ROAD SAFETY AUDIT. Plain Street (Route 139) at Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive Town of Marshfield. June 9, 2017.

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1 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT Plain Street (Route 139) at Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive Town of Marshfield June 9, 2017 Prepared for: MassDOT On Behalf of: Vanasse & Associates, Inc. 35 New England Business Center Drive, Suite 140 Andover, MA Prepared by: Toole Design Group 2 Oliver Street, Suite 305 Boston, MA 02109

2 Table of Contents Background... 1 Project Data... 1 Project Locations and Description... 3 Roadways... 5 Intersections... 5 Audit Observations and Potential Safety Enhancements... 8 Safety Issue #1. Intersection Control... 8 Safety Issue #2. Intersection Geometry Safety Issue #3. Intersection Sight Distance Safety Issue #4. Traffic Signal Equipment Safety Issue #5. Signage Safety Issue #6. Pedestrian Accommodations Safety Issue #7. Lack of Bicycle Accommodations Safety Issue #8. Pavement Condition and Markings Summary of Road Safety Audit List of Appendices Appendix A. Appendix B. Appendix C. Appendix D. RSA Meeting Agenda RSA Audit Team Contact List Detailed Crash Analysis Road Safety Audit References List of Figures Figure 1: Locus Map RSA Location... 4 Figure 2: Intersection Aerial Figure... 7 Figure 3 - Large northwest corner radius Figure 4 - Limited sight distance due to embankment on northwest corner... 11

3 Figure 5 - Limited sight distance due to temporary concert sign at Proprietors Drive northbound approach 11 Figure 6 - Non-compliant MUTCD and ADA pedestrian signal head and push button Figure 7 - Actuated LED NO TURN ON RED sign Figure 8 - Left-turn arrow for westbound approach; not clearly visible Figure 12 - Conflicting pavement markings and lane designation signage on the Furnace Street southbound approach 15 Figure 9 - Damaged/missing detectable warning panels Figure 10 - Dirt/gravel on wheelchair ramp adjacent to embankment Figure 11 - Lack of bicycle accommodations along Route Figure 13 - Faded pavement markings List of Tables Table 1: Participating Audit Team Members... 2 Table 2: Estimated Time Frame and Costs Breakdown Table 3: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary... 20

4 Background Toole Design Group (TDG) has conducted a Road Safety Audit (RSA) for the intersection of Plain Street (Route 139) at Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive in Marshfield, MA. The intersection of Route 139 at Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive is a High Crash Location and is listed as a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) crash cluster, indicating that the location falls within the top 5% of high crash locations in the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) area, based on crash data from 2012 to 2014 in the MassDOT crash database. The RSA was conducted as part of mitigation commitments for the proposed Modera Marshfield residential community to be located off Commerce Way and within Enterprise Park, approximately one-half mile south-west of the project area. The goal of an RSA is to identify safety issues and provide potential enhancements to improve safety for all roadway users. The potential enhancements are categorized by timeframe and cost, which helps responsible agencies to determine if and when to make proposed implementations. Enhancements are categorized as short-, medium-, and long- term and low, medium, and high cost. Project Data Toole Design Group conducted the RSA on Wednesday, April 26, The audit was held at Marshfield s Town Hall located at 870 Moraine Street. Members of the audit team first met at the Town Hall to discuss existing safety concerns and issues. The team then conducted a field visit and identified additional safety concerns. The team then discussed countermeasures during the audit on the infrastructure and operating conditions of the subject intersection. The members of the audit team comprised of representatives from local and state agencies ranging from emergency responders to transportation planners and engineers. The audit team members and their affiliations are provided in Table 1 and their contact information is provided in Appendix B RSA Audit Team Contact List. Page 1

5 Table 1: Participating Audit Team Members Audit Team Member Michelle Deng Elsa Chan Kush Bhagat Thomas Rebello Jason Walters Bud Cipullo Kevin Feyler Greg Guimond Charlie Swanson Ed Pesce Heather Georgallas Preston Buehrer Agency/Affiliation MassDOT Traffic Safety MassDOT Traffic Safety MassDOT Traffic Safety MassDOT District 5 Traffic MassDOT D5 Projects Marshfield Fire Department Marshfield Police Department Marshfield Planning Department Marshfield DPW Pesce Engineering (Marshfield Zoning Board of Appeals Review Consultant) Toole Design Group Toole Design Group Audit team members received a meeting packet prior to the RSA including a meeting agenda (Appendix A RSA Meeting Agenda), study area details, crash data analysis, a collision diagram of the study area intersection, and an RSA prompt list. A collision diagram is a graphical representation of the crash data showing both the crash type and crash location within a study area. The audit members were asked to review the packet and visit the RSA study area prior to the meeting. Safety issues were identified by the team at the beginning of the RSA, followed by a field visit to the subject intersection. The audit team finished the meeting by determining appropriate short-, medium- and long-term countermeasures for the safety issues discussed. Per crash records provided by the Marshfield Police Department (MPD), 21 crashes were recorded within the project area from 2013 to Of the reported crashes, seven (33.3%) resulted in injury and none resulted in a fatality. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved in any of the recorded crashes. The majority of crashes in the area were rear-end and angle crashes, representing 47.6% and 38.1% of the total collisions in the study area, respectively. Crashes occurred most frequently in the morning peak hours (8AM 10AM, 23.8% of all crashes) and just after the evening peak hours (8PM 10PM, 19.0% of all crashes). Of all crashes, most happened in the daylight (66.7%), with clear weather conditions (66.7%), and on a dry road surface (66.7%). Crashes were evenly distributed throughout the year, but more prevalent on Tuesdays (28.6%) and Saturdays (19.0%). Page 2

6 Project Locations and Description The study area includes the intersection of Plain Street (Route 139) at Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive in Marshfield, MA. In 2016, the average weekday traffic on Route 139 and Proprietors Drive were approximately 26,090 vehicles per day (vpd) and 3,200 vpd, respectively. Traffic count data was not available for Furnace Street. The posted speed limit along Route 139 within the study area is 45 miles per hour (mph) in both the eastbound and westbound directions. A posted speed limit is not provided along either Furnace Street or Proprietors Drive, therefore the prima facie speed limit is 30 mph. The study area is shown in Figure 1, and described on the following pages. Page 3

7 Figure 1: Locus Map RSA Location Page 4

8 Roadways Plain Street (Route 139) is an east-west roadway, with a western terminus at Route 27 in Stoughton and an eastern terminus at Route 14 in Duxbury. Route 139 is classified as an urban principal arterial and is under MassDOT jurisdiction through the study area. Within the study area and to the immediate west, Route 139 provides two through travel lanes in each direction. Immediately east of the study area Route 139 provides one travel lane in each direction. The curb-to-curb width of the roadway is approximately 70 immediately west of the intersection and 60 immediately east of the intersection. Shoulders are provided on both sides of Route 139, varying in width from approximately 1 to 5 in width. No parking is allowed along either side of the Route 139 in the study area. West of the intersection, sidewalks are provided on the north and south side of the roadway, and east of the intersection sidewalks are provided on the south side of the roadway only. Sidewalks vary between a concrete and asphalt surface, and are approximately 6 in width. Land use along Route 139 in the vicinity of the study area intersection is primarily commercial, with access being provided via driveways and curb cuts along Route 139. North of Route 139 is the Martinson Elementary School, the Furnace Brook Middle School, and the Marshfield High School. South of Route 139, off of Proprietors Drive is a Roche Bros. grocery store, and the Village at Proprietors Green assisted living facility. Route 139 provides direct access east from the intersection to downtown Marshfield and west to MA Route 3. The Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) provides a fixed-route bus service along Route 139 by way of the Marshfield/Duxbury/Kingston bus. This bus route provides service from the Stop & Stop/Kohl s Plaza in Marshfield to the north to the Independence Mall in Kingston to the south. Stops along the route, within the project vicinity include the Marshfield High School and Middle School and the Roche Bros. Additional stops in Marshfield include the Marshfield Town Center, Brant Rock, Walgreen s, and Green Harbor General Store. Service is provided between approximately 7:00AM and 5:45PM at Roche Bros. stop on weekdays, with buses in both directions running approximately every hour. Saturday bus service is also provided between approximately 8:30AM and 6:50PM, with buses every one to two hours in both directions. Intersections Plain Street (Route 139) at Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive is a four-legged signalized intersection located on the south side of the Town of Marshfield. Route 139 runs in the east-west direction with Furnace Street intersecting from the north and Proprietors Drive intersecting from the south. Furnace Street is classified as an urban minor arterial and Proprietors Drive is classified as a local road under Town jurisdiction. Travel lane assignments are marked for all of the intersection approaches. The Route 139 eastbound approach consists of one exclusive left-turn lane, two through travel lanes, and one exclusive right-turn lane, while the westbound approach consists of one exclusive left-turn lane, one through travel lane, and one shared through/right-turn lane. The Furnace Street southbound approach consists of one exclusive right-turn lane and one shared through/left-turn lane. The Proprietor Drive northbound approach consists of one exclusive left-turn lane and one shared through/right-turn lane. Page 5

9 The intersection is signalized with signal heads hung from a span wire system stretched between two strain poles located on the northwest and southeast corners of the intersection. The Furnace Street southbound approach has secondary pole-mounted signal heads located on the northwest corner of the intersection, immediately adjacent to the southbound approach. The Route 139 eastbound right-turn lane has a dedicated signal head which is mounted on a pole located on the far side of the intersection to the east of Proprietors Drive. Pedestrian signal heads are located on both ends of the crosswalks provided across the western and southern legs of the intersection. There is an additional LED NO TURN ON RED sign for the Furnace Street southbound approach, mounted to the pole located on the southwest corner of the intersection. The signal phasings for the intersection are as follows: Leading protected left-turns for Route 139 eastbound and westbound with an overlapping Proprietors Drive northbound right-turn phase, Route 139 eastbound and westbound, actuated exclusive pedestrian phase, and Furnace Street southbound and Proprietors Drive northbound with a lagging southbound right-turn phase. When the exclusive pedestrian phase is activated, the LED NO TURN ON RED sign is also activated, restricting right turns from the Furnace Street southbound approach. Emergency Vehicle Preemption (EVP) is provided via optical detection for all approaches. Bicycle detection is also provided along each approach via in-pavement loop detectors. Sidewalks are provided along the south side of Route 139, the west side of Furnace Street, both sides of Proprietors Drive, and the north side of Route 139 west of Furnace Street. No sidewalks are provided along the north side of Route 139 east of Furnace Street, or along the east side of Furnace Street. Wheelchair ramps are provided at the marked crosswalk locations; however, they are not equipped with detectable warning panels. Pedestrian push buttons are provided, but are non-ada compliant. No bicycle facilities are provided on any of the intersection roadways. The intersection and its approaches lie within a constrained Right of Way consisting of Town Layout and State Highway Layout. Two Town-owned parcels are at the southeast and northeast quadrants of the intersection. However, the quadrants to the southwest and northwest are constrained by private land ownership. Page 6

10 Figure 2: Intersection Aerial Figure Page 7

11 Audit Observations and Potential Safety Enhancements Following an introduction to the RSA process and a summary of existing geometry, signal operations and crash history data, the audit participants were asked to discuss safety concerns at the study area intersections. Audit team members then drove to the study area as team, at which time observations were offered in the field. Several of the safety issues identified by the audit team were: Intersection Control; Intersection Geometry; Intersection Sight Distance; Traffic Signal Equipment; Traffic Signal Timing and Phasing; Pedestrian Accommodations; Bicycle Accommodations; Signage; and Pavement Condition and Markings. The following sections discuss in detail the safety issues and potential enhancements that were identified during the RSA. It should be noted that current, applicable design standards referenced throughout the report include but are not limited to the MUTCD, Americans with Disabilities Act, MassDOT and the Town of Marshfield standards and specifications; in addition, consideration should be given to applicable local, state, and national guidelines. Several of the issues identified require further study and engineering judgment to determine the feasibility of implementing the improvements to address them. Safety Issue #1. Intersection Control Observations: Turning Movements The team observed conflict between opposing left-turning movements and through movements on Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive. Consistent through-traffic provided little to no gaps to allow left turns off of either Furnace Street or Proprietors Drive, forcing motorists to attempt to turn when a smaller gap in traffic flow presents itself, or encouraging them to run the red light at the end of the signal phase in order to complete the turn. It was noted that this is especially problematic for southbound, left-turning school buses, as they have limited acceleration ability. Audit team Page 8

12 members noted that yellow light sneakers are common at this intersection as well and motorists were observed not decelerating at the yellow traffic signal in order to make it thought the intersection. The difficulty of making left turns could also lead to vehicle queues in the combined left-turn/ through travel lane on Furnace Street. Motorists headed southbound through the intersection may then to attempt to form a third lane between left turning and right turning traffic. This weaving between slow turning vehicles may contribute to the rear-end and sideswipe crashes along the Furnace Street southbound approach. It was noted that in the past there was lower through-traffic between Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive due to a lack of development along Proprietors Drive and south of the study area. However due to the increased development, northbound and southbound through-movements have increased and the concurrent left-turn and through signals cause frequent conflicts between vehicles approaching the intersection from the north and the south. Signal Timing and Phasing The team noted that signal timing and phasing could also be contributing to yellow light sneakers and motorists who run the red lights at the intersection. The team noted that the signal timing gives the Route 139 approaches a significantly longer phase than the Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive phase. The short green signal phase for Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive also makes it difficult for school busses leaving the adjacent Furnace Brook Middle School to make left turns from Furnace Street SB to Route 139 EB. Several audit team members also noted that, despite the left turn restriction, many school buses use Rams Way and make a left turn onto Route 139 eastbound in order to avoid the short Furnace Street approach phase at the intersection of Route 139 at Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive. Audit team members noted that pedestrians experience longer delays due to having to wait for the exclusive pedestrian phase. RSA team members noted that the exclusive pedestrian phase, according to the provided signal plans, should provide seven (7) seconds of WALK time followed by 23 seconds of flashing DON T WALK time. This 23 seconds of flashing DON T WALK time would meet current MUTCD standards given the length of the provided crosswalks. However, during the audit the flashing DON T WALK time was only measured to be 20 seconds. The short flashing DON T WALK phase could cause potential safety hazards for pedestrians still located within the crosswalk while vehicles begin to move; though this is not reflected in the crash history. It should also be noted that pedestrians are unaware of how much time is left to cross during the pedestrian phase since the pedestrian signal heads do not provide countdown. This is discussed further in section Safety Issue #4: Signal Equipment. Potential Enhancements: 1. Evaluate the left-turn volumes to determine if providing a protected left turn signal phase for both Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive is warranted. This would require a full traffic analysis for the intersection, as well as a dedicated left turn lane on the Furnace Street Page 9

13 southbound approach (also see Safety Issue #2. Intersection Geometry, Potential Enhancement #1). 2. Consider lengthening the green signal phase for Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive. This may reduce the desire of motorists to perform risky left turn maneuvers, and clear the queue of vehicles before the signal changes. Further study and traffic counts would be required to validate this enhancement. 3. Consider targeted enforcement at the signalized intersection to deter red light running. 4. Evaluate all signal clearance intervals and update to MassDOT/ITE standards if current intervals are insufficient. This may be a cause of the rear-end and angle crashes. 5. Evaluate the current pedestrian signal clearance interval and if required, update the exclusive pedestrian flashing DON T WALK timeto the MUTCD pedestrian clearance time standard. This will provide enough time for pedestrians to cross the longest marked crosswalk. Safety Issue #2. Intersection Geometry Observations: The RSA team observed conflict between the opposing leftturning movements from the Furnace Street southbound and Proprietors Drive northbound approaches due to the negative offset between the left-turn lanes. This coupled with the shared through and left-turn phases creates visibility challenges for turning vehicles, especially when there are queued vehicles waiting to turn left from both approaches. Vehicles traveling along Furnace Street through the intersection in the shared leftturn lane were observed to drive on the right of the queued leftturning vehicles, splitting lanes between the left- and rightturning traffic. Furthermore, the Furnace Street southbound left-turn movement shares the lane with the through traffic as well, which can create confusion for left-turning drivers from the Proprietors Drive northbound approach. Large northwest corner radius Figure 3 - Large northwest corner radius It was also noted that the Furnace Street southbound stop bars were set back significantly from the intersection, limiting the visibility of vehicles stopped behind it. Vehicle detection loops were also placed behind the stop bars and therefore set back significantly from the intersection. Queued turning vehicles were observed to pull past the loop detectors when waiting for a gap in traffic. As such, the vehicles were possibly not detected while in the intersection causing the green phase for Furnace Street southbound to not be extended long enough for traffic to clear the intersection. Page 10

14 Audit team members also noted the large radius right turning vehicles from the Furnace Street southbound approach. The large corner radius may be designed to accommodate the large amount of southbound, right-turning truck traffic on Furnace Street. However, a large corner radius allows for all vehicles to turn the corner at higher speeds. This may have contributed to the crash #3 located on the crash diagram, in which a vehicle exited the Furnace Street southbound right turn too wide and struck a stationary vehicle in the Route 139 eastbound left turn lane. Potential Enhancements: 1. Consider changing the lane assignments on Furnace Street as it approaches the intersection. This will require additional traffic capacity analysis to be performed for the intersection. 2. Consider adding dotted left turn extension lines as guide markings for northbound and southbound left turning vehicles. This will clarify the path that left turning motorists should take through the intersection. 3. Evaluate the need to reconfigure the traffic lanes and islands on Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive to better align the left-turn lanes. Left turn lanes with no offset, or with positive offset, would give left-turning motorists better visibility to oncoming traffic and would simplify the turning movement within the intersection. 4. Consider reducing the northwest corner radius of the intersection to align the Furnace Street southbound approach to intersect Route 139 at a more 90 degree angle to slow right turn movements. Further study would be needed to evaluate the minimum corner radius needed to accommodate southbound, right-turning truck traffic through the intersection. 5. Consider relocating the southbound Furnace Street stop bar and loop detector closer to the intersection to increase visibility. Safety Issue #3. Intersection Sight Distance Observations: Audit team members observed vehicles stopping past the stop line on Furnace Street southbound in order to see around a landscaped embankment on the northwest corner of the intersection. This Figure 4 - Limited sight distance due to temporary concert sign at Proprietors Drive northbound approach embankment coupled with the horizontal curve along Furnace Street immediately north of the intersection, it is Figure 5 - Limited sight distance due to embankment on northwest corner difficult to see the crosswalk along the north side of Route 139. Team members also noted that motorists in the Furnace Street Page 11

15 southbound shared through left lane also stop past the stop line in order to see around the landscaped median and better align their vehicles to enter the intersection at a 90 angle. This can cause confusion with other motorists, as when and where they expect a vehicle in the left lane to stop is not clear. The landscaped median along the Furnace Street approach was noted to have plantings that were at a height that may potentially obstruct views from Furnace Street when looking east along Route 139. Furthermore, there were also a few trees that obstructed the view from Furnace Street southbound looking east along Route 139, contributing to the need for southbound motorists to stop beyond the stop bar to get a clear view east. It was also noted that there was a temporary concert sign installed on the southeast corner of the intersection. The sign was installed such that it obstructed the views of right-turning traffic from Proprietors Drive northbound approach. This forces vehicles turning right from Proprietors Drive to pull up over the crosswalk in order to see east. There was also vegetation behind the sign that obstructs northbound motorist s view to the east. Potential Enhancements: 1. Evaluate modifying the embankment on the northwest corner of the intersection. Regrade the embankment to give Furnace Street southbound traffic a clear sightline to the crosswalk on the western leg of the intersection. Figure 6 - Noncompliant MUTCD and ADA pedestrian signal head and push button 2. Evaluate the Furnace Street median. Consider changing the landscaping such that it allows for clear sight lines to the east from the Furnace Street southbound left turn lane. 3. Consider removal or realignment of the Furnace Street median to facilitate better alignment with the Proprietors Drive northbound left turn lane. Furthermore, consider replacing planting within median to low growing plants that will not obstruct sight lines to the east from the Furnace Street southbound left-turn lane. 4. Consider trimming back the vegetation at the northeast and southeast corner of the intersection to provide a better sight line looking east from Furnace Street. 5. Remove the temporary sign from the southeast corner of the intersection. Ensure that no signage will be placed in this vicinity in the future. Safety Issue #4. Traffic Signal Equipment Observations: Audit team members noted that the visibility of the pedestrian signals were poor and do not meet current MUTCD standards. Given the long crossing distances (62 for Proprietors Drive and 75 Page 12

16 for Route 139) and lack of flashing DON T WALK countdown, several RSA members noted that it may be difficult for pedestrians to judge if they have sufficient time to cross. In addition, the pedestrian pushbuttons do not meet current MUTCD and ADA standards. The existing pushbuttons are the metal with black writing plates that do not provide audible assistance. A locator tone informs pedestrian of the need to push a button and provides an audible cue to the location of the pushbutton. The pushbutton should also provide an audible cue indicating when it is safe for the pedestrian to cross the road. Furthermore, the location of the pushbutton on the northwest corner of the intersection was questioned since the pushbutton appeared to be placed too far from the crosswalk ramp according to current ADA standards. Current MUTCD and ADA standards require that accessible pedestrian signal (APS) pedestrian push buttons be placed within five feet from the extension of the crosswalk lines, and no more than ten feet from the adjacent curb line. Figure 7 - Actuated LED NO TURN ON RED sign When the exclusive pedestrian crossing phase comes on, it was noted that an LED NO TURN ON RED sign is activated for the right turning traffic from Furnace Street (southbound). This prevents southbound traffic from Furnace Street from turning across the Route 139 crosswalk during the pedestrian phase. It was noted that there are no similar right turn on red restrictions for Route 139 eastbound right-turning traffic, which crosses both the Route 139 eastbound approach crosswalk and the Proprietors Drive crosswalk. This poses a visibility challenge for drivers along Route 139 to the pedestrian crossing the eastbound approach crosswalk. Stopped traffic along Route 139, specifically in the dedicated left-turn lane, blocks the view of pedestrians crossing within the crosswalk from the vehicles traveling eastbound in the dedicated right-turn lane. An RSA member also observed that the height of the LED signal was a potential issue, as it may be above the field of view for motorists, leading some motorists to disobey the signal. RSA members noted that the intersection is equipped with an emergency vehicle preemption system. However, it was mentioned that the Opticom system occasionally fails to actuate for emergency vehicles travelling westbound on Route 139. The fire department often approaches the intersection travelling westbound on Route 139 responding to calls at the assisted- and senior-living centers located south of the study area on Proprietors Drive. Failure of the Opticom to control the intersection signals could lead to conflicts between emergency vehicles and other motorists travelling through the intersection. It was noted that the Opticom system appears to be working for all other approaches. Figure 8 - Left-turn arrow for westbound approach; not clearly visible Page 13

17 It was also observed that the red left-turn arrow for the Route 139 westbound left-turn lane appeared to only be partially lit. The bottom of the arrow appeared to be covered by dirt and was not clearly visible to vehicles approaching the intersection. If the left turn arrow is not clearly lit, it may not be clear to westbound motorists that left turns are not permitted during the green phase for westbound through traffic on Route 139, causing conflicts with vehicles heading eastbound on Route 139. Potential Enhancements: 1. Replace pedestrian signals with LED pedestrian signal heads with symbols meeting current MUTCD and ADA design standards and countdown timers. This measure may increase the conspicuity of the signal indication during the daytime and will allow pedestrians to know how long they have to cross the roadway. 2. Replace pedestrian push buttons with ADA compliant audible push buttons. 3. Evaluate the current location of the push button on the northwest corner of the intersection based on current ADA standards. Consider relocating the push button if current location is deemed too far from the adjacent crosswalk ramp. 4. Consider adding LED NO TURN ON RED signage for the Route 139 eastbound rightturn lane. This will prevent Route 139 eastbound traffic from turning right across the western and southern leg crosswalks during the exclusive pedestrian phase. 5. Consider restricting right turns on red for the northbound, southbound, and eastbound approaches during all signal phases. This will increase motorist s familiarity with the restriction, and may lead to high compliance than a turn restriction that is only active during the exclusive pedestrian signal phases. Traffic capacity analysis will need to be conducted in order to assess the feasibility of a right-turn restriction. 6. Consider installing a NO TURN ON RED sign (R10-11) for the Proprietors Drive northbound right-turn movement to prevent turning movements across the southern crosswalk during the exclusive pedestrian phase. 7. Verify that the emergency vehicle preemption system is operating correctly, and correct any defects that are currently present. 8. Investigate the red left-turn arrow for Route 139 WB. Clean / repair / replace the signal as necessary. 9. Evaluate the height of the LED NO TURN ON RED sign facing the Furnace Street southbound approach. Consider lowering the sign such that it is in the field of view of motorists approaching the intersection. Page 14

18 Safety Issue #5. Signage Observations: Audit team members noted that some of the existing signage at the intersection may not meet current MUTCD standards. A team member also noted a lane use sign on the Furnace Street approach was in conflict with the provided lane markings. The sign indicated one dedicated left turn lane and one dedicated right turn lane, with no provision for through movements. Pavement markings however, indicate a shared through left turn lane and a dedicated right turn lane. This could cause confusion for motorists and possibly lead to last minute lane changes and weaving when approaching the intersection. Figure 9 - Conflicting pavement markings and lane designation signage on the Furnace Street southbound approach It was also noted that there are no school zone pavement markings on Furnace Street or Route 139 near the intersection. Typically this would indicate that neither is designated as school zones. Furnace Street is signed as a school zone east of the Route 139 intersection, near the pedestrian crosswalks at Forest Street. It was also noted that the Route 139 eastbound approach was missing school crossing sign at the crosswalk. Potential Enhancements: 1. Evaluate signage at the intersection. Remove and replace all non-compliant MUTCD signs. All new signs should conform to current MUTCD standards. 2. Remove and replace the lane use sign on Furnace Street southbound with a sign indicating the correct lane designations. 3. Consider adding school advanced crossing sign (S1-1) to Furnace Street and Route 139 near the intersection. This will help increase the vigilance of drivers and alert them to the likely presence of pedestrians and children. Safety Issue #6. Pedestrian Accommodations Observations: Sidewalks are provided along the south side of Route 139, the west side of Furnace Street, both sides of Proprietors Drive, and the north side of Route 139 west of Furnace Street. No sidewalks are provided along the north side of Route 139 east of the intersection, or along the east side of Furnace Street. The lack of sidewalks on the north side of Route 139 creates a lack in sidewalk connections to the businesses immediately east of the study area along the north side of Route 139. Audit team members indicated that due to the lack of sidewalks most pedestrians either use the Page 15

19 southern sidewalk along Route 139, or the sidewalk along Furnace Street, to head eastbound to Forest Street and then southbound to Route 139. Wheelchair ramps are provided at the marked crosswalk locations; however, they are not ADA compliant. Audit members noted that the tactile warning pads on the curb ramps were severely damaged and / or missing. Team members also noted that the wheelchair ramp located on the northwest corner of the intersection had a large amount of dirt and gravel in them, which appeared to be due to drainage issues coupled with the grade difference with the landscaped embankment located on that corner. Furthermore, an audit member observed that the crosswalks were transverse style and there was minimal lighting around the crosswalk area. Drivers may have difficulty seeing pedestrian crossing within the crosswalk under poor lighting or weather conditions. Figure 10 - Damaged/missing detectable warning panels Figure 11 - Dirt/gravel on wheelchair ramp adjacent to embankment During the field visit, several pedestrians were observed crossing the western leg of the intersection. All pedestrians were observed to used the push-buttons and the exclusive pedestrian crossing phase. Most pedestrians were observed to be teenagers, likely exiting from the two schools immediately to the north of the project area. Several audit team members noted that the intersection sees heavy pedestrian use by students walking between the schools to the north and the Boys and Girls club and athletic fields to the south. There were no recorded crashes involving pedestrians in the threeyear timespan for which the data was provided. Audit team members noted the high number of pedestrians crossing the road, especially children and teenagers. Audit team members mentioned that there is a high number of near misses at the intersection. It was also noted that this is a high-enforcement location by Marshfield Police Department. Potential Enhancements: 1. In the long term, evaluate the construction of a sidewalk along the northern side of Route 139, east of the intersection. The northern sidewalk along Route 139 is only missing for the less than half mile segment between Furnace Street and Forest Street installing the missing segment would increase pedestrian connectivity along the Route 139 corridor. If the sidewalk is installed, consideration should be given to also install crosswalks and ADA compliant wheelchair ramps. 2. Remove debris from the curb ramps and adjacent areas. Evaluate any existing drainage issues. Page 16

20 3. Install detectable warning panels for the existing wheelchair ramps to meet ADA compliance. 4. Consider adding pedestrian scale lighting in the project area, especially at crosswalks. This will help increase the visibility of pedestrians waiting to cross and pedestrians within the crosswalk. Further consideration should be made to conducting an entire intersection photometric analysis. 5. Consider increasing enforcement at the beginning and end of the school day, when pedestrian traffic is highest. 6. Consider a bicycle/pedestrian/driver safety program with the nearby schools, Boys and Girls Club, and other community groups to help educate roadway users about safe ways to travel. 7. Consider replacing all existing crosswalks with high-visibility thermoplastic materials and striping the crosswalks as a high-visibility ladder style in place of the current standard style crosswalk. Safety Issue #7. Lack of Bicycle Accommodations Observations: There are no marked or signed bicycle accommodations along any of the roadways in the study area. Bicycle detection signage is provided at the intersection, the only bicycle accommodations signage provided within the immediate vicinity of the study area. Signs are provided indicating for cyclists to wait for the green signal at the stop bar. Bicycle detection loops are provided on all intersection approaches. No cyclists were observed along any of the roadways during the audit, and there were no recorded crashes involving cyclists in the three-year timespan for which data was provided. It was noted by an RSA member that the Town of Marshfield does not have a bicycle master plan, but has been providing increased cycling facilities in the Town through the use of widened shoulders. Team members noted that cyclists were likely to avoid Route 139 due to the high traffic volumes, lack of dedicated cycling facilities, and perceived lack of safety. Potential Enhancements: Figure 12 - Lack of bicycle accommodations along Route Consider including bike lanes to increase connectivity as part of a comprehensive future project for the Route 139 corridor. This enhancement will dedicate space to bicyclists and formalize the space currently shared between motorized vehicles and bicyclists to safely accommodate bicyclists. Page 17

21 Safety Issue #8. Pavement Condition and Markings Observations: Audit team members noted that the pavement markings at the intersection appeared to be fading. Fading was most present on crosswalk lines and on the stop bars, though some lane markings were also showing signs of wear. Moderate rutting was also observed in the study area during the audit. It was noted that water was collecting in the more deeply rutted areas, and could contribute to future crashes at the intersection if not corrected. Pavement rutting can promote rearend crashes as asphalt bleeding usually occurs around the ruts. Pavement rutting could have contributed to the rear-end type crashes, most during dry conditions, which occurred at the intersection. Figure 13 - Faded pavement markings Potential Enhancements: 1. Refresh existing roadway pavement markings to increase visibility. 2. Fill pavement ruts and local areas that would accumulate water, snow, and ice. This will reduce puddling and asphalt bleeding, which can result in loss of traction for vehicles travelling through the intersection. 3. Consider mill and overlay of existing pavement within vicinity of study area. This measure would smooth the pavement surface, reduce potential tripping hazards to pedestrians, and provide increased friction to aid in rapid deceleration. Summary of Road Safety Audit Based on observations and discussions, the RSA team identified the issues and potential enhancements that could improve safety at the intersections of Plain Street (Route 139) at Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive in Marshfield, Massachusetts. The timeframe and costs are categorized below in Table 2. Page 18

22 Table 2: Estimated Time Frame and Costs Breakdown Time Frame 1 Costs Short-Term <1 Year Low <$10,000 Mid-Term 1-3 Years Medium $10,001-$50,000 Long-Term >3 Years High >$50,000 Table 3 lists each safety issue and the corresponding potential safety enhancements that were discussed at the audit and within the previous section. The table includes the safety benefit, estimated timeframe for completion, estimated construction cost, and the responsible agency for each observed safety issue and potential safety enhancement. Safety payoff estimates are subjective and may be based on the relative percent of crashes that may be reduced by the enhancement based on known and documented crash reduction factors, if available or estimated crash reduction based on a stated source. 1 Due to the numerous maintenance, construction and development projects in the area, team members discussed and categorized several area wide enhancements as on-going. These recommendations are intended to be incorporated into projects as soon as possible, ideally in the short-term and mid-term. Page 19

23 Table 3: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Agency Intersection Control Intersection Geometry Evaluate the left-turn volumes to determine if providing a protected left turn signal phase for both Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive is warranted. Consider lengthening the green signal phase for Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive. Consider targeted enforcement at the signalized intersection to deter red light running. Evaluate all signal clearance intervals and update to MassDOT/ITE standards if current intervals are insufficient. Evaluate the current pedestrian signal clearance interval and if required, update the exclusive pedestrian flashing DON T WALK time to meet MUTCD standards. Consider changing the lane assignments on Furnace Street as it approaches the intersection. This will require additional traffic capacity analysis to be performed for the intersection. Consider adding dotted left turn extension lines as guide markings for northbound and southbound left turning vehicles. Evaluate the need to reconfigure the traffic lanes and islands on Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive to better align the left-turn lanes. High Mid-Term High MassDOT Medium Short-Term Low MassDOT Medium Short-Term Low Town of Marshfield Medium Short-Term Low MassDOT Medium Short-Term Low MassDOT Medium Short-term Low MassDOT/Town of Marshfield Medium Short-Term Low MassDOT High Long-term High MassDOT Page 20

24 Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Agency Intersection Geometry Consider reducing the northwest corner radius of the intersection to align the Furnace Street southbound approach to intersect Route 139 at a more 90 degree angle to slow right turn movements. Further study would be needed to evaluate the minimum corner radius needed to accommodate southbound, right-turning truck traffic through the intersection. Relocate the southbound Furnace Street stop bars and loop detectors closer to the intersection. Evaluate regarding the embankment on the northwest corner of the intersection to give Furnace Street a clear sightline to the crosswalk on the western leg of the intersection. Consider changing the landscaping in the Furnace Street median such that it allows for clear sight lines to the east from the Furnace Street southbound left turn lane. High Long-term High MassDOT Medium Short-term Low MassDOT Medium Long-term High Town of Marshfield Medium Short-term Low Town of Marshfield Intersection Sight Distance Consider removal of the Furnace Street median to allow for clear sight lines to the east from the Furnace Street southbound left turn lane and facilitate better alignment with the Proprietors Drive northbound left turn lane. High Mid-term High Town of Marshfield/MassDOT Traffic Signal Equipment Consider trimming back the vegetation at the northeast and southeast corner of the intersection to provide a better sight line looking east from Furnace Street. Remove the temporary sign from the southeast corner of the intersection. Replace pedestrian signals with LED pedestrian signal heads with symbols meeting current MUTCD and ADA design standards and countdown timers. Low Short-term Low Town of Marshfield Low Short-term Low Town of Marshfield High Short-term Medium MassDOT Page 21

25 Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Agency Traffic Signal Equipment Traffic Signal Equipment Traffic Signal Equipment Traffic Signal Equipment Traffic Signal Equipment Traffic Signal Equipment Traffic Signal Equipment Traffic Signal Equipment Replace pedestrian push buttons with ADA compliant audible push buttons. Evaluate the current location of the push button on the northwest corner of the intersection based on current ADA standards. Consider relocating the push button if current location is deemed too far from the adjacent crosswalk ramp. Consider adding LED NO TURN ON RED signage for the Route 139 eastbound right-turn lane. Consider restricting right turns on red for the northbound, southbound, and eastbound approaches during all signal phases. Consider installing a NO TURN ON RED sign (R10-11) for the Proprietors Drive northbound right-turn movement. Verify that the emergency vehicle preemption system is operating correctly, and correct any defects that are currently present. Investigate the red left-turn arrow for Route 139 WB. Clean / repair / replace the signal as necessary. Evaluate the height of the LED NO TURN ON RED sign facing the Furnace Street southbound approach. High Short-term Medium MassDOT High Short-term Medium MassDOT High Short-term Medium MassDOT High Short-term Medium MassDOT High Short-term Low MassDOT High Short-term Low MassDOT Medium Short-term Low MassDOT Medium Short-term Low MassDOT Signage Remove and replace all non-compliant MUTCD signs. All new signs should conform to current MUTCD standards. Medium Short-term Low MassDOT Page 22

26 Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Agency Remove and replace the lane use sign on Furnace Street southbound with a sign indicating the correct lane designations. Medium Short-term Low MassDOT Consider adding advanced school crossing signage (S1-1) to Furnace Street and Route 139 near the intersection. Medium Short-term Low MassDOT Pedestrian Accommodations Pedestrian Accommodations Lack of Bicycle Accommodations Evaluate the construction of a sidewalk along the northern side of Route 139, east of the intersection. Remove debris from the curb ramps and adjacent areas. Evaluate any existing drainage issues. Install detectable warning panels for the existing wheelchair ramps to meet ADA compliance. Consider adding pedestrian scale lighting in the project area, especially at crosswalks. Consider increasing enforcement at the beginning and end of the school day, when pedestrian traffic is highest. Consider a bicycle/pedestrian/driver safety program with the nearby schools, Boys and Girls Club, and other community groups to help educate roadway users about safe ways to travel. Consider replacing all existing crosswalks with high-visibility thermoplastic materials and striping the crosswalks as a highvisibility ladder style in place of the current standard style crosswalk. Consider including bike lanes to increase connectivity as part of a comprehensive future project for the Route 139 corridor. High Long-term High MassDOT Medium Short-term Low MassDOT Medium Short-term Low MassDOT High Mid-term High MassDOT Medium Short-Term Low Town of Marshfield Medium Mid-Term High Town of Marshfield High Short-term Low MassDOT High Long-term High MassDOT Page 23

27 Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Agency Pavement Condition and Markings Refresh existing roadway pavement markings to increase visibility. High Short-term Low MassDOT Pavement Condition and Markings Pavement Condition and Markings Fill pavement ruts and local areas that would accumulate water, snow, and ice. Consider mill and overlay of existing pavement within vicinity of study area. High Short-term Low MassDOT High Mid-term High MassDOT Page 24

28 Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda

29 Road Safety Audit Marshfield, MA Plain Street (Route 139) at Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive Meeting Location: Marshfield Town Hall Hearing Room Moraine Street Marshfield, MA Wednesday, April 26 th, :00 PM 3:00 PM Type of meeting: Attendees: Please bring: Road Safety Audit Invited Participants to Comprise a Multidisciplinary Team Thoughts and Enthusiasm!!! 1:00 PM Welcome and Introductions 1:15 PM Discussion of Safety Issues Crash history, provided in advance Existing Geometries and Conditions 1:30 PM Site Visit Drive to Route 139 at Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive Intersection As a group, identify areas for improvement 2:30 PM Discussion of Potential Improvements Return to the Town Hall Discuss observations and finalize safety issue areas Discuss potential improvements and finalize recommendations 3:00 Adjourn for the Day but the RSA has not ended Instructions for Participants: Before attending the RSA on April 26 th, 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.

30 Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List

31 Invited Audit Team Members Date: April 26, 2017 Location: Plain Street (Route 139) at Furnace Street and Proprietors Drive, Marshfield, MA Audit Team Members Agency/Affiliation Address Phone Number Elsa Chan MassDOT Safety Engineering Section Edward Feeney MassDOT District 5 Traffic edward.feeney@state.ma.us Pamela Haznar MassDOT District 5 Traffic pamela.haznar@dot.state.ma.us Barbara Lachance MassDOT District 5 Traffic barbara.lachance@state.ma.us Thomas Rebello MassDOT District 5 Traffic Thomas.Rebello@dot.state.ma.us Shaun Handy MassDOT Projects Section shaun.handy@state.ma.us Jason Walters MassDOT D5 Projects jason.walters@state.ma.us Kush Bhagat MassDOT Traffic Safety kush.bhagat@state.ma.us Chenyuan Way CTPS/Boston Region MPO cwang@ctps.org Richard Fries MassBike richard@massbike.org Kevin Feyler Marshfield Police Department Kfeyler@marshfieldpolice.org Louis Cipullo Marshfield Fire Department lcipullo@marshfieldfire.org Kay Ramsey Marshfield Planning Department kramsey@townofmarshfield.org Greg Guimond Marshfield Planning Department gguimond@townofmarshfield.org Gerald P. O'Neill Marshfield Building Department joneill@townofmarshfield.org Ed Pesce Pesce Engineering (Marshfield ZBA) epesce@comcast.net Shawn Patterson Marshfield DPW spatterson@townofmarshfield.org Thomas Reynolds Marshfield DPW treynolds@townofmarshfield.org Roderic Procaccino Marshfield DPW rprocaccino@townofmarshfield.org Jeffery Dirk Vanasse & Associates, Inc. jdirk@rdva.com Heather Georgallas Toole Design Group HGeorgallas@tooledesign.com Preston Buehrer Toole Design Group PBuehrer@tooledesign.com

32 Appendix C. Detailed Crash Analysis

33 Crash Diagram Crash Data Summary Table Plain Street (Route 139) and Proporietors Drive and Furnace Street Weather Crash Date Crash Day Time of Day Manner of Collision Light Condition Road Surface Driver Contributing Code Condition Ages D1 D2 D3 Comment Sideswipe, Opposite 1 1/8/2013 Tuesday 11:42 AM Direction Daylight Clear Dry No Improper Driving 44 unk WB V1 sideswiped by EB V2 on Plain St 2 7/23/2013 Tuesday 6:22 PM Rear End Daylight Cloudy, Rainy Wet No Improper Driving, Unknown V1 traveling EB on Plain stopping at intersection rear ended by V2 Failure to keep in proper lane or SB V2 (tractor trailer) turning right from Furnace to Plain struck 3 10/7/2013 Monday 9:25 AM Angle Daylight Cloudy, Rainy Wet running off road V1 stopped on Plain EB left lane Dark Lighted 4 10/25/2013 Friday 9:24 PM Angle Roadway Clear Dry Failed to yield right of way WB V1 ran red and struck EB V2 turning left on green SB V1 weaving through blocked intersection of Furnace and Plain 5 11/5/2013 Tuesday 7:44 AM Angle Daylight Clear Dry Unknown cut off by WB V2 on Plain, fronts collided Disregarded Traffic Sign, Signal, WB V1 traveling on Plain ran red and struck SB V2 traveling on 6 11/12/2013 Tuesday 4:18 PM Angle Dusk Cloudy Dry Road Marking Furnace Sideswipe, Same V1 traveling SB on Furnace turning left struck by V2 traveling SB 7 12/3/2013 Tuesday 8:21 AM Direction Daylight Cloudy Dry No Improper Driving merging into left lane. Inattention, Followed too 8 1/4/2014 Saturday 9:23 AM Rear End Daylight Clear Snow closely SB V1 stopped on Furnace at Plain intersection rear ended by V2 Dark Lighted 9 2/13/2014 Thursday 6:14 PM Rear End Roadway Rain, Other Wet Distracted; Inattention V1 traveling EB on Plain St after intersection rear ended by V2 Operating vehicle in erratic, Dark Lighted reckless, careless, negligent or EB V3 traveling on Plain crossed centerline in intersection and 10 5/3/2014 Saturday 8:38 PM Head On Roadway Clear Dry aggressive manner struck V1 waiting in left turn lane pushing V1 back into V2. Dark Lighted WB V1 turning left with red arrow on Plain to Proprietors struck 11 5/10/2014 Saturday 9:43 PM Angle Roadway Clear Dry Made an improper turn EB V2 on Plain St in intersection WB V1 on Plain rear ended WB V2 waiting at light at Furnace 12 6/16/2014 Monday 7:32 PM Rear End Daylight Clear Dry Inattention intersection leading to V2 rear ended WB V3. EB V1 stopping on Plain at Furnace rear ended by EB V2 (dump 13 7/29/2014 Tuesday 9:19 AM Rear End Daylight Clear Dry Followed too closely truck) 14 8/8/2014 Friday 11:46 AM Rear End Daylight Clear Dry Inattention WB V2 struck WB V1 on Plain St near 605. Dark Lighted NB V1 traveling through intersection of Furnace/Plain on yellow 15 9/21/2014 Sunday 9:19 PM Angle Roadway Rain, Other Wet No Improper Driving light struck by WB V2 who said she had green Dark Lighted NB V1 traveling through intersection of Furnace/Plain struck by 16 12/6/2014 Saturday 5:51 PM Angle Roadway Rain Wet Inattention WB V2 on Plain that ran red V1 traveling EB on Plain St stopped at light in left lane rear ended 17 2/25/2015 Wednesday7:06 AM Rear End Daylight Clear Ice No Improper Driving by V2 traveling EB skidding on ice when stopping Inattention, Followed too WB V1 stopped at Furnace/ Plain intersection rear ended by WB 18 6/4/2015 Thursday 2:04 PM Rear End Daylight Clear Dry closely V /23/2015 Thursday 9:32 AM Rear End Daylight Clear Dry Inattention EB V1 stopped on Plain at Furnace rear ended by EB V2 (truck) Swerving or avoiding due to wind, slippery surface, vehicle, object, non motorists in NB V1 from Proprietors to Furnace collided with WB V2 (police 20 8/10/2015 Monday 1:51 PM Angle Daylight Clear Dry roadway, etc cruiser with lights and sirens on) in intersection. WB V1 and V2 were stopped at traffic light on Plain at Furance. 21 9/20/2015 Sunday 12:24 PM Rear End Daylight Clear Dry Inattention V3 rear ended V2 hitting V1.

34 TooleDes gngroup 2 OLIVER STREET SUITE 305 BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS PLANNING ENGINEERING