Characteristics 5 Route Tucker Road 5 Route Hathaway Road 6 Route Faunce Corner Road 7 Faunce Corner Dartmouth Mall 8 Faunce Corner Ann & Hope Way 9 Faunce Corner Cross Road 10 Faunce Corner I-195 Interchange 12 Faunce Corner Old Fall River Road 19 Faunce Corner Healthtrax/MHD Yard 19 Future Land Use Analysis 20 High Growth Scenario 20 Moderate Growth Scenario 25 Traffic Growth to Effects at Intersections & Possible Mitigation 27 Route Tucker Rd 27 Route Hathaway Rd 30 Route Faunce Corner Rd 30 Faunce Corner Dartmouth Mall 32 Faunce Corner Ann & Hope Way 33 Faunce Corner I Faunce Corner Cross Rd 36 Faunce Corner Old Fall River Rd 37 Faunce Corner Rd Intersections North of I Chase Rd-Tucker Rd Connection 39 Conclusions and Recommendations 39 Capacity Recommendations 40 Safety Recommendations 44 Implementation Plan 44 Appendix A-Public Process Technical Appendices-Capacity Analyses, Traffic Volumes, 2030 Traffic Volume Projections, Crash Statistics & 100 Most Dangerous Intersections

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7 Executive Summary Existing Conditions The Faunce Corner Road/Route 6 Congestion Study includes Faunce Corner Road from Old Fall River Road to Route 6, and Route 6 from Faunce Corner Road to Hathaway Road. A major focus of the study involves future land uses in the town and how they affect traffic volumes at the I-195 interchange and at Route 6. Existing traffic volumes were obtained and analyzed as a basis for projecting future traffic volumes to the year Major congestion already exists along the corridor, particularly at the I-195 interchange and along Route 6. Traffic at the eastbound offramps and the westbound loop off-ramp from I-195 regularly queues onto the highway during peak periods. Traffic on Route 6 regularly queues between Tucker Road and Faunce Corner Road, often blocking the intersection through the next signal phase. Land Use Analysis To predict future traffic, projections of employment and new housing units were developed through an extensive analysis of vacant land in the town. A high-growth scenario and a moderate growth scenario of future employment and housing for the year 2030 were developed. Retail employment, non-retail employment and new housing units were predicted by Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ), a geographic area similar to Census Block Groups. The areas with the highest overall growth were those along Faunce Corner Road and Route 6, especially Faunce Corner Road north of I-195 where an abundance of vacant land exists. Growth Effects on Intersections in 2030 The effect of this growth on the corridor and its intersections were analyzed and traffic volumes were predicted using SRPEDD s Regional Travel Demand Model for the year Traffic volumes under both the high growth and moderate growth scenarios were analyzed for each intersection, with overall lower traffic volumes resulting from the moderate growth scenario. Recommendations Based on the 2030 projected traffic volumes at each major intersection, the following improvements are recommended: I-195 Interchange-Reconstruct the bridge over 195 to accommodate 6 lanes, 3 southbound and 2 northbound with a northbound left turn lane at the westbound on-ramp. Relocate the westbound slip ramp further north to avoid conflicts with the northbound left turns. Possibly signalize the northbound left movement onto I-195 westbound. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study-Executive Summary i

8 Cross Road-Increase eastbound, northbound thru and southbound thru capacity to accommodate improvements to the I-195 interchange. Route 6/Old Westport Road-Increase southbound left, westbound left, eastbound and northbound storage capacity. Tucker Road/Hathaway Road-Relocate Tucker Road to meet as a four-way intersection with Hathaway Road with sufficient capacity on all approaches. Dartmouth Mall-Add a northbound travel lane to accommodate Old Westport Road improvements. Old Fall River Road- Upgrade this intersection with a traffic signal or roundabout to accommodate 2030 traffic volumes. The following table summarizes the PM Peak Hour delays per vehicle and Levels of Service for each major intersection along the corridor in a no build scenario and with the improvements recommended above. The high-growth and moderate-growth scenario outputs are both included for comparison LOS and PM Peak Hour Delay per Vehicle Comparison High Growth Scenario Moderate Growth Scenario No Build Improvements No Build Improvements Intersection LOS Delay (s) LOS Delay (s) LOS Delay (s) LOS Delay (s) Route 6 F >120 F >120 F >120 F 89 Dartmouth Mall E 67 E 57 E 64 E 56 Cross Rd F 105 D 47 F 109 D 50 I-195 EB F >120 E 63 F 84 C 31 I-195 WB Slip F >120 D 26 F >120 C 17 I-195 WB (NBL-No Signal) F 109 F 112 C 20 C 20 Old Fall River Rd F 80 C 18 F 61 C 16 Tucker Rd F >120 F >120 E 72 Hathaway Rd F >120 F >120 E 59 The Town should also look at busy driveways and intersections south of Old Fall River Road that may need traffic signals and/or auxiliary lanes to adequately and safely handle traffic volumes. Overall, the Town should look to limit its housing and employment growth to the levels depicted in the moderate growth scenario. The amount of growth projected in the high growth scenario will lead to gridlock at the Route 6/Faunce Corner Road intersection that will be nearly unfixable. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study-Executive Summary ii

9 Introduction The Faunce Corner Road corridor in Dartmouth is a major arterial roadway that connects Interstate 195 to US Route 6. The corridor serves as a major retail and office corridor for the South Coast region and is home to the Dartmouth Mall, four large shopping plazas, State Police Barracks, a prison, 5 large business/industrial parks and a large medical facility. It also functions as the main connection between I-195 and the Route 6 retail corridor, itself home to 5 large shopping centers. Finally, it serves as the main connection between I-195 and UMASS Dartmouth, which enrolls nearly 8,500 students, 3,900 of which do not live on campus. Together, the Faunce Corner Road and Route 6 corridors form the backbone of the town s transportation system. With much of the southern end of the Faunce Corner Road corridor at or near build-out, the northern end north of I-195 has become a prime area for office and industrial development. In 2006, Hawthorn Medical Associates relocated the majority of its practices to a new 86,000 square foot facility just south of Old Fall River Road. Additionally, the development of several office parks and dead-end side streets into industrial, office and residential uses has greatly increased traffic desiring to access the northern end of the corridor. The combination of these new developments with the high demand for automobile trips to access retail and UMASS Dartmouth at the southern end of the corridor has heavily congested the I-195 interchange, particularly during the busy holiday shopping season. Dangerous traffic queues onto the highway are a common occurrence during this time, as the bridge over I-195 is too narrow to allow traffic off the highway to flow freely over it. Continued development of retail along Route 6, office parks and industrial uses north of I-195 as well as residential development south of Route 6 will only worsen the congestion currently present along Faunce Corner Road and Route 6. A year 2030 analysis of land use in the town shows near gridlock conditions at major intersections along these two important roadways. Existing Conditions The limits of this study include Faunce Corner Road between State Road (US Route 6) and Old Fall River Road in Dartmouth, along with Route 6 between Faunce Corner Road and Hathaway Road. Faunce Corner Road south of I-195 is a four lane divided roadway with numerous median breaks, left-turn and right-turn lanes and a shoulder. North of I- 195, Faunce Corner Road is a two-lane roadway. The bridge over I-195, currently listed as structurally deficient, has three lanes. Route 6 is a five-lane divided highway in the study area. Faunce Corner Road south of I-195 is classified as a principal arterial and from I-195 to Old Fall River Road as a minor arterial. The study area currently has six signalized intersections at the following locations: Route 6/Tucker Road, Route 6/Faunce Corner Road, the Dartmouth Mall/Stop & Shop entrance, Ann & Hope Way, Cross Road and the Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 1

