Transprtatin Land Develpment Envirnmental S e r v i c e s 101 Walnut Street Pst Office Bx 9151 Watertwn, MA 02471-9151 Telephne (617) 924-1770 Fax (617) 924-2286 Meeting Ntes Attendees: Attached Date/Time: March 18, 2009 2 PM - 4 PM Prject N.: 10640.00 Place: CMRPC Unin Statin, Wrcester Ntes taken by: Re: Wrcester Reginal Mbility Study Advisry Grup Meeting 2 VHB AGENDA Welcme and Study Update Existing Cnditins Overview Envisined Enhancements Advisry Grup and Public Cmments Next Steps INTRODUCTIONS D. Cke (VHB) pened the meeting and reviewed the agenda. This is the secnd Advisry Grup meeting fr the study which will update the grup n study findings fr existing cnditins and allw fr grup and public discussin n ptential enhancements. The meeting is pen t the public and any cmments frm members f the public will be heard at the end f the meeting. WELCOME AND STUDY UPDATE D. Cke prvided an update f the study prgress, including the feedback frm the first Public Infrmatinal Meeting and the cmpletin f existing cnditins. A draft study reprt n framewrk and existing cnditins was emailed t the grup and is available n the study webpage http://www.vhb.cm/wrcesterreginalmbility. EXISTING CONDITIONS OVERVIEW J. Wanat (VHB) reviewed the findings fr existing cnditins fr envirnmental, sci-ecnmic cnditins, and transprtatin cnditins. Display bards illustrating the findings have been psted arund the rm. Majr findings frm the envirnmental, sci-ecnmic, and transprtatin sectins are summarized in a series f GIS-based graphics, including: Envirnmental:
2 The key envirnmental resurces and sensitive areas that were reviewed and mapped (see Figures 2 thrugh 6) included: Wetlands and fldplains Water supply prtectin areas Rare species and vernal pls Histric and archaelgical resurces Prtected recreatin/cnservatin land Hazardus material and slid waste facility sites Envirnmental justice ppulatins Sci-ecnmic (see Figures 7 thrugh 11): In 2000, the study area cmmunities had a cmbined ttal ppulatin f 311,430 persns. The estimated current (2007) ppulatin is 321,500 persns. There are nearly 100,000 husehlds in the study area. Fr the study area as a whle, apprximately 57 percent f the husehlds wn the hme they ccupy. Median husehld incmes fr each gegraphic unit in the study area range frm a lw f $8,800 t a high f ver $128,000. The number f lw and mderate incme persns fr each cmmunity in the study area have been mapped fr purpses f envirnmental justice. All f the study area neighbrhds with large percentages f lw- and mderate-incme peple are lcated in Wrcester. The study area s minrity ppulatins have been mapped fr purpses f envirnmental justice assessments. Minrity ppulatins are disprprtinately cncentrated in several sectins f Wrcester, generally in the center and nrtheast, in many f the same areas that huse mst f the study area s lw-incme ppulatin. Transprtatin (see Figures 14 t 21): Fr transit, cmmunity cncerns regarding the public transprtatin system that were viced during public meetings include: need renewed attentin t Cmmuter Rail / Light Rail; imprve Bus-Cmmuter Rail Links; need t strengthen transit cnnectins t majr activity ndes; need t enhance Bus Services (fleets, technlgy, ruting, service, funding); and imprve cnsideratin f disabled cmmunities needs. Transit trips cmprise less than 1 percent f the ttal trips in the study area. Pedestrians and bicycle transprtatin issues that have been raised thrugh the public prcess include: lack f bicycle lanes n key radways; pedestrian signals that require an upgrade r retiming; better sidewalk and crsswalk maintenance; imprved accessibility fr the disabled; imprved walkability t majr activity ndes; and enhanced reginal cnnectins. Rad netwrk evaluatin included safety, bridge ratings, cngested crridrs, and peak hur traffic peratins (I-290 and key intersectins). The mst cngested crridrs included I-290, Rute 9, Chandler Street, Rute 122 (Graftn Street), Suthbridge Street, and Rute 70 (Lincln Street). All f the majr squares in the city f Wrcester are at r ver capacity. Figure 21 in the study reprt highlights the intersectins that are at r ver capacity during peak
3 hur cnditins. Critical crash crridrs, determined by reviewing the 3 year histry f crashes, included Rute 9 (Wrcester), Rute 122 (Wrcester), Main Street (Wrcester), Rute 9 (Shrewsbury), Rute 70 (Wrcester), and Rute 12/Rute 20 (Auburn). On I-290, nne f the deceleratin r acceleratin lanes meet current design standards. There are lane drps alng I-290 that cause traffic disruptins. Public cmments n radway issues included: key east/west cnnectins are lacking; prblem areas are I-290, Rute 9, Kelley Square, Webster Square, Tatnuck Square, and Lincln Square; the prevalence f neighbrhd cut-thrugh traffic; airprt access needs t be mre reliable; signal maintenance and enhancements are needed; key cnnectins d nt exist (e.g. I-395 t I-90). ENVISIONED ENHANCEMENTS D. Cke reviewed the screening criteria and the enhancements that have been discussed, in cncept, t date thrughut the study (these have nt been studied in detail). Envisined enhancements include: Transit System Enhancements (such as a Transit Signal Pririty system where traffic lights wuld respnd t appraching buses) Cmmuter Rail Enhancements/Extensins (such as a ptential extensin west) Assessment f On-rad Bike Lanes Assessment f Public Streets Lacking Sidewalks Extensin f Blackstne River Bikeway I-290 Traffic Flw/Safety Imprvements Webster Square Redevelpment I-290/I-90/I-395 Interchange Imprvements Intersectin Signal Optimizatin/Pedestrian Imprvements East/West Mbility Imprvements (ptential new cnnectins and upgrades t existing rads): Suth Optin - New I-90 Interchange west f I-290/I-395 interchange, n New Alignment Suth Optin - New Alignment via Frntage Rad t I-90/I-290/I-395 Interchange Suth Optin - New I-90 Interchange at Rute 56 (r cnnectin t Rute 20), fllws Rute 56 t Pleasant Street Suth Optin - New I-90 Interchange at Rute 56, fllws Staffrd Street Suth Optin - Oxfrd Street Cnnectin at I-90/I-290/I-395, fllws utility crridr Nrth Optin - I-190 Cnnectr at Ararat Street East/West Optin - Wrcester "Nrth Crridr" Enhancements t Existing Rads (Highland Street/Pleasant Street) East/West Optin - Wrcester "Central Crridr" Enhancements t Existing Rads (Chandler Street/Pleasant Street) East/West Optin - Wrcester "Suth Crridr" Enhancements t Existing Rads (Hpe Avenue/Webster Street/Main Street) East/West Optin - Rute 9 Crridr Management Plan East/West Optin - PIM 1 (Citizen's Prpsal) (many envirnmental and neighbrhd issues) Heard Street Upgrade (many envirnmental and neighbrhd issues)
4 East/West Optin - GWAIP Alternatives (many envirnmental and neighbrhd issues) Imprvements t I-90/I-290/I-395 Interchange ADVISORY GROUP AND PUBLIC COMMENTS The fllwing cmments were viced: Park Avenue traffic lights need synchrnizatin; hwever the crridr is heavily develped s that access management is prbably the mst realistic remedy in additin t signal synchrnizatin. Rute 20/12 crashes are due t vehicles crssing the rad between develpments/attractins n ppsite sides f the street. MHD and the twn are initiating a design fr this crridr including dividing the street with a median. Rute 9 crridr (Shrewsbury), the crash statistics dn t reflect the recent imprvements alng this crridr including a median. This has been nted in the existing cnditins reprt. The key east-west rads thrugh Wrcester are lw capacity rads that need attentin. I-290 cngestin is ne f the biggest prblems in the area; need t identify alternate crridrs Site plan and special permit review prcess/zning needs t be revised t help preserve and enhance radway capacity (develpment ccurs up t the street right f way). Access management is needed (e.g. avid gas statins with multiple driveways t ccur at cngested intersectins). An I-190 cnnectr in Hlden may help with the I-290 traffic prblems. Need t prpse enhancements that are demnstrated t wrk, simple and lw-cst imprvements such as restriping that d nt have a majr effect is nt a prductive use f funds. The WRTA is pursuing a Charlie Card payment system, alng with transit signal pririty technlgy. There are nly a few very large emplyers in the study area, which makes transit service challenging. The area s industrial base has evaprated and the emplyment centers have dispersed. This pattern pses challenges fr transit services. The lane drps n I-290 westbund culd prbably be reslved with restriping in the near term including signage t ntify drivers that the lanes are reduced. This study will include shrt and lng term slutins, including restriping and the ptential benefits/impacts f widening I-290 by ne lane in each directin. I-395 des nt cnnect directly t I-90, this is a prblem. The I-395 t I-290 cnnectin is seamless. Frntage rads alng I-90 t cnnect t a new interchange will face ppsitin and have high envirnmental impacts. An interchange at Rute 56 wuld get supprt frm the twn f Auburn, this will address cut-thrugh traffic and serve develpment n the Auburn/Oxfrd line fr travel int Bstn.
5 Frm an ecnmic develpment standpint, traffic is desirable and develpers tend t lcate where there is traffic. Ecnmic develpment cnsideratins must be part f this study. Airprt access shuld be a limited access facility that is reliable and that will take traffic away frm ther cngested radways. The airprt is a key ecnmic develpment driver in this regin. The pedestrian, transit, and bicycle recmmendatins are necessary t help rebalance the mde share and encurage nn-aut use. The high reliance n aut use is reflective f the need t imprve ther nn-aut mdes s that they are mre attractive. Radway capacity enhancements must be cmplimented with demand reductin strategies. Imprving mbility is abut ecnmic develpment. The pedestrian and bicycle recmmendatins must be supprted by a crdinated land use cmpnent. The City f Wrcester has an interest in ptins that take traffic away frm the cngested east-west streets and I-290. The ptins that prvide an alternative t I-290 such as the nrth I-190 cnnectin and the suth cnnectins at I-90 effectively create a bypass f I-290 and better serve the rigin-destinatin patterns. These cnnectins wuld hpefully address cutthrugh traffic int neighbrhds. The DEP has sent ntices t UMass Hspital and Hanver Insurance regarding RideShare nn-cmpliance. Webster Square is ne f the biggest bttlenecks in the City f Wrcester. A revitalizatin plan fr this area with access management is needed. Need t identify the number f lanes and crss sectin f rads envisined fr enhancement, such as Rute 56. The first step is t frecast the travel demands. There is strng supprt fr a designated airprt access rad ff I-90. The study team may cnsider develping a tag line fr the verarching study gal that mentins the ecnmic develpment cmpnent f the study. Need t integrate planning and zning int the study recmmendatins. Recmmend that the Public Meeting include a discussin f the enhancements and any preliminary findings frm the mdel s that the meeting is nt nly abut existing cnditins. The Hpe Avenue interchange may want t be pulled ut as a separate enhancement. NEXT STEPS D. Cke reviewed the next steps fr the study including travel demand mdeling t test alternatives, develping the future 2030 cnditin, and planning fr the secnd public infrmatinal meeting. The secnd public meeting will include a review f existing cnditins and a preview f enhancements. The riginal date f April 8 th will be pstpned until the mdeling is cmpleted fr sme f the envirned alternatives s that this can be a part f the dialgue during the meeting, in additin t existing cnditins. The meeting was adjurned at 4:10 PM.