ROAD SAFETY AUDIT
Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and
Renfrew Street
Town of Adams
December 20, 2013
Prepared For:
MassDOT Highway Division
Prepared By:
BETA Group, Inc.
Road Safety Audit—Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and Renfrew Street—Adams, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Table of Contents
Project Data ................................................................................................................................. 1
Background ................................................................................................................................. 2
Project Description ..................................................................................................................... 2
Audit Observations ..................................................................................................................... 5
Potential Safety Enhancements ................................................................................................. 7
Summary of Road Safety Audit ................................................................................................. 8
List of Appendices
Appendix A.
Appendix B.
Appendix C.
RSA Meeting Agenda
RSA Audit Team Contact List
Detailed Crash Data
List of Figures
Figure 1.
Location Map ......................................................................................................................... 3
List of Tables
Table 1.
Table 2.
Table 3.
Participating Audit Team Members ....................................................................................... 1
Estimated Time Frame and Costs Breakdown ....................................................................... 7
Potential Safety Enhancement Summary ............................................................................... 9
Road Safety Audit—Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and Renfrew Street—Adams, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Project Data
A Road Safety Audit for the intersection of Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and Renfrew Street
was held on November 26, 2013 at the offices of Burke Construction in Adams, MA. As indicated in
Table 1, the audit team consisted of representatives from State, Regional and Local agencies and included
a cross-section of engineering, planning and emergency response expertise.
Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members
Audit Team Member
Agency/Affiliation
Bonnie Polin
MassDOT Highway Division – Safety Section
Peter Frieri
MassDOT Highway Division – District 1
Kevin Chiang
MassDOT Highway Division – District 1 Projects
Pat Tierney
MassDOT Highway Division – District 1 Traffic
Doug Plachinski
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission
Dan LaPlante
Adams Ambulance
Tom Satko
Town of Adams – DPW
Rick Tarsa
Town of Adams – Police Chief
Jonathan Butler
Town of Adams – Town Administrator
Donna Cesan
Town of Adams – Community Development
Matt Chase
VHB
Greg Lucas
BETA Group, Inc.
Justin Curewitz
BETA Group, Inc.
Page 1
Road Safety Audit—Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and Renfrew Street—Adams, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Background
The Federal Highway Administration defines a Road Safety Audit (RSA) as the formal safety examination
of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team. The purpose of an
RSA is to identify potential safety issues and possible opportunities for safety improvements considering
all roadway users. A Road Safety Audit was scheduled for the intersection of Route 8 (Columbia Street)
with Friend Street and Renfrew Street in Adams because it has been identified as a high crash location
within the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) region. The reconstruction of the intersection
(MassDOT File No. 604553) includes a roundabout and is currently funded through the 2014 Berkshire
Metropolitan Planning Organization (BMPO) Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The RSA is
intended to identify potential short and long term safety improvement that can be made at the intersection,
which can then be implemented through general maintenance for short term low cost improvements or
incorporated into the reconstruction project to the greatest extent practicable.
Project Description
The intersection of Route 8 (Columbia Street) with Friend Street and Renfrew Street, shown in Figure 1,
is located north of the downtown section in Adams. Route 8 follows a north-south route through the
intersection, connecting the center of Adams with North Adams. Friend Street connects residential
neighborhoods to Route 8 and runs along a northeast-southwest alignment. Renfrew Street comprises the
east leg of the intersection and serves as a connection to local businesses.
Route 8 is functionally classified as a Principal
Arterial and is under Town of Adams jurisdiction.
Friend Street is classified as a Rural Minor Arterial
and Renfrew Street is a local road, with both
roadways under town jurisdiction. Land use in the
area is primarily commercial with the McAndrewsKing car dealership on the northwest corner of the
intersection. Burke Construction occupies a
renovated former train station on the northeast corner
and a 7-Eleven gas station and convenience store is
located on the southeast corner of the intersection.
Renfrew Park, located on the southwest corner, is
home to multiple fields, a basketball court and a
playground with parking accessible through two
driveways on Friend Street.
Route 8 at Friend St/RenfrewSt
(looking northbound)
The intersection is a 4-way intersection, with Friend Street and Renfrew Street under STOP sign control.
Route 8 provides a single travel lane in each direction along its length, following a generally straight
alignment through thickly settled residences and businesses. Route 8 begins a slight uphill grade just
south of the intersection and gradually increases heading northbound through the intersection to a crest
approximately 550 feet from the intersection. Friend Street provides a single travel lane in each direction,
Page 2
COL
UMB
I
(ROUA STREE
T
TE 8
)
McANDREWS-KING
CAR DEALERSHIP
RENFREW
PARK
COLU
MBIA
(ROU STREET
T E 8)
ST
RE
ET
WO
RK
SD
PR
INT
D
EN
I
FR
T
EE
R
ST
RENFREW
7-ELEVEN
RIV
E
BURKE
CONSTRUCTION
LEGEND
STUDY INTERSECTION
Road Safety Audit
Columbia St (Route 8) at
Friend/Renfrew Sts
Adams, MA
Figure 1
Location Map
Road Safety Audit—Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and Renfrew Street—Adams, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
widening at the approach to Route 8 to provide a shared left-through lane and an exclusive right turn lane;
however, no lane use sign or pavement markings are provided. Renfrew Street provides a single travel
lane in each direction and direct access to Print Works Drive, a local road that is home to an industrial
park.
Pavement markings are slightly faded along Route 8 and both intersecting side streets. Sidewalks are
provided along both sides of the south leg of Route 8 and only on the west side of the north leg. A short
section of sidewalk is provided on the south side of Renfrew Street, and no sidewalks are provided along
Friend Street in the vicinity of the intersection. There is an existing path from the Renfrew Park Lot
connecting Route 8 to a sidewalk on the south side of Friend Street, approximately ¼ of a mile west of
the intersection. Crosswalks are provided across the south leg of Route 8 and across Friend Street at the
intersection. Wheelchair ramps are provided for all crosswalks but do not meet ADA requirements. In
addition, there is an existing utility pole located in the ramp transition on the northwest corner.
Crash data provided by the Adams Police Department and summarized by MassDOT show 15 crashes
from January 2009 to December 2012. Four additional crashes occurred in private parking lots and were
not included in the crash summary. Three of these additional crashes occurred in the 7-Eleven parking lot
and one in the McAndrews-King lot. A collision diagram and crash summary are included in the
Appendix. The prevalent crash type were angle crashes, comprising 67% of total crashes. Five crashes
involved vehicles traveling northbound on Route 8. Three of the five crashes involved a vehicle exiting
from 7-Eleven while the remaining two involved left turning vehicles from Friend Street and Route 8
southbound. Three additional crashes occurred between vehicles exiting the McAndrews-King parking lot
and a southbound right-turning vehicle. Also of note were several crashes that involved a vehicle exiting
out of the 7-Eleven to Route 8 and then turning left at Friend Street. Five crashes stated that the driver
failed to yield to the right of way when making turns.
Three crashes involving vehicles striking fixed objects occurred at the intersection, one involving a
vehicle hitting a snow bank, one striking the guardrail and one where a driver fell asleep and struck
several parked cars in the McAndrews-King lot. Also of note is the lighting condition, where all crashes
at the intersection occurred during daylight hours.
Page 4
Road Safety Audit—Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and Renfrew Street—Adams, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Audit Observations
Following a brief introduction to the RSA process and a summary of existing crash information, the audit
participants were asked to discuss safety issues at the intersection of Route 8 with Friend Street and
Renfrew Street. Audit participants then conducted a site visit as a group, at which time they offered
observations on safety concerns and deficiencies. A summary of those major safety considerations is as
follows:

Access Management – The close proximity of commercial driveways to the intersection are a safety
concern. This was specifically noted for the 7-Eleven and for the McAndrews-King dealership
driveways. Several crashes involved vehicles exiting from these driveways and can be attributed to
their proximity to the intersection.

Sight Distance – Several sight distance restrictions were discussed by the audit team.



o
Vegetation and the grade differential of the east
and north legs of the intersection restrict the view
of southbound traffic for vehicles departing
Renfrew Street.
o
It was suggested that cars parked along the edge of
the McAndrews-King parking lot may restrict
visibility, but this did not appear to be the case
during the site visit.
o
Side-by-side vehicles on the two-lane Friend
Street approach block each others’ view of
oncoming traffic.
Visibility restrictions departing
Renfrew Street
Cut-Through Traffic – It was noted that traffic cuts-through the McAndrews-King parking lot during
events at Renfrew Park to bypass the intersection. It was stated by audit participants that a police
officer directs traffic at the intersection during well-attended events such as football games. Three
angle crashes occurred at the dealership’s driveway on Friend Street, which could be attributed to cutthrough traffic.
Speeding - Speeding along Route 8 was noted as a safety concern. Speed can be a contributing factor
in the crash history of the intersection and are influenced southbound by the downhill grade of Route
8.
Driver Impatience/Aggression – Drivers waiting a significant amount of time to make turns from
Friend Street and Renfrew Street become impatient and will accept potentially unsafe gaps. Several
crashes stated a failure to yield to right of way with vehicles exiting from both side streets.
Page 5
Road Safety Audit—Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and Renfrew Street—Adams, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.

Pedestrian Accommodations – A number of issues related to pedestrian accommodations were
discussed.
o
The intersection has a significant amount of
pedestrian activity with the close proximity of
Renfrew Park. A path connects the park to the
sidewalk on the west side of Route 8 just south
of the intersection.
o
It was noted that pedestrians cross Route 8 to
access the 7-Eleven from Renfrew Park, but do
not use the existing crosswalk. It is important to
note that the path connecting Renfrew Park to
Route 8 is aligned directly across from 7Renfrew Park Pathway
Eleven, leading pedestrians to cross Route 8
unprotected rather than walking to the north to use the crosswalk at the intersection.
o
Continuous sidewalks are provided along the west
side of Route 8. Neither intersecting side street
provides sidewalks.
o
Wheelchair ramps are provided for crosswalks
across the south and west legs of the intersection,
but do not meet ADA standards. A utility pole is
located in the wheelchair ramp transition on the
northwest corner of the intersection, impeding the
clear spacing required for pedestrians.
Utility pole in wheelchair ramp

Bicycle Accommodation – Accommodation is not provided for bicycles at the intersection. Shoulders
are provided along Route 8, but are of an inadequate width for accommodation. It was noted that
bicyclists use the intersection to access to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail which is located to the south.

Industrial Park Traffic – It was noted that employees from the Industrial Park along Print Works
Drive use Lime Street when exiting to avoid the Route 8/Friend Street/Renfrew Street intersection.
Improvements proposed for the intersection have the potential to re-route traffic back to the
intersection if Renfrew Street delay is reduced and safety is increased.

Lighting – It was noted that existing lighting at the intersection is perceived to be inadequate.
Although street lights are provided on utility poles along Route 8, the width of the intersection
provides challenges to proper illumination.
Page 6
Road Safety Audit—Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and Renfrew Street—Adams, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Potential Safety Enhancements
After the site visit, audit participants returned to the meeting location, where the design plans were shown
and briefly summarized, and the audit team was asked to discuss the safety issues and consider
improvements. Audit participants were encouraged to consider both short and long term improvements
for each issue. Each improvement considered has been categorized as short-term, mid-term, or long-term
based on the definitions shown in Table 2. Additionally, a cost category has been assigned to each
improvement based on the parameters set forth in Table 2.
Table 2. Estimated Time Frame and Costs Breakdown
Time Frame
Short-term






<1 year
Costs
Low
Mid-term
1–3 years
Medium
Long-term
>3 years
High
<$10,000
$10,000–$50,000
>$50,000
Update traffic control and intersection geometry. It was noted that the design project proposes a
roundabout at the intersection, which will modify the traffic control and geometry. This is a high-cost,
mid-term improvement.
Consider access restrictions at the intersection. The significant number of crashes involving vehicles
exiting businesses indicates a need for restrictions in access. If existing access is legally permitted, the
Town should coordinate with property owners to determine if restrictions can be accommodated. It
was noted the project roundabout design will alter or close driveway locations from the 7-Eleven and
the McAndrews-King lots. This is a high cost, mid-term improvement.
Discourage cut-through traffic. Enforcement may be needed in the short term to restrict cut-through
traffic using the McAndrews-King parking lot during events at Renfrew Park such as football games.
The roundabout design closes one of the McAndrews-King driveways, effectively addressing this
problem in the future.
Consider advanced signage southbound approaching the change in speed
zones. A W3-5 Reduced Speed Ahead warning sign as shown at right
should be installed, potentially supplemented by flashing beacons.
Advanced and additional signage is a short-term, low cost improvement,
and is typically part of the signing plan with roundabouts.
Continue speed enforcement efforts in the area. Enforcement is a shortterm and ongoing effort, the cost of which is reduced enforcement elsewhere in the town. The
roundabout will effectively self-police speeding on Route 8 by requiring drivers to reduce their speed
to enter the roundabout.
Provide pedestrian accommodations at the intersection. Accommodation should be provided
throughout the intersection with sidewalks, ADA compliant wheelchair ramps and crosswalks to carry
pedestrians safely across Route 8 and both side streets. The roundabout design should provide
Page 7
Road Safety Audit—Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and Renfrew Street—Adams, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
crosswalks with pedestrian refuge in splitter islands, allowing pedestrians to cross one direction of
traffic at a time. This is a mid-term, high cost improvement assumed to be included in the project.




Realign the existing pathway from Renfrew Park to meet the crosswalk across Route 8 for safer
pedestrian access to 7-Eleven. This is a mid-term, medium cost improvement that is incorporated into
the roundabout design, with the path relocated to meet the crosswalk across the splitter island on the
south leg of Route 8.
Provide bicycle accommodation through the intersection. Accommodation should be carried through
the intersection to allow bicyclists safe travel to connecting roadways, providing them access to the
Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. This is a mid-term, high cost improvement. It was noted that bicycles will
be accommodated within shared lanes in the roundabout.
Consider increased traffic from industrial park via Renfrew Street. Traffic volumes may increase at
the intersection following construction of the roundabout as traffic leaving the industrial park reroutes from Lime Street back to Renfrew Street. A trip distribution study should be considered to
determine the potential increase in traffic. Study is a short-term, low cost improvement.
Consider improved intersection lighting. Existing lighting at the intersection is perceived as
inadequate. Coordination is needed between the Town and the designer to provide upgraded lighting
at the intersection. The roundabout design should include good practices for lighting to provide the
appropriate illumination. This is a long-term, potentially high cost improvement that should be
considered in the proposed project.
Summary of Road Safety Audit
Table 3 summarizes potential recommendations discussed by the audit team. The recommendations are
categorized based on the potential safety payoff, as well as by time frame and cost. The safety payoff is a
qualitative judgment of the effectiveness of the potential safety improvements. Each recommendation has
a responsibility assigned to it stating whether MassDOT or the Town of Adams would be responsible for
implementing the recommended improvement. “Project” refers to improvements that are included or
could reasonably be included in the proposed roundabout project. All improvements have an order of
magnitude cost assigned.
Page 8
Road Safety Audit— Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and Renfrew Street—Adams, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Table 3. Potential Safety Enhancement Summary
Responsibility
Safety
Payoff
Time
Frame
Cost
Update traffic control and intersection geometry.
Project
High
Mid-term
High*
Access Management
Consider access restrictions at the intersection.
Project/Town
High
Mid-term
High*
Cut-Through Traffic
Discourage cut-through traffic. This can be done with
enforcement in the short-term, but will effectively be addressed
by the roundabout in the future.
Speeding
Consider advanced signage southbound approaching the
change in speed zones. The sign can potentially be
supplemented by flashing beacons.
Speeding
Continue speed enforcement efforts in the area. The roundabout
will self-enforce speeding in the future.
Pedestrian
Accommodations
Provide pedestrian accommodations at the intersection.
Project
High
Mid-term
High*
Pedestrian
Accommodations
Realign the existing pathway from Renfrew Park to meet the
crosswalk across Route 8 for safer pedestrian access to 7Eleven.
Project
High
Mid-term
Medium*
Bicycle Accommodation
Provide bicycle accommodation through the intersection.
Project
Medium
Mid-term
High*
Industrial Park Traffic
Consider increased traffic from industrial park via Renfrew
Street. A trip distribution study should be considered.
Lighting
Consider improved intersection lighting. The roundabout design
should include good practices for lighting to provide the
appropriate illumination.
Safety Issue
Safety Enhancement
ALL
*
Town
Medium Short-term
$0 (Reduced
enforcement
elsewhere)
TBD
Town/Project
Medium Short-term
Town
Medium Short-term
Signs: $500
Beacon:
$25,000
$0 (Reduced
Town
Project
Medium Short-term
High
Mid-term
enforcement
elsewhere)
$5,000
High*
Improvements to be incorporated into the proposed project are assumed to be included as part of the overall project cost.
Page 9
Road Safety Audit— Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and Renfrew Street—Adams, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda
Road Safety Audit
Adams, MA
Route 8 (Columbia Street) / Friend Street
Meeting Location: Burke Construction
6 Renfrew Street, Adams, MA
Monday, November 25, 2013
1:30-3:30 PM
Type of meeting:
High Crash Location – Road Safety Audit
Attendees:
Invited Participants to Comprise a Multidisciplinary Team
Please bring:
Thoughts and Enthusiasm!!
1:30 PM
Welcome and Introductions
1:45 PM
Discussion of Safety Issues
 Crash history, Speed Regulations – provided in advance
 Existing Geometries and Conditions
2:00 PM
Site Visit
 Drive to the intersections of Route 8 (Columbia Street) and Friend Street
 As a group, identify areas for improvement
2:45 PM
Discussion of Potential Improvements
 Discuss observations and finalize safety issue areas
 Discuss potential improvements and finalize recommendations
3:30 PM
Adjourn for the Day – but the RSA has not ended
Instructions for Participants:
 Before attending the RSA on November 25th, 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.
Road Safety Audit— Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and Renfrew Street—Adams, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List
Participating Audit Team Members
Adams – Route 8 (Columbia Street) / Friend Street
Email Address
Date: November 26, 2013
Audit Team Member
Location:
Agency/Affiliation
Greg Lucas
Justin Curewitz
Bonnie Polin
Matt Chase
Pat Tierney
Peter Frieri
Dan Laplante
Kevin Chiang
Tom Satko
Rick Tarsa
Jonathan Butler
Donna Cesan
Doug Plachinski
BETA
BETA
MassDOT Safety
VHB
MassDOT District 1
MassDOT District 1
Adams Ambulance
MassDOT D1
Adams DPW
Adams PD
Adams – Town Admin
Town of Adams
BRPC
GLucas@BETA-Inc.com
JCurewitz@BETA-Inc.com
Bonnie.Polin@state.ma.us
MChase@VHB.com
Patrick.tierney@dot.state.ma.us
Peter.frieri@state.ma.us
adamsamb@verizon.net
Kevin.Chiang@state.ma.us
tsatko@town.adams.ma.us
rtarsa@town.adams.ma.us
JButler@town.adams.ma.us
dcesan@town.adams.ma.us
dplachcinski@berkshireplanning.org
Phone Number
781-255-1982
781-255-1982
857-368-9636
413-426-6114
413-637-5770
413-637-5767
413-743-4783
781-254-0361
413-743-8325
413-743-1212
413-743-8300
413-743-8317
413-418-5864
Road Safety Audit— Route 8 (Columbia Street) at Friend Street and Renfrew Street—Adams, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data