10 I-195 eastbound off-ramp. There is one four way stop at the northern end of the study area at the Old Fall River Road intersection. Additionally, there is the partial cloverleaf interchange with I-195 and an unsignalized intersection at Hathaway Road. 24-Hour Traffic Volumes 24-hour traffic volumes on Faunce Corner Road vary from 31,800 vehicles per day north of Cross Road to 13,300 vehicles per day north of I-195. Recent traffic growth has been highest north of I-195, where volume has increased 2.5% annually since Intersection Volumes/Level of Service Turning movement counts were conducted at major intersections in the study area in late 2006 and early Traffic growth at intersections has followed a similar trend as growth in 24-hour volumes, with an annual increase of 2.4% at Route 6 and an annual increase of 2.1% at Cross Road. Growth at the I-195 interchange has been much more significant. Annual growth rates since 1985 are as high as 9% for the I-195 eastbound ramp to Faunce Corner Road northbound and 7% for the I-195 westbound ramp to Faunce Corner Road northbound. This is largely due to the development of offices and industry north of I-195 over the past 15 years. Of the nine major intersections in the study area, only three operate at level of service C or better. Level of Service, or LOS, is an A through F rating of the efficiency of an intersection based on the average amount of delay per vehicle. LOS A represents minimal delay while LOS F represents gridlock conditions. Typically a LOS D during peak travel times is considered acceptable along a commercial corridor such as Faunce Corner Road. The Ann & Hope Drive intersection operates at LOS A, the Old Fall River Road intersection operates at LOS B and the I-195 eastbound off-ramp intersection operates at LOS C. Both the Cross Road intersection and the Dartmouth Mall/Stop & Shop intersection operate at LOS D. The Route 6/Faunce Corner Road intersection operates at LOS E, while Tucker Road and Hathaway Road intersections both operate at LOS F. The I-195 westbound intersection also operates at LOS F. Along Route 6, the Faunce Corner Road, Tucker Road and Hathaway Road intersections are all very close to one another, often resulting in the queuing of vehicles from one intersection into the other. Eastbound queues from Tucker Road often block the Faunce Corner Road intersection, and westbound queues from Tucker Road often block the Hathaway Road intersection. Crashes Crash reports from the Dartmouth Police and the State Police were obtained for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 for the Faunce Corner Road corridor. These reports were analyzed in order to recognize potential problems along the corridor that could be fixed to improve overall safety. The majority of crashes reported along the corridor during these three years were at or near the I-195 interchange. A significant number of crashes also Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 2

11 occurred at the Route 6 and Cross Road intersections. Collectively, these three areas account for 77% of all crashes along the corridor. Two of the intersections within the study area are listed in the 100 Most Dangerous Intersections in Southeastern Massachusetts for Route 6 at Faunce Corner Road is ranked the 50 th most dangerous and Route 6 at Hathaway Road is ranked the 60 th most dangerous. Rear-end collisions were the most prevalent configuration of crashes at every major intersection. Sideswipes and right angle crashes also occurred, though not as frequently as rear-enders. The most common contributing factor to collisions at every major intersection was following too closely, a factor directly related to congested conditions and stop-and-go driving. Pavement and light conditions had little effect on crash rates. Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations Sidewalks exist on both sides of the Faunce Corner Road south of I-195, and on the eastern side of the Faunce Corner Road from just north of I-195 to Ventura Drive. Route 6 as well has sidewalks on both sides in the study area. Pedestrian-actuated signals and crosswalks exist at all the signalized intersections on the corridor except for the I-195 eastbound off-ramp. The Dartmouth Mall has extensive pedestrian accommodations, with sidewalks along internal circulators from Faunce Corner Road and raised crosswalks at major entrances. The Stop & Shop entrance has sidewalks along the southern side of its entrance. Ann & Hope Way (Lowes Entrance/Old Faunce Corner Road) does not have any sidewalks. Cross Road also lacks sidewalks, though the Faunce Corner Crossing driveway opposite it does have sidewalks on its southern side adjacent to the McDonalds. There are no designated bicycle facilities along or adjacent to the corridor. The corridor does have shoulders along its entire length, though they are interrupted at intersections by right-turn lanes. Bicycle racks exist at the Dartmouth Mall. Public Transportation The Southeastern Regional Transit Authority (SRTA) operates two bus routes along the corridor, the number 9 and the number 10. Both serve the Dartmouth Mall, the Ann & Hope Plaza and terminate at the Hawthorne Medical Center. The number 9 has one-hour headways and runs from 6am to 7pm Monday Friday, 8am to 7pm Saturday. The number 10 bus also has a one-hour headway but operates from 8:30am to 6pm Monday Friday and 9:30am to 6pm on Saturdays. There is no Sunday service on either bus line. A ridership estimate was calculated by SRPEDD in The number 9 bus had an average of 529 weekday passengers, with 20.4 passengers per revenue hour. This estimate is for the entire number 9 corridor, however, which serves all of Route 6 from New Bedford into Fall River. The number 10 bus had an average of 256 weekday passengers with 25.6 passengers per revenue hour. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 3

12 Ridership on SRTA buses is not meeting potential. Only 1% of Dartmouth residents use public transportation to get to work (2000 Census Bureau) and only 3% of New Bedford residents do. The sprawling characteristics of developments along Faunce Corner Road and throughout Dartmouth undoubtedly contribute to these low numbers. However, the following statistics show that the percentage of people using transit could be much higher if service was more attractive: 67% of employment in Dartmouth is accessible via Route 6, Faunce Corner Road and Cross Road. 83% of employment and 62% of Dartmouth s population and nearly 100% of New Bedford s population and employment are in census block groups currently served by fixed route bus service. 56% of Dartmouth s population works in either Dartmouth or New Bedford, while 57% of those people working in Dartmouth live in either Dartmouth or New Bedford. Given these journey to work statistics, existing fixed route bus service could theoretically accommodate 32% of all work trips originating in Dartmouth, if the service could serve all working hours. Since 36% of jobs in Dartmouth are retail jobs, which generally have evening and weekend work hours, current levels of transit service are not adequate to bring these workers to and from work. Additionally, the limited hours do not accommodate the many consumer trips associated with retail in the evening and on Sundays. The extension of service into the evening and on Sundays could help this situation. Land Use Land use in the study area varies slightly but for the most part is consistently commercial and industrial, with few residential parcels. Retail uses dominate the southern end of the study area where the Dartmouth Mall and two other large shopping centers exist (Stop & Shop Plaza, Ann & Hope Plaza). Major retailers include Macy s, JC Penney and Sears at the mall, Stop & Shop and Best Buy opposite the mall and Lowes, Christmas Tree Shops, Ann & Hope Curtain & Bath Outlet and Kohls in the Ann & Hope Plaza. Other smaller retailers exist near the Cross Road intersection at the Faunce Corner Crossing Plaza and across the street. There are two large car dealerships, Toyota of Dartmouth and Saturn of Dartmouth just south of the Cross Road intersection on the east side of Faunce Corner Road. Also, there is a smaller office park south of the Cross Road intersection on the west side of the corridor. Finally, there are two large hotels directly south of I-195 on the east side of the corridor. North of I-195 land use is generally office and industrial, along with special uses such as the State Police Barracks and the Bristol County Correctional Facility and one major retail center, the Vanity Fair Outlets. There are two dead-end roadways with light Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 4

