ROAD SAFETY AUDIT
Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at
Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street
City of Springfield
July 20, 2011
Prepared For:
MassDOT Highway Division
Prepared By:
BETA Group, Inc.
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Table of Contents
Project Data .................................................................................................................................1
Background .................................................................................................................................2
Project Description .....................................................................................................................2
Audit Observations .....................................................................................................................6
Potential Safety Enhancements .................................................................................................9
Summary of Road Safety Audit...............................................................................................12
List of Appendices
Appendix A.
Appendix B.
Appendix C.
Appendix D.
RSA Meeting Agenda
RSA Audit Team Contact List
Detailed Crash Data
Speed Regulations
List of Figures
Figure 1.
Figure 2.
Location Map ......................................................................................................................... 3
Location Detail ....................................................................................................................... 4
List of Tables
Table 1.
Table 2.
Table 3.
Participating Audit Team Members ....................................................................................... 1
Estimated Time Frame and Costs Breakdown ....................................................................... 9
Potential Safety Enhancement Summary ............................................................................. 13
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Project Data
A Road Safety Audit for the intersection of Sumner Avenue, Allen Street, Harkness Avenue and Abbott
Street in the City of Springfield was held on May 12, 2011 at the offices of the Department of Public
Works in Springfield, MA. As indicated in Table 1, the audit team consisted of representatives from
Federal, 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
Lisa Schletzbaum
MassDOT Highway Division – Safety Section
Chris Cignoli
City of Springfield – City Engineer
Victor Gomez
Springfield Fire Department – Fire Alarm Supervisor
Neil Maloney
Springfield Police Department – Traffic Bureau
Promise Otaluka
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Trung Vo
MassDOT Highway Division District 2 – Traffic
Bao Lang
MassDOT Highway Division District 2 – Traffic
Daryl Amaral
MassDOT Highway Division District 2 – Projects
Gary Roux
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC)
Khyati Parmar
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC)
Matt Chase
VHB
Juliet Locke
VHB
Greg Lucas
BETA Group, Inc.
Christine Keches
BETA Group, Inc.
Page 1
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, 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
Sumner Avenue, Allen Street, Harkness Avenue and Abbott Street as required by MassDOT Highway
Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) guidelines. The intersection is within the top 5% of locations on the
high crash list in the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) region, and the intersection is
scheduled to be reconstructed in 2012 by the MassDOT Highway Division using HSIP funds. The RSA is
intended to identify potential short and long term safety improvements that can be made at the
intersections, which can then be incorporated into the planned reconstruction project to the greatest extent
practicable.
Project Description
The intersection of Sumner Avenue, Allen
Street, Harkness Avenue and Abbott
Street, shown in Figure 1, is located in the
southeastern portion of Springfield.
Sumner Avenue and Allen Street are both
functionally classified as Urban Principal
Arterials. Harkness Avenue is functionally
classified as an Urban Minor Arterial,
while Abbott Street is functionally
classified as an Urban Collector. All
roadways are City-owned. Sumner Avenue
and Allen Street are important regional
roadways, providing east-west arterial
access through the southern part of
Springfield from Interstate 91 and Route 5
to the west to Wilbraham and Ludlow to
Sumner Avenue (looking west)
the east and northeast. Sumner Avenue and
at Abbott Street and Harkness Avenue
Allen Street intersect approximately 200
feet west of the study intersection, and each operate as one-way roadways through the intersection and for
approximately ¾ mile east of the intersection, where they once again converge to form a two-way, four
lane roadway. Both roadways are part of the National Highway System, connecting to I-91 to the west
and ultimately connecting to Routes 21 and 141 to the east, which provide access to the Massachusetts
Turnpike (I-90).
Harkness Avenue and Abbott Street are both north-south residential streets. Abbott Street provides access
to Plumtree Road and South Branch Parkway north of the intersection. Harkness Avenue provides
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Study Intersection
0 250 500
EAST LONGMEADOW
1,000
Feet
Sumner Avenue / Allen Street at
Harkness Avenue / Abbott Street
315 Norwood Park South
Norwood, MA 02062
781.255.1982
BETA@BETA-inc.com
ROAD SAFETY AUDIT
SPRINGFIELD, MA
Figure 1
Location Map
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
access to East Longmeadow to the south; it was noted by City personnel that Harkness Avenue is a
preferred route for vehicles destined to retail destinations in East Longmeadow.
Land use surrounding the study intersection is a mix between commercial and residential. There is a
medical office on the northeast corner of Sumner Avenue and Abbott Street, an insurance agency and a
bank on the northwest corner, a gift shop on the southwest corner of Allen Street and Harkness Avenue,
and an insurance agency on the southeast corner. There are additional commercial properties west of the
intersection and primarily residential properties east of the intersection. Harkness Avenue and Abbott
Street are residential streets.
Sumner Avenue, Allen Street, Harkness Avenue and Abbott Street form a 4-way intersection under traffic
signal control. As previously noted, Sumner Avenue and Allen Street operate as one-way roadways at
their intersection with Abbott Street and Harkness Avenue. The median separation between the two
roadways creates a short median divided two-way roadway segment used by turning and crossing traffic,
as seen in Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Location Detail
Sumner Avenue and Allen Street provide two continuous through lanes through the intersection, with an
additional exclusive left turn lane for vehicles traveling from Sumner Avenue westbound to Harkness
Avenue. Abbott Street and Harkness Avenue each provide a single approach and departure lane. The twoway median divided segment between Sumner Avenue and Allen Street has two lanes in each direction,
designated as an exclusive left turn lane and a through lane. The two-way median divided segment only
Page 4
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
provides enough storage for two vehicles; as a result, blockages are commonplace, especially for vehicles
turning left from Sumner Avenue to Harkness Avenue. Vehicles utilizing the two-way median divided
segment may stop before entering the median divided segment, may stop at the stop line inside the
median divided segment, or may run the red light to clear the intersection, as reported by local officials.
The signal operates under simple two phase operation, with a phase for Sumner Avenue/Allen Street and
a phase for Abbott Street/Harkness Avenue. Signal heads are post-mounted and are not optimally placed
based on guidelines established in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The offset
between Abbott Street and Harkness Avenue is a potential contributing factor to driver confusion when
traversing the intersection. It was noted that the intersection currently operates under flash control from
1:00 AM to 6:00 AM.
Crosswalks are provided across both Abbott Street and Harkness Avenue, and across the western leg of
Sumner Avenue and Allen Street. No pedestrian indications or exclusive pedestrian phase is provided at
the intersection. Handicap ramps are inconsistent through the intersection, and specifically are not
provided for the crosswalk across Sumner Avenue and Allen Street, or for the median segment separating
the two streets. Sidewalks are provided on both sides of Sumner Avenue and Allen Street west of the
intersection, and on the north side of Sumner Avenue and the south side of Allen Street east of the
intersection. Sidewalks are present on both sides of Abbott Street and Harkness Avenue.
Crash data were provided by the Springfield Police Department and summarized by Pioneer Valley
Planning Commission (PVPC). There were a total of 32 crashes in the area of the intersection within the
period from January 2008 to December 2010. The crash summary shows a total of 49 crashes; after a
more detailed review, it was determined that 17 of the crashes occurred at the intersection of Sumner
Avenue and Allen Street to the west.
The unique geometry of the intersection creates two different primary conflict points where crashes may
occur. The intersection of Allen Street and Harkness Avenue experienced more crashes during the study
period than the intersection of Sumner Avenue and Abbott Street, perhaps due to the offset geometry of
Harkness Avenue. There were 16 total angle crashes through the intersection, with four occurring
between a vehicle traveling east on Allen Street and a vehicle traveling north on Harkness Avenue. Seven
angle crashes involved a vehicle turning left from the two-way median divided area, four northbound and
three southbound. Several rear-end crashes occurred at the intersection as well, with four involving
vehicles traveling west on Sumner Avenue. The intersection geometry may also be a contributing factor
in the two identified crashes involving vehicles traveling the wrong way, including one in which a vehicle
was backing up out of the two-way median divided area and backed into a vehicle traveling eastbound on
Allen Street. Three crashes involved a vehicle leaving the roadway; all were at night, which may indicate
that lighting is insufficient in the area given the atypical geometry of the intersection. There was one
bicycle crash at the intersection, involving a vehicle traveling north on Harkness Avenue striking a
bicyclist. A Crash data summary and a collision diagram are included in the Appendix.
Speed regulations maintained by MassDOT Highway Division establish a 30 MPH speed limit for both
Sumner Avenue and Allen Street in both directions in the vicinity of the intersection. Complete speed
regulations are included in the Appendix.
Page 5
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Audit Observations
Following a brief introduction to the RSA process and a summary of existing geometry, crash and speed
regulation information, the audit participants were asked to discuss safety issues at the intersection of
Sumner Avenue, Allen Street, Harkness Avenue and Abbott 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:
Signal Visibility – A number of safety issues relating to signal equipment and visibility were
discussed at the audit.
o The post mounted signals are less visible to approaching vehicles than overhead signals
would be, especially for the Sumner Avenue westbound approach, which has a crest
vertical curve immediately before the
intersection.
o The near side signal at the stop line for
Sumner Avenue westbound is potentially
blocked for approaching vehicles by a utility pole, as seen at right.
o Some signal heads are older 8” diameter
heads, which are less visible than the
modern standard 12” diameter heads.
o No backplates are provided for vehicle signal heads. Installation of backplates would
increase visibility of the signal indications for approaching vehicles.
o There is no far side signal head for the eastbound Allen Street approach.
o There is one far side signal head and no near side signal head for southbound vehicles
stopped in the two-way median-divided area.
o The westbound Sumner Avenue approach has a crest vertical curve several hundred feet
to the east of the intersection, which may impact signal visibility.
Signage/Pavement Markings – A number of safety
issues relating to existing signage and pavement
markings were discussed during the audit.
o Placement of One Way and No Left
Turn signs are potentially confusing to drivers unfamiliar with the intersection,
as seen at right.
Page 6
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
o Pavement markings are faded to non-existent at the intersection, which decreases
visibility of defined lane use.
o Advanced lane control signs are not provided for any of the intersection approaches.
o There is potential for confusion at the intersection of Allen Street and Gillette Avenue
due to lack of signage for the unique geometry and one-way segments integral to the
intersection.
Alignment – Harkness Avenue and Abbott Street are not lined up directly across from each other
creating an offset alignment. This alignment creates potential confusion for drivers and is a likely
contributing factor in the crash history at the intersection.
Pavement Condition – An audit participant noted slippery conditions on Sumner Avenue westbound
in wet/icy conditions potentially due to the worn pavement surface.
Lighting – Roadway lighting may be inadequate at the intersection, as indicated by the number of
roadway departure crashes occurring at night.
Crossing Guards – The City currently has a crossing guard at the intersection, and is considering
adding a second guard. It was suggested that standard operating protocol of crossing guards should be
reviewed, especially given potential improvements that will include an exclusive pedestrian phase.
Emergency Preemption – It was noted that the existing intersection does not have traffic signal
preemption for emergency vehicles. City personnel stated that they do have preemption emitters in
their emergency vehicles.
Truck Turns – It was suggested that while a truck turning left from Sumner Avenue to Harkness
Avenue can traverse the two-way median divided area, it will block opposing traffic due to the
limited storage available in the median area.
Curb Cuts – It was suggested that curb cuts can be better defined on the southwest corner of the
intersection, both for the gift shop on the corner and for the businesses to the west along the south
side of Allen Street.
Speeds – Speed was noted as a safety issue at the intersection. It was suggested that speeds for
approaching westbound vehicles are higher due to the downgrade created by the crest vertical curve
on Sumner Avenue. It was suggested that a dynamic “Red Signal Ahead” sign be provided for this
approach to increase awareness of the signal for approaching vehicles. Although unrelated to the
study intersection, it was also noted that the right turn “off-ramp” geometry from Sumner Avenue to
Allen Street westbound will be eliminated as part of future improvements at the Sumner
Avenue/Allen Street intersection to the west, which may decrease overall speeds for through vehicles.
Bicycle Accommodations – Existing shoulder widths are insufficient for bicycle travel on all four
roadways.
Page 7
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Visibility – Although unrelated to the study intersection, it was suggested that large flower pots in the
median west of the Sumner Avenue/Allen Street intersection pose a visibility constraint for vehicles
turning left from Sumner Avenue to Allen Street. It was also noted that plowed snow creates visibility
constraints at both intersections, but that the City makes their best effort to remove snow from this
area following extreme snow events.
On-Street Parking – It was reported that vehicles park in no parking areas in front of Gus & Paul’s
Deli to the west of the intersection on the south side of Sumner Avenue, which was observed and
confirmed on the day of the audit. This impacts the dual left turn lane from Allen Street eastbound
and Gillette Avenue southbound.
Buses – Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) operates buses on the Sumner Avenue and Allen
Street corridor, and has a stop on the north side of Sumner Avenue west of the study intersection.
This bus stop may be better placed with regards to pedestrian demands and available sidewalks and
crosswalks. Signal priority is currently provided to the PVTA Sumner Avenue Express service, and
should be maintained following improvements at the intersection.
Page 8
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Potential Safety Enhancements
After the site visit, audit participants returned to the meeting location 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
The following improvements were suggested by audit participants to improve safety issues associated
with the intersection of Sumner Avenue, Allen Street, Harkness Avenue and Abbott Street.
Reconstruct the intersection. As previously discussed, the intersection is scheduled for reconstruction
in 2012, potentially using HSIP funds. The following safety enhancements discussed during the audit
should be included as part of the planned reconstruction.
o Upgrade the traffic signal with all new equipment, including overhead signal heads with
12” LED lenses and backplates. The existing post-mounted signal heads are not optimally
placed for signal visibility. New mast arms and overhead signal heads should be placed
for optimal visibility for approaching drivers and according to MUTCD and MassDOT
standards. This is a mid-term, high cost improvement.
o Realign Abbott Street and Harkness Avenue to the greatest extent practicable. The
existing offset of Harkness Avenue creates confusion for drivers and may be a factor in
the crash history of the intersection. Realignment of these two roadways would facilitate
through movements and would ease confusion through the median area between Sumner
Avenue and Allen Street. This is a mid-term, high cost improvement. It should be noted
that a preliminary design of the intersection shows Abbot Street shifted to the east, along
with slight modifications at the southwest corner at Harkness Avenue to better align the
two roadways.
o Apply new pavement markings and arrow/only markings. New pavement markings will
be applied following pavement reconstruction, and new arrow and only markings should
be used where applicable. This is a mid-term, low cost improvement.
o Update signs by removing confusing or non-standard signs and adding lane control signs.
The existing One Way, No Left Turn and No Right Turn signs are potentially confusing
to drivers because drivers can see multiple messages at the same time. These signs should
Page 9
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
be removed and signs appropriate for the reconstructed intersection should be erected. In
addition, lane control signs should be provided on the Sumner Avenue and Allen Street
approaches. This is a mid-term, low cost improvement that should be expanded to the
intersection of Sumner Avenue, Allen Street and Gillette Avenue to the west.
o Consider location of turn lanes and reconfiguration of the two-way median divided area.
Although not essential to reconstruction of the intersection, reconfiguration of the twoway median divided area could significantly reduce conflicts and potential driver
confusion at the intersection. It should be noted that the preliminary design discussed at
the audit has left turn lanes from Sumner Avenue and Allen Street shifted to the left, so
that left turning vehicles do not have to use the median area between the two roadways to
make a left turn. The proposed area between Sumner Avenue and Allen Street would
only be used for through traffic from Abbott Street and Harkness Avenue, and has a
scored concrete area to separate directional traffic.
o Provide wheelchair ramps, crosswalks and pedestrian signal accommodations. The
reconstructed intersection should have pedestrian signals with an exclusive pedestrian
signal phase. Crosswalks should be maintained across the west leg of Sumner Avenue
and Allen Street and across both Abbott Street and Harkness Avenue. Handicap access
ramps with grades and cross slopes meeting ADA requirements should be provided at all
crosswalk locations. This is a mid-term, medium cost improvement.
o Provide emergency preemption. The reconstructed traffic signal should include
preemption for emergency vehicles. This is a mid-term, medium cost improvement.
o Widen shoulders to provide bicycle accommodation. It was noted that Sumner Avenue
and Allen Street will both provide 4-foot minimum shoulders following reconstruction,
which meets MassDOT’s standard for bicycle accommodation. It was also noted,
however, that 2-foot shoulder widths will be provided on Harkness Avenue, and that
wider shoulders cannot be provided without property acquisition and removal of several
mature trees. This is a mid-term, high cost improvement.
o Install a dynamic “Red Signal Ahead” sign on the Sumner Avenue westbound approach.
It was suggested that the crest vertical curve on this approach restricts visibility of the
existing signal. The proposed overhead signal heads will be more visible and the addition
of an illuminated “Red Signal Ahead” sign will also increase awareness for approaching
drivers. This is a mid-term, medium cost improvement.
o Rehabilitate pavement, consider high friction surface course for the Sumner Avenue
westbound approach. It was noted that pavement rehabilitation is proposed by milling
and overlay with widening. It was suggested that new pavement for the Sumner Avenue
westbound approach should use a higher friction course due to the downslope of this
approach and the speeds of approaching vehicles. This is a mid-term, high cost
improvement.
Page 10
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Consider bus stop placement with regards to pedestrian improvements at the Sumner Avenue/Allen
Street/Gillette Avenue intersection. Relocation of the bus stop may be considered, or sidewalk and
crosswalk upgrades at the Sumner Avenue/Allen Street/Gillette Avenue intersection may be designed
to improve pedestrian accessibility to the existing stop. This is a mid-term, medium cost
improvement.
Upgrade lighting at the intersection. It was suggested that roadway lighting should be improved in the
area. The designer should review locations of existing lights in cooperation with the City in
consideration of the proposed intersection geometry. This is a mid-term, medium cost improvement.
Provide training for crossing guards based on the revised traffic signal design. It was suggested that
crossing guards at other intersections in the City push the pedestrian pushbutton to activate the
pedestrian phase, but then cross children during vehicle phases if no vehicles are present. The City
should determine the preferred protocol for school crossings and provide training to the guards
accordingly, and should apply this procedure at this intersection following reconstruction. This is a
short-term, low cost improvement.
Remove curb cut on the southwest corner and review curb cuts for businesses along Allen Street west
of the intersection. The gift shop on the southwest corner of the intersection has four curb cuts – one
at the western edge of the property on Allen Street, two on Harkness Avenue, and one on the radius of
the corner that also serves to provide handicap access for the crosswalk across Harkness Avenue. The
curb cut on the radius of the corner is potentially dangerous because it leads vehicles directly to the
center of the intersection, and is not under signal control. This driveway should be closed and
replaced with a handicap access ramp only. In addition, the project may review curb cut access of the
commercial properties west of the gift shop, as they presently have open, undefined access. This is a
mid-term, low cost improvement.
Remove flower pots from median islands on Sumner Avenue west of the intersection. This
improvement is not directly related to the study intersection, but should be considered if the scope of
the reconstruction project is expanded to include the intersection of Sumner Avenue and Allen Street
to the west. This is a mid-term, low cost improvement.
Review parking restrictions and related signage, and enforce no parking areas. Any potential upgrades
to the intersection of Sumner Avenue and Allen Street to the west should consider existing parking
restrictions and improve signage to reinforce parking restrictions. Additionally, the City may consider
increasing enforcement of parking restrictions, especially during peak demand times at Gus & Paul’s
Deli. This is a short-term, low cost improvement that could decrease enforcement elsewhere in the
City.
Maintain transit priority for PVTA Sumner Avenue Express Bus Service. In addition to emergency
preemption, the signal should provide transit priority preemption for buses. This is a mid-term,
medium cost improvement.
Page 11
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
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 City of Springfield would be responsible
for implementing the recommended improvement. “Project” refers to improvements that are assumed to
be included or could reasonably be accommodated as part of planned improvements at the intersection.
Costs provided for “Project” improvements are an order of magnitude estimate which estimates the cost
of the improvement if completed independent of the project.
Page 12
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Table 3. Potential Safety Enhancement Summary
Safety Issue
Safety Enhancement
Responsibility Safety Payoff
Time
Frame
Cost
ALL
Reconstruct intersection. Safety enhancements to be
included in proposed reconstruction are detailed below.
Project
High
Mid-term
TBD
Signal Visibility
Upgrade the traffic signal with all new equipment, including
overhead signal heads with LED lenses and backplates.
Project
High
Mid-term
$150,000
Alignment, Truck Turns
Realign Abbott Street and Harkness Avenue to the greatest
extent practicable.
Project
High
Mid-term
$250,000
Signage/Pavement
Markings
Update signage by removing confusing or non-standard
signs and adding lane control signs.
(This improvement should be expanded to include the
Sumner Avenue/Allen Street/Gillette Avenue intersection to
the west)
Project
High
Mid-term
$5,000
Alignment, Truck Turns
Consider location of turn lanes and reconfiguration of the
two-way median divided area.
Project
High
Mid-term
$150,000
Pedestrian
Accommodations
Provide wheelchair ramps, crosswalks and pedestrian
signal accommodations.
Project
High
Mid-term
$50,000
Signage/Pavement
Markings
Apply new pavement markings and arrow/only markings
following pavement reconstruction.
Project
Medium
Mid-term
$8,000
Emergency Preemption
Provide emergency preemption with the reconstructed
traffic signal.
Project
Medium
Mid-term
$20,000
Bicycle
Accommodation
Provide a 4-foot minimum shoulder for bicycle
accommodation.
Project
Medium
Mid-term
$100,000
Pedestrian
Accommodations,
Buses
Relocate existing bus stop west of the study intersection, or
upgrade sidewalks and crosswalks to improve access to
the existing bus stop location.
Project
Medium
Mid-term
$50,000
Signal Visibility,
Speeds
Install a dynamic ―Red Signal Ahead‖ sign for the Sumner
Avenue westbound approach.
Project
Medium
Mid-term
$15,000
Pavement Condition,
Speeds
Rehabilitate pavement, consider high friction surface
course for the Sumner Avenue westbound approach.
Project
Medium
Mid-term
$150,000
Lighting
Upgrade lighting at the intersection in cooperation with the
City in consideration of proposed geometry changes.
Project/City
Medium
Mid-term
$25,000
Page 13
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Table 3. Potential Safety Enhancement Summary
Safety Issue
Safety Enhancement
Responsibility Safety Payoff
Time
Frame
Cost
On-Street Parking
Review parking restrictions and related signage, and
enforce parking restrictions west of the study intersection.
Project/City
Medium
Short-term
$5,000 &
Reduced
Enforcement
elsewhere
Curb Cuts
Remove curb cut on the southwest corner and review curb
cuts for businesses along Allen Street west of the
intersection.
Project
Medium
Mid-term
$5,000
Visibility
Remove flower pots from median islands on Sumner
Avenue west of the intersection.
Project/City
Medium
Mid-term
$2,000
Buses
Maintain transit priority for PVTA Sumner Avenue Express
Bus Service.
Project
Low
Mid-term
$20,000
Crossing Guards
Determine preferred protocol, and provide training to
guards based on the revised traffic signal design.
City
Low
Short-term
Time of City
Officials
Page 14
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda
Road Safety Audit
Springfield – Harkness/Abbott at Sumner/Allen
Meeting Location: 70 Tapley Street
Springfield
Thursday, May 12th, 2011
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Type of meeting:
Road Safety Audit (RSA)
Attendees:
Invited Participants to Comprise a Multidisciplinary Team
Please bring:
Thoughts and Enthusiasm!!
10:00 AM
Welcome and Introductions
10:15 AM
Review of Site Specific Material
• Crash Summary, Collision Diagram and Speed Regulations
• Existing Geometries and Conditions
• Plans for Proposed Improvement
10:45 AM
Visit the Site
• Walk / drive through area
• As a group, identify areas for improvement
11:30 AM
Completion of RSA
• Finalize discussion on all areas for improvement
• Discuss potential improvements with pros and cons and record possible
countermeasures
12:30 PM
Adjourn for the Day – but the RSA has not ended*
Instructions for Participants:
• Before attending the RSA on May 12th, 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
RSA Report to assure it is reflective of the RSA completed by the multidisciplinary
team.
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data
Collision Diagram
Springfield, MA
Intersections of Sumner Ave, Abbott St, Allen St, and Harkness Ave
Sumner Ave
N
Allen St
4
47
27
45
Harkness Ave.
49
14,44
40
10,23
13
1,5,26,31
12
25
9, 31, 39, 43
28,30,46
Abbott St.
3
20
Harkness Ave
24
37
29
6
35
Crash Summary for the intersctions of Sumner Ave, Allen Street, Harkness Ave, and Abbott Street
#
DATE
02/02/08
03/21/08
04/17/08
04/28/08
05/03/08
05/21/08
05/28/08
06/05/08
06/29/08
08/13/08
10/17/08
11/20/08
12/06/08
12/09/08
12/22/08
01/18/09
01/21/09
01/25/09
03/26/09
04/08/09
05/16/09
05/29/09
06/01/09
06/12/09
06/19/09
TIME
9:13 AM
9:59 AM
5:06 PM
7:04 AM
2:00 AM
8:39 AM
5:35 AM
2:38 PM
2:43 PM
4:52 AM
11:59 AM
4:56 AM
9:10 PM
4:25 PM
3:27 PM
12:18 PM
7:40 AM
9:39 AM
9:04 AM
8:29 AM
9:36 AM
12:28 PM
4:40 AM
7:30 AM
11:30 PM
DAY
SAT
FRI
THUR
MON
SUN
WED
WED
THUR
SUN
WED
FRI
THUR
SUN
TUES
MON
SUN
WED
SUN
THUR
WED
SAT
FRI
MON
FRI
FRI
SEV.
PD
PD
PD
PD
PD
I
PD
I
I
I
PD
PD
PD
PD
PD
PD
PD
PD
PD
PD
I
PD
PD
PD
PD
L
2
1
1
1
3
2
2
1
1
2
1
1
3
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
3
2
3
P
13
13
13
5
13
5
13
13
13
13
13
13
13
5
13
13
13
13
13
13
12
5
13
5
13
#
DATE
06/24/09
07/27/09
08/23/09
09/14/09
09/23/09
09/24/09
10/11/09
11/17/09
12/15/09
12/20/09
10/11/10
10/19/10
10/27/10
11/28/10
12/12/10
02/21/10
03/07/10
03/12/10
03/19/10
06/01/10
06/18/10
07/03/10
07/09/10
08/16/10
1
26
2*
27
3
28
4
29
5
30
6
31
7*
32*
8*
33
9
34*
10
35
11*
36
12
37
13
38*
14
39
15*
40
16*
41*
17*
42*
18*
43
19*
44
20
45
21*
46
22*
47
23
48*
24
49
25
Information compiled from City of Springfield Crash Reports, January 2008 - December 2010
See related Collision Diagram for location of crash #
* Crash occurred at the intersection of Sumner Ave. and Allen Street (not within HSIP area)
Key
Light Condition (L)
Pattern (P)
1. Daylight
2. Dawn/Dusk
3. Darkness
4. Unknown
0. Not Known
1. Speed too fast
2. Parked Car
3. Ran Stop Sign
4. Ran Traffic Signal
5. Rear End
6. Improper Passing
7. Wrong side of road
8. Improper turning
9. Improper backing
10. Sideswipe
11. Pedestrian violation
12. Human Error
13. Angle
TIME
7:42 PM
9:58 AM
11:36 AM
9:54 AM
8:11 PM
1:59 PM
6:26 PM
4:30 PM
12:30 AM
5:20 PM
6:15 PM
2:44 AM
9:58 PM
12:51 PM
2:08 AM
10:13 AM
9:00 PM
11:44 AM
4:41 PM
11:30 PM
8:51 PM
12:04 PM
6:45 AM
5:57 PM
DAY
WED
MON
SUN
MON
WED
THUR
SUN
TUES
N/A
SUN
MON
TUES
WED
SUN
SUN
SUN
SUN
SAT
FRI
TUES
FRI
SUN
FRI
MON
SEV.
I
PD
PD
I
PD
I
PD
I
PD
I
PD
PD
PD
PD
PD
I
PD
I
I
I
PD
I
PD
I
L
2
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
3
1
1
3
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
3
2
3
2
1
P
13
13
13
5
13
13
13
5
12
5
5
12
13
13
12
13
5
13
5
12
13
5
13
12
Road Safety Audit—Sumner Avenue/Allen Street at Harkness Avenue/Abbott Street—Springfield, MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Appendix D. Speed Regulations