13 industry along them, Ledgewood Blvd and Ventura Blvd. An apartment complex exists on Ledgewood Blvd as well. A large office development with one building already occupied is also present, named the Faunce Corner Executive Center. A number of medical facilities also exist north of I-195, mainly the Faunce Corner Medical Center and the newly constructed Hawthorn Medical Center. Northward towards Old Fall River Road there is farmland and a vineyard with a few private residences. Along Route 6 there are a number of major retailers, including Walmart, BJ s Wholesale, Home Depot and a newly constructed Target. Towards Hathaway Road, a number of small fast food restaurants exist including two donut shops, Burger King and a pizza place. UMASS Dartmouth is located on Old Westport Road approximately a half mile south of Route 6. Major Intersection Characteristics State Road (US Tucker Road/Champion Terrace This is a four-approach offset intersection with medians on Route 6. The northbound approach (Tucker Road) has one lane that accommodates all movements. The eastbound approach (Route 6) has four formalized lanes, one left-turn lane, two thru lanes and one right-turn lane. The westbound approach has four lanes, one left-turn lane, two thru lanes and one combination thru/right-turn lane. The southbound approach (Champion Terrace) has one lane that accommodates all movements. The intersection has a fully actuated 3-phased signal system. Eastbound and westbound left turns proceed simultaneously followed by eastbound and westbound thru movements. Northbound and southbound then proceed simultaneously. Eastbound right turns on red are prohibited. The intersection experiences extreme congestion at peak periods. Total intersection volume in 2007 during the 4:15-5:15 pm peak hour was 4,157 vehicles. All the turning movements at the intersection are heavily congested except for the westbound thru, since it has the most capacity having three thru lanes. The northbound movement sees long queues during peak periods since it is only 1 lane and has an entrance for a drive-thru Dunkin Donuts on its corner. The eastbound traffic often backs up into the Route 6/Faunce Corner Road intersection due to inadequate storage capacity between the two intersections. A spike in congestion during the times when UMASS Dartmouth classes end and then begin again was observed daily. Overall, the intersection operates at Level of Service F with a PM Peak Hour Delay (delay) of 82.1 seconds per vehicle. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 5

14 Figure 1 Route Tucker Rd/Hathaway Rd State Road (US Hathaway Road This is a four-approach intersection with the northbound approach being a driveway for a small shopping plaza. The eastbound and westbound approaches have three lanes each, one left-turn lane, one thru lane and one thru/right turn lane. The southbound approach has two lanes, one for right-turns and one for left-turns and thru movements. This intersection is unsignalized, with a stop sign on Hathaway Road. In 2007 it had a peak hour (4:15-5:15pm) volume of 3,399 vehicles. It operates at a LOS F with a delay much greater than 120 seconds per vehicle. Left turns onto Hathaway Road and turns off of Hathaway Road are extremely congested and dangerous during peak times. Thru movements and left turns out of the strip mall driveway are nearly impossible. Left turns into the driveway have poor sight distance of oncoming traffic. Westbound traffic from the Tucker Road intersection often backs up past Hathaway Road due to the close proximity of the two intersections, which are approximately 450 feet apart. Crash reports were not analyzed for the Tucker Road and Hathaway Road intersections. However, Hathaway Road saw 33 crashes from and had crash rates above acceptable thresholds on the Equivalent Property Damage Only (EPDO) index. The EPDO index measures the severity of crashes at a particular intersection. The Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 6

15 signalization of this intersection, only possible if Tucker Road is relocated to meet with it, would help protect dangerous movements at the intersection. State Road (US Faunce Corner Road/Old Westport Road Figure 2 Route Faunce Corner Rd This is a four-approach signalized intersection with median divisions on all approaches. The northbound approach (Old Westport Road) has one thru lane, one thru/left-turn combination lane and a right-turn bay with island. The eastbound approach has one left-turn lane, two thru lanes and one rightturn lane. The westbound approach has one left-turn lane, three thru lanes and one right-turn lane. The southbound approach has one left-turn lane, one thru/left-turn combination lane, one thru lane and one right-turn lane. The intersection has a fully actuated 4-phased signal system. Eastbound and westbound left-turns proceed simultaneously, and then eastbound and westbound thru traffic proceed simultaneously. Southbound traffic then proceeds, followed by northbound traffic. Right-turns on red are permitted at all approaches, and the northbound right-turn has a separate bay with a yield. The intersection experiences severe congestion during peak periods. Total intersection volume in 2006 was 3,191 vehicles during the AM peak hour (8am-9am) and 4,915 vehicles during the PM peak hour (3:30pm-4:30pm). The most congested movements are the eastbound thru, northbound thru and the southbound left, all operating at level of service E. Southbound left movements often back up through the intersection, blocking the northbound traffic from proceeding during its green phase. The queue of cars approaching the southbound left movement often extends up to the Mall intersection as well. This results from the long eastbound queues on Route 6 from the Tucker Road intersection that often reach the Faunce Corner Road intersection. The Route 6 westbound left-turn lane queue often extends beyond the storage capacity of the left-turn lane. Northbound traffic on Old Westport Road often spikes at times when UMASS Dartmouth classes end, creating long queues on this approach. Overall, the intersection operates at LOS E with a delay of 58.3 seconds per vehicle. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 7

16 Total intersection volume during the PM peak period in 1995 was 3,778 vehicles. The volumes counted in 2006 represent an annual growth rate of 2.4% since then. Figure 3 Route 6 Intersection Crashes From , there were 29 crashes recorded at this intersection. 62% of these were rear-end collisions and 35% had injuries reported. 5 crashes could be attributed to a driver running a red light. Figure 3 illustrates the crashes at the intersection. Faunce Corner Dartmouth Mall/Stop& Shop Entrances Figure 4 Faunce Corner Dartmouth Mall This signalized intersection has four approaches with median divisions on the north/south and westbound approaches. The northbound approach has one left-turn lane, two thru lanes and one right-turn lane. The eastbound approach exiting the Dartmouth Mall has one left turn lane, one thru/left- Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 8

17 turn combination lane and one right-turn lane. The southbound approach has one leftturn lane, two thru lanes and one right-turn lane. The westbound approach has one leftturn lane, one thru/left-turn combination lane and a right-turn bay with an island. The signal system is fully actuated with 4 phases. Northbound and southbound lefts proceed simultaneously, (unless there are none) followed by northbound and southbound thru movements. Eastbound then proceeds, followed finally by westbound. In 2006 this intersection had a PM Peak Hour Volume of 3,404 and operated at LOS D with a delay of 42.5 seconds per vehicle. This represents an annual growth rate of 4.8% since The most congested movements are the westbound thru (LOS F), westbound left, northbound left and southbound left (LOS E). From , this intersection had 12 crashes recorded. 58% were rearend collisions and half had injuries resulting. Two crashes involved pedestrians crossing Faunce Corner Road from the mall. Figure 5 illustrates crashes at this intersection. Figure 5 Dartmouth Mall Intersection Crashes Faunce Corner Ann & Hope Way (Lowes/Kohls Entrance) Figure 6 Faunce Corner Ann & Hope Way This is a three-approach signalized intersection with median divisions on all three approaches. The northbound approach has two thru lanes and one right-turn lane. The southbound approach has two thru lanes and one left-turn lane. The westbound approach has two left-turn lanes and one right-turn bay with an island. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 9

18 Old Faunce Corner Road runs from Ann & Hope Way northbound ~ 100 feet east of the intersection. Figure 7 Ann & Hope Way Intersection Crashes The signal system is fully actuated with 3 phases. Southbound movements have a lead with lefts and thru movements proceeding first, followed by simultaneous northbound thru and southbound thru movements. Westbound movements then proceed. Northbound rights have a separate signal and proceed with the northbound thru and westbound phases. They are permitted during all other phases as well. In 2003 this intersection had a PM Peak Hour Volume of 2,544 vehicles. It operated at a level of service A with delay of 6.2 seconds per vehicle. From , there were 16 crashes reported at this intersection. 75% were rear-end collisions and 31% reported injuries. Figure 7 illustrates the crashes at this intersection. Faunce Corner Cross Road/Comfort Lane (Faunce Corner Crossing) This is a four-approach signalized intersection with median divisions on the northbound, southbound and westbound approaches. The northbound approach has one left-turn lane, two thru lanes and one right-turn lane. The eastbound approach has one left-turn lane and one left-turn/thru/right-turn combination lane. The southbound approach has one leftturn lane, two thru lanes and one right-turn lane. The westbound approach has one leftturn lane and one thru/right-turn lane. There is space for right turns to slip by this lane if there is less than three cars queued in it. Additionally, there is a u-turn bulb on the southwest corner of the intersection to allow trucks to make u-turns north to south. The signal system at this intersection is fully actuated with 4 phases. Southbound and northbound lefts proceed simultaneously, followed by southbound thru and northbound thru movements. Left movements proceed simultaneously with thru movements in both directions if there are no opposing vehicles present at the beginning of the cycle. Eastbound movements then proceed, followed by westbound movements. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 10

19 This intersection experiences congestion during peak periods. Total intersection volume in 2006 was 2,542 vehicles during the AM peak hour (8am-9am) and 3,712 vehicles during the PM peak hour (3:45pm- 4:45pm). Overall, the intersection operated at LOS C with a delay of 31.1 seconds per vehicle. The most congested approach was the Figure 8 Faunce Corner Cross Rd eastbound approach off of Cross Road, which operated at LOS E with a delay of 57 seconds per vehicle. This caused severe queues on Cross Road. Northbound left movements were also heavily congested, operating at LOS E with a delay of 73 seconds per vehicle. Southbound left-turns operated at LOS D and all other movements operated at LOS C or better. During the holiday shopping season, southbound traffic approaching the intersection is generally slow moving, as lane changes and merging from the I-195 eastbound off-ramp create conflicts. Additionally, at times when UMASS Dartmouth classes end there is often a spike in eastbound left congestion from Cross Road, as this is a popular connection between the campus and I-195. Figure 9 Cross Rd Intersection Crashes From , there were 36 crashes reported at this intersection. 56% were rear-end collisions and 17% reported injuries. 4 crashes resulted from unprotected left-turns at the eastbound and westbound approaches. Figure 9 illustrates the crashes at this intersection. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 11

20 Recent Improvements- MassHighway recently re-phased the signal at this intersection and coordinated it with the I-195 eastbound signal recently constructed. The re-phasing separated the eastbound movements from the westbound movements and the overall signal times were adjusted. Overall, the LOS became a D and the delay increased slightly to 38 seconds per vehicle. The eastbound approach delay was slightly reduced from 57 seconds to 53 seconds. The conflicting eastbound and westbound movements have been removed, however, making the intersection safer. The coordination with the new signal at the I-195 eastbound ramps will also help to improve traffic flow along this segment of the corridor. Faunce Corner Rd/I-195 Interchange Figure 10 Faunce Corner I-195EB Ramps The interchange of Interstate 195 with Faunce Corner Road is the most congested area of the corridor. The interchange is a partial cloverleaf. Eastbound Ramps- The eastbound side of the interchange provides one offramp with a rightturn bay at Faunce Corner Road and a left-turn T-intersection with a newly installed traffic signal. It also has two on-ramps; one loop ramp from Faunce Corner Road southbound and one slip ramp from Faunce Corner Road northbound. The Faunce Corner Road northbound approach to the interchange has two lanes that technically merge into one just south of the I-195 eastbound on-ramp, though there is adequate width for this approach to function as two lanes up to the ramp. From , there were 54 crashes reported at the eastbound ramps. 69% were rearend collisions and 32% reported injuries. Four crashes were right angle crashes where eastbound vehicles attempted to take a left onto Faunce Corner Road northbound from the ramp. 19 crashes occurred at the yield sign of the eastbound off-ramp, where drivers are required to look over their shoulders for oncoming traffic, forcing them to ignore the actions of drivers in front of them. Figure 11 illustrates crashes at the eastbound ramps. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 12

21 Figure 11 I-195EB Ramps Crashes Westbound ramps- The westbound side has two off-ramps; one slip ramp to Faunce Corner Road northbound and one loop ramp to Faunce Corner Road southbound controlled by a yield. It also has one on-ramp that provides a separate right-turn bay Figure 12 Faunce Corner I-195WB Ramps from Faunce Corner Road southbound and unprotected left-turns from Faunce Corner Road northbound. The slip off-ramp enters Faunce Corner Road northbound just south of where vehicles slow or stop to take a left onto the westbound on-ramp, creating a major point of conflict. The Faunce Corner Road southbound approach to the interchange is one lane. The northbound approach Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 13

22 from the bridge is technically one lane though it functions as two lanes with a thru lane and a left-turn lane onto the I-195 westbound on-ramp. From there were 51 crashes at the westbound ramps. 67% were rear-end collisions and 24% resulted in injuries. 30 of the 51 crashes occurred at the westbound loop off-ramp yield sign, and another four involved vehicles stuck in traffic trying to exit I-195 on the loop off-ramp. These crashes are particularly dangerous as they involve vehicles traveling at high rates of speed on I-195 rear-ending slowing or stopped vehicles trying to take the exit. Figure 13 illustrates crashes at the westbound ramps. Figure WB Ramps Crashes Faunce Corner Road Bridge- When this study began, the Faunce Corner Road Bridge over I-195 had a median and one lane with a shoulder on either side. Traffic was forced to merge into one lane for both directions on the bridge, creating a major bottleneck. During the busy holiday shopping season, the Dartmouth Police used cones and police detail to help improve the serious congestion that plagues the interchange. Two southbound lanes were created to allow the I-195 westbound loop ramp traffic to flow onto Faunce Corner Road southbound and then merge further south. Two lanes were created to allow the I-195 eastbound right-turns onto Faunce Corner Road to flow as well. Additionally, traffic was often stopped on Faunce Corner Road to allow left-turns from the I-195 eastbound offramp. The State Police also intervened during congested periods to help clear traffic queues on I-195 from the westbound loop off-ramp and the eastbound off-ramp. This was observed during the month of December during the PM peak period. The bridge itself is currently listed as structurally deficient. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 14

23 Traffic Controls-The interchange had no signal system at the time traffic counts were conducted for this study. There was a stop sign for left-turns from the I-195 eastbound off-ramp and a yield sign for the right-turn. There were also yield signs for both I-195 westbound off-ramps. A traffic signal was installed in the summer of 2007 at the eastbound off-ramps by MassHighway. Traffic Volumes- All of the off-ramps operated at LOS F when they were counted in The following table summarizes off-ramp volumes and approach delays for the interchange. Table 1 - I-195 Ramp Volumes/Delays per Vehicle-2006 I-195 Ramp AM Peak Hour Volume AM Delay per Vehicle (seconds) PM Peak Hour Volume PM Delay per Vehicle (seconds) EB Off-ramp right-turn >120 EB Off-ramp left turn >120 WB Loop off-ramp >120 WB Slip off-ramp Overall, the entire interchange has an AM Peak Hour Volume of 4,881 vehicles and a PM Peak Hour Volume of 6,955 vehicles. The eastbound side has an AM Peak Hour Volume of 2,637 vehicles and a PM Peak Hour Volume of 4,063 vehicles. The westbound side has an AM Peak Hour Volume of 2,244 vehicles and a PM Peak Hour Volume of 2,892 vehicles. These volumes represent normal weekday traffic volumes. Volumes can be much higher during the busy holiday shopping season and on Saturdays. Previous turning movement counts were conducted at the interchange in 1985, 1992 and Annual growth rates for certain movements at certain periods are staggering. For the PM Peak Period, every movement has seen an annual growth rate of at least 1.6% since 1985, with the highest being 5% for both the southbound right onto 195 eastbound and the southbound and northbound thrus at the westbound ramps. For the AM peak hour growth was less consistent by Figure 14 Faunce Corner Rd/I-195 Traffic Growth Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 15

24 movement. Annual growth rates range from 1.3% for the northbound right onto 195 eastbound to 9.3% for the eastbound left to Faunce Corner Road northbound. The growth rates do, however, show a pattern of increasing traffic accessing the corridor north of the I-195 interchange. This is largely due to increasing office development north of the interchange in recent years. Overall, traffic using the bridge over 195 has increased 4% in the AM peak and 3% annually in the PM peak hour since Holiday Season Congestion- During the holiday shopping season the interchange experiences congestion that is chaotic and inconsistent. Often the State Police are dispatched to the area to help control thru traffic on Faunce Corner Road in order to clear congestion on the 195 off-ramps. As mentioned before, the Dartmouth Police use cones and details annually during this season as well to help improve traffic flow. Before the completion of the traffic signal project, traffic regularly queued up past the State Police Barracks at random intervals throughout the day approaching the interchange from the north. Long queues also existed on the westbound loop off-ramp and the eastbound off-ramp, often backing up the full length of the ramps onto I-195. Traffic coming off the westbound loop ramp was forced to merge directly into southbound Faunce Corner Road traffic, and although volume on the loop ramp had not seen large increases in the past 8 years, southbound traffic on Faunce Corner Road had seen significant increases, making this merge much more difficult. The same situation occurred at the eastbound off-ramp, making left-turns and right merges off the ramp very difficult. Overall, traffic moved very slowly over the bridge in both directions. The police detail helped to remove the dangerous queues on the off ramps that back up into travel lanes on I-195. A turning movement count conducted in December 2006 revealed interesting results. Overall, total traffic volumes were 5% less than volumes recorded in October, and the peak hour shifted from 4 to 5pm to 4:30 to 5:30pm. Total PM Peak Hour Volume at the eastbound ramps was 3,949 vehicles and at the westbound ramps, 2,683, giving an interchange total of 6,632 vehicles. Despite being 5% less than the October counts, the congestion observed was much more severe, especially at the westbound ramps. There are a number of different explanations for these lower volumes, including: Spatial/Time Convergence: People avoided the interchange during the holiday season because of their knowledge of its congestion, or used it during off-peak times. State Police intervention: State Police added a detail at the most congested period of the count to help clear congestion queuing on the I-195 westbound loop offramp. Traffic moving southbound on Faunce Corner Road was stopped periodically to let the westbound loop off-ramp flow freely, and to allow northbound lefts onto I-195 westbound. This caused long queues on Faunce Corner Road southbound north of the interchange. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 16

25 More vehicles than normal attempted to use the interchange due to the holiday season, creating more severe congestion than usual. The increased congestion at and beyond the interchange forced fewer vehicles to pass through the interchange, therefore extending the peak period and lowering vehicle/hour figures. The most logical explanation for the lower traffic volumes is the State Police Intervention and increased congestion. Longer queues are realized up and down the corridor during the holiday season, so spatial convergence off the corridor is not likely. Major Conflict Points- There were several major points of conflict at the interchange when it was originally counted, including the following: I-195 Eastbound Off-ramp Right Turn: Right turns off the ramp are forced to merge directly into heavy Faunce Corner Road southbound traffic. Southbound queues from the Cross Road intersection often extend past this ramp as well, blocking the right-turns from the ramp from proceeding. I-195 Eastbound Off-ramp Left Turn: There was no signal to allow protected left turns from the off-ramp. Steady free-flowing southbound and northbound traffic on Faunce Corner Road made this movement very difficult and very dangerous, as people got impatient and pulled out in front of fast-moving traffic. This conflict has been eliminated with the recent installation of the traffic signal at the off-ramp. I-195 Westbound Loop Off-ramp Merge: Traffic on this ramp was forced to merge directly with southbound Faunce Corner Road traffic. There was no deceleration lane on Faunce Corner Road to allow this traffic to flow and merge, instead the majority of vehicles had to stop. This often resulted into vehicles queuing into the travel lanes of I-195. The addition of a second lane on Faunce Corner Road southbound will hopefully eliminate this conflict. I-195 Westbound Slip Off-Ramp Merge: Traffic exiting the westbound slip offramp is forced to merge with heavy northbound traffic, some of which is slowing or stopping to make the left turn onto the I-195 westbound on-ramp. Faunce Corner Road Northbound Left: Traffic attempting to go from Faunce Corner Road northbound to I-195 westbound must make an un-protected left turn onto the on-ramp. This forces northbound thru movements to veer around queued vehicles and makes the merging of thru traffic and traffic from the 195 westbound slip off-ramp more difficult and dangerous. Planned/Completed Improvements- MassHighway is currently pursuing improvements for the interchange. Besides the traffic signal recently installed, a reconstruction and widening of the bridge is planned. The traffic signal project, recently constructed, signalized the eastbound off-ramp and widened the southbound approach and the eastbound off-ramp. The layout of this project is pictured in Figure 15. The southbound approach now has two lanes from the westbound loop ramp south to the eastbound off-ramp, allowing traffic exiting the loop ramp to merge more easily with southbound traffic. The eastbound off-ramp also now Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 17

26 has two lanes for approximately 250, with a right-turn bay similar to the existing one. From the signal south, there are two southbound lanes on Faunce Corner Road, widening to four lanes at Cross Road as it does now. The new signal is coordinated with the Cross Road signal, which has also been modified as previously mentioned. Figure 15 I-195EB Signalization Project Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 18

27 A preliminary analysis was performed by SRPEDD using the plans for the traffic signal project. The eastbound off-ramp intersection will operate at LOS C with a delay of 27 seconds per vehicle, a major improvement for eastbound vehicles. Figure 16 I-195EB Traffic Signal Faunce Corner Old Fall River Road This intersection is a four-approach intersection controlled with a four-way stop. Each approach has one lane, though the eastbound approach has adequate width to allow right turns to slip by thru movements and left turns. Old Fall River Road serves as a connector to the New Bedford Regional Airport, Route 140 and the New Bedford Industrial Park. Total intersection volume for the AM peak hour (7:30-8:30) in 2006 was 646 vehicles. Total volume for the PM peak hour (4:15-5:15) in 2006 was 914 vehicles. A pattern of New Bedford residents commuting to employment on Faunce Corner Road is evident. The most numerous movement during the AM peak hour is the westbound left (181 vehicles, while during the PM peak hour, the most numerous movement is the northbound right (235 vehicles). Overall, the intersection operated at LOS B with a delay of 14.9 seconds per vehicle. From , there were four crashes recorded at this intersection. One of these crashes was a right-angle crash and another was a rear-end collision. Faunce Corner Healthtrax/MassHighway Driveways Figure 17 Healthtrax/MassHighway Crashes These driveways are located off of Faunce Corner Road just north of I-195 and the railroad crossing. Faunce Corner Road at this point is one lane in either direction with wide shoulders. Between 2003 and 2005 there were 11 crashes reported at this location, 55% being rear-end collisions and 67% resulting in injuries. Three crashes involved northbound vehicles rearending vehicles waiting to make a left-turn into the Healthtrax driveway. Figure 17 illustrates the crashes at this location. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 19

28 Future Land Use Analysis Future traffic growth in the study area will be greatly affected by future land uses not only within it, but also throughout the entire Town of Dartmouth. Particularly, any additional commercial and industrial uses implemented in the town will greatly increase the total number of vehicles utilizing Faunce Corner Road. The abundance of land not only throughout the town, but also specifically along the Faunce Corner Road north of I- 195 will undoubtedly make the town even more attractive to developers. Also, if and when the interchange with I-195 is improved, pressure to develop parcels accessible by the interchange will increase dramatically. High Growth Scenario In order to determine traffic growth on the in the study area, future land uses have to be predicted and employment and housing unit additions must be entered into SRPEDD s Regional Travel Demand Model. A high growth scenario was developed by the Town Planner and SRPEDD staff for the year Predictions of new retail employment, new non-retail employment and new housing units were subsequently developed for 2010, 2020 and These figures were broken down into Traffic Analysis Zones, geographic designations similar to Census Block Groups, for the whole town. This growth scenario represents what SRPEDD feels to be a high-growth scenario for the town to Future land use was predicted by identifying vacant developable parcels throughout the town and through consultations with town officials regarding specific parcels, particularly those located in the study area. A spreadsheet of vacant parcels and parcels not fully developed was created and possible land uses for them were assigned. The output was potential trips generated by each parcel, potential employment and potential new housing units. Parcels in Study Area There are a number of developable parcels in the study area itself, as well as the potential for additional development on already developed parcels. South of I-195 there are a few small parcels between Faunce Corner Road and the Ann & Hope Plaza that could be developed as drive-thru restaurants. There is also room in the Ann & Hope Plaza for additional retail structures (approximately 52,000 sq. ft. of lease able space), as well as behind retail buildings north of the plaza. North of I-195 there is large potential for new development and a number of vacant developable lots. Already planned are 6 additional office buildings (approx. 48,000 sq. ft. each) at the Faunce Corner Executive Center and an expansion of the Hawthorne Medical facility. Vacant industrial parcels also exist along both Ventura Blvd and Ledgewood Blvd. Some of these could likely become 40B apartment complexes (much like the Ledgewood Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 20

29 Commons development), but the majority would most likely become light industrial. Occupied parcels close to the Old Fall River Road intersection could also very easily be redeveloped for light industrial use or for 40B or medical offices. Other Major Parcels Townwide Outside of the actual study area there are a number of opportunities for major developments that would have a profound effect on traffic along the corridor. Off of Old Fall River approximately a quarter mile west of Faunce Corner Road there is an industrial park planned, similar to the layout of Ventura Blvd and Ledgewood Blvd. This park alone has over 130 acres of developable industrial land. Large industrial parcels also exist along Hixville Road just north of the railroad line. One of these parcels (approx. 75 acres) will likely become a 40B development whereas the other two (approx. 24 acres) could likely become light industrial. Along Route 6 there is potential for several new retail developments. The recently constructed Target Plaza currently has 104,000 sq. ft. of retail space under construction and 6,500 sq. ft. of restaurant space under construction. Potential new retail or restaurants could also be built in the Toys R Us Plaza (approx. 8.5 acres vacant) and the BJ s parcel. A new Applebees is being constructed at the corner of Route 6 and Cross Road, and there is a vacant restaurant building on the Dartmouth Town Centre parcel. A large undeveloped parcel exists behind Home Depot and the Town Centre, with plans for 30 new single-family homes. Finally, a large vacant parcel owned by Ann & Hope exists adjacent to Walmart with approximately 38 acres of space. A large number of vacant parcels exist that are designated as developable residential. The town currently has three different zones for residential uses, general residence, SRA and SRB. The minimum lot size for a single-family home in each zone is 15,000 sq. ft., 40,000 sq. ft. and 80,000 sq. ft. respectively. Parcels that fall under the aquifer overlay have an 80,000 minimum lot size as well. The majority of the residential land in the town is zoned either SRA or SRB and therefore the majority of new single family homes to be constructed would be on 1-2 acre lots, a relatively low density. 40B units, however, could theoretically be built in any zoning designation and typically have an average of 9 units per acre. In addition to the vacant residential parcels, there are numerous lots over 15 acres that currently only have one single family home on them, leaving plenty of room for future subdivisions. Vacant parcels throughout the town are displayed in Figure 18, colored by parcel description. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 21

30

31 Figure 18 RES=Residential; COM=Commercial; IND=Industrial Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 22

32

33 Total new employment and new housing units by Traffic Analysis Zone for the high growth scenario are summarized in figure 19 for the year Figure 19 Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 23

34 Raw increases from 2000 to 2030 for retail, non-retail and housing units for the high growth scenario are displayed by TAZ in Figures 20-22: Figure 20 Figure 21 Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 24

35 Figure 22 The majority of job growth in the town is predicted in TAZ 167, where over 4,000 new non-retail jobs are projected. TAZ 530 is projected to receive the bulk of the new retail employment, where over 1,200 new jobs are forecast. These two figures alone will have a profound effect on traffic growth in the study area. Many new residential units are also predicted, primarily in TAZ s 169, 170 and 167. These TAZ s contain both the Route 6 and Faunce Corner Road corridors, prime areas for future 40B development construction. Moderate Growth Scenario The high growth scenario detailed above represents a worst-case scenario where traffic gridlock would not affect the town s attractiveness for development. SRPEDD s Comprehensive Planning Staff performed a different analysis of overall growth in 2005, yielding slightly lower overall employment and housing unit growth to This analysis was based on a regional perspective. To yield a moderate growth scenario, SRPEDD Transportation Staff took these numbers and redistributed the totals to the appropriate TAZ s based on land available in each. Table 3 below shows the results of this analysis. The retail employment totals for the year 2030 utilized are the same Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 25

36 generated in the original high growth scenario, since those generated by Comprehensive Planning Staff were slightly higher and retail in the town is nearing build-out. Table 3 - Moderate Growth Scenario-2030 TAZ New Retail Jobs New Non-retail Jobs New Housing Units , , ,814 3,144 4,857 The main differences between this scenario and the high growth scenario are in the number of new non-retail jobs. The moderate growth numbers for non-retail jobs total over 2,000 less than those generated by the high-growth scenario. There is little discrepancy in housing units. Traffic Growth to 2030 Based on the employment and housing unit projections through 2030 in the high and moderate growth scenarios, significant traffic growth has been predicted by the Regional Travel Demand Model in the study area. Table 4 summarizes growth in total intersection volume from 2006 to 2030 for both scenarios. Table 4 - Intersection Traffic Volume-2006 to 2030 Intersection 2006/ Moderate 2030 High Route 6/Old Westport Rd 4,915 6,330 7,163 Dartmouth Mall 3,404 4,854 4,904 Cross Rd/Comfort Ln 3,712 5,067 5,345 Old Fall River Rd 914 1,271 1,353 I-195 EB Ramps 4,063 4,687 5,935 I-195 WB Ramps 2,892 3,407 4,217 Tucker Rd 4,157* 4,908 5,681 Hathaway Rd 3,399* 3,946 4,699 *Volumes are 2007 Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 26

37 Effects at Intersections & Possible Mitigation The growth predicted along the Faunce Corner Road corridor in both growth scenarios will put significant stress on intersections abilities to keep traffic flowing smoothly and efficiently. Table 5 shows the level of service and average PM Peak Hour delay per vehicle (delay) for each major intersection in a no-build scenario, with no improvements to any intersections other than signal time adjustments. The traffic signal at the I-195 eastbound off-ramp and the re-phasing of the Cross Road signal are included in the nobuild scenarios for both intersections. Table No Build LOS and Delay High Growth Moderate Growth Intersection LOS Delay (s) LOS Delay (s) Route 6 F >120 F >120 Dartmouth Mall E 67 E 64 Cross Rd F 105 F 109 I-195 EB F >120 F 84 I-195 WB Slip F >120 F >120 I-195 WB (NBL-No Signal) F 109 C 20 Old Fall River Rd F 80 F 61 Tucker Rd F >120 F >120 Hathaway Rd F >120 F >120 Several measures would be necessary at each of the major intersections and the I-195 interchange to mitigate the effects of this growth. The following details some of these measures by intersection: Route Tucker Rd High Growth Scenario-This intersection will operate at level of service F in 2030 with a delay greater than 120 seconds per vehicle. Long queues would become a reality on Tucker Road and at the eastbound approach on Route 6, blocking the Faunce Corner Road intersection for even longer periods than occurs now. The relocation of Tucker Road to meet with Hathaway Road would allow for additional capacity at both intersections and would provide adequate distance for vehicles to queue between the Tucker Road and the Faunce Corner Road intersections. The relocation of Tucker Road would require several land takings along Route 6 and Tucker Road. The use of town-owned property at the North Dartmouth Library site could help minimize the cost of land-takings. Figure 23 illustrates possible alignments of a relocated Tucker Road using the North Dartmouth Library parcel. An exact alignment would depend on engineering design if and when this proposal was to be pursued by the Town. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 27

38 Figure 23 Proposed Tucker Rd Relocation Alignments Several different lane layouts have been modeled for the relocated Tucker Road. Figure 24 illustrates the preferred layout. This lane layout would function the same regardless of the exact alignment of the relocated Tucker Road. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 28

39 Figure 24 Tucker Road Relocation Lane Layout Three westbound thru lanes on Route 6, one being a shared thru/right-turn lane would allow this heavy movement to adequately operate with minimal land-takings. Three lanes on the northbound Tucker Road approach (1 left-turn, 1 left-turn/thru combination and 1 right-turn) would minimize the green time necessary for this approach. On Hathaway Road, a 350 southbound right-turn lane and a southbound thru/right/left-turn combination lane would allow the most cars through the intersection at once. The rightof-way on Hathaway Road is approximately 60 feet wide so this layout would not require land-takings. The recommended signal phasing would have separate northbound and southbound phases and protected left-turns from Route 6. Overall, with these improvements, the intersection would operate at level of service E in 2030 with a delay of 72 seconds per vehicle under the high growth scenario. The use of a channelized southbound right-turn lane with a free flowing movement onto Route 6 westbound was also analyzed. This would allow for a free flow of traffic turning right off of Hathaway Road. This would, however raise the overall delay of the Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 29

40 intersection to 82 seconds per vehicle and would eliminate the three thru lanes on Route 6 at the westbound approach, leaving room for only two. Therefore, it was abandoned as an option. A double eastbound left was also considered. This would lower the overall 2030 delay to 58 seconds and reduce the westbound thru delay to 42 seconds. This layout would require 8 lanes on Route 6, however, and right-of-way constraints may make it unfeasible considering there are three westbound thru lanes at this point already. Moderate Growth Scenario-Under the moderate growth scenario, the relocated Tucker Road intersection (pictured in figure 24) would also operate at level of service E but the delay would be 59 seconds due to less traffic along the Route 6 corridor under this scenario. Growth rates along Route 6 in the moderate growth scenario are half what they are under the high growth scenario. Old Tucker Rd-The existing Tucker Road/Champion Terrace intersection should be unsignalized. The old northbound approach on Tucker Road should be designated as a right turn in/right turn out only approach. At Champion Terrace the same restriction could apply or the westbound left-turn lane could remain to allow access into the neighborhood. Southbound lefts out of Champion Terrace, however, should be prohibited due to safety concerns. Traffic would be directed to take a right onto Route 6 and then make a U-turn at the Faunce Corner Road intersection. Issues regarding access to homes and businesses would have to be carefully considered by the town before deciding what to do with the old Tucker Road intersection. Route Hathaway Rd Future growth in Dartmouth will only increase the already severe delay experienced at this intersection. This intersection needs to be signalized. Traffic volumes exiting and entering Hathaway Road warrant a signal, however the intersection is too close to the Tucker Road intersection to operate adequately with a signal. Therefore, relocating Tucker Road to meet with Hathaway Road would allow for this signalization. This would also allow for more storage room between the Tucker Road and Faunce Corner Road intersections, allowing them to operate more efficiently. Route Faunce Corner Rd/Old Westport Rd High Growth Scenario-This intersection will operate at level of service F by 2030, with a delay greater than 120 seconds per vehicle. Every turning movement at the intersection will operate at level of service F except for the eastbound and southbound rights, which will operate at level of service D. Long queues will be encountered at the eastbound approach, the northbound approach and the southbound approaches. The southbound left lane queue will extend through the Dartmouth Mall signalized intersection, as it often does now. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 30

41 The issues at this intersection all relate to insufficient capacity. The existing southbound left-turn lane should be extended to 800 feet. This would allow for more storage for each movement and eliminate the queuing of left-turning traffic into the thru lane. The inner southbound left-turn/thru combination lane should be striped with pavement markings designating it as a left-turn only lane. The westbound left-turn lane could also be extended back from its current length of 245 feet to 450 feet to better accommodate its projected 95 th Percentile queue length (queue) of 841 feet. Extending it further back would require eliminating the left-turn lane into Champion Terrace. To improve the eastbound approach, the median could be cut into in order to accommodate an extra eastbound left-turn lane. This would reduce the queue length for this movement from 790 feet to 276 feet. Additionally, the right-turn lane could be restriped as a thru/right lane. This would reduce the eastbound thru queue to 535 feet. The third travel lane could travel as far as Tucker Road in place of the breakdown lane and become the right-turn only lane at the relocated Tucker Road intersection. At the northbound approach, both the median and the right-turn bay could be modified to accommodate an additional multi-use northbound lane, and an extension of the right-turn lane to 185 feet. This would also require that the northbound breakdown lane on Faunce Corner Road be re-striped as a travel lane to accommodate the three thru lanes on Old Westport Road. This would reduce the northbound thru queues from 586 feet to 378 feet and the right-turn queues from 735 feet to 541 feet. Figure 25 illustrates these improvements. Since the Tucker Road intersection eastbound queues often extend into this intersection, the relocation of Tucker Road to meet with Hathaway Road would help this problem. This would allow for more storage between the two intersections and would eliminate the queuing of eastbound thru and southbound left traffic blocking this intersection. The effects of this would also help the northbound movements to clear more quickly as they would not be blocked from proceeding on their green light. With all of the improvements mentioned above, the intersection would still operate at level of service F with a delay greater than 120 seconds. The overall capacity at the intersection would be improved and some of the long queues projected would be reduced. Moderate Growth Scenario-With the improvements pictured in figure 25 under the moderate growth scenario, level of service would remain an F but the delay would drop from >120 seconds per vehicle in the high growth scenario to 89 seconds per vehicle. This was due to overall less traffic growth heading eastbound and northbound. Southbound traffic growth in the moderate growth scenario was similar to that in the high-growth scenario. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 31

42 Figure 25-Route 6/Old Westport Road Improvements Faunce Corner Dartmouth Mall/Stop & Shop High Growth Scenario-This intersection will operate at LOS E by 2030, with a delay of 67 seconds per vehicle. The most congested approaches will be the eastbound and westbound approaches, both operating at level of service F. Southbound left-turns will also operate at level of service F. The 2030 southbound left queue length is Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 32

43 approximately 365 feet with no other improvements to the intersection; so extending this turn lane beyond its current 200-foot capacity may be necessary. The addition of a Figure 26 third travel lane on Faunce Corner Rd/Mall Northbound Thru/Right Lane Faunce Corner Road northbound from Route 6 would be necessary to accommodate the discussed improvements on Old Westport Road. This third lane could do one of three things at the Dartmouth Mall intersection: a) become the northbound right-turn lane, b) become a northbound thru/right-turn combination lane or c) exit at the rightturn in only entrance to the Stop & Shop plaza. Options A and C would result in the same overall delay per vehicle of 67 seconds at the intersection. Option B would reduce the overall delay per vehicle to 57 seconds. Option B would require that this third travel lane continue farther north on Faunce Corner Road at least as far as the right-turn in only entrance for the Ann & Hope plaza. Minor widening of the northbound side of Faunce Corner Road would be necessary but could be mitigated by using the breakdown lane. Figure 26 above displays this option. Moderate Growth Scenario-Under the moderate growth scenario, the level of service for option B would remain an E but the delay would drop slightly to 56 seconds per vehicle. The relocation of Tucker Road and the improvements to the Route 6/Old Westport Road intersection should have positive effects at this intersection. The southbound queues that often extend from Route 6 into this intersection would be less frequent with those improvements. Faunce Corner Ann & Hope Way This intersection does not have an existing congestion problem and it is not anticipated to have one in the future. However, the southbound left queue often extends beyond the Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 33

44 storage lane capacity during peak shopping periods. Extending this lane would eliminate this problem. Currently the lane is approximately 470 long. Faunce Corner I-195 Interchange MassHighway is pursuing significant changes to the I-195 interchange. The traffic signal project was recently completed. A second project to widen the bridge over I-195 and to relocate the westbound slip off-ramp is currently in the planning stages with MassHighway. The exact layout of the new bridge and interchange, however, needs to be determined. Figure 27 I-195 Interchange Improvements High Growth Scenario-Several different layouts were tested to determine what the new interchange should resemble in order to deal with 2030 traffic volumes. The preferred layout with the shortest delay is pictured as Figure 27 and consists of a 5-6-lane bridge. At the westbound ramps, there would be two northbound thru lanes, a northbound left-turn storage lane, two southbound lanes and an additional southbound lane entering from the westbound loop offramp. The westbound slip ramp to Faunce Corner Road northbound would be relocated further north so it will not conflict with vehicles trying to enter the westbound on-ramp. At the eastbound ramps there would be six lanes: 1 southbound thru/right combination lane that would become a regular southbound thru lane beyond of the eastbound loop on-ramp, 2 southbound thru lanes, 2 northbound thru lanes and 1 northbound right-turn lane. The eastbound off-ramp would have a right-turn lane and bay and a left-turn lane. The right-turn would have a yield and would meet with the 3 southbound thru lanes north of Cross Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 34

45 Road. The right-turn lane should be long enough to accommodate its projected queue length of 809 feet. The possibility of signalizing the westbound on-ramp was also examined to help reduce the delay for northbound left-turning vehicles. Protecting this movement with a signal might be a future consideration if the queue of vehicles becomes too long. In 2030 the projected queue could reach 502 feet without a signal with a northbound left delay of 112 seconds per vehicle. A two-phased signal with a permitted/protected left would reduce the northbound left delay to 20 seconds in 2030 traffic. Simulation does not show a definitive need for a signal at this location, however. Overall, the length of the northbound left storage lane should be at least long enough to accommodate the projected 206-foot queue with a protected/permitted signal. One possibility for the interchange layout was having only two southbound thru lanes at the eastbound ramp signal and adding a third southbound lane south of the eastbound right-turn bay so this movement could freely flow off the ramp. This option was not given further consideration because a) it would make it difficult for southbound thru traffic to get to the right-turn lane for Cross Road and b) there is not adequate weave distance between the two I-195 loop ramps, so making three southbound lanes at the eastbound ramp signal would allow traffic using the westbound loop-ramp to stay in the same lane to travel all the way down to the eastbound ramps. The MassHighway Design Guide recommends at least 1,000 feet of weave distance between loop ramps, and at this interchange there is only 700 feet of distance. Finally, having only two southbound lanes at the eastbound ramp signal would yield a southbound queue length of 1,252 feet versus 483 feet if there were three lanes. A 1,250- Figure 28 I-195EB Loop On-Ramp foot queue would block southbound traffic from being able to enter the eastbound loop on-ramp. A 483-foot queue could also interfere with access to this ramp. Therefore, the entrance to the eastbound loop ramp could be moved farther north and the rightmost southbound lane could be widened into the shoulder to ensure this is not a problem. The current distance between the eastbound offramp and the loop on-ramp is approximately 225 feet. The entrance could not be moved too far north, however, since this would encroach on the merging distance needed for southbound traffic wishing to get on the loop on-ramp to do so. With the layout in Figure 27, the westbound loop ramp would flow freely off of I-195 and the relocated westbound slip ramp would have Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 35

46 a westbound delay of 26 seconds per vehicle. The eastbound intersection would operate at LOS E with a delay of 63 seconds per vehicle. Moderate Growth Scenario- Under the moderate growth scenario, the level of service at the eastbound off-ramp of the widened interchange would be a C with a delay of 31 seconds per vehicle. The reduction in delay from the high growth scenario was primarily due to less traffic growth on Faunce Corner Road at the signal. Both northbound and southbound annual growth rates dropped to 0.46% in the moderate growth scenario vs. 1.59% in the high growth scenario. At the westbound ramps of the widened interchange, there was a reduction in southbound thru traffic from 1,230 vehicles to 942 vehicles under the moderate growth scenario. This allowed the northbound left-turn without a signal to queue less while waiting to make the turn. The northbound left queue length dropped to 126 feet and the northbound left delay dropped to 20 seconds per vehicle. If a traffic signal were installed to allow protected/permitted northbound lefts, the delay would be further reduced to 9 seconds with an 84-foot queue. Finally, traffic exiting both the loop ramp and the slip ramp were reduced from an annual growth rate of 1.6% to an annual growth rate of 1.1%. The westbound movement off the slip ramp to Faunce Corner Road northbound would operate at level of service C with a delay of 17 seconds per vehicle. Faunce Corner Cross Road High Growth Scenario-This intersection will operate at level of service F by 2030 with a delay of 105 seconds per vehicle. The eastbound approach, northbound left, northbound thru, southbound left and southbound thru movements all will operate at LOS F. This intersection will suffer from capacity shortfalls in the future. Improving capacity at this intersection will be crucial not only to its own operation, but also to the operation of the widened interchange with I-195 described above. Without adding additional southbound capacity on Faunce Corner Road, traffic will bottleneck approaching Cross Road and back up the off-ramps at the interchange considerably. A three-lane approach on Cross Road, two left-turn lanes, and one thru/right lane along with three thru lanes at the southbound approach and three thru lanes at the northbound approach (one being a shared thru/right-turn lane) would improve the LOS to a D with a delay of 47 seconds per vehicle. Eastbound left and northbound/southbound thru queues would all be cut in half from a no-build scenario. Minor widening would be necessary, including a widening of Cross Road westward 400 feet. The use of breakdown lanes and median space would minimize takings necessary on Faunce Corner Road. The southbound left-turn lane could also be extended to better accommodate its projected queue length of 246 feet (or 335 feet in a no-build scenario). Figure 29 illustrates a widened layout for the intersection that would operate at level of service D with a delay of 47 seconds per vehicle. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 36

47 Figure 29 Cross Rd/195EB Ramps Improvements Moderate Growth Scenario- Under the moderate growth scenario, the overall delay for the widened Cross Road intersection would be 50 seconds per vehicle and the level of service would be a D. This delay is slightly higher than the delay under the high growth scenario. This is primarily due to an increase in eastbound traffic heading off Cross Road in the moderate growth scenario vs. the high-growth scenario. The eastbound approach total was 803 vehicles in the high-growth scenario and 981 vehicles in the moderategrowth scenario. Faunce Corner Old Fall River Road High Growth Scenario-This intersection will operate at LOS F by 2030 with a delay of 80 seconds per vehicle. The most congested approach will be the northbound approach, with a delay greater than 120 seconds per vehicle. The Travel Demand Model shows that this road will become a major connector to New Bedford s north end and Route 140. By 2030, it is estimated that 6,827 vehicles will use the road per day. A traffic signal at the intersection with two phases (northbound & southbound; eastbound & westbound) would operate at LOS B with a delay of 18 seconds per vehicle in A roundabout would greatly improve the intersection s traffic flow by not requiring every car to stop completely at each approach. An analysis of a roundabout with 2030 traffic was performed, yielding a delay of only 3.1 seconds per vehicle. Totals of circulating Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 37

48 volume versus entering volume at each approach were also calculated, and each total was less than the 1,100-vehicle maximum recommended for a single lane roundabout. A roundabout would be the optimal solution since it would yield less delay per vehicle, require less maintenance than a traffic signal and, be safer than a traffic signal. Roundabouts eliminate the possibility of dangerous right-angle crashes that can occur at traffic signals. Land takings on each corner of the intersection could be necessary depending on the overall size of the roundabout. Figure 30 illustrates a roundabout at the Old Fall River Road intersection. Figure 30 Old Fall River Rd Roundabout Moderate Growth Scenario- Under the moderate growth scenario, the delay would be 16 seconds per vehicle with a 2-phase traffic signal. The main difference from the high growth scenario was with eastbound traffic, where the annual growth rate was reduced from 2% to 0.7%. Faunce Corner Rd/Route 6 Congestion Study Page